Obediently, I turn and walk down, blinking as I wonder exactly what I’ve let myself in for.
I wait by the door, and Sienna pauses. “What are we waiting for?”
She sounds a little hesitant, and I wave towards her feet. “Shoes?”
“I don’t have any.”
Fucking hell.
“Sorry,” I say again like a rock.
Of course she doesn’t, you idiot. All she brought was her dress.
As we get into the car, I glance over to where Sienna sits quietly, her hands in her lap as she fidgets with the oversized sleeves. She jumps when I lean over her.
“What – what are you doing?”
“Buckling you in.” I take a little longer than I need to, just savoring the feel of her close to me, wrapped up in my scent. The scents from the first Trial have faded slightly, I realize with a frown. Sienna freezes when I lean into her neck, taking a deep inhale.
“My scent is fading on your skin.”
I don’t mean to growl, but that’s exactly how it comes out. Sienna lifts her face, her mouth a hairsbreadth from mine.
“And whose fault is that?” she whispers.
The soft graze of her lips against mine is enough to pull me back. Clearing my throat, I turn away from her and fix my eyes forward. “Mine, I know.”
The lost moment grates on me throughout the silent drive. Sienna sits quietly, her previous fire all but gone as I steal glimpses of her at every opportunity. Her hair hangs down in a tangle, covering her face. My hands flex on the steering wheel.
The uncomfortable silence persists until we pull up at a well-known omega store. Sienna shrinks down further in her seat.
“Is this not right?” I ask with a frown, double checking the name. “I figured this would be the best place.”
“It’s fine,” she says quietly. “Can we go in now?”
She’s out of the car before I can respond, and I follow more slowly.
Walking through the doors is more of an experience than I expected. I’m assaulted by a plethora of sickly-sweet scents burning my nose, and I cough, waving it away.
“Jesus. What is that?”
Sienna shrugs, her face pale as she hugs her arms around herself. An assistant flounces forward, bright and bouncy with a practiced smile tugging up her mouth, anticipating a sale.
“Well, hello there! How can I… help you, today?”
Her smile freezes as she spots Sienna, her eyes flicking down to where Sienna is hiding one foot behind the other.
“Are you sure you’re in the right place, dear?” she asks. Her pleasant demeanor slides away, replaced by a sneer. “There are some stores further down the road that might be more suited to you.”
My eyes fly up.Wow, what a bitch.
But Sienna almost disappears in front of my eyes. Her shoulders hunch in, her hands gripping her elbows tightly as she stares at the floor. “Sorry,” she whispers. “We just wanted…”
Something deeply protective stirs in my chest, and I step forward.
“Excuse me,” I say quietly. “I must have it wrong. I was told that this was the best store for omegas in Navarre, but I must have been misinformed.”
The assistant sputters as I reach out a hand, grasping Sienna gently and drawing her under my arm. I can feel her shaking lightly as my own anger rises.
