Mickey smiled. “We need to talk.”
“Cool. At the shop or my grandma’s place?”
“At the shop. Wait. Your grandma’s place?”
“Yeah. We have met before, Mix.” She held up her phone of their beta selves holding each other and laughing.
“Mimi?” She shrieked and spun her around. When she set her down, she said, “Oh, I love this fabric.”
Moira laughed and turned to Hara and her friends. “Ladies, I have to get organized. I am sure that Narro and Haravin will help you settle in. If not, tell folks you are looking for Mickey’s shadow or Mimi. They will find me.”
Hara watched as the shy woman got more upright and graceful as she spoke. “Right. I’ve got them. You and Mickey go wreak destruction. I think you two are dynamite in a bottle.”
Moira laughed, and they sprinted past the transport with all the bolts and boxes and charged to the location of the new shop. Mickey was right next to her.
Narro blinked. “Wow. It’s a good thing their alphas aren’t here. That would lead to a riot.”
Eden asked, “What?”
“Laughter and running. It would make them want to join in, and... participate.”
Eden blinked. “Oh. Right.”
Aeryn chuckled. “I think you are underselling their self-control.”
“Why?”
“Because there are a whole bunch of very dark elves over there, and only two are staring after Moira. The other three are focused on my companions.”
Eden and Rache turned and stared at the men with dark skin, black hair, and dark eyes. Rache blinked. Xeti and Terus were positively lithe compared to the other three. The one looking at Eden was broad but at ease with it.
Hara blinked. “Yikes. I thought Kekoa was bad, being a giant statue. Where are those guys from?”
Narro laughed. “Another world and another time.”
She looked at him and blushed. “Oh. Right.”
He hugged her. “Come on, let’s put that new dress on you. I confess to curiosity. Ladies, please come with us.”
She laughed, and they made their way into the afternoon bustle of the port town of the Wonder Islands. It was the only island suited to receive larger vessel traffic and still have a place for folks to disembark. Cruise ships didn’t arrive at Wonder. There wasn’t enough room for more than a few hundred visitors at a time.
Haravin held the dress in her hands. She was eager to see it on, and the first place with a change room was Ahheel’s. This was going to be fun.
* * * *
MINUTIA WATCHED HARAVINcome into the shop, and she smiled. “Hiya, Ahheel is out grabbing a snack.”
Haravin smiled. “I just wanted to borrow the change room. Kekoa has gotten weirdly possessive about casual nudity since I passed month seven.”
“Oh, go ahead. Um, who are your friends? Well, I know Aeryn. What is that dress? It is gorgeous.”
“And so comfy. Here. Have a feel.” Aeryn extended her arm.
Mini grinned and looked at the others. “Hello, I am Minutia or Mini. My mates are Ahheel, the alpha who owns this shop, and Exeter, who has an affinity for blue whales.”
“Oh, I am Rache, a waking Elite omega, and this is Eden, who has been in service to her brother for years and is finally free.”
Mini smiled. “Thank you for the description. My imagination is already galloping along. I am a writer, and Ahheel set a desk up for me so that she can fuss over me all day.”
