Della stared at the invitation her mother had brought with her, tapping her foot nervously. She took a fussy Jax from her mother, holding him close, kissing his cute little nose. She sat down and lifted her shirt to feed him, knowing he was hungry. He latched on, startling Della with his ferocity. "Sheesh, little guy, I can always make more, you know," she said, smiling despite the fact that her nipple felt like it had been caught in a vice.
"He is just the cutest pup I have ever seen," her mother was gushing over him, despite the circumstances it was clear Jax could add his grandmother's heart to his collection. "He looks just like you did when you were a pup," she added, hoping to comfort Della. She didn't seem to realize that Della wouldn't have cared what he looked like. In her mind, Jax was HER pup. How she would explain his lack of a father to him when he was older was something that troubled her, but she had some time to figure it out. She didn't look at Jax and see anything but perfection, the cutest pup ever born, she loved him more than words could ever express.
"Why is attendance mandatory?" Della groaned, "I just had a pup! I don't want to go to some stupid gala!" Although werewolf healing made pregnancy less traumatic on her body that on a human's, she still had wild hormones, sore nipples, and a pup to take care of! One that no one could know existed. "My boobs won't fit in to any of my formal dresses!"
"Well, at least that means we can go shopping, I mean seriously, some of THE most famous shopping in the world is practically around the corner from here!" Cori said enthusiastically. "Wait a minute, did I get an invitation?"
"If I go, you're going." Della said, "but these stupid parties are usually just Alphas and their relatives, Betas, and other wealthy families. It's a total snobfest."
"I see," Cori said, shrugging. "Sounds like I am lucky not to be invited." Cori came from an average, working class family, but it didn't bother her. They had disowned her anyway.
"Cori, my family pretty much adopted you so if anyone says anything, I will take care of it," Jared said, "no one is going to argue with an Alpha who vouches for someone."
"I will call my stupid brother personally and make him send you a handwritten invitation," Eva said.
"You don't have to do that," Cori protested, but Eva was already pulling out her phone and stepping outside to make the call.
"I guess I don't have a choice," Della huffed. "But who is going to watch Jax?"
Sherry, who was sitting on the couch with her nose in a medical textbook, looked up and raised her hand. "I would be happy to take care of Jax for a while. You should go, Della. Have some fun."
"This is not what I would call fun," she rolled her eyes, "but since I have no choice, I guess we better go find me a dress while my parents are here. Is that okay?" She asked her mom, who gave her a beaming smile.
"Of course, your father and I would love to spend some time with our Grand pup." Her father nodded his agreement, he hadn't stopped smiling since he laid eyes on Jax.
Eva came back in. "He said he's too busy to write an invitation, but that you are welcome to attend and will be treated with utmost respect." She smiled. "He said he is looking forward to seeing all of you."
Della noticed Jared and her father exchanging rather conspiratorial grins. "What are you plotting?" Della could tell when her brother was up to something.
"It's top secret," Jared said. "But I guess I can tell you, but everyone in this room is sworn to secrecy."
That got their attention. Everyone leaned forward expectantly, wondering what he had planned.
"I showed Dad how to make werewolf moonshine." Everyone laughed but Leah, who rolled her eyes and covered her face with her hands.
"I had nothing to do with this, for the record," she said, glaring at her mate and her son, who wore equally proud expressions, and Della couldn't wait to hear what they had planned.
"And?" She said, urging them to continue, as Jax finally released her nipple and snuggled in to her, peacefully drifting off to sleep with his head against her shoulder.
"We thought it might be fun if we swapped out the drinks. They always have the glasses lined up in the back, waiting for the servers. We thought we could fill a bunch of them with werewolf moonshine, and see what happens when some of the guests get a little tipsy. It tastes similar enough to the champagne they serve, just a little sweeter." Her father explained, and Della burst out laughing.
"Dad, I can't believe you are in on this." He had always been so proper. Maybe his retirement was bringing out his rebellious side. Whatever it was, she liked it.
"It's not the first time he has done something like this," Jared said, "Mom told me about the time he spiked the drinks at the former Alpha King's party a long time ago."
"It was the most fun anyone ever had at one of those stuffy affairs," John said, smiling at the memory. "It came up when Jared confessed that he always brought some, and shared it before we went in. We toasted you, Della."
Della stifled her laughter, afraid of waking her sleeping pup. So far, he had been wonderful about sleeping, he would almost sleep through the night. Della had quickly discovered that having the shirt she had worn that day in his crib with him soothed him, as it held her scent. His crib was in her room, so she could hear him if he needed her. She liked having him close, where she could be sure he was safe. "What if you get caught?" She asked.
"We won't, but in that case I will tell my brother it was my idea. He would probably think it was funny, actually."
Della shook her head, reluctantly handing Jax to her father, who sat down next to her on the couch. "Look at this little guy!" Jax opened his eyes, and he smiled!
"Look, he's smiling! I haven't seen him do that yet!" Della was bouncing up and down with excitement. Werewolf babies developed at a slightly faster pace than human ones, until about age three, where the difference leveled off. She wasn't sure why, but she knew that he would grow up fast, and she wanted to cherish every moment of his young life.
"Well, Cori, let's go spend some money. My treat. Don't even think about arguing." Cori had been working hard on her artwork, and had even sold a few of her paintings that her human friends had hung up in their art store on the beach. It wasn't a fortune, but she had been so proud. Her paintings were beautiful. She painted mainly scenes from the beach, particularly sunsets, where she blended colors in a way that captured the beauty of the water as the sunlight interacted with it. She had done a few portraits of her friends, which were equally unique. Her talent was undeniable, and she had told Della more than once that she felt more love and acceptance from her human friends than she ever felt back at Snow Moon. Hearing that made Della feel a strange mix of happiness and sadness.
The two of them headed to the famous shopping district, in search of dresses that would make Cori feel glamorous and contain Della's swollen breasts.
As they entered the first boutique, the elegant displays of shimmering gowns and tailored suits captured Della's attention.
"Let's find something fabulous for you first," Della said, taking Cori by the arm and leading her toward a rack filled with colorful dresses. "You've been there for me through everything. You deserve to look stunning!"
Cori shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Della, I can't let you spend a fortune on me."
"Stop it!" Della insisted, her tone firm yet playful. "You're my best friend, and it's high time you let me treat you. Besides, I know you're going to want to make an entrance at that gala. Just think of the looks on everyone's faces when you walk in looking like a goddess!"
Cori hesitated, her eyes darting between Della and the dresses. "I just don't want you to feel obligated. I mean, it's not like I need anything fancy."
"But you do!" Della argued, pulling a flowing blue gown from the rack. "Try this one on. I know it'll look perfect on you." She thrust it into Cori's hands, grinning mischievously. "And if you don't, I'll make you wear it anyway!"
With a reluctant smile, Cori took the dress and headed to the fitting room, while Della continued to browse through the options. As she scanned the racks, her heart tugged at the thought Jax, of leaving him behind. What if he woke up and needed her? She shook her head, trying to clear it. He was with his grandparents, and Sherry, he would be fine!
Cori stepped out of the fitting room in the blue gown, and Della's breath caught in her throat. The dress hugged Cori's figure beautifully, accentuating her curves and making her look radiant. "Wow! You look amazing!" Della exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement.
Cori blushed, spinning to see herself in the mirror. "Really? You think so? I don't know, Della," Cori said hesitantly. "It's so…expensive."
"Who cares?" Della replied, her stubborn side making itself known. "You're getting it. It's my gift to you for being the best friend I could ever ask for. Plus, you'll look incredible, and you deserve to feel like a queen."
Cori bit her lip, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Okay, okay! If you insist… but only because it's you."
Della found a red dress that was more modest than her usual style, but she already knew there would be speculation that she had enhanced her breasts with surgery. There was no way to hide that they were bigger. She also made sure the fabric was thick, in case she leaked milk. That would be a disaster.
After picking out some beautiful earrings and shoes to go with their gowns, Della felt a sense of accomplishment.
They headed to the register, and Cori turned to her with a smile. "Thank you for this, Della. I really appreciate it."
"No need to thank me," Della said, grinning back. "You're family. And family takes care of each other."
With her heart a little lighter and a gorgeous dress in hand, Della felt ready to face the gala, even if it meant being away from Jax. All she needed was a little faith in herself—and maybe a glass of that moonshine. She couldn't wait to see what happened if they managed to pull off that crazy stunt.