She Wolf will not find her mate. I won't fall in love!

The Last Days before Summer Break

My arrival home was met with an explosion of preparation for the up and coming Summer Solstice festival. But how could I think about that after the day I had spent with Caelestis. I had learnt so much about him. In one short day when Lucius just happened to be tired, things had changed.

And I wanted to tell Ryan all about it.

I followed his scent through the mansion and out into the courtyard. Wolves were everywhere preparing for the festival, today during the heat they were painting signs, everyone sharing the work to make signs and posters for stalls and for the festival itself. I treaded carefully around them. The Luna was also crouched down, Sharpie in one hand giving advice for the designs of the posters. Everything was always a big community effort with werewolves. So I knew that I would find Ryan here. The paint fumes were a little overwhelming but they were nothing compared to the immense amount of colour that covered the ground.

Ryan was painting the end of a banner pink. I grabbed a big paintbrush and sidled up beside him.

"Oh Varinia, how was school?" He said, not even looking up from his work.

I launched into just about every detail I could remember about my day with the Prince. Beaming all the while. We had finished painting the entire banner pink by the time I was done.

We moved onto the next banner and started to paint flowers all over it.

"Sounds like you had an amazing day," He said.

"Oh yeah I did," my cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much.

"Well I must say it seems like Caelestis is much better than those usual wolves you spend time with.

I snorted, "Just about anyone is."

"Then why do you do it," He finished perfecting a hibiscus.

"I don't really know, they just have this hold over me. I want to do better though."

Ryan looked up at me, "Then do better."

And I would have liked to. I really would have. Lucius made it difficult. He clung to me like a koala until the summer holidays. I just couldn't shake him, during class outside of class. Though Caelestis was there and was friendly I couldn't spend the time I wanted to with him. Lucius made sure of that. Maybe the idiot finally had a sleep schedule for the sole purpose of getting in my way.

Tests were coming up quickly though as the last few days approached. The wolves were only now studying. Lucius demanded my notes in most classes. With him distracted it did give me a little time to talk to Caelestis.

So I fortified my notes and turned to the prince.

"What are you doing for the summer break?" I asked.

He thought for a second, "The vampires don't really celebrate... anything. But I assume the Hirasawa mansion will be doing something for midsummer."

"Oh I see, my pack always celebrates the solstices. So that's what I'll be doing. You're welcome to come," I offered, keeping my voice hushed from Lucius. I hadn't invited the Amanes.

The Prince smiled, "I'd like to but I doubt my mother would let me leave."

"Oh I see... she is the Queen so you better listen to her," I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

"Besides there has been some rather strange occurrences at the Hirasawa mansion with Crimson so we are probably going to have to be extra careful," Caelestis looked at me, he looked inconvenienced by this.

"What happened with Crimson, last I heard she attacked a bunch of people?" I probed.

Caelestis sighed, "She escaped, left her weird siblings," He eyed Ephvangeline and Katsu, "and is somewhere out there now."