She smiles slightly. “I would have suggested the same. It’s also better for the cover,” she pauses. “You are not being creepy, Forest. You are voicing valid points and suggestions. We need to talk about this. So, whatever you worry about and what comes to mind, tell me, so we can discuss it before we head to your pack.”
I feel relieved at her words, and at the same time, unusually relaxed. I can’t remember the last time it was this easy for me to communicate with someone without feeling awkward. She doesn’t make me feel like an idiot, and that’s certainly new.
Hand in hand, we head back to the cab to finally go to the shopping mall in town. Rosea pays our driver and makes sure to tip him generously, before she starts a long, tedious shopping spree. She is obviously not doing it for fun, but with a plan in mind. It’s unbelievable how many things she considers at the same time. She only buys clothes in light tones, claiming they need to be colors that symbolize positive emotions in the eyes of my pack members. A lot of blue, whites, some light rose, and beige. She also places an online order for evening wear and business wear, having it delivered to my pack tomorrow. Meanwhile, I carry her bags until, surprisingly, she buys a suitcase and has me put everything in it. “What’s that for?” I ask.
“I was traveling, remember?” she proclaims. “Plus, I am moving to my new pack to be with my fated mate.”
“Right,” I sigh. “Sorry, I am probably a bad actor.”
“Not really,” she says. “You are natural in your reactions, which isn’t bad. Just make sure you go with the flow when I do or say something, and it should be fine.”
“Your credit cards…“ I point out. “Won’t Jordan be suspicious and track you when you pay with them?”
“He doesn’t know they exist,” she tells me. “They are under my mom’s name. I think she might have felt that something was off. My father, too; he told me to keep their inheritance a secret from everyone, in case I need it.” For a moment, her eyes turn sorrowful. “They must have sensed that I was in danger. And while at that point I had no idea about what Jordan was up to, I listened to their advice.”
“It’s good that you did,” I say quietly. “I am glad your parents watched out for you until the end.”
“They tried to,” Rosea mutters.
I wonder how horrible and traumatizing it was for her to live under those circumstances, to see her fated mate take everything from her. She told me about how violent he was, but I am sure she only scratched the surface of what happened.
The last thing she buys is some electronics: a new phone, a tablet and a small notebook. Then, we are finally done.
“How about something to eat?” I offer. “We barely had anything.”
“Good idea. Maybe a restaurant that’s not too crowded?”
“I think there is an Italian restaurant that sells everything but pizza.” I grimace. “Lissa likes it there, which sucks. But the place suits our purpose best.”
Rosea looks at me thoughtfully. “We will get to Lissa. Don’t worry, Forest. Planning her downfall is the easiest.”
“Why?”
“Because she is no one,” she tells me. “She has no specific rank, no specific task, nothing. All she has is being your sidekick and your parents’ little puppet. I obviously will replace her as your sidekick from now on.”
“As my luna, you will accompany me everywhere,” I add.
“And all we need to do is to cut the connection from her to your parents,” Rosea smiles. “That’s easy. Lissa was a tool for your parents; she is disposable. The good thing about being withsomeone like Jordan is that I know all his shady tricks. Who knew that it would come to my advantage, one day?”
We reach the restaurant, and I lead her to a small, secluded table. “When you are in an alpha meeting,” Rosea whispers towards me. “And maybe chatting with someone at the bar, they sometimes expect you to take charge of the situation. Like,you should try this drink or that. OrBartender, bring us one each.”
“They do?”
“Yes, it’s a bit of a pissing contest. You want to impress them. I am not talking about Jordan and his goons, but the ones standing in the middle, with no opinion on him yet. Those who don’t know you or him well,” she pauses. “Practice with me all you want.”
I nod, getting what she is hinting at. When the waitress approaches us, I force a smile to my lips, hoping I will come off as confident. “Bring us a plate of antipasti as the first serving, please. And then the lasagna for my wife and spaghetti Napoli for me.” I turn to Rosea. “They are famous for their lasagna here.”
Rosea plays a long, smiling brightly. “I had no idea. Thank you, honey.”
I continue by ordering some wine for us, giving precise instructions as to what to bring us, slowly gaining a little more confidence, thanks to Rosea’s silent approval. Once the waitress leaves, I sigh a little. It’s exhausting. “Too much?”
“Not at all, you did really well,” Rosea reassures me.
We wait for the waitress to bring us the first dish and our wine before starting to plan everything. “Forest, what kind of role do you want me to play?” Rosea asks. “I mean, what type of mate and luna should I be? What would your pack like to see?”
I frown, letting her question sink in. Rosea doesn’t push or hurry me for an answer, but starts setting up her phone, then dipping a piece of bread into the tasty olive oil. She looksconfident and graceful, no matter what she does. I have noticed it since she woke up. There is a sense of dignity and elegance about her.
Jordan was an idiot for shunning and locking her in. She could have made him invincible, but that narcissist probably couldn’t bear anyone shining next to him.
