Graeme waited until Greta and Sam arrived back home before leaving to check on the two remaining elders in the dungeon. August had almost instantly fallen asleep when she laid down next to him in bed, and he wasn't going to leave her there alone.
"Want me to come with you, brother?" Sam asked as he watched Graeme heading out the back door.
"No, that's okay. I'm coming right back. I just want to check on the situation over there. Make sure they are secure."
What he didn't say is that it would make him feel better knowing both Sam and Greta were at the house while he was gone. They were two of the most powerful lycans in the pack other than himself, so he knew his mate would be safe.
"Have you tried on your tux yet?" Greta called after him.
He rolled his eyes. The tux was literally the last thing he was concerned about. If it didn't fit, he could probably get away with going shirtless since the party was masquerade theme—not that August would let him. That reminded him…
"What is August wearing?" he paused on the way out the door to ask his sister. Greta and August had gone shopping together for this occasion, but he never heard details about what they settled on.
"It's a surprise," Greta answered with a smirk.
"What do you mean it's a surprise?" he growled. What kind of nonsense was that? The party was in just a few hours.
"I mean it's a surprise. You will have to wait and see," she shrugged.
"Is it appropriate?" he asked gruffly, annoyed that she was playing this game with him right now.
"Of course," she scoffed. "What do you think I'm going to do—dress her inappropriately? What kind of stupid question is that?"
He groaned and walked out the door, heading for the woods toward the pack house once again.
"We're still here," the dry voice of Andreas greeted him as he entered the hallway where their cells were.
"No one you can count on to free you?" Graeme asked with a smug grin that Andreas didn't have to see to realize was there.
The elder didn't answer.
"Well I hope you didn't have anything special you wanted to wear tonight, because I'm taking you out just as you are," he told him. "I'll see you in a few hours."
Graeme walked to the other end of the hallway to check on Pearce. The elder was there, quiet as usual. He didn't bother to greet Graeme. He seemed to be absorbed with his thoughts and the sense of doom that had finally materialized as a looming reality.
With a nod to the guards, Graeme returned to the pack house proper through the passageway from the dungeon. He told August that he would ask Sylvia to visit Violet, so he intended to arrange that now with a call from his office.
Once he explained the full extent of Violet's injuries over the phone, Sylvia agreed to come check on her. While he wouldn't disclose that information to just anyone, Sylvia was someone with deep compassion and respect when it came to sensitive personal matters for everyone in the pack. He knew she could be trusted to only use the knowledge about Violet's ordeal to serve the female in getting well and finding the resources she needed to do so.
"Can we meet at your shop beforehand?" he asked before they ended the call. "I want to find something special to give August tonight, and I thought you would know how to help."
"Of course, Graeme. I will head that way now."
————————
"It's time to wake up, sleepy head," Greta rubbed August's back while sitting next to her in bed.
It was late afternoon, and they needed to start getting ready. Graeme still had yet to return, but he assured his sister he wouldn't be too much longer.
August rolled over bleary-eyed and squinted at the peach-haired girl.
"What time is it?" she asked groggily.
"Time to get ready. You should probably eat something little before we go, but there will be tons of food there tonight. So we need to start getting dressed."
August could hear the excitement that was just short of squeal in Greta's voice. She had been looking forward to this.
"Why are you waking me up again?" August chuckled, slowly sitting up. "Where's Graeme?"
"He wanted to check on some things before everything started happening tonight. He'll be back soon."
August stretched and yawned. It was true that she had trouble falling asleep the night before, but she couldn't believe how much more tired she was lately. She felt like lying back down and letting the pleasant cloud of tiredness consume her.
"Have you been taking your vitamins?" Greta asked, tugging gently at August's sleeve as she did.
"Yesss," August groaned, pinching her eyes closed like a child who was being pestered by her mom.
Greta laughed.
"Have you tried one of the pies I made yet? That will give you some sugar to get you going. I'll heat one up for you. How about strawberry rhubarb?" Greta stood and started walking back into the kitchen.
"Ewww. Why do you guys have such weird flavors here?" August whined. "Don't you have just cherry or apple or something?"
She heard Greta laugh from the other room. "Cherry it is, your highness!"
"Coming," August yawned and threw the covers back. She could truly sleep for at least another hour. "Can you make coffee?"
"You're limited to one cup," Greta called.
"That's all it will take," August grumbled, shuffling to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She would take a full shower after she ate.
She looked into the mirror at her bright blue eyes and remembered the dresses that her and Greta had picked out. Her dress didn't match her eyes anymore, but it was still so beautiful. Her stomach began fluttering as if little excited winged creatures were trying to escape and fly free into the coming night. Hopefully the dress still fit. Why hadn't she picked something less form-fitting. Did it really look okay on her when she tried it on?
She giggled and dried her face off before trudging out to the kitchen where a pie was waiting for her on the island and Greta was pouring steaming water into the elegantly shaped chemex. Greta made the best coffee and tea.. And apparently also pies.
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