Page 20 of Wynter Abandoned

Good luck with that.

But, for what it was worth, an hour later, after getting way overdressed for our little town, they piled into the car, and I went back to cleaning. No car service today. After the discussion of the dresses, they probably didn’t dare to ask. As soon as they were out of sight, I’d fetch the dresses from the hamper, hoping to salvage them from any further damage. An idea niggled at the back of my mind. Could I possibly fix one up for myself? Of course, I’d never get to the ball, but a couple of the gowns were in much better taste than usual and could be altered to fit me. One with beautiful silver lace trim in particular was beautiful.

“Wynter, are you coming or not?”

Crap. Not? As if they ever gave me choices. “On my way, Stepmama.” I dried my hands on a towel, smoothed my hair, and picked up my shawl on the way out the door. I didn’t have anything better to change into. In the back seat, I huddled into the corner, as far away from Violet and her “signature scent” as possible. At some point, she’d decided that she should wear the fragrance of her namesake flower. And the version she chose bore zero resemblance to the sweet loveliness of the wild violets that grew in the forest clearings. Usually I just tried to ignore it, but for some reason today, she’d decided to double down, and my eyes were watering. They also bickered all the way, something else I could not escape in the confines of the vehicle.

For that and every other reason, the moment Stepmama parked behind the dress shop, I opened the door and stumbled out, inhaling fresh air and the quieter sounds of the townsfolk going about their day.

With no idea why they’d brought me along, I waited to be told. Stepmama soon relieved me of any doubt. She shoved a list and some money in my hand. “Go to the beauty supply and get everything exactly as I’ve written it. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Her daughters certainly needed all the beautifying they could manage. Not that I was stupid enough to say so. I left them behind and headed down the alley to the back entrance to the beauty supply. My list was extensive. Hair coloring, makeup, bath products—it went on and on. Usually they did their own shopping for this stuff, but my being here gave me an opportunity to do something I wouldn’t have dared to try before. I added a few things for myself. A bar of soap scented with bergamot and rose, mascara and lip gloss, and a rhinestone hair comb. Fortunately the receipt did not list the items, just prices, and when I exited into the alley, I paused to fish out my things and stuff them in my pockets. With what I’d spent, my stepmother would never notice the few dollars I’dused for my things. Things I had no use for. Somehow I wanted them anyway.

“It’s you.” The deep voice rumbled

I barely managed to clap my hand over my mouth to stop the shriek from emerging. The bag of beauty products fell to the ground, a sickening crack telling me something broke. Ugh.

Chapter Twenty

Xerxes

“Look what you made me do!” She fell to her knees and dug in the bag she’d dropped. “They’re going to kill me.”

“I’m sorry. Wait. Who is going to kill you?” My wolf’s hackles rose the second the word emerged from her mouth, but it took my human half longer to catch up. “Give me their names.”

The beauty peered up at me from where she knelt. “It was only the plastic packaging. I was afraid I’d have purple hair dye all over everything.”

“Are you going to dye your hair purple?” I was jumping from one topic to the next, but mostly because I wanted to keep up with her. “Also, who is trying to kill you?”

“What?” She began to stand, shrugging away my attempt to help her up. “Nobody. I just meant I’d be in trouble.”

I reached for her again, but she stepped back, and I let my hand drop to my side. “Can I replace whatever broke? So you won’t be in trouble?”

“No, it will be fine. I need to leave.” Another step away. My wolf growled, softly, and her eyes widened.

Do not frighten her.

She’s not scared. She’s mate.

She is my mate?I let a huff of breath out.Of course she is.

“May I speak to you for a moment? Maybe…over here?”

I stepped into the alley. Her blue eyes darted around, scanning the area for whoever was going to harm her, I assumed. “Probably not a good idea to follow a stranger into an alley.”

“Just a bit. Away from everyone. Not too far. I would never hurt you.”

Cocking her head to the side, she squinted and clutched her bag tighter to her chest. “For some reason, I believe you.” She bither plump bottom lip and stepped forward, barely into the alley but far enough from prying eyes and listening ears.

“Do you know who I am?” I asked while my wolf prompted me to take her back to our home, keep her there until she realized she was our mate. What a beast he was.

“You’re the male who saved me the other day. Pulled me back onto the curb.” A tang of a half-truth made my mouth taste bitter but only for a moment. Perhaps someone had told her who I was.

I chuckled. A blush pinked her cheek, and it took every ounce of restraint not to reach out and ease her—see how far that blush extended down her lithe body. “I am. I’m also the alpha of the pack in this area. My name is Xerxes.”

“Oh.” She began to shake, her knees nearly knocking together. “I’m…I’m sorry. I haven’t been around pack members much. Am I supposed to…I don’t know what to do.”

My turn to be confused. Why was there a female shifter who wasn’t around pack members and didn’t know how to greet an alpha?

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