Chapter Eight Author: Alicia S. Rivers Last Updated: 2024-09-25 08:12:48

“So, do we want to talk about it?” I looked over at Cassie, but she was staring straight ahead. “Cas?”

“Can we pretend like it never happened?” Her voice was small when I pulled her over to the side of the mall and leaned in. “Talk to me.” “What do you want me to say?” She threw up her hands. “It’s miserable being this weak. Every she-wolf with more power outranks us and demands we do their work, or their chores, or if we get nice stuff, they take it.” Cas looked at me and I could feel her pain. “We have no alpha female that protects us here. The beta and gamma try, but they have their own duties.” Cas wiped her face. “We have learned to deal with it, and when it really gets bad, then your dad gets involved.” “Cas…” “You aren’t here, and neither is your mom. If you get too involved, then we just suffer when you leave.” She looked at me and then shook herself. “C’mon, let’s go pick out jewelry for your dress. Which one are you going to wear?” “Don’t worry about it. You are going to come over and get ready with me, right? So I can do your makeup and hair?” “I don’t have anything to wear.” Cassie looked to the side. “Nonsense, you will just borrow something of mine. Let’s go pick out some jewelry.” I wrap my arm in hers and pull her to the store. “I can wear something of yours?” Cas smiled up at me as we walked into the store. “Of course, you can. You are my best friend.” I bumped her hip and walked up to the counter. A set with onyx stones caught my eye. It was stunning, and then a soft golden set with diamonds. “Excuse me?” “Yes?” The saleswoman walked over and I pointed to the two sets. “You have a good eye.” She pulled out the sets, and I was amazed. “I’ll take them.” I smiled. “I’ll just wrap them up.” “Hold on a moment.” A new she-wolf I had never seen before walked in with Amanda in tow. “I want that golden one for my niece.” I turned and smiled at the group of women. “Sorry. I already decided to buy it.” The new she-wolf puffed out her chest and raised her eyebrow. “Are you the one that bought the dress before my niece?” “There must be a misunderstanding. You see, we had the dress first.” I smiled over at the new wolf, but she just lifted her lip and pushed out her aura. She was strong for sure, but she didn’t even reach the gamma level. “You don’t speak to me that way, little girl.” “Auntie…” Amanda started, but I cut my eyes at her.

“If I were you, I would be very particular about who you speak to like that.” I smiled at her and cut my eyes to Amanda. Nix, speak to Amanda’s wolf and forbid them from speaking who I am to her aunt. Smart. Nix pulled away and I watched as Amanda jolted, and I smirked. “Who do you think you are?” She snarled before she looked at the human saleswoman. “I want that necklace for my niece. This little girl can’t afford it.” “Who says that?” I raised my eyebrow, surprised at the audacity of this wolf. “I do! Do you know who I am?” She stomped her foot like a child, and I just turned away. I didn’t need nor want to deal with her anymore. “Don’t you turn your back on me.” “I don’t care, nor do I want to know who you are.” “I’m the future…wife of the man in charge here.” She looked smug, and Cassie and I burst out laughing. “Please wrap these up for me.” I smiled at the poor saleswoman and handed her my black card. The card was my father's, but this time around I would make my own money. My mind drifted back to my previous life, where my father’s pack went bankrupt due to Brandon, and Nix snarled in my mind. This time, he won’t be able to force us to watch as he wipes out this pack using our mate bond. No, he won’t. I promised, this time around, he would regret everything he did to us. “I said no.” The woman grabbed for me, but I moved out of the way. “Do not touch me.” Nix growled in my mind, but I held my power in check. “Here you are, miss.” The saleswoman handed me the bag with both sets and my card back. “Thank you.” I smiled and wrapped my arm around Cassie’s again. Then I turned to face the group of women. I forbade all of them from speaking of us. Good. “I will see you all tonight.” I smirked and turned to leave, but the aunt, the stupid woman, grabbed me again and I let out a low growl. “I already told you once not to touch me. Soon-to-be wife or not, I know the man in charge, and he would not want you touching young girls.” I flashed my eyes at her. “You would do well to give me that necklace.” She growled out. “And you would do well to remember this interaction tonight.” I ripped my arm out of her grasp and pulled Cassie out of the store. Once we were a ways away, I turned to her. “Who was that?” “Aurora. A she-wolf who moved to the pack last year. She has the hots for your dad, and he did seem interested last time I saw them.” “There is no way.” I shook my head as we headed to my favorite sushi place. “My dad would never.” “Well, some of us think he will. And she would be the worst choice for all of us. She is the one pushing the unranked wolves to push us around. The gamma and beta won’t step on her toes because of the attention your father is giving her.” “I will handle him.” We sat down at the booth that the server led us to, and I clapped my hands. “Now I won’t let her ruin our day. I haven’t had conveyor belt sushi in so long.” I squealed, and Cassie laughed. “I don’t know why you like this place so much.” “Because it’s amazing.” Then I grabbed for my plates. “Let’s eat, then we can go back to the house.” So that’s what we did.