“No, I’m not okay!” Amelia turned to face Delyse and Claudia. Tears were threatening to fill her beautiful eyes, and she struggled to hold them back before they ruined her make-up. “More than a half of the Vulpes girls at Alma Venus have already been interview
ed, and no one sent for me.”
“Oh, so that’s what the whole fuss is about!” said Claudia. She and Delyse had seen a couple of students waiting in front of Miss Delacroix’s office, but hadn’t been curious enough to investigate and see what was happening. “A fox-shifter has come to look for a bride.”
“Not just any fox-shifter,” said Amelia. She checked the time again. “The guy came all the way from Alaska, which means the clan he belongs to must be rich and influential. Otherwise, he would have stuck to one of the American boarding schools.”
“Have you seen him?”
“No, but I don’t care what he looks like. I want out of here, preferably before I turn 25 and it’s too late.”
“Amelia…”
Claudia’s soothing voice only made her angrier and more agitated. “Don’t you try to comfort me. I’m not afraid to look reality in the face: this year I had around two or three interviews a month, and no shape-shifter wanted to buy me. I don’t know why, and yes, I might be getting a little panicky, but I must fix this somehow. I must push harder. Maybe I’m not pretty enough, or sexy enough, or… or…” she sniffed loudly, determined not to let the tears fall, “… smart enough. I know everything there is to know about the werefoxes’ culture and traditions by heart. I’ve read all the copies of their ancient texts we have in the library, and I probably know more about their powers and connection to lightning and electricity than most of their Inaris. I am willing to work even harder than this. I’d make a great Alpha bride, I’m sure of it. So, why does no one want to buy me? And now this… There’s a fox-shifter downstairs, interviewing prospective brides, and he hasn’t even considered calling me for an interview.”
“Maybe he hasn’t gotten to your page yet…” whispered Claudia.
“Amelia. A. I’m on the third page or so. You can’t miss me.” Amelia turned towards the tall windows, suddenly ashamed of her own behavior. She didn’t want her roommates to see how vulnerable she was, but the situation was starting to get to her. She really wanted this interview, although she couldn’t say why. Yes, Julia, one of the few Alma Venus students she actually liked, had come upstairs after her own interview and told her the fox-shifter was pretty hot and handsome, but that didn’t matter anyway. Apparently, he was only a Beta, or an Yako, according to the foxes’ ranking system, who was looking for a bride for his Alpha, or Inari. Handsome or not, the girl he bought would end up the wife of a mysterious stranger.
Delyse turned off her laptop, stood up, and walked to Amelia, stopping in front of her and blocking her view of the tall, green trees outside their window. “Please don’t take the wrong way what I’m about to tell you.”
Amelia huffed. “I can take criticism.”
“No, you can’t.” Delyse smiled at her roommate’s stubbornness. “You usually brush it off and do things your way, that’s why it’s so difficult to be honest with you. You remind me of Avelyn.”
Amelia rolled her eyes. She had never liked whiny Avelyn.
“You look wonderful, by the way,” Delyse continued, studying Amelia’s outfit and make-up. “That is… if you want to convince your Beta fox he needs to hire a new accountant.”
“Are you trying to be sarcastic?”
“Not at all. I’m trying to be honest with you and give you some sound advice, even though… yeah… you didn’t ask for it. But be patient for a second and hear me out.”
Amelia checked her phone again, then crossed her arms over her chest. “Go on.”
“You make it too obvious that this whole affair is business to you. Shape-shifters need mates to bear their children, boarding schools raise girls to become shifter-brides and do just that. It’s a system that works, but I’m sure you’re intuitive enough to see there’s something missing from this equation: love. Friendship. True bonding. Amelia, the way you dress, behave, and present yourself tells the fox-shifters who would be interested in you that you’re only looking for a husband to get you out of Alma Venus, and in exchange you’re willing to be a good wife and mother, but never a true partner. You’ve always criticized Avelyn for rebelling against the system and trying to fight it, but you fail to realize you’re doing the same thing, albeit in a different way.”
Amelia averted her gaze and clutched the phone tighter. “I’m not Avelyn.”
“You’re not. Avelyn wanted to be happy. She wanted to be free so she could love whomever she liked, and the simple fact that she was open to love and happiness helped her find the right man.”
“How do you know Max is the right man for her? If I remember well, he bought her and took her away from Alma Venus without her consent.”
Delyse swallowed heavily and cursed herself for saying too much. No one had to know Miss Delacroix had let them video chat a few weeks ago because Avelyn had gotten bitten and needed a cure for the werewolf venom. “Max is a good guy.”
Amelia cocked an eyebrow. “What do you suggest?”
“Be more open. Let them see who you are. You always go there and make a huge display of your knowledge about the foxes and how you’re ready to fulfill your duty as a bride.”
“Isn’t this what they’re looking for?”
“No. God, no!” Delyse smiled indulgently. How hadn’t she realized this before? Amelia’s refusal to make any real friends, her determination to succeed, to do things right, to be perfect and professional… They all showed how intelligent she was. Intellectually, but not emotionally. Amelia lacked emotional intelligence. “Look, I know this is new to you, but take a shot and listen to me this time.” Delyse reached for her neat, shiny curls and started to ruffle them.
“What are you doing?” Amelia slapped the blonde’s hands away and took a step back, a look of utter horror on her face.
Delyse laughed and motioned for Claudia to give her a hand. “You need to loosen up. Perfect hair? Men don’t want that shit. The make-up is great, so I promise not to touch it.”
“Lemme help you get rid of that boring shirt,” said Claudia and reached around Amelia to attack the small buttons.