Mage And Wolf
Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Chapter 68

Shopping with Lelou should be an Olympic event, I’m absolutely exhausted. We’ve been at it all day, only stopping for coffee and snacks, but I’ve finally wrangled everyone to my suite so I can grab my bags to head out on vacation after the official Travel Gate ceremony.

I’ve got far more than I could possibly need, even Hui’Jin was convinced to pick up some swimwear, new shoes and a single outfit of black yoga pants and a long cream colored sweater with an open upper back that let her wings free. She was dead set against all the children’s clothing that makes up 90 percent of options in her size.

Maybe Petros can show her how to be a kid? Who am I kidding, I was training all day to be a pack warrior at her age.

Lelou insists on picking my outfit and doing my hair for the broadcast, something about not scaring the children, but her style is always immaculate, so I’m not about to turn down the help.

She’s got my hair in an intricate up do I wasn’t aware hair could even achieve. I suspect she secretly used magic to get it to do this. There’s even little black pearls woven into it.

"Last up is getting you into your dress and fitting your new jewelry" she announces, chasing the girls out of the room. "Hurry up now or we’ll be late"

We made the stage just in time for Karl’s speech to start, followed by what amounts to an infomercial by Narishma. It’s all quite formal, like we’re a proper city council.

I’m up last, a quick reassurance and off through the portal I go for the cameras. I adjust the black knit shawl Lelou paired with the black and silver gown she chose. This dress is thin and it’s making me paranoid that my nipples will show their new adornments through it.

Sure, nobody would suspect they’re actually storage rings, and they’re technically hidden, but she definitely didn’t think of my modesty when she picked this outfit. It’s cut very low in the front, almost to my belly button, its back is all lace and it’s slit up the side almost to my hip. Red Carpet fashionable, but too risqué for my usual tastes.

Or maybe she did consider my reaction, and that’s why she delayed getting me dressed until the last minute.

"Thank you all for gathering here today. As many of you know, I’m originally from just outside Portland. I’ll be heading back today to meet with local leaders about our ongoing cooperation."

The breeze on my skin makes me feel naked, every nervous public speaker’s nightmare.

"Congratulations on a successful first day of the grand opening of Arcana City, and I will see you all soon!"

I turn to take Hui’Jin’s hand and try to look graceful as we walk through the portal to greet the Drakon City representatives on the other side and give them our best wishes for mutual prosperity.

By the time I’m done the second speech my feet are killing me and I’m about ready to stab someone with these ridiculous shoes. Seriously, whoever thought sandals needed heels deserves it.

Judith, one of the Omegas from my old pack is waiting for us at the edge of the crowd.

"Hey Kat! I mean, Priestess, uh Your Highness Katrina?" she stammers with increasing uncertainty.

"Relax Judith, it’s been less than 2 months since I saw you last, we’re still friends. Just call me Kat." She visibly relaxes at not having to remember formalities. Even in the pack she routinely forgets proper titles for visitors. But her food is amazing, so everyone covers for her.

"This is Hui’Jin my acolyte. Think of her like a trainee for a ranked position in the pack if that helps"

"Good to meet you Miss Hui’Jin. Petros will be here with the car in a moment, he needed city guards to escort him through the crowds"

Well, now that I’m done officially representing Arcana I can clear traffic right quick. I don my High Priestesses robes with the hood up, using the option for slippers that comes with them for possibly the first time ever. It’s so good to be out of those shoes.

I let a hint of dominance slip and the crowd naturally parts, letting us walk smoothly towards Alpha Petros and the car in the distance.

"Just breathe, she won’t hurt you" I hear a soft voice murmur and realize Judith is terrified. Too scared to move in fact, and Hui’Jin is trying to calm her down. I should likely have warned her.

The guards have spotted us through the gap in the crowd now and they’re clearing a path for the car.

I put my hood down and Judith gasps "I thought a demon took over your body"

"Have you had problems with demonic possession out here?" I ask concerned.

"I don’t think so, but the Alpha could tell you."

Ah, totally forgot that’s just how Judith is. A bit spacey as Petros likes to say.

"How did you do that to your hair?" Petros greets us without preamble.

"Don’t ask me, I let a Dragon do it without looking at what she was doing" I don’t think looking would have helped anyways.

"Well it looks amazing. Like you’re a famous star waking the runway."

"Wait until you see her gown instead of her Priestess Robes" Hui’Jin laughs "Lady Lelou went all out on her today, it’s stunning"

Petros grins conspiratorially, "So, when can we get you out of those robes girl?" The guards surrounding us turn their weapons on him immediately, taking his joke as high blasphemy.

"Stand down gentleman. I’ll deal with him personally once I’m home" their angry glares turn to looks of deep sympathy.

"As you wish High Priestess"

The drive back to the Pack is a slow one. carts, bicycles, horses and pedestrians are everywhere on the interstate, keeping us to a relative crawl.

"Sorry about this, it’ll clear up some away from the city, but the Dragon Kin don’t use cars much, and everyone else is short on gasoline. Some portal incident damaged a pipeline and it’s taking longer than expected to get a repair crew out. Nobody wants to die trying to make a living.

"Understandable, we’ve started making our own in the city to sell from the Adventurers Guild. It’s a bit rough on the mages, but I’m sure Drakon City could manage if they tried. Want me to put in a request?"

"Nah, I’ll have the local pack do it. They own most of the gas stations anyway."

hours of conversation and one lunch break later We’ve finally made it to the Pack House. During lunch I let my robes vanish, returning me to my gown for lunch and Petros went crazy taking pics on his phone. The outfit will likely be the talk of the pack house for weeks.

Fortunately, few will see it tonight, it’s after midnight by the time we arrive.

"I don’t see any luggage, did you both come empty handed? Either way, your room’s still empty, get settled in, we’ve got a lot to talk about in the morning."

"Secret Priestess technique. Don’t worry, I brought the essentials." I wave goodnight and escort Hui’Jin to a spare room near mine.