Page 2 of A Very Knotty Halloween
Sabrina says that’s the whole point in dressing up: it’s an excuse to be someone you’re not. Something you’re not. Halloween is the one night a year all girls should show off what they got, whether they’re an omega, a beta, or an alpha.
“You’re going to look so hot in that,” Sabrina says as she pulls out her witch costume. Yeah, her name is Sabrina and she’s dressing like a witch. Totally not cliché. She reaches into her bag and pulls something small out, tossing it to me. My reflexes aren’t great, but I manage to catch it all the same. “I got that for you.”
“What is it?” As I ask, I peer down at the small container in my hand. It fits easily on my palm. Two sharp teeth are printed on the box’s wrapping.
“You said you didn’t have teeth, and all I could think was you were going to try to use those stupid plastic teeth that never fit in your mouth right. I won’t let you look silly on my watch. Those are teeth with molds, basically. You put them over your canineteeth and hold them there, and they form to your actual teeth. I used the same brand two years ago, and they stayed on all night.”
“Thanks,” I say. Used to be, years ago, my first instinct would be to not accept any gifts Sabrina bought me, but I’ve learned that she simply doesn’t take no for an answer. If she wants to buy me something, she’s going to buy it for me, and she’ll be annoying as hell until I take whatever it is from her.
“No problem. Can’t have my girl looking like she shopped at the dollar store for a night like this. We gotta look good tonight.” Based on the twinkle in her eye, I can tell she’s super excited. Even if she didn’t wear her excitement on her face, she’s been looking forward to this for months, ever since we signed up.
Mr. Holiday vets all those who apply. No one with a criminal record is allowed, and any alphas with noted behavioral issues in their school records aren’t allowed. Seems like a lot of work for someone who remains anonymous—I really don’t understand what this Mr. Holiday gets out of these hunts… unless he likes watching. We were warned that there will be cameras on the grounds during the party and the hunt. The only true private part is the afterparty.
Sabrina is a lot faster at getting ready than I am. She’s fully dressed in her witch’s costume and done with her makeup in the blink of an eye, which means she takes it upon herself to fix what little makeup I did.
And by fix, I mean she takes a makeup wipe, wipes what I did off, and starts from scratch. Yeah, apparently I’m that bad.
By the time she’s done with me, I hardly look like myself. My black eyes have this sultry, smoky look, and my eyelashes actually look thicker and longer thanks to whatever mascara she used. My hair is wavy in uneven, pretty kinks, and my lips wear a pretty pink color that matches the scarf—which, once she’s done with my face and hair, I wrap around my neck.
I flash my teeth at myself in the mirror and reveal the sharp canine fangs. It’s crazy how real they look. In my all-black outfit, I could definitely pass for a vampire. A sexy one, even—and that’s even crazier, because I don’t think I’ve ever thought once that I could be sexy.
Maybe tonight reallyisabout letting go and having fun.
Sabrina yanks up her already short dress and wraps her scarf around her thigh. When I give her a look, she shrugs. “What? She said wrap it over our scent gland. We have some in our thighs, too, you know, not just our necks.”
I’m perfectly aware of our biology. Still, putting it around her thigh seems like she’s asking for trouble—but then again, that’s Sabrina for you.
Once the scarf is safely around her thigh, she fixes her witch’s dress and stands beside me, grinning at our reflections in the mirror. “Damn, we look fine as hell,” she muses. “Those alphas don’t know what’s coming. Hurricane Sabrina and Tornado Marnie reporting for duty.”
And not too soon, because the party is going to start in ten minutes.
We got this.
Chapter Two – Marnie
The party is in a dark ballroom. Since it’s still light outside, the curtains are drawn over the large windows, and the lights on the glass chandeliers are lit as low as possible. It all gives it an eerie, dim glow. There are refreshments, along with a DJ and some tables and chairs off to the side of the dance floor. It’s giving high school dance vibes, only a little more adult, given what’s about to happen after.
Us omegas are ushered in first, allowed to check out the room at our leisure before the alphas come. The DJ wears a similar mask as the initial alpha did, and I note a few giant guards standing at each exit of the ballroom—same masks, too. Those alphas must either have world-class restraint, or they’re already matched. Once matched, they’re not as pulled-in to unmatched omegas; nature’s way of trying to balance things out.
Sabrina and I hang near the refreshment table. The other omegas are scattered amongst the tables. It seems everyone came here with at least one friend; no omega would have the balls to do this by herself.
“I can’t wait for the alphas,” my friend says, practically whining already. “I hope we have lots to choose from.”
“Technically, aren’t they choosing us?”
“Yeah, for the scarf bit, but during the party? It’s all on us. If we don’t like the alphas talking to us, we move onto the next.”
“And what about the afterparty?”
The look she gives me tells me enough. “We have our safe words, so I’d say the afterparty only goes as long as we want it to.” She reaches out for my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Thank you for coming tonight. I know you didn’t want to. This isn’t exactly your thing, but everyone needs to step out of theircomfort zone once in a while. These things are legendary—just have fun, okay?”
“I’ll try,” I mutter, although I make no promises. As long as Sabrina has fun tonight, I’ll be okay. I can’t say that I’ll enjoy the hunt or the afterparty portion of the night, but… well, I guess you never know. Could be some alpha will stroll along and sweep me off my feet. Crazier things have happened in the world.
The set of double doors on the left side of the ballroom, opposite of where we came in, are pulled open by two masked guards, and the alphas come strolling in. Though the music still plays, a hush falls over the omegas, including Sabrina and I, as we watch the cream of the crop walk in like they own the place.
And they can. It’s what alphas do. It’s why we’re hardwired to go crazy for them. It’s nature—and that’s exactly why I feel like there’s no way in hell not a single pack will get formed tonight. Things will happen, omegas will submit and alphas will claim. It’s just what happens when you throw omegas and alphas together like this.
The alphas are in costume, too. Pirates, devils, police officers, even characters from recent movies—except they all wear masks, so we can’t see their faces. Their bodies, though… let’s just say their muscles are on full-display, tugging their costumes so taut they’re sin on two legs.
