Chapter 220

Cara’s POV

Georgie asked me to return to my dressing room, where she arrived shortly after carrying the gown that she was supposed to be wearing that evening. On herself, she was wearing a robe.

Looking at my own dress still filled me with a sense of mourning. It had been such a beautiful thing, destroyed for no real purpose. How could Melinda or Lilia think this would be enough to stop me, after I had survived everything else they had ever put me through?

It had been a beautiful dress, and it made me sad to see it in tatters. But at the end of the day, it was still a dress. Its destruction, though cruel and wasteful, wasn’t going to be near enough to frighten me into leaving the competition.

I was so focused on the dress and my own determination that Georgie and her appearance took me by surprise, especially when she handed her gown out for me.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Take it. We’re close enough to the same size. It should fit alright,” Georgie said.

“But what are you going to wear?”

She grinned a little.

“Georgie!” I gasped. “I was kidding when I said I would go on stage naked! Tell me you aren’t…”

I could only imagine the scandal that would follow. The competition was to be aired on live television. If Georgie walked out onto the stage naked, the competition and the channel that aired it would be in hot water from some of their more conservative viewer ship as well as the higher ups.

I could almost hear the outraged callers in my head.

And most of the fallout would likely fall on the director, who was supposed to be in charge of all this, including keeping us competitors under control.

The director was self-absorbed at times sure, but she tried hard and didn’t mean to –

“Relax,” Georgie said with an eye roll, her grin never dimming. My spiraling thoughts halted at once. “I’m not going to strut out there in my naked human form.”

Wait… Did that mean…?

She shrugged. “I’ve always been more comfortable in my panther form anyway. So why play pretend? Why not just go out there in my true form and stay that way until the end of the opening ceremony.”

“The director won’t like it,” I said.

“She has to expect some of us to act out,” Georgie said. “It’s all going to be fine.” She lifted the dress again. “Go on, take it. This is really the perfect solution.”

“If you are sure…”

“I am,” she said.

With that assurance, I reached out and accepted the dress.

“It might be a bit more… risqué… than your usual style,” Georgie said. “But I’m sure it’s better than the alternative.”

We both glanced at my tattered gown.

It was better. In fact, it was exceedingly generous and the sign of a good friend. I was blessed to have Georgie and the Claw Sisters in my corner. When all this was over, I would strive to stay in touch with them, and return the favor of their help however I could.

“Thank you, Georgie,” I said.

“I enjoy a bit of subterfuge from time to time, I won’t lie,” she said. “But this kind of sabotage feels unjustified and unsporting. You are being targeted, Cara, and I’m not totally sure why.”

“Lilia and Melinda hate me,” I said.

“Is that the only reason?” Georgie said. Before I could try to answer, though I wasn’t sure I had an answer that would satisfy her, she added, “Just watch your back out there. This feels like a beginning, not an end.”

Georgie walked out of the room then, giving me time to change.

She was right, the dress was more risqué than I was used to. It was a velvety satin material that clung to my curves. It was a bit tight, but there must have been some elastic in the dress, because it stretched to accommodate me.

The neckline plunged nearly down to the waist, held together in the front by a crisscross of loose black laces. A slit ran up along the thigh, all the way to my hip bone.

It was just on the right side of too much. Still, I wouldn’t have even considered wearing it if necessity hadn’t dictated that I should.

Though, after a few minutes in the gown, after changing my makeup to match, and letting my hair down, I kind of liked how I looked in the mirror.

I didn’t think this was the kind of look I might go for forever, but in this moment, for just one night, what was the harm in standing out?

Ready, I headed out of my dressing room just in time for curtain call. Immediately I rushed to the area backstage and took my place between the Claw Sisters, one of whom, Charlotte, gave me a thumbs up.

Behind her I could see Lilia’s stricken expression as she took me in. “That’s not your dress,” she said shortly. “I didn’t know substitutions were allowed.”

“This is just the opening ceremony, not one of the events,” I said. “What? Did you expect me to come out here wearing patches of ripped up fabric?”

“I expected you to know when to give up.”

“I’ll never give up,” I told her.

Before either of us could say more, the curtain lifted and the music began.

It was time for the opening ceremony to begin.

In the next line of contestants over, just before she went on stage, Georgie dropped her robe and shifted into her sleek panther form. Many of the wolf princesses looked annoyed as she strutted onstage.

There had been oohs and aahs from the audience, until Georgie became visible to them. Then there was a resounding gasp.

Just below the stage sat the director. At the sight of Georgie, she looked like she might faint.

Georgie, to her credit, seemed entirely unbothered. The rest of us had to pretend not to notice the one shifted animal in our ranks.

When we take our initial positions on the stage, we are introduced.

“Please welcome this year’s Princess Competition participants!” said an announcer.

A roar of applause sounded from the crowd, who seemed to have recovered from their shock.

One by one, the contestants were introduced. Each, including myself, earned a polite amount of applause, but Georgie received the most. She was truly stealing the show.

Honestly, I couldn’t be more proud of my new friend. The Claw Sisters beside me seemed more or less indifferent, as they were for most things. Everyone else on stage, however, looked furious, likely seeing Georgie as the main competition now for having pulled this stunt.

I wondered if Georgie might have pulled something like this anyway, even if I hadn’t been in need of her dress. It seemed likely, though that did nothing to diminish my gratitude. She still hadn’t needed to come to my rescue like she did.

As I glanced around, taking in my competitors expressions, I noticed Lilia seemed to be holding something in her hand, hidden in the folds of her big skirt.

The music changed, and it was time for us to start our routine. As we shifted, I saw that what Lilia was holding was a small can of red paint.