When we were done helping out at the pack house, I followed Kate to her home.
"We have to get properly dressed," she said, grinning. "Hehe, don't worry, I'm going to make you so beautiful today! After all, we don't know if you'll meet your future mate at the occasion. I'm excited for you!"
"Yeah… I'd be happy to find my mate too," I replied quietly. "I just hope he won't reject me because of how weak I am."
"Hey, no need to worry," Kate said, smiling warmly. "The mate bond is real he won't be able to resist you. You're beautiful and smart, Michelle. Once he realizes you're his fated mate, the attraction and desire will be too strong to ignore. Trust me, he'll come running to you."
I knew she was just trying to comfort me, but I couldn't help feeling scared. What if it really happened? What if my mate rejected me because I was weak? It wouldn't be the first time someone was rejected for that reason.
Still, I told myself everything would be fine… hopefully.
When we arrived at Kate's house, her mate Zaki was already home. He looked like he was in a hurry.
"Hey, babe. Hi, Michelle," he greeted.
"Hi, Zaki," I replied.
He nodded at me, then turned to his mate with a soft smile. "Love, I'm running late. I have to help Levi prepare for today you know how much it means to him." He glanced at me. "I'm sure your brother Micha will be there too. When it's 8 p.m., Micha and I will come pick both of you up. So please, be ready before 8 because I know Kate."
He shot her a mischievous grin. "She won't be done until after 8."
We all laughed.
After he left, Kate led me to her room and showed me all her makeup kits. We already had our dresses picked out. She had chosen a red gown for me stunning, but also… too seductive for my liking.
It was beautiful, yes, but I wasn't used to wearing dresses like that. I didn't like attracting too much attention. Being weak meant attention could easily turn into trouble.
"So, let's begin," Kate said. She started applying makeup to my face, explaining each product concealer, foundation, and a few others I couldn't even remember. I'd never worn makeup before, so everything felt strange and new.
After about an hour, Kate gasped dramatically. "Wow! You look stunning. I can't believe how beautiful you are. And to think you've been hiding that pretty face under your hair all this time!"
Oh did I forget to mention? Clara once told me I was ugly. Since that day, I started using my hair to cover half of my face so no one would notice me. Looking at my reflection in the mirror now, I realized how stupid I'd been to believe her.
I was beautiful. Maybe even more beautiful than Clara.
The thought made me laugh. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face tonight.
For the first time in a long while, I felt a little excited and a little scared. What if I met my mate tonight? What if he rejected me because of my weakness?
"Hey, what are you thinking about again?" Kate asked, noticing my distant look. "Don't worry too much. You look beautiful tonight. Everything will go perfectly trust me."
And I decided I would.
When I finally finished dressing up, Kate began preparing. When I checked my phone, it was already 7:30.
"Damn," I muttered. "Zaki's not going to like this."
Kate hurried to get dressed, barely managing to apply light makeup. By the time she was ready, it was already 8.
Right then, I heard the sound of a car horn outside Micha's car.
We both got out of the house, dressed and ready.
"Wow, you look really beautiful, Kate," Zaki said. "And thankfully, today you're not late. You look good too, Michelle."
Kate rolled her eyes playfully. "What do you mean good? My girl looks great! Hehe. I transformed her from a shy girl into a seductress. I'm honestly impressed with my work."
I felt shy under all the attention. Even my brother was staring at me like I was a stranger.
"You mean this is Michelle? Wow, you look so different. I can't believe my sister is this beautiful."
"Yes, yes, she's very beautiful," Kate said proudly. "Now let's get going."
We arrived at the hall, and I must say our hard work paid off. The decorations, the seating arrangements, the lighting — everything was perfect. The grand hall looked stunning.
But one thing annoyed Kate and me: to think the ceremony was going to start by 10!
Kate glared at her mate. "Zaki, explain why you lied about the time."
"Babe, I'm sorry," Zaki said, raising his hands defensively. "I didn't know you'd be done so quickly. I thought you'd still be dressing up by nine, as usual. You know you're always late, so I just"
"So you're saying I'm slow?" she interrupted sharply. "Anyone slow is also stupid! You've just insulted me. First, you bring me here early, and now you have the audacity to insult me!"
"Hey, when did I do that?" Zaki said, looking confused. "I didn't insult you, love. I'm sorry, it's my fault, okay? Don't be mad."
My brother and I couldn't help laughing at their little drama.
Then Micha said, "Um, Zaki and I have to go now. We need to assist Levi with something." He turned to me. "Michelle, hold my phone for me. I'll be too busy to answer. Kira is coming soon she doesn't know the way. When she arrives, let me know; I'll be in Levi's dressing room."
"Fine. When your mate comes, I'll bring her to you, brother."
"Great, thanks, sis. We have to go now," he said, dragging Zaki away, who was still apologizing to Kate.
I smiled at her. She still looked a bit annoyed.
"He's so annoying," Kate said, though a small smile crept onto her face.
I giggled. "You're just exaggerating. It's not that bad being here early. We can talk and pass the time. It's not a big deal."
"No, Michelle, you don't understand," she replied dramatically. "What if one of those old women sees us and says, 'My child, please help me with this or that'? It would be rude to decline an elder! He better pray nobody disturbs our peace, or he'll pay for it later."
I laughed, shaking my head. As we were talking, I saw my brother's mate calling his phone. I told Kate I had to step outside to meet her.
"Sure, be careful," she said. "Or do you need me to come with you?"
"No, no need. I'm not a kid, Kate," I said, smiling happy to have a friend like her.