My Alpha Is My Baby Daddy.

BLOODMOON PACK.

ELARA'S POV.

I checked my wristwatch and cursed under my breath. I was so going to be late-and I wasn't even sure if Kiara had picked up my dress.

The coffee shop was buzzing, full of chatter and the smell of cinnamon and fresh espresso, but I was nearing the end of my shift. Just five more minutes. I ducked into the kitchen and caught sight of Holly-my boss, the baker, and the closest thing I had to a mother.

She was piping icing onto a batch of lemon cupcakes, her brow furrowed in concentration. I hesitated, unsure whether I should ask to leave early or wait out the five minutes like a good girl.

"Ara?"

I jumped a little and straightened up. "Yes, Holly?"

She didn't even glance up. "You've been staring at that watch like it owes you money. Let me guess-college party?"

I exhaled. "Yeah, but it's not what you think. I just... I'm not sure if Kiara got my dress. And if I leave at my usual time, I'll miss half of it."

Holly finally looked up, her face warm, powdered with a smear of flour and a dot of icing sugar on her cheek. "I've known you long enough to know you don't usually care for these events. So go. Have fun. You need it."

I didn't wait for her to change her mind. I rushed forward, hugged her tight, and grabbed my jacket and purse.

"Take a box with you!" she called after me. "Cupcakes and muffins. Kiara will eat them if you don't."

I laughed and grabbed the box by the counter. "Tell me something new!"

Holly had been a blessing since our parents died. She and my mom had grown up together, and after the plane crash that took both our parents, she took Kiara and me like we were her own.

We'd been eighteen when the world fell apart. Twins with no family left and no brothers to carry the burden of our werewolf heritage. No chance at the prestigious Werewolf Academy where boys were trained to become Alphas and warriors. It had always just been us-two girls trying to stay afloat in a world that didn't expect much from females without a rank.

Thankfully, our parents had saved enough for college. Kiara worked at a restaurant, I worked with Holly. We managed. We survived.

And somehow, we graduated this month.

Tonight was the graduation party for my faculty-a final hurrah before everyone scattered to the wind. I didn't really want to go, but something inside me whispered that I should. Like I might regret it if I didn't.

I left the cafe, clutching the box of baked goods like it was gold, and made my way to the bus stop. I could've shifted and run through the woods, but I wasn't about to carry cupcakes in my teeth. So I boarded the bus, cursed the ten-minute delay, and watched the trees blur past.

By the time I got to our tiny home, the porch light was on. Kiara was home. Please, Goddess, let her have the dress.

I slipped off my boots at the door and walked straight into the kitchen. She was already at the stove, making pasta like she hadn't worked all day.

"Hey, Ki? Did you get my dress?"

She stirred the sauce without looking up. "Almost forgot, but I didn't. It's on your bed."

I exhaled in relief and went straight to the fridge. I grabbed a bottle of orange juice, twisted the cap off, and downed half without breathing.

Kiara eyed the box I brought in. "Did Holly give you those tonight?"

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p.'

She grinned. "I love that woman. Tell her thanks. I promise I'll save you some."

Lies. I grabbed a few muffins before she could devour them all.

I slipped into my room and kicked the door shut behind me. The dress lay neatly folded on my bed, and my heart fluttered for a reason I couldn't name.

The dress was a deep, sultry red.

It shimmered under the warm yellow lights of my bedroom like it had been kissed by the moon-elegant, backless, with a slit high enough to make me nervous. I reached out and touched the fabric, feeling its silkiness under my fingers. It was the kind of dress girls with Alpha boyfriends wore to pack balls. Not someone like me. Not someone still waiting for her rank to show up. Still... it was mine. And it was perfect.

After l had freshn up and creamed myself.

I pulled it on gently, careful not to snag the hem. The bodice hugged me like it had been made for my body-sculpting my curves and showing just enough skin to be bold without trying too hard.

Then I opened the small box tucked at the corner of the bed.

The heels.

Simple, sleek, blood-red stilettos. They'd cost me almost all the tip money I'd earned over the last few weeks. Long shifts. Smiling through exhaustion. Pretending to enjoy small talk while carrying five orders at once. All of it... for this.

I slipped them on, already feeling taller, braver-like someone new.

The door creaked open, and Kiara stepped in holding a small makeup bag. She paused in the doorway, eyes wide.

"Holy crap, Elara."

"What?" I looked down at myself self-consciously.

"You look like a goddess," she said with a grin, walking in and tossing her bag onto the bed. "Come. Sit. I'm doing your hair and makeup before you chicken out."

I laughed and sat down on the chair by the mirror. "I'm not chickening out. I'm just... second-guessing everything."

"I know," she said softly, brushing through my hair with skilled fingers. "But tonight isn't about overthinking. It's about you. For once."

I met her gaze in the mirror. "You're being weirdly supportive."

She smirked. "You're weirdly hot right now. I just want my sister to have fun."

She braided a few strands back, then curled the rest, pinning it half-up in a way that framed my face perfectly. I barely recognized myself in the mirror by the time she was done. A soft smoky eye. A glossy red lip. The confidence of a girl who deserved to be seen.

Then Kiara stepped back, grabbed her wallet, and pulled out a crumpled few bills. She shoved them into my purse before I could stop her.

"Kiara-"

"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "Don't fight me. You never carry cash and you know it."

"But-"

"It's not much, just enough for a drink or something. And don't even try to pay me back. Just have fun, okay?"

I swallowed thickly, blinking fast as warmth spread through my chest.

"You're gonna make me cry and ruin all your hard makeup work," I said with a shaky laugh.

She smiled, her voice softer now. "I mean it, Ara. Let tonight be for you. No stress. No worrying about the future or the pack or what's going to happen next. Just... dance. Laugh. Maybe even kiss a cute alpha or human boy, I don't know."

I gasped dramatically. "Kiara!"

"What?" She shrugged, cheeky. "You're wearing that dress and those heels. You'd be doing the world a disservice if you didn't."

We both laughed, and I stood to hug her tightly. Her arms wrapped around me like they had a thousand times before-after nightmares, after bad news, after long days. She'd always been the strong one. My twin. My anchor.

"I love you," I whispered against her shoulder.

"Love you more," she whispered back, her voice tight.

Then my phone buzzed.

A notification.

Your Uber has arrived.

I pulled back, blinking. "Wait... what Uber?"

She gave me a sheepish smile. "I may or may not have ordered one while you were in makeup mode."

"Kiara, no! I told you not to-"

"Too late. It's outside." She grabbed my clutch and shoved it into my hand. "You're going. You look too good not to."

I stared at her, part annoyed, part touched. "I'm paying you back."

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up and go before I cry."

I laughed through the sting in my chest, gave her one last hug, and stepped into the night.

The cool air kissed my skin, and the black car waited quietly at the curb. As I slid into the back seat, I looked back at our little house-the soft porch light glowing behind my sister's silhouette in the doorway.