Alliance of Shadows: NEIL

Shopping Trip Strife

A few days after her inner balance was finally realigned, I could hear her furiously rooting through her clothes. Something slammed against the wall of her bedroom, so, concerned, I walked over to check in, leaning against the door casing as she broke down. A distinctly diamond-shaped hole in the wall and her Rubik’s Cube lying on the floor told me she must have thrown it in a fit of frustration. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have anything to wear.” She didn’t wait for me to speak as she continued, “All my clothes are worn out and no longer fit right. This is all your fault!"

Handing her some random clothes, I said, “We’re going to get you fitted for a new wardrobe, and I don’t want to hear you argue about it. You worked hard to get to where you are, and you deserve a nice shopping trip.”

Without giving me a warning, she took off her shirt and threw it into the basket in the corner of her room. The sight of her firm breasts held up by her lacy blue bra made me harden. Knowing that my willpower was weakening by the day, I vapour-trailed out of the room before I made a dumbass move. She didn’t even know what she was doing to me.

Gulping as we met in the hallway, I let my eyes travel the length of her body, drinking in the sight of her full figure. Tall, slender but not skinny, with soft curves that outlined the results of the workout routine we’d built together. The outfit I had picked didn't leave a damn thing to the imagination.

I licked my lips, chewing my bottom one before whistling low, “Hot damn, you’re sexy.”

“You think so,” She asked, her eyes glittering with humour as she gave me a good view of her backside.

“Baby, if we don’t leave now, we ain’t leaving at all.” I knew my words had created a little fear between us, but it was true. If she'd taunted me just a little more, my already weakened control would have snapped.

“Can I throw my old clothes out, Neil?” She asked as we pulled into the parking garage of the mall.

"It's your stuff, Izzy. You can do what you want with it." I lifted her hand to my lips, brushing a light kiss over her knuckles.

My heart raced as if I had just run a marathon and I felt like bursting into tears, but big boys don’t cry. Then again, Dre would hand me my ass if he heard me say that. It takes work to make a grown wolf bawl like a baby, but if anyone could do it, it would be Dre.

As we got out of the car, I found myself suddenly wanting to make a scene in front of the crowded stores, I pulled her in for a kiss.

Izzy stared up at me through her long lashes and smiled shyly. “Are they still staring?”

I grinned, “Yes.”

Her arms snaked around my shoulders, her smile coy as she played with the curls on the nape of my neck. “Take me home, Neil.”

“Nice try,” I replied. I laughed when she pouted, crossing her arms with a sour look on her face. "As soon as we're done, we'll go home to decompress. I promise."

Finding an Assistant, I got the girl to help Izzy out while I sat down as she paraded each new outfit in front of me like a runway model. Deep inside, I knew that she was using my reaction as a cue for what suited her.

She didn't need to, honestly. Izzy had come so far, but she was still so nervous of certain situations. Even though I would have preferred her naked, I understood her need for my approval as something she desperately needed to hear. She craved the good attention I lavished on her, and the comfort my positive reinforcement provided.

Suddenly our fun day took a turn for the worse.

One of the clerks quietly pulled Izzy aside while I paid for the clothes. A few minutes later, my Mate ran into my arms, tears streaming down her face while she trembled.

“What happened? What did she say to you?” I asked as I gently brushed away the tears with the pads of my thumbs.

“She kept asking if I was okay and if I needed help. I told her no, but she kept insisting. She even told me she was going to be your girlfriend, and that I was in the way,” she sobbed. “I know it’s not true, though. Aunt Clara said you didn’t even like her before I got here.”

Whoops. Maybe I wasn’t as covert as I thought. “It’s not that I didn’t like her, Iz. I just didn’t want a stepmother.”

“I want the manager,” I said icily. Kelly, the woman who had spoken to Izaria, was one of my she-wolves. She was easy – too easy if the rumours of how she’d serviced the unmated Warriors and Guards were true. She was also too skinny, proud, and power-hungry for me. Besides, she wasn’t my Mate.

As mentioned previously, our pack was loyal to the teachings of the Goddess. We had one Mate for life unless for circumstances beyond out control. Twins didn’t automatically mean someone had to share, either. It meant that their Mates may be from the same bloodline is all.

“Is there a problem, Sir?” The man asked as he came out of the back room.

“Damn right, there is,” I hissed through my teeth. “Ms. Wilkes is my girlfriend, and I do not appreciate your staff shoving their noses where they are not welcomed.”

The man scoffed, "Mr. Dane, my employees were ensuring her safety as they were trained to do. After all, we wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened with Molly.”

To pull rank or not to pull rank? That is the question. Gazing down at the girl in my arms, I felt my resolve harden. I got out my phone and dialled my father’s number. When he picked up, he grunted that it had better be important, which meant he was already having a bad day. I was about to make it worse. “Hey, Dad. So, I took Izzy shopping, but we ran into a problem. The store manager and one of his clerks started questioning Izzy. I wanted to let you know just in case they already put in a PSA to the local department.”

My father growled for me to put the man on the phone. The pissed-off Grand Alpha was out for blood, and it didn’t matter whose it was. I really wanted to be a smug prick over it, but I had to think of Izaria. Her mental health was more important than my ego at the moment. Smirking, I handed my cell over to the manager.

He gave me a cynical glare before putting the phone to his ear. “Hello? Well, hold on just a minute! No, S-Sir! A visit from you and DA Dane won't be necessary, Commissioner.”

Looking ready to keel over, he handed me back my phone and went to sit in the nearest chair. I put the phone back to my ear, “Thanks, Dad.”

“Anytime, son,” he replied, “Take care of our girl.”

“Don’t I always?” I ended the call, shoving the phone back into my pocket.

We left the store and headed out to our favourite diner. Izzy clung to my side the entire time as we sat in our usual booth and ate our dinner in peace. I could tell she was wrestling with her demons.

“Izzy, would you like to go on a date tonight,” I asked. She looked up at me with a thoughtful expression.

“Halloween is coming soon,” she said, changing the subject.

“Magic-users call it by the traditional name of All Hallows Eve,” I said, noting that she deflected the question. “So, have you decided on what to wear for the celebrations?”

“Dreson, Leif, and Kaden said they would help me with the preparations” she told me. “I hope you don’t mind.”

I smiled at her. "I don’t. I'm grateful they’re there for you, especially when I can’t be. Besides, it’d be weird of me to get jealous of your family.”

The incident at the mall proved there was nowhere I’d be able to have a relaxing date with my girlfriend. The cards were stacked against me, but I didn’t want to let it bug me. I had my Luna, my Mate, and that was really all that mattered. No one else could give me the level of sincere happiness I got with her.

“You didn’t answer me about going out,” I said as I helped her put away her new clothes when we got home.

She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes flickering with a shadow of fear. “What if people start talking badly again? What if they call the police and try to have you detained for being with me?”

As she looked at the wall that had borne the brunt of her frustration, she said, “Ah, shoot. I really lost my temper, didn’t I?”

“Could be worse. I mean, hey, I smashed a window when I was a kid. Lost my allowance for a few weeks because of it, too.” I told her, recounting how I’d also done damage to the mansion.

When I looked at her, her hands were fisted on her hips, and she was glaring at me. Unable to help myself, I laughed. She stalked over to the bed, and I scrambled to move out of the way as she reached for a pillow. As I moved to get away, my foot caught in the blanket, sending me face-first into the floor.