I must have floated into the room, because I don’t remember walking. It was just so surreal. I forced myself to keep my gaze level and not gawk like a tourist at the professors I recognized and women I’d seen many times on the cover of wolf net articles about the rich and famous of our kind. The amount of raw female power in the room was staggering.
The lighting dimmed a moment later and a woman ascended a small podium near the far end of the room. I walked forward, pulled by curiosity and the flutter in my stomach, then nearly swallowed my tongue when the woman turned to address the group.
“Good evening,” she said with a wide smile that echoed in her bright blue eyes. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Katherine LaFlamme.”
Holy shit. Mom is going to freak out when I tell her!
“My mother, Sylvie LaFlamme, Alpha of Canada,” her voice rose with pride, “has worked alongside some of our world’s brightest minds and fiercest hearts for centuries to bring equality to our society. She and others like her have stayed the course when it looked as though time would fail to sway stubborn minds.”
Katherine scanned the crowd and, as her gaze fell on me then passed to take in every face, my skin prickled with awareness and wonder. My entire life, I’d prepared for an average life, an average path and destiny. There had been times I’d dreamed of more, but more had meant leaving home, leaving my family and friends, and facing the terrifying possibility of failure. So, I’d set my sights on achieving all I could within my bubble of safety, then my parents had blown that out from under me.
I couldn’t quite manage to get a deep breath. It was as if the oxygen in here was too thin for my lungs to fill properly. My head swam as I tried to find my equilibrium and I wished for a chair to sit down.
“We have a long road to travail,” Katherine continued, shifting her voice so it was firmer, more commanding. My head cleared in response.
“Which is why we must stand now, new generations and,” she smiled, “seasoned generations of wolves together. We’ve stepped out of the shadows and there is nothing left to protect us but our resolve, our strength, and our fortitude. History is being made right now and you’re invited to become a part of what is to come.” Katherine grinned. “Just think, years from now little girls around the globe will look back at this moment and know that there were those of us brave enough to fight for the right to lead. Welcome to The Sisterhood.”
Chills flashed through my body once more, leaving me shivering. I blew out a deep breath and glanced around, hoping for a familiar face that could help ground me in this unreal situation. The Old Ones must have taken pity on me because the first face I saw belonged to Rory.
She caught my glance and rushed forward, scooting gracefully around a few women to get to me in record time. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you!” she exclaimed, grabbing my forearms and squeezing lightly.
I gaped. “You’re happy? I’ve been freaking out all day. I wanted to call you right away but I was scared someone would, I don’t know, hear me or something, and they’d rescind my invitation.”
“Me too!” she whispered in a hiss. Rory let go of my arms and turned to stand by my side. “Can you believe we’re here?”
I shook my head then realized she wasn’t looking at me and murmured, “Not even a little.” My gaze zeroed in on Katherine’s bright red hair and wondered if I’d get the chance to say hello. Mom would die a bit if I got this close to her idol and didn’t at least try. “Come on,” I tugged at Rory’s sleeve and stepped forward. “Let’s get a bit closer.”
Rory didn’t ask who I wanted to get closer to, she just followed my lead without complaint then hissed and stopped dead in her tracks. “What the hell is she doing here?”
I followed her gaze to where a woman with long black hair and a stunning black dress was stretching her hand out to Katherine. I recognized Daniella almost immediately and experienced a surge of disgust that washed away most of the disbelief I’d been feeling. I hadn’t seen her since I’d broken her perfect little nose, which was back to perfect, of course. Her full lips lifted in a smile meant to impress.
Katherine shook Daniella’s hand politely and leaned in to speak with her. I watched as my new idol laughed at something my arch-nemesis said and felt all the confidence I’d miraculously sprouted when I’d received my rose wilt and fade away.
No, I drew my eyebrows down. No, I wasn’t going to do this to myself again. So what if Daniella was rich and important? I’d been invited to this meeting the same way she had. I was done letting her make me feel less. As long as I let Daniella control my emotions, I was giving her power over me. I let my fisted hands relax.
I was turning to Rory to fill her in on my epiphany, when I noticed Dr. Sherman slide up to Katherine and lean in to whisper something, then both sets of eyes turned to stare directly at me.
I froze in place, unable to function, let alone think straight. They were looking at me. Katherine LaFlamme was studying me. Or was she?
I glanced back over my shoulder, sure I’d find someone important standing just behind me, but there was no one there and when I looked back there was a smile on both their lips.
Shocked pleasure raced over my skin like an electric shock as Katherine inclined her head towards Daniella then turned and started towards me with Dr. Sherman at her side. My gaze darted from Katherine’s face to Daniella’s, which was turning redder by the second as she saw who had stolen Katherine’s attention.
“Ms. Jensen,” Katherine said, extending her hand to me as she approached. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m glad you figured out our little hiding spot.”
Breathe! I commanded my body to obey and sucked oxygen into my lungs as quietly as I could manage, then expelled it in a rush. My hand lifted, moved by a lifetime of ingrained manners, and took hers. My father’s lessons came back to me in a rush and I tightened my grip.
“Thank you,” I managed to say in what seemed, to me at least, like a normal tone. I met her gaze and was surprised to see interest there.
In me?
“My mother is going to die when I tell her I met you,” I blurted, feeling the need to fill the silence with something.
Katherine laughed. “Well you tell your mother it takes a strong woman to raise a strong daughter. I should know.” Her hand reached out to touch my arm lightly, sending goosebumps down my spine. “I’ve heard many good things about you, Elena, and I’m sure you’ll have an important role to play in The Sisterhood.”
I didn’t know how important a role I could possibly play when I was just a small-town girl with an unimpressive past, but I nodded and promised myself I would do whatever it took to prove Katherine right as I murmured, “I’ll do my best.”
A flutter of movement out of the corner of my eye reminded me of Rory’s presence. I pulled her forward and presented her to Katherine like a life-line, meant to save me from my own awkwardness. “This is Rory Dumont.”
Katherine turned her attention to Rory with a grin. “Welcome Aurora. Your mother speaks of you often with great pride.”
Rory’s eyes were wide as she shook Katherine’s hand and managed a few, basic responses. Thankful for the reprieve, I watched my friend gaze up at the woman who could one day be Alpha of the Canadian pack and wondered at the fact that I was now part of the sorority that had made that possible.
Dr. Sherman bumped up next to me as Rory answered questions about her family. “I’m glad you could join us tonight, Elena,” she murmured.
I twisted to look at my professor, who seemed even more sure of herself in this setting than she did in the classroom.