GIFTED RILEY by Lacy Mierr

Chapter 33 The Welcome Back Party

*Riley*

I walked out of the closet, stretching as I continued to try to wake up for the day. My eyes remained halfway shut as I had just rolled out of the large bed.

My stretch was interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. It made for an unsatisfying start to my morning, but that didn’t stop me from moving to the door to answer whoever interrupted my morning routine.

Luna Adele was standing on the other side of the door. She was wearing a beautiful deep purple gown that reached down to her ankles. Intricate lace covered her chest and covered both of her arms. The she-

wolf grinned when she saw me looking at her elegant outfit.

“Well, since you’re thoroughly looking, how am I looking?” She smirked down at me as I flushed from being called out. Adele gave a small pose to show off the outfit.

“You look very nice,” I said quickly. Nice didn’t begin to explain how well the Luna was looking.

She nodded, happy with her answer. “Good, because I am having a small party to welcome me back to the castle. All of my lovely friends. will be there.” Then her eyes looked me up and down, “So you better get out of those pajamas because you will be joining us ladies. Many people will be there, so I implore you to look nice for this.”

I try not to look nervous at her invitation. “Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can!” I wasn’t in pajamas, but compared to what she was wearing I

Chapter 11 The Welcome

was basically in trash bags.

“And here, the dress you should wear for tonight. I don’t want you to take too long to decide, so I choose your outfit for this evening. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.” She motions for someone to come closer with a large box in hand. Then she hands it over to me. I smiled thankfully at

the Luna.

She turned, leaving me to get ready for the impromptu party. I went back to my closet after shutting the door and opened the box in the middle of the floor. It was hard to tell what it would look like on me while folded up so neatly.

Finally, I decided to stop staring down at the dress and get on to wearing it. I put on the elegant fabric, then stood in front of the full- length mirror at the end of the closet. I stared at the dress I was wearing with my head c o c k e d to the side.

It was a soft blue color with a long, flowy skirt that glided across the floor with every turn. There were no sleeves, and the bodice conjoined to a silver piece that circled my neck. It was a very pretty gown, but I’m not quite sure it belonged to me. I had hair brushed down my back in soft waves.

When I got to the hall where the party was taking care place, I looked over the crowd nervously. I’ve never seen so many people gathered in the Lycan palace. When she said it was with her friends, I assumed it would be a small tea party of sorts. Not a full ball within the castle.

walls.

I shifted anxiously, looking over at everyone who had shown up to the welcome party. I couldn’t see anyone I recognized in the sea of faces. around me. I had half the mind to just turn back and hide away in my room. Yet, I couldn’t go against the personal invite from Adele. So I simply took a few more hesitant steps into the room.

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Chapter 33 The Welcome Back Party

Before I could dwell too much in my loneliness, I caught the gaze of Nicolas. I released a sigh of relief, moving towards him to meet him halfway. At least there was someone here for me.

“You look amazing today, Riles,” he said with a handsome grin. One of his hands reached up to push her hair behind her ear.

I could say the same about him. His suit made him more dashing than anyone else in the room. Though that didn’t mean much, because I would still think that if he was wearing casual clothes. “Thank you,” I basically whispered with a grin.

“I’m glad you like it,” Adele commented as she walked up beside her son. He greeted her with a nod. “I was the one to choose what she would be wearing today.”

“A perfect choice,” he complimented both of them with ease. “Now, would you join me in a dance, Riley?”

I nod, h o k i n g my hand around his outstretched arm. He took the both of us to the center of the dance floor. It didn’t take long for them to join the next dance moving through the ballroom. I was happy I was able to keep up with the man in front of me.

We danced together in silence for a moment, before he interrupted it. “What’s your favorite color?”

I looked away from the other dancing couples around us to turn back up at him in surprise. “I really enjoy the color pink. Why do you ask?”

He didn’t explain the question, only moving on to the next one on his mind. “If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Now that question was a tough one. It took me a second to decide as I glanced up at the ceiling.

Chapter 11 The Welcome Back Party

“I don’t know. It would probably have to be strawberry shortcake?” I shrugged, not entirely sure still. “I’ve only had it a few times, but now that I have, I’m not sure I could live without it again.”

I wasn’t sure why he was asking all these random questions now. He never showed much interest in asking silly little questions like these. He hadn’t really cared to know even the deeper questions, it seemed. So why he was asking these out of nowhere made me unsure.

We danced closer and closer with every spin. His eyebrows raised in shock when I easily glided across the dance floor. He still managed to keep up with me, but it was clear I was well-versed in the art of dancing.

At his shocked expression, I smirked. I stood on my tippy toes so I could reach up to his car. “There are many things you don’t know about me, Nicolas,” I whispered, backing away with a wide smirk at the way his eyes never left my person. I giggle at the look in his eyes.

It seemed he was going to say something but was interrupted with his eyes glazing over. Which usually meant that he was using a mind-link. When he comes back, he frowns at her. “Vera just reached out. There are some things I need to take care of, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I nodded, disentangling my arms from his. He left to find his Beta while I moved in the opposite direction. I found myself sitting on the sill of one of the windows. I tracked Luna Adele with my eyes as she greeted people in the swarm around her. No one really came up to greet me, so I was rather bored as I sat on the side.

My eyes turn back out the window when I see another familiar face. A grin lights up my expression.

C ?