Chapter 13
Gemini’s POV
The two guards that King Asher assigned to me stood by me as I made my way towards the entrance. I wasn’t used to all of those and it made me kind of uncomfortable.
“I would be fine by myself,” I said, dismissing them.
The moment I walked in, the scent of polished leather, expensive perfume, and fresh fabric enveloped me. I wasn’t used to luxury, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t intrigue me. My sneakers squeaked faintly on the marble floor as I moved deeper into the boutique.
“Welcome, Miss,” came a smooth voice.
I turned to see a well–dressed woman in her mid–thirties. Her perfectly coiled hair didn’t have a strand out of place, and her crimson lipstick seemed carved onto her lips. Her smile was the epitome of customer service–polite but impersonal.
“Can I help you find something?”
“I need something… classic. But very comfy,” I said, crossing my arms as I tried to push aside the awkwardness of being here.
The woman’s smile faltered for just a split second as her nose twitched subtly. She sniffed the air, her eyes narrowing slightly before a faint look of disdain flickered across her face.
“Werewolf?” she muttered under her breath.
My jaw clenched. I wasn’t sure if she meant for me to hear it, but she wasn’t exactly being discreet.
“Excuse me?” I said, my tone sharp.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. Her smile became strained as she looked at me over again, her eyes darting over to the door. “You know, there’s a thrift store just down the street. Perhaps you’d find something more… fitting there.”
I blinked, stunned. Did she seriously just say that?
“I don’t remember asking you for directions to a thrift store,” I said sharply.
Her composure cracked for a moment before she sighed, clearly exasperated. “Fine,” she said, gesturing lazily toward the back of the store. “Follow
me.”
I watched her steps slow down and her posture stiffen. It was as if she didn’t want to be anywhere near me. Still, I followed, my anger forming beneath the surface.
She stopped in front of a rack filled with elegant and extravagant gowns- each one a statement of wealth and status.
“These are our most popular collections,” she said, her voice dripping with feigned politeness.
I looked at the gowns and then back at her, “I’m not looking for dresses.”
polueness
Her smile tightened. “I thought as much,” I felt pure disgust at her comment. “You can keep looking, but make sure you don’t touch anything. They’re really expensive…”
My arms settled over my chest. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have the money…” I said, maintaining a stern expression suitable enough to return the energy she was giving.
The woman’s smile tightened, and she let out a faint huff before walking away. But instead of attending to me, she veered off to another customer who had just walked in–a fellow Lycán, judging by his commanding aura and the way she immediately shifted into full charm mode.
I stood there, watching as she laughed at his jokes and fawned over him, completely ignoring me. My hands balled into fists.
“Hello miss,” I said, raising my voice slightly, but she didn’t even look at me.
Minutes passed, and she continued to flit around the store, helping others—everyone except me.
My patience snapped.
“Are you going to help me or what?” I demanded, my voice ringing loud enough to catch the attention of nearby shoppers.
The woman turned slowly, her smile gone now, replaced with a look of thinly veiled irritation.
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8:00 PM
Chapter 13
“Miss, I think you should stop overreacting,” she said in a tone that only made my blood boil further. “I will attend to you when I’m done, okay”
I could hear the murmurs of other customers around me, the snickers and whispers. “She’s a werewolf. What does she expect?” one of them said, loud enough for me to hear.
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the urge to lash out. Instead, I stormed to a section that caught my eye- a fully clothed mannequin adorned in a sleek designer hoodie, wide–leg pants, and pristine white sneakers. Without looking at the price tags, I called out, “Miss, I need you to scan this fit for me.”
“A little more patience would do,” she said, hardly hiding her irritation.
With or without King Asher, I wasn’t going to let anyone insult me and go away with it. So I thought I would show her a little bit of drama. I flipped the mannequin over, stripping it of all it had on.
“What the heck do you think you are doing?” She yelled, heading towards me. The other customers pulled out their phones, ready to capture the drama, but who the fuck cares? Definitely not this girl….
“I thought to help myself, since you are too busy attending to people I came before.” I said grabbing them all as I marched back to the counter.
I slammed them down on the counter with more force than necessary. “Now would you scan these, or do I have to do it myself?” I said coldly.
The woman raised an eyebrow, a mocking smirk curling on her lips. “Do you even know how much these cost?”
Don’t waste any more of my time,” I said, checking the time on my phone.
I swear I’d had enough, but I had already wasted so much time here just to return empty. And who knows if I wouldn’t be treated worse elsewhere.
Her loud and exaggerated laugh echoed in the silent atmosphere, “A little wolf like you couldn’t possibly afford these.”
I pulled out the black card Asher had sent me, holding it up like a trophy. Her laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a look of disbelief.
“Where did you get that?” she demanded, her voice rising.
“Well guess what. My companion, your king gave it to me. Now can you just scan the damn clothes!” I said, my tone icy.
She sneered. “There’s no way. You must have stolen it.” She gestured to the security guards stationed near the entrance. “Check her. Now.”
Before they could take a step. I pulled out my pitone, dialing my guards. Within moments, the doors swung open, and they both entered the store, their towering presence silencing the entire room.
“Is there a problem, Miss Gemini?” one of them asked, his voice calm but urgent.
The colour drained from the woman’s face. She stammered, “N–No, of course not! I–I just—”
“Good. Then finish the transaction,” I snapped, glaring at her.
Her hands shook as she scanned the items, the previous arrogance wiped clean from her face.
I took the opportunity to address her stupidity, “I’m no one’s victim okay? If you want to discriminate, don’t fucking try it with me.”
When the transaction was complete, I grabbed the bag and walked out without another word, the bodyguards trailing behind me like shadows.
Back at the mansion, I slammed the shopping bag onto my bed, pacing the room as my anger simmered.
Who did she think she was? Who did any of them think they were? Lycans acted like they were gods while treating wolves like dirt. I clenched my fists, the memory of the laughter and whispers gnawing at me,
I wanted to scream, to hit something, but instead, I threw myself onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I was furious–not just at them but at myself for letting them get under my skin.
“I hate this place,” I muttered, pulling the hoodie out of the bag and slipping it on. The soft fabric should have comforted me, but all I felt was the weight of the day pressing down on me,
For once, I wished I could just disappear, leave this kingdom behind, and never look back. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t an option.
I took one last glance at myself, adjusting the hoodie as I grabbed my phone and walked toward the door I could hear the chatter downstairs–the arrival of King Asher’s parents, no doubt. The heavy, nervous air that had been hanging around the mansion had intensified. My stomach fluttered with something I didn’t want to name. Was I nervous! No, I couldn’t be
I inhaled deeply, adjusting my hoodie one last time
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8:00 PM
Chapter 13
Who the…?
But just as I was about to reach the stairs, a sudden tug at my wrist pulled me back, the force so unexpected that I stumbled backwards, crashing into a hard chest.
色
