The Wild Moon by Riley Storm

Chapter Twenty-Six

An hour passed before I was interrupted again, a gentle knocking at the door interrupting my solitary brooding.

I glanced at the clock on the intricate carved wooden nightstand and shrugged. I honestly hadn’t expected the Aldridges to go that long without bothering me. Rolling off the bed, I strode toward the door, wondering if it was Johnathan this time or his father.

Yanking on the door, I paused, caught completely off guard. It was neither.

“Lady Aldridge,” I stammered, mentally preparing myself for a fight. But she stayed at the door.

“Miss Wetter,” she said primly.

“Please, let me apologize for what happened the last time I was here,” I said, feeling myself start to sweat profusely. Why was she at my door? Why didn’t she seem angry? “I didn’t know it was you, and–”

“It’s fine, child,” Marianna said, though her face didn’t match her words.

“Right. Okay. Well, I’m still sorry. Um. What can I do for you?”

She lifted her hands. That was when I noticed the blue box in her hand. It wasn’t very thick, but it was as long as my forearm.

“This should fit you,” she said, looking me up and down. “It’s a bit big on me, but those gazelle legs of yours will make up for that, I think.”

I stared. “What will fit me?” I asked a bit more suspiciously, eyeing the box. What was going on here?

“Take it.” This was a command, and I found myself reaching for the box before I’d even thought it over.

“Um. Okay?” I took the box, holding it in my arms. “Now what?”

“Perhaps, darling, you should open it,” Lady Aldridge said, speaking to me as she would to a dim-witted child. The “darling” was very much not a term of endearment. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This woman hated me like I hated the rest of her family, except she was doing a much better job of expressing it while managing to hide it at the same time.

I could learn some lessons, I’m sure.

“Right,” I said, feeling silly. I held the box balanced on my left arm and pulled off the top.

As I’d begun to suspect, there was clothing inside.

“It’s a dress.”

I looked up as Lars sauntered down the hallway, looking entirely too proud of himself. Immediately, my stomach lurched, winding itself into a ball of stress. Something was going on. Something not good.

“I’m not wearing this,” I said, glancing down at the burgundy outfit lying amid the white tissue.

“Actually, you are,” Lars growled, coming over. “For tonight.”

“Tonight?” I could feel the jaws of his trap closing around me. “What’s tonight?”

“Oh, hadn’t you heard?” Lars chuckled, coming up to stand next to his mate.

I noticed Lady Aldridge tense as he wrapped a hand around her shoulder, but Lars didn’t seem to notice. I briefly wondered about the dynamic there, but the Alpha’s next words left me too stunned to do much more than gape at him.

“Why, the party we’re having,” he said. “Here, of course. With many guests.”

I snarled angrily. “We had an agreement–”

“And that agreement,” Lars rumbled, standing tall, looking all Alpha and imposing as he cowed me. “Was that in public, you would be the loving mate. We must introduce you to the pack. I don’t care if you like it or not. They must know that my son’s mate has returned. Do we understand one another?”

I sensed he was ready to blast me with his Alpha power if I tried to resist. This was a battle he wasn’t willing to back down on. One way or another, I knew I’d be at that ball.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. I hadn’t planned on staying that late, but it was looking like I wasn’t going to have any choice in the matter.

Of course, if everyone is going to be downstairs in the ballroom …

“Fine,” I repeated. “I’ll do it. But don’t make a habit of it.”

Lars smiled. “I’ll see you tonight, then.”

I closed the door in their faces. Lars’ angry growl was easily audible, and I smiled, taking solace in my small act of rebellion.

Taking the box with the dress in it to the bed, I pulled it out, the burgundy, spandexy material soft to the touch. I laid it down over the comforter and looked at the midi-length bandage dress. The bust plunged deep between the breasts. I was going to have a lot of skin on display tonight, it seemed.

The pencil-cut skirt might have stopped just above the knees on Lady Aldridge, but on me, it was going to be more of a mid-thigh hem. Just what an egotistical, horny male would want a woman to show up dressed in. It was pathetic.

There was another knock at the door. I went and got it. George, one of the Alpha’s enforcers, was standing at the door with two bags and another box.

“Can I help you?” I asked. I’d never really interacted with George before, but in a town as small as Seguin, everyone knew everyone.

“For you,” he said, dropping the items into my arms and then marching off without waiting.

“Right,” I said, juggling the bags and box so I could shut the door before bringing them back to the bed.

Shoes, makeup bag. Sticky bra–three sizes worth, thankfully, so hopefully one would fit–and last but not least, a pair of black undies.

“I really hope these are new,” I muttered to myself. They looked new. So did the shoes. Peeking at the strappy black three-inch heels, I noted a tag on them. They were also the right size.

Had Johnathan remembered my shoe size? That’s kind of cute. I didn’t realize he’d paid so much attention to me. I–

“Stop it,” I snarled, catching myself. The Soulbond was devious like that. It permeated every thought, twisting it into something positive. It was trying to make me fall for him.

I surveyed the haul of goods in front of me. The Aldridges were expecting me to go the whole nine yards for their party, it seemed.

Well, fine. If I’m going to do this, I may as well do it right. Give them what they want. If I went along begrudgingly but still giving them what they expected, perhaps none of them would make a scene when I retired early from the party.

“Okay, time to whore it up, I suppose,” I grumbled, only half upset about it.

The dress was really cute. But I would much rather be wearing it while at the side of someone who deserved it.

Like, say, Aaron…