Alison’s Point of View
The anticipation for tonight had my nerves tingling all day. I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the soft fabric of my pale lavender dress, the color chosen specifically because Xander had once mentioned it reminded him of moonlight. A sly smile crept onto my lips as I thought about what he might say when he saw me. This wasn’t just a date, it was a moment of escape, a reprieve before the whirlwind of our mating ceremony took over.
When the knock came at my door, my heart skipped a beat. I took a deep breath, giving my reflection one last glance, and opened the door to find Xander waiting. As always, he was the embodiment of perfection… dark slacks, a tailored shirt that clung to him in all the right ways, and that trademark smirk that made my pulse race.
“You’re breathtaking,” he said, his voice low, his gaze raking over me appreciatively.
“You’re not too bad yourself, Alpha,” I teased, letting him take my hand as he pulled me closer.
He chuckled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Come on, my Luna-to-be. Tonight is all about you.”
“Then we better give it a move, I’m dying to see what you have planned out”
“After you My Lady” I took a step out of my room.
We drove in a comfortable silence, the hum of the engine a soothing backdrop to my racing thoughts. When we pulled up to a secluded clearing, my eyes widened in surprise. A stone pathway led to a small wooden gazebo surrounded by soft fairy lights that bathed the area in a golden glow. A table was set inside, complete with candles and a bottle of wine.
“Xander,” I breathed, stepping out of the car. “How did you find this place?”
His grin widened as he took my hand, leading me toward the gazebo. “I had a little help.”
“From who?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Simone,” he admitted, pulling out a chair for me. “She said this would na e a perfect spot for you so I thought it would be perfect for tonight, did I get that right?.”
I blinked back the sudden sting of tears. Simone had been so thoughtful, even in her condition. “It’s absolutely perfect,” I said, settling into the chair.
We spent the next hour lost in conversation, the outside world melting away as we shared stories, laughter, and more than a few lingering glances. It was as if time itself had paused to give us this moment of peace.
“You’re thinking about something,” Xander said, leaning forward, his eyes searching mine.
I hesitated, a smile tugging at my lips. “I’m just… happy. It feels like everything is finally falling into place.”
He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “That’s because it is, Alison. We’ve fought so hard for this, and now it’s our time.”
“It feels just like yesterday that I was just a slave at Silver Moon, then you came my way, at first glance I thought you would reject me like Kendrick did, What could an Alpha want with a lowly servant like me, never did I think that I’d be this happy in life”
“I have always believed in love, I saw how my father treated my mother because it was an arranged marriage ensued to foster the packs prosperity and I didn’t want to be stuck in such loveless affair, so I wanted my fated mate, the moon goddess gave me the very best mate I could ever ask for”
With that he leaned in for a kiss, which I obliged
Halfway through the evening just as the sun began to tip, just as I was about to take another sip of wine, my phone buzzed on the table. I frowned, picking it up to see Simone’s name flashing on the screen.
“Simone?” I answered, my voice tinged with concern.
“Alison,” she said, her voice urgent. “You need to come to my hut. Hurry.”
Before I could respond, the line went dead.
I stood abruptly, my heart hammering in my chest. “Something’s wrong with Simone,” I said, looking at Xander.
“What happened?” he asked, already on his feet.
“She just called. She sounded… panicked. I think something’s happened.”
Without another word, we were in the car, speeding toward Simone’s hut. My mind raced with every possibility. Was she hurt? Had someone attacked her? The closer we got, the tighter the knot in my stomach became.
When we arrived, I practically leapt out of the car before it came to a full halt, rushing to the door. I pushed it open, calling out, “Simone? Simone? Are you okay?”
To my surprise, Simone was standing in the middle of the room, smiling brightly. Her cane was nowhere in sight.
“You scared me half to death!” I exclaimed, my voice rising with a mix of relief and frustration. “What’s going on? Why did you… ”
She interrupted me by taking a step forward without her cane, she wasn’t making an hand motions in a bid to find her way.
I froze, my words catching in my throat. “Simone…”
She took another step, her smile widening. “Yes Ally, I can walk without my cane, Alison. I can see.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The world tilted on its axis as I stared at her, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing.
“You… what?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“I can see,” she repeated, her voice trembling with emotion. “Alison, I can see you. You’re wearing a flowing floral dress. It’s so beautiful that it matches your brown loose curls.”
Tears blurred my vision as I ran to her, throwing my arms around her in a fierce hug. She laughed, holding me just as tightly.
“This is impossible,” I said, pulling back to look at her. “How… when…?”
She wiped a tear from her cheek, her smile never wavering. “It just happened. I had this terrible headache earlier, so I decided to lie down. When I woke up minutes ago, I could see. Everything is so bright, so vivid.”
Xander stepped forward, his expression a mixture of awe and curiosity. “This is incredible,” he said, his voice low. “I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before.”
“It’s a miracle,” Simone said simply.
I couldn’t stop staring at her, my mind racing. “Simone, are you sure you’re okay? No dizziness, no pain?”
“None,” she assured me. “I feel… whole. For the first time in years, I feel like myself again.”
I hugged her again, laughing through my tears. “This is the best news I’ve heard in forever. I can’t believe this is real.”
As we pulled apart, my eyes drifted to her shoulder, where something caught the light. A strange, intricate marking was etched into her skin, almost like a tattoo.
“Simone,” I said slowly, my voice tinged with unease. “What is that on your shoulder? Never knew you had a tattoo ”
She followed my gaze, her brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”
I stepped closer, my fingers hovering over the marking. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen, a series of swirling lines that seemed to shimmer faintly under the light.
“Do you remember this being here before?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” she said, her tone uncertain. “I could just say I have never seen it since I’d been blind from birth but you see me daily you must have noticed it if it was there all these while”
My heart pounded in my chest as I met her gaze. “It looks… strange,” I said, unable to find the right words.
The room fell silent, the weight of the discovery settling over us like a heavy fog. Questions swirled in my mind, but none of them had answers.
I stared at the marking, a sense of unease creeping over me. Whatever this was, it didn’t seem normal. And somehow, I knew it might just the beginning of something new.