IVY:
Ivy woke up the next day with a lot of things on her mind. One of which was the kiss she had with Blake the previous day. No matter how she tried, she couldn't get it off her head. It felt like the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to her. His lips were so moist and soft. When he leaned in, her stomach and tightened and dropped. Being so close to him, stirred up these impulses of desire she thought she never had.
She touched her lips, and rubbed her fingers over it, then she smiled. Her smile only dipped when she remembered he was already betrothed. She also remembered something else that grounded her decision to stop thinking about him and craving his kisses. Something she must do and do fast.
"Ivy! Why did you let him kiss you?" She groaned aloud, scolding herself.
She stood up from her bed, and walked to the window. She looked down, and gasped. The festival. It was today. She exclaimed in her mind and just then, a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in, Meredith," she said, and went to sit down on the bed.
The doorknob turned and Meredith walked in. She ran to meet Ivy and dragged her up. "Don't just sit there! Get up! Don't you know today is the festival? We have to get ready?" Meredith said.
"Meredith." She sighed. "Relax, I know today is the festival."
"Then go and get ready. We need to pick out your dress," Meredith said, dragging Ivy to her wardrobe.
"Wait, Meredith!" Ivy removed her hands from her grip, and held the elm of her nightgown nervously.
"What is the matter?" Meredith asked kindly.
"I have nothing to wear," she said.
Meredith looked at her with an expression that spelt unbelief. "Are you serious?"
"Yes, I am." Ivy answered. She felt ashamed at burdening her like that. She had helped her enough, even with the clothes she had now. It was all Meredith, her guardian angel.
"Why didn't you tell me? I was busy blabbing about it the other day and you..." Meredith pouted.
"I wasn't paying attention." Ivy bit her lower lip.
"No worries! Let us go to my room! There are tons of clothes you could choose from there." Meredith smiled, and pinched Ivy's cheeks playfully.
"Oh, okay."
She took Ivy to her room and Ivy gushed at the interior designs. The room was an exact replica of hers, but the painting was different. The spacing too. Hers was a yawning space.
"Come. Pick whatever dress you wanna wear," Meredith said.
"Your room looks beautiful!" Ivy exclaimed.
"Thanks. I had the royal painter do it for me," Meredith said.
"If it isn't too much of me to ask, would you please have him do mine?" Ivy asked.
"Of course, I will. Now, let's choose what will make you look gorgeous," Meredith said.
She opened her wardrobe and Ivy's eyes widened, threatening to bulge out of its sockets. She was finding it hard to believe that all these clothes belonged to a single person. She was aware the clothes in her possession wouldn't reach a quarter of this. It was like a haven of beautiful fabrics.
"Are all these yours?" She asked as she walked closer to Meredith.
"Yes. They are all mine." Meredith chuckled.
"Whoa!"
"Come on. Let's look for what will fit you perfectly," Meredith said.
Ivy tried out clothes for the moment, while Meredith acted as the judge. Anytime Ivy tried on a dress and walked out, she would make comments like;
"Not too good."
"It's too showy."
"Nah, too concealing."
"Bleh. Why do I even have that?"
"That's baggy."
"I hate this shade of black."
"I don't know. It's a beaut, but…"
"Ey, now we are talking."
"Again, I want it to be perfect!" She snapped her fingers.
Ivy sighed, rolling her eyes and hanging her shoulders. She came out last dressed in a purple slip gown. She had decided not to try out any other clothes if this wasn't it for Meredith.
"Oh. My. Gosh! Stop! Stop right there." Meredith shrieked.
"What? Is it not good?" Ivy asked, knitting her brows in confusion.
"It is amazing! People are gonna be swept off their feet when they see you in it. It is perfect!" Meredith squealed happily, and Ivy smiled. She could only wonder how the Alpha would react when he saw her in this dress. Ivy face-palmed herself mentally and looked at Meredith.
"Thanks," she said and went back to remove the cloth.
"The festival is tonight, so we have a lot of time to go and look around and see how everyone is preparing."
"Sounds fun, Meredith but let me go take a bath first." Ivy smiled at her.
"Take your time. I'll be waiting." Meredith returned the smile, and Ivy left.
After taking her bath, Ivy entered Meredith's room and met her reading a novel. "Oh, you're ready?" Meredith asked, closing the novel.
"Yes." Ivy answered.
"Alright, let's go." Meredith intertwined her fingers with that of Ivy's and led them out of the house.
Ivy smiled genuinely. She felt safe and it warmed her heart because whenever she was with Meredith, that was just the case. Extreme happiness. She's grown to love this girl because of her free spirit and humility. Maybe, the Woodsons weren't that bad. A thought came to mind and she halted.
"Hey, what about Neil?" She asked.
"Neil?" Meredith arched her brows.
"Yes. I have noticed he isn't always in the house," Ivy said.
"Yeah. Forget about Neil. That rascal has a mind of his own," Meredith said and they laughed before holding hands again.
They strolled around, looking at decorations, helping people in any little way they could, and having fun as well. They passed by a place where a woman was selling golden jewelry. Meredith stopped to take a look.
"Let's get matching jewelry!" She gushed and dipped her hands into her pockets. "These ones look so beautiful," she said and Ivy nodded. Meredith paid for them and received them packaged.
Ivy smiled more, and this time, she initiated the intertwining of fingers. They continued strolling, and savoring the view. Meredith took Ivy to the main arena where the festival was to take place. Ivy looked around and admired the beauty. Candle stands were already arranged in rows, waiting to be lit. Ivy's eyes caught something.
"What is that?" She asked, pointing at something glowing through the curtains.
Meredith smiled. "That is the golden chalice for the festival rites. No one except the Alpha is allowed to go near it or touch it."
"Wow!" Ivy exclaimed.
"It is a very important part of the festival. I am sure you are not going to regret becoming one of us," Meredith said and Ivy snickered.
They left the place and walked past a place where she-wolves were busy trying on clothes. Meredith saw a girl holding two identical dresses but with different colours. She could see that the girl was confused and decided to help her.
"The red one would look perfect on you. And I am sure it would look lovely with silver heels like that one over there," she said.
"Thanks." The girl smiled.
"You are a generous soul." Ivy complimented her.
"It's the least I could do for her," Meredith said as they headed to the Alpha's house.
It was already an hour till the festival when chaos broke out. A guard ran into the Alpha's house and fell on his face.
"Alpha! The golden chalice has been stolen!" he said.
"What!" Alpha Blake sprung up and everyone followed. They went to where the golden chalice was placed but it was empty.
"How could this have happened? Ivy and I saw it here not long ago," Meredith said.
"It can't be the witches, can it?" Ian asked.
"If they are the ones then what do they need the chalice for? It isn't theirs!" Blake said,
"Alpha, it was the Gremlins that took it," a woman who saw what had happened said.
"Did you see them?" Blake asked.
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you raise an alarm immediately?" Ian asked.
"I am an old wolf and do not have the strength to shout at the top of my voice."
With that said, she walked away.
"These tiny creatures! Always causing trouble!" Blake snapped and Meredith giggled.
Ivy perceived what was going to happen next. They would want everyone to hunt the Gremlins down but she wasn't going to do it. She would look for a way to drop out.
"We are going to hunt those annoying pests down, and also teach them a lesson they won't forget in a hurry," Blake said and the werewolves chanted.
"Ah!" Ivy gasped suddenly as she folded her arms and pretended to shiver.
Meredith ran to meet her. "Ivy, are you alright?" She asked. Blake ran to come and meet them, too.
"Poison Ivy? What is wrong?" He asked worriedly.
"I think that I won't be able to follow you all in hunting the Gremlins, I'm sorry." She pleaded.
"What is really wrong?" Blake asked.
"I think I have caught the weak-wolf syndrome. I am so weak that I can't do anything and I can't feel my body. It is growing numb. I don't want to get hurt and give you all trouble. Maybe I better sit this one out," she said.
"Let us leave her for now. Her health matters a lot." Meredith held her and pulled her up.
"I understand. Please, take care of yourself. Don't stress yourself too much, okay?" He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.
She would get nervous whenever their eyes met because of the kiss. Ivy was glad her plan worked. She watched Blake turn to his soldiers and start giving them orders.
"Those tiny pests are very tricky, so we have to be careful so as to not lose them," Blake said.
"You're absolutely correct, Alpha. What do we do to get them in our grasp, and collect that golden chalice from them?" Ian asked.
"We need a good plan, and I think I have one." Blake smirked.
"We are all ears." Ian tightened his knuckles as the thought of what he would do to them went through his mind. Gremlins were known to have a knack for trouble. Wherever those little creatures thread, trouble follows. What in the world do they need the chalice for, if not to cause trouble.
"Let us pay those things a visit," Blake said and gestured for his soldiers to start leaving. He made Ian lead them out while he looked at Ivy. He touched her head to know if she was having a fever too. "Get well soon. Meredith?" He called.
"Yes, Alpha." Meredith bowed and Ivy wondered what he was trying to do this time.
"Call the pack doctor immediately and tell her to bring her tools. Ivy must get herself back before the festival," he said.
"Sure!" Meredith smiled.
"No, there isn't any need to find the pack doctor. I am better now," Ivy said.
She knew that if the doctor checks on her, the truth about her will be found, and also the doctor would know that nothing is wrong with her and she had just been faking it.
"I still think we should call the doctor. You were pretty fine since morning. Becoming sick all of a sudden means that you need a check up." Blake explained.
"I know but I will be fine before the festival. You don't need to stress yourself out." She cooed.
"Alright. But if I return and see no improvements? I will take you to the pack doctor," he said and walked out of there.
"Why don't you wanna see the doctor?" Meredith asked.
"Why did you ask?"
"Because I wanna know." Meredith answered.
"It's because of the needles. It is excruciatingly painful." She lied and Meredith shook her head.
"The pain will only last for a few minutes." Meredith laughed.
"But it is still painful." Ivy pouted.
"Yeah. Now tell me how you feel so that I'll know if it wouldn't need a lot of time to subside," Meredith said.
"I guess so."
Ivy pressed her lips into a thin line, and sat down where Meredith had already kept for her. Meredith sat beside her and both looked up.
"Do you think that they will be able to return with the chalice?" Ivy asked.
"Yes, I'm sure. We don't hate Gremlins. It's just that they are troublemakers," Meredith said and they laughed.