Cassandra stared in a daze at the delicately designed gown, the colour of the rich sand of these lands which were about to become her new home. The flowing layers at the lower part of the dress resembled the smooth dunes of the desert.
The bodice had patterns of wild desert flowers embroidered using the real gold threads. The style unique and crafted with precision, giving the gown a rich eye-catching look.
Tiny gemstones that covered the entire gown represented the tiny grains of sand, they glinted when light was deflected off them. The material of the gown flowed in her hands, the texture was so soft.
The cloth had been prepared from a special thread extracted from the goldworms. They were hatched and kept in large containers just for these threads and were native to the region of Dusartine.
Siroos had personally had it prepared for her for their bonding ceremony.
Lana knocked and entered the room, bringing with her an assortment of hair accessories and scented bath oils.
"Do you like the dress?" Lana inquired, placing everything on the short small table.
"It’s beautiful." Cassandra finally tore away her eyes from the dress and turned to observe what Lana was doing. She saw the wooden tray containing different kinds of oils and asked.
"What are those?"
"These are scented oils and bath oils. I will help you prepare for the ceremony. Tomorrow is going to be like a wedding day for you," Lana explained with a soft smile.
Cassandra had never imagined such a wedding. She had always pictured herself in a white garb, getting married to a very unaffectionate Razian.
But here she was getting married to a man who was opposite to her ex-fiancé. She wasn’t sure what to expect but knew there was this ineffable attraction between them.
"I understand. Where is your Alpha?" Cassandra hadn’t seen him in a while. Lana’s easygoing smile wavered a little as she took her time formulating a response.
"He is attending a function being held in celebration of finding you and also for tomorrow’s ceremony." She had chosen her words carefully not to reveal the entire truth. The kind of celebrations their pack held where men watched semi-naked exotic dancers, might not be approved by their Nissa. She certainly didn’t approve of it and never let Ranon ogle at them, especially when one was Kela.
Cassandra had been hearing drums beating outside so she understood something had been going on. So she curiously asked, wanting to learn more about their culture.
"What kind of celebration?"
Lana avoided eye contact with Cassandra, she shifted her attention towards the bottles.
"Umm..." She hesitated when the door was thrown open revealing a very disgruntled Siroos. His chest was rising and falling in quick succession.
"Give us the room, Lana," he ordered, his desperate eyes shifting to Cassandra.
"Alpha!" She quickly bowed and scurried away, relieved that she had dodged a difficult question.
Once the door closed, Siroos quietly ambled towards Cassandra, her breath hitched as his wanton eyes raked along her beautiful body, naughtily prickling her flesh. Now that it was no longer bound in that bone-crunching corset, she appeared freer and relaxed. Just like the people of this land.
His fingers skimmed along her right elbow, the thumb pressing into the soft flesh above.
"Did you like the dress?" His head dipped and his deep voice blew against her ear.
Cassandra swallowed roughly and said.
"Yes! It’s beautiful." The bent knuckles of his hand rubbed against her flamed cheek, making it even redder.
"Nothing is more beautiful than my mate," he unperturbedly announced, his hand on her elbow urging her forward to his heat. Kela’s dance had caused a commotion inside of him which only his mate could put out.
Cassandra’s hand reached out and landed on his hard bare chest. His wild scent of the desert was quick to cocoon her into an assurance that he would never harm her and yet the deep longing in his eyes spun a different tale.
"Did your celebration conclude?" Cassandra asked, feeling the drumming of his heart under her palm, the rhythms entranced her and she wished to put her ear over it and hear it for an eternity.
"Yes! And now I would like to prepare you myself for tomorrow’s ceremony." His hand reached out and plucked the hair accessory holding her wild hair captive. They were the same shade as his eyes and mesmerised him to no extent. They snaked their way down to her waist.
"Prepare me?" She raised her long lashes and stared back at him, the affection with which he gazed at her made her heart lurch.
"Yes, to bathe you, make your hair, dress you up?" He cockily replied, imprinting all her reactions to his memory.
The panic in her eyes amplified and so did the beats of her heart.
"I am perfectly capable of doing all those myself," she quickly spoke, trying to hide the embarrassment that had flooded her veins and scalded her whole face and neck. He bit his lowered fleshy lip to restrain letting out a cackle.
"I don’t doubt you but it’s a tradition of my pack that the males prepare their females for the ceremony."
Cassandra’s eyes narrowed at his cute but blatant lie. If that had been the case, Lana would have informed her. He just wished to touch her more and observe more of her flesh. Cassandra very clearly understood his motives and tilted her head at him.
"A tradition you just made up. Liar." It was Cassandra’s turn to smile at her mate.
"Ahh! Your loss it would be. I scrub and clean well, very gently too," he provocatively informed her, tracing his index finger slowly along her protruding clavicles.
With her mouth parted, Cassandra observed the sensual movement of his finger and the vivid dazzle in his eyes as the light of candle flame was reflected in them. The gold of his eyes and the orangish amber of the flame tangoed together.
While Siroos, mindlinked Lana to bring cool water for their bath.