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"Everything okay, pup?" My mother's voice made me sit up straight.
A swirl of white flurries swept inside the cozy cottage with her. She gripped the front of her coat under her chin, shivering. It wasverycold, and I suddenly regretted picking a short velvety dress with only red and white striped leggings. I thought it would be a cute and festive outfit, but now it just seemed stupid.
Her fur-lined boots, similar to mine, were coated in crunchy white snow.
"I'm good," I said quickly, hoping my smile looked natural and relaxed. Her eyes narrowed at my expression, twin lines settling between her brows. "I'm just trying to finish my piece." I held up my tapestry so she could see the design.
The delicate white fabric was covered in gold and silver thread, depicting the stars and an ornate Moon embellished with shimmering gold beads. It was my best piece yet, and I was proud of it.
"Oh, Mina," Mother gasped, pressing her hand to her chest. She ran her fingertips over the edge of the Moon. I had spent the better half of the hour perfecting it. "The beads are a lovely touch. The whole pack is going to love it."
"At least they'll have something pretty to distract them from my monstrosity." Summer held up her patch of fabric. The stitchwork was careful but too widely spaced, making the wreath look a little lopsided and sporadic.
"You're not even of age yet," Pearl barked at the youngling. "When I was your age, I couldn't even do a half-stitch, let alone detailed embroidery."
"It's true," Helena smiled sweetly at Summer. "And we tend to work a little harder when trying to impress someone, so try not to compare your work to Mina's." Her mischievous brown eyes turned to me, and dread slipped down my spine. I prayed she wouldn't mention Ivor in front of my mother. I hadn’t told her about my feelings about the alpha, and while I didn’t think she’d object, this wasn’t the time for such a discussion.
"And Mina has been quilting since she was ten," Mother smiled, smoothing my long, brown hair out of my face.
"Joyce," Pearl said, leaning forward in her rocker, "when are you going to mate this one off?"
It took everything in me not to roll my eyes.
Mother answered the same way she always did. Sweet, soft, and with a smile on her face, "When she's ready."
I always felt bad when she had to offer excuses for me. At twenty-five, I was a bit old to be unclaimed, but my father passed away when I was young, and both my parents were only children, which meant I had no family to arrange meetings with interested alphas.
"Isn't Nix of age now?" Pearl asked.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing exactly where this was going. Nix was only just now twenty, and no self-respecting alpha would ask someone so young for his sister's hand.
Helena nodded fiercely at her sister, agreeing with her. "Surely Nix can—"
The door opened, and I let out a sigh of relief at the interruption. My brother's head popped inside the door, his eyes zeroing in on our mother.
"I'm so sorry, Omega Pearl." My mother squeezed my shoulder, just as happy as I was for the change in subject. "I'm late and need to get to the kitchens. Mina, sweetie, are you helping decorate the lodge tonight?"
I nodded, hoping she wasn't going to say I couldn't. Decorating for the winter solstice was one of my all-time favorite things, and a silly storm wouldn't deter me.
"The weather is getting a little wild out here," Nix warned.
A gust of especially harsh wind cut through the crack in the door, making me regret my choice of a short velvety dress and leggings. Both Pearl and Helena yelled out for Nix to get in or out. Not wanting a tongue lashing, he quickly jerked his head back outside, pulling the door shut with a bang.
My mother smiled apologetically at the elders. Both shivered, pulling tight at the shawls draped over their shoulders. Helena mumbled something about disrespectful pups.
"Decorating might have to wait until tomorrow." Mother tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. It immediately fell back into my face, my unruly waves never wanting to do what they were told.
"Can I at least take everyone’s pieces up there tonight?" I asked. "I don't want to trudge all the way back here in the morning just to have to cross the village again to get to the lodge."
She pressed her lips together, looking out the window. Fat snowflakes beat against the glass, the ground barely visible beneath the heavy dusting of white. Placing her fingertips under my elbow, she guided me toward the door. Pearl and Helena leaned in, trying to hear.
"Mina." She smiled, but it looked a little off. Too tight. “Come,” she said, pulling me toward the door and away from the group. I followed her, my nerves prickling from her stiff posture. She leaned in, whispering, "Alpha Ari is outside and has requested to walk you home."
Startled, I gripped her forearm. "Why? What happened?" I hadn't seen Ari since my father passed, and having such a high-ranking alpha request my presence had to mean bad news.
Mother's voice dropped even lower as she turned her back to the room. "I think he might be interested…." She stared at me as if waiting for me to realize something. I shook my head, not having a clue. "I think he might want to court you."
I leaned away from her, not sure what to say. "He's old enough to be my father," I whispered in disbelief.
