C41. Unknown Sender

Jossie's POV:

     We arrived at the apartment complex Nathalie lived at. We had to walk up four flights of stares before I realized we had to walk back down a set. I had forgotten which floor she lived on. The only reason I switched floors was because the fourth didn't ring a bell. The upper levels looked older than the bottom. Like they were slowly remodeling the floors. We knocked on the door when I was sure it was correct. Nathalie opened it up.

     "Hey... Jossie, Come on in..." Her eyes landed on Casimir. "You too..." Her eyes met mine again. "I sent Malaya across the hall," she whispered as she opened the door wide for us. I nodded as I entered the apartment first and Casimir was last in. I wouldn't explain to him today that Nathalie had a daughter. If he was curious he could probably find out due to all the evidence surrounding the small apartment. Nathalie locked the door behind us and we found Veronica sitting on the couch. She waved when we entered. I smiled lightly her way before looking back at Nat.

     "You said there were some packages?" I asked curiously. 

     "I put them up in my room. I didn't want Malaya to get in them," she told me before leading me back down the hallway and towards her bedroom. "The packages are from a famous boutique. It's actually from Rabidcrest pack. So I was surprised to find them here. I don't know if you'll recognize the name brand. These are designer clothes- worth a fortune. I keep trying to wrap my head around who could be sending these to you. But then I thought.... What if they're from the king?" She asked me in a low tone. I tensed up as I understood her double meaning. I have yet to admit it to Casimir. I didn't want him to worry. Plus if he knew he might not let me go save my sister from a lifetime of stupidity. "I'm not sure why they ended up at my diner... Well... actually I'm settling on the idea it was Beta Ethan's idea." I felt relaxed at her suggestion. I heard Casimir growling in jealousy as he followed behind us. Another reason to not go. That was not what I needed right now. 

     I have to go though. It wasn't about me anymore. It was about saving the King. It was about stopping my sister from a huge mistake. I couldn't let anything happen between them. It might drive me crazy... to think they'd be sleeping together without his real consent. 

     Nathalie walked us into her bedroom and I could hear Vee getting up to come join us. Nathalie's room was just like her personality. A little behind from being a parent. It looked disoriented. From the lack of attention. She had been too busy to clean it. She pulled out boxes from in her closet and sat them on her bed. Vee pushed past to help her. I eyed over what she had already unwrapped to see for herself. When they were all out I began to go through them. These were unreal. 

     I picked up the dress as the final piece and brought it over to her mirror where I held it up to my body. It would match my hair. It was a Victorian style black dress. With lace to cover my chest and wrap around my neck in a vest- style. It was stylish. I loved it. All the way down to the velvet buttons aligning the chest. I looked back at Casimir. He was going through another box and held up a matching three-piece. It was mono colored with a floral vest. I went back to the patterns on my dress. They were matching. I looked towards Nathalie. She held up two invitations for the ball. She had took them out of a box. 

     "You'll be needing these," she told me. "They'll be checking for invitations at the entrance. Ours came in this morning. It's funny. I haven't been able to contact that bastard all day- Beta Ethan. Yet... he had the audacity to send two dresses to my address. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how he knew to send one for Vee. I think none of us should go tonight. I think its too weird, Josephine." I'm starting to feel like what she's really trying to suggest is that it was all King Camren's doing. Maybe she was right. It was weird. What if I can't handle having Camren and Casimir in the same room? What if it distracts from my ultimate goal? To think it would all be foiled... Juliette would get her every desire because I lost in this chess match.

     "I'm still going. I told you I have to try. You're more then welcome to stay home. In fact I think you should," I told her sternly. I wish Casimir would stay now that I've thought about it. I don't want him finding out I'm also fated to another wolf. I can't let those two meet. Tonight is going to be hard to concur. Maybe I could make them stay.

     "Let you face him alone? Are you crazy? I'm coming there with you. Someone has to show you where to go," she teased me lightly. It might be nice to have back up that wasn't fated to be with me as well. I might need her help restraining Casimir if it all falls down like a house of cards.

     "You can't talk us into staying home," Vee said quickly. I want them to come. I don't want to go alone. "I want to help too. I sort of owe you. After all we wouldn't be quite in this mess if I had just listened before acting..." She looked towards Casimir with a sorry expression. I know she was trying to make it up to us. Casimir was completely ignoring her as he scrunched up the vest in his hand. 

     "I think we should back out," Casimir mumbled. Is he catching on? No... I'm paranoid.

     "You too?" I asked as I felt betrayal. He looked up immediately at my face. He walked over quickly as he took the dress from me.

     "Look at this! It's even in your size!" He showed it to me as he looked worried all of a sudden. "This isn't normal. What is he trying to say by giving these to us? He's inviting us to a barbeque. We're the victims." I frowned and snatched the dress away from him. At least he hasn't caught on... This will be fine. It'll all be fine.

     "Those are your own worries lying to you. We don't even know for certain who sent these to us. I just think it's someone in favor of us." I mean for all I know... Zeke could have sent these to us with the help of Edith's help. What a stupid lie. "Nothing is stopping me from going. Like I said... You three don't have to go."

     "I do if you're going," Casimir growled out.

     "Same," Nathalie said quickly.

     "I can't let her go alone," Vee mumbled.

     "We've been over this. I'm still going," I told them harshly. "So... who volunteers to help me zip my dress up?" I asked. I knew I had to get a jump on getting this outfit on if I wanted to look somewhat decent for my first masquerade. 

     Casimir rolled his eyes with slight irritation. My guess was from my stubbornness. No matter how dangerous this was becoming... I still felt obligated to go. Especially since someone went out of the way to provide our outfits for us. I just thought of this as duty to my king. 

     This was not because I was developing feelings for someone I've never met before.

     No. That's not what this is.

     I did not feel anything for a king. This was all for a good reason. It isn't for anything else.

     "The moment you show up he's going to be looking for you," Casimir growled with irritation. The anxiety of him knowing washed over me in waves. 

     I tensed up as I at first thought about the slight possibility. What will happen when he discovers I picked Casimir? Will it be an issue tonight? After I come to save him from my sister's potion? I will have to slip away before he discovers I'm there. I don't want that kind of confrontation. I looked towards Nathalie and Vee's faces. They were trying to hold back from talking. They weren't sure how far Casimir was caught up on. He didn't know anything! I didn't want him to know! 

     "Along with your sister. She'll sense you're there to ruin her plans. He's going to be thinking you're there for other reasons..." He trailed off as he looked desperate to find a way to prevent me from going. This was his last attempt. I honestly should just tie him up here and go without him. If he does anything stupid at the masquerade it could start bigger problems than we already have. 

     Did he have his own anxiety? This was a masquerade for the king to find a queen. Did he think that Cas would find eyes for me? Or... maybe he just figured my similar scent to my sister would guide us together. After all she would be smelling like me... Which was the scent of his actual fated mate. Not that Casimir knew it.

     "Cas..." I trailed off. 

     "For fucks sake tell him," Vee snapped as she looked at us. "He deserves to know what will happen... Or could happen at the masquerade. Especially since you made the terrible mistake of marking someone you're not fated to."

     "What is she talking about?" Casimir asked quickly and growled at her. I growled too. Did she really think I would mark someone I wasn't fated to? I would never do that! 

     "We are fated," I told her stubbornly. I couldn't explain it to her. She'd think it was impossible. It was impossible. To be fated to two was unspeakable. No one ever heard of it before. I was certain. 

     "King Camren has made it clear his fated is-" Nathalie motioned towards me. "They've never met. He was only going off her scent."

     "What?" Casimir growled. He'll never let me go now.

     "I don't believe it," I lied quickly. "He'll see when he meets me," I promised him. "He'll see we are a mated pair and he won't mess with us. I promise." Casimir was growling as he was fighting back the urge to transform. I could see it in his eyes. He didn't take that information too well. I looked at Vee with a glare in my eyes. How the fuck could she do this to me? Now I'll be completely fucked if he doesn't let me go to the masquerade. He was calming down at my words suddenly.

     "You don't believe you're fated to him?" Cas asked. He knew it was true. He believed- actually. Since we were fated it would be impossible to his logic. "You aren't. You're fated to me," he said sternly. He was firm now that whatever Vee had said was going to be whipped away from his memories. Maybe it was because of his ego. He'd let me go. "We'll go prevent your sister from drugging him. Than we're going to leave before he ever sees you." I relaxed. He would believe me over anything. He knew my truth at least. He leaned in and gave me a kiss. "You can get dressed," he whispered. 

     "You can get dressed in my daughter's room," Nathalie suggested to him. She'd kick him out so we could talk alone without him. I could see they were confused and wanted answers from me. How would I explain to them that I knew I had two fated mates and still chose Casimir. Even to them he would still be a candidate for my father's murderer. They wouldn't find out that I was the one that killed him. My mother was dead- she was the only other witness. I could say and do whatever I wanted now. I could free my chains from being my father's killer. I would be my mother's savior if I could explain it right.

     Cas would remove himself from the room with the boxes handpicked for him. He couldn't hear us in the other room if we kept our voices low enough. We would. I could tell the girls wanted to hunt the answers out of me.

     "What the hell, Jossie," Nat whispered when we heard the door close in the other room. "We both know that Camren singled your scent out as his fated. Who are you trying to fool?"

     "Nobody," I said quickly. Just Casimir... and myself. "It might sound surprising... But... I think I'm fated to both of them. I won't know until I meet Camren. I already know for certain Casimir is my fated."

     "Did your wolf confirm it?"

     "Yes," I hissed low. Jude did leave me with that small knowledge. 

     "That's impossible. It's never been heard of. Two fated mates," she hissed through her teeth. "Something isn't right about that."

     "I think he was confused," I pleaded. "He'll see when he meets me."

       "Tonight is going to be too dangerous," Vee grumbled. "I don't like it one bit."

     "Stay here," I suggested.

     I could tell by the looks they both gave me. They would not leave me alone. They were in it for the very end. They were good friends. Nathalie was a good friend. I hugged her tightly as I felt tears rushing to the surface. I just want to get this over with. I'll go away with Casimir by the end of tonight. This might be the last time we see each other. 

     "So you couldn't reach Beta Ethan's number?" I asked quietly. 

     "That bastard has been avoiding my calls all week," Nathalie said sharply. "I even went out and bought a phone and put the same number on it so my name would turn up in his phone. I'm not sure what the fuck they're doing. There's no way he's been that busy. I guess he really didn't want to hear what I had to say. I'll give him an ear full when I see him. Oh!" She grabbed me and pushed me back so we could look each other in the eyes.

     "It's about your mother," Vee said quickly.

     "Zeke called me before you arrived to give us a heads up. Your mother is alive. Whatever you saw... It wasn't real. She was perfectly healthy and left with Juliette this morning. They were on their way to the masquerade." She looked from Vee to me. I froze up suddenly. My back trembling as I felt my knees buckling. I would have to face her tonight at some point then. It was a good thing they told me now. I would have decided not to go if I had known all week.

     "You look so pale," Vee whispered. 

     "N-no I-... Thank you for telling me," I whispered. "I would have been even more surprised when I saw her tonight at the masquerade."

     "It was good of Zeke to call," Vee said quickly. She motioned for us to break it up. "We need to get ready if we're still planning on going." Somehow this was starting to feel like Prom. Something I never attended but watched multiple movies on. I just hoped my prom will not be filled with so much drama. Nathalie's eyes lit with surprise as if she remembered something.

     "Happy birthday," she said quickly. "Zeke said your cousin mentioned it." I flinched at her words. I couldn't believe it. I didn't expect it. Vee smiled with delight.

     "Happy birthday!"

    There was nothing happy about my birthday. Juliette always made me celebrate it a day late. She didn't like sharing it with me. Of course she was a selfish child and my mother assumed I didn't care when I celebrated my birthday. I nodded at my friends.

     "Yes... thank you." It would be a short lived birthday celebration. The main star would be Camren. It was his birthday as well. That was the whole point of the masquerade after all. It was all for him really. Maybe I should stay. There is this sudden dread I feel about going. I was always on an unbalanced scale when it came to these decisions. I shouldn't have to make one about saving a man I haven't met before. Why should I care so much? Would Juliette even care about me once she had her spot of power? I turned back towards the mirror as I looked the dress over against my body. It was a good match for me. It complimented my small chest. It even made my body look fuller so I wouldn't be so... tiny. Did... Camren really pick this out for me?