The Wolf in Sheep's Skin

Chapter 11

“Kick her out.” Lilith grumbled.

“Welcome in!” I plastered a smile on my face and lowered my head. A few other women followed behind her.

“Did I hear that right? You’re having your Coming-of-Age ceremony soon?” She smiled at Quinn, and I had to stop myself from blocking her view.

“Yes, ma’am.” Quinn nodded and glanced at the open book. Olivia stopped and frowned at a mannequin. She tugged at the gown on it, pinching it with a finger and her thumb like it was trash she didn’t want to touch.

“These are the dresses you make?” She asked in a disgusted tone. Eleanor stood up straight and looked like a chicken ruffling its feathers.

The women perusing the shop stopped and everyone was silent.

“Yes, I make everything in house.”

She dropped the fabric and shook her hand, grimacing. She walked over to the counter and stared at the open book.

“Is this what you’ll be wearing at your ceremony?” Olivia frowned with distaste.

“I haven’t decided.” Quinn’s voice was hushed.

“I don’t know how you could possibly make this in good quality in such a short amount of time. Are you having your ceremony at the pack house?”

“We’re having it at our family’s house.” I answered before Quinn could. I wanted to slam Olivia’s head into the counter.

Olivia met my eyes. A dominance challenge started, and Lilith bristled with excitement. I wanted to reach over the counter and grab her by the throat and hear her make choking sounds. I pictured her blood spilling on the counter, dripping onto the floor.

“Do it!” Lilith begged, practically foaming at the mouth.

The room grew tense, and Olivia squinted at me, her lips curling into a snarl.

I dropped my gaze to the floor and dug my fingers into my palms. She smiled triumphantly, and it took all my willpower to keep my hands at my sides.

“I’m sure your ceremony will be quaint.” She let a sinister giggle and tilted her head at Quinn.

“Thank you.” Quinn muttered. Don’t make a scene, Gwen. Control yourself. I breathed in and out of my nose as I clenched my jaw.

Olivia reached across the counter and grabbed a strand of my hair. I stared at her hand with feverish eyes.

“Bite it! She doesn’t need all her fingers.” Lilith growled.

I craved the taste of her blood and my vision started to go in and out. Go away! I’m not attacking her!

“Your hair would be such a pretty color if you didn’t let it get so greasy.” Olivia rubbed a few strands of my blonde hair between her fingers.

My hair would be better covered in your blood. I squeezed my hands so tight my fingers ached like they would snap.

Olivia dropped my hair and wiped her fingers together like she was trying to get the grease off her hand.

“Come on ladies, let’s get out this shack.” Olivia wrinkled her nose as she looked around the shop. The little bell rang as she left, and the other woman shuffled out behind her. Even the ones who’d been here before, perusing the dresses, walked out, sneaking glances at me and Quinn.

They talked in hushed voices as they went down the street empty handed.

I stood frozen with all my muscles tensed. My vison went in and out as Lilith struggled for control. She clawed and snapped at the tethers of my mind. My legs wanted to run after Olivia, to sink my teeth into her.

Maeve bounded down the stairs and stopped at the last step. Her hands dropped to her side and her face twisted in confusion.

“Where’d they go?” She looked at me, Quinn, and Eleanor. Quinn and Eleanor exchanged an awkward look as I stood frozen.

“The Beta’s mate told them to go home.” Eleanor said in a puzzled voice.

Maeve gave me a puzzled look. My feet detached from the ground, and I raced past her, up the stairs. My mind was erratic, like a swarm of wasps.

I slammed a door behind me and went into the fabric room. Neat bolts of fabric were organized, tucked into cubbies throughout the room.

I slammed my face into the fabric and screamed. My throat burned with the effort, and I buried my hands in the fabric. I screamed until I couldn’t anymore. My jaw ached as I lifted my head up.

I took deep breaths and the buzzing in my mind slowed. I pulled my hands out of the fabric and chunks of shredded fabric clung to them.

D*mn it! I picked at the fabric. I’d clawed through the whole bolt of vibrant royal purple silk. That was artisan silk from Italy! I growled at the ruined fabric.

Shouting came from downstairs. Maeve, Quinn, and Eleanor were debating something about the shop, but I’d missed most of the conversation from my screaming.

I smoothed my hair, let out a deep breath, and shook my hands.

I turned to leave the room and glared at the doorframe. A crack had formed above the door, going to the ceiling. Great. Now I’m breaking the shop too.

I shook my head and went downstairs to the commotion.

Maeve was behind the counter, scrolling through the finance books for the shop. Quinn was sitting next to her, biting her nails as she watched the screen.

“This isn’t the end of the world, girls. The customers will come back; it isn’t like she commanded them all to stay away.” Eleanor said in a reassuring voice.

“What’s going on?” I stopped next to the counter.

“We don’t have any customers! They all left, people are calling and cancelling their appointments!” Maeve scrolled the mouse as she focused on the computer screen.

“What do you mean they’re cancelling?” My stomach dropped.

“We can’t afford to lose customers like this!” Maeve’s eyes were wide as she leaned over the counter, frantically scrolling.

The phone rang, and Quinn grimaced at it. It was an older phone with coils on it so it wouldn’t get lost in the store. I picked it up on the second ring.

“Thank you for calling the Silver Thread Boutique; how can I help you?” I put on my best customer service voice.

“I have an appointment on Thursday; I need to cancel.” The lady gave me the rest of the appointment details, and Maeve found the appointment notes on the computer.

“You were here this morning; you said you wanted to get fitted for a summer gown for a party?”

“Well, yes, but I need to cancel.”

“We could reschedule? Or perhaps look at a different dress?” I racked my brain for more solutions, anything to stop her from cancelling.

“No, thank you. I can’t come in. Please, just cancel it.”

“May I ask if we’ve done something wrong? I’d like to make it right-“

“No. I can’t, just…”

She stayed silent for a moment, then the phone emitted a monotone pitch. I slammed the phone down on the receiver.

“She hung up!” I glared at the old, yellowing phone.

“What do we do?” Quinn asked, and the phone rang again. She answered it and another lady cancelled her appointment.

I went from behind the counter and paced around the shop. People walked past the floor to ceiling street facing windows, but no one looked inside.

“Why would she do this? I thought pack members were supposed to help each other?” Quinn asked after the call was over.

“She’s being petty! I offended her at the party last night and now she’s playing st*pid dominance games!” I shouted; my fists balled up at my sides.

“You mean last night before you went and slapped that man?” Maeve asked. “That was nothing.” She stared up and chewed her lip.

“No, before that. Bridget was introducing us, and I didn’t bow because I didn’t know she’s the Beta’s mate. Now she must be playing stup*d dominance games!” St*pid dominant wolves always wanting to shove each other around, proving who’s on top!

“Did you say you slapped someone?” Eleanor said in a quizzical tone as she knit her brows together. Her big hat almost smacked Maeve in the face as she titled her head.

My face warmed, and I groaned. I forgot she’d left before that.

“Yeah, and I’d rather forget about it.” I paced back and forth.

“Who?” Her brows were raised, and she stood up straight, leaning towards me with an eager look on her face.

“I don’t know, some high-ranking man. Said his name was ‘Just Jay’.” I rolled my eyes and fire burned in the pit of my stomach.

“You slapped Jay?” she whispered, and the color drained from her face. Awe washed over her expression as her mouth hung open.

“He was being an *sshole.” I froze, my hands shook. “Who is he? Is it really that bad?” I thought maybe people would forget; he obviously deserved it. But the look on Eleanor’s face made it clear it wouldn’t be forgotten.

“Jay is always an *sshole. I wish I could’ve seen it. But if you think Olivia’s problem is a simple blunder, you’re quite dense.”

My cheeks grew hot, and I rubbed my temples.

“Why would she be mad at me for slapping him?”

“You challenged her position in the pack.”

“How? She’s the Beta’s mate, and he isn’t the Alpha! I slapped someone lower than her, so what?”

“Jay is… complicated. The simplest way to put it would be that he’s on level with Alpha Ansel. Ansel handles the pack and Jay handles… problems.” She frowned and my gut dropped.

Sh*t! This can’t be happening! He’s higher than her? He said he wasn’t Alpha; how was I supposed to know?

My breath was shaky, and I bent over, squeezing my eyes shut. My head throbbed, and the world spun.

“You’re telling me I just waged a war with the Beta’s mate?”

“It would seem so.” Her apathetic tone made my skin crawl.

So, she’s going to ruin the family store? Tell everyone not to shop here? How are we supposed to pay for things? We all depend on the shop, and we just spent everything on remodeling this d*mn building!

The thought was like a punch to the gut, making my head spin. She can’t do that! It’s against pack rules; the Alpha wouldn’t allow it!

But she isn’t supposed to blacklist stores either. She’s taking advantage of her place in power.

I stood and ran my hands through my hair.

“How long do you think it’ll last? She’ll get over it, right?” Maeve asked Eleanor in a hopeful tone, but Eleanor shook her head no.

“Liam has only been Beta a few months. Ansel was away for a while during the witch debacle. The last Beta didn’t last through the event… Olivia’s been a bit power hungry since her mate was put into his position.” Eleanor grimaced.

“I can fix this! There has to be a way to fix it!” I put my hands on my hips and chewed my lip.

“Maybe if you apologize, everything will blow over?” Quinn asked, and I scoffed.

“I am not apologizing to that woman! I slapped someone for being rude; that’s entirely my right!” I began pacing again, staring at the floor.

“You should lie low, give her space.” Maeve said.

I chewed on my lip, contemplating. I could command her to stop telling people not to come to the shop.

“How satisfying.” Lilith purred. I scowled and groaned.

You ruin everything. I shoved her away, much to her displeasure. I can’t confront Olivia. It’ll make things worse. It always does. I can’t risk having Lilith take control again. I shuddered at the thought.

I pictured Olivia bloody from Lilith fighting her. My heart skipped a beat, and dread pooled in my stomach. We can’t move again. There wouldn’t be another pack for us to hide in.

“No. I just need to prove to her I’m not a threat. That I only slapped him because he was rude.” I can’t let her close the shop. We all depend on it.