They were not afraid to be out in rogue territory, had been out here before, not even a rogue picked up her wolfen scent. She was a mere human to them as well. So, a human they would be from now on, they would live, breathe, eat and work as a human would, in the human world. Made their way to the airport to catch their flight and start over. A wolf no more.
Piper POV
Piper stood in her bridal shop window, pinning the dress to the mannequin, to make it a neat fit and look its best to attract customers. Not that she was short of them. Made her smile, her designs were well liked even here in the human world.
It was a lovely strapless A-line gown, a blush coloured dress with a square neckline, the skirt flowed freely, and it had a bodice covered in hand-embroidered crystal beads, it had a pulled-up neatly pleated section at the front of the dress that allowed all the wonderful soft ruffles of the overlapping layers, of the soft satin material to be seen. She did like it. Had just finished it yesterday.
Her Store ‘Goddess Gowns’ here in Portland was one of three she now owned, her main store where she worked from, it had a nice space, was in a two-story building where all her gowns were on display downstairs, with a spacious sitting area and plush seating. There was a small runway from the dressing rooms out into the centre of the store, where the waiting guests would sit and watch the bride to be, show off the dress she chose.
Her office was upstairs in a loft space, she’d had split into two large rooms, her office in the first space and her working studio where she sat and created her gowns, she was good at her job. Liked her work and had sold may dresses to wealthy humans as well as regular humans, she catered to all.
Kept to herself as much as possible, but did hold and attend fashions shows, was quite well known in the bridal industry. She stepped back and looked at her latest creation, adjusted it a couple of times, until she was happy with it. Heard the pretty bell she’d bought tinkle as the store’s door opened to let someone in.
Most days they came by appointment, but Tuesday she kept open for walk ins, her books were pretty full at the moment, Izzy would likely show them around or make them an appointment to see her at some point in the future.
Then the scent hit her, they were wolves, inside her store were werewolves, felt Harper growl a little inside of her mind, though they had come across wolves and all other manner of creatures over the past 8 years, today the scent that hit them, reached their nose. Was one that particularly annoyed them.
Without even turning to look, she could hear the woman who was laughing and happy, excited to be in this very store, to purchase her gown for her Ceremony as she called it. Heard the man chuckle and remind her that Brad, had told her to get whatever she wanted, he did not care about the cost it would incur him.
Piper stepped out from the window display and refused to even look at them, knew by the Pack scent that was on them, they were of her old Pack, likely from the way the woman was talking this woman was here to purchase a Goddess Gown designed by Piper Harper Designs. To wear to her Luna Ceremony and to none other than to Bradley Drake himself.
“Izzy, please attend to the customers.” she stated flatly as she headed up the stairs to her office.
“Yes Piper.” she heard Izzy call after her.
Piper nor Harper wanted to be anywhere near that woman or her escort for that matter. Pain was already pulling at them both. He’d found another it seemed. No not found another. Had scented out his first Mate. She though bitterly. He’d never once scented her, but obviously had that woman downstairs in her very store.
She and Harper might have left out of self-preservation, but it didn’t mean they didn’t still love the man. Knew their rejection had worked, seeing as not once since that night had she felt the pains of betrayal. It had been the right thing to do, saved both her and Harper. They’d moved well away from that pack even, several states away in fact. Why were they here in her store?
This was the first time, they had come across the Black Haven Pack, since they had left, why of all places would that woman come all the way here to her store. Was it just some cruel joke, she already felt like Selena had rejected her and Harper, cursed them and given her life of torture, but no that wasn’t enough it seemed, now her Mate had his own Mate and was here to dump pain on her once again.
Heard a knock on her door “Piper, sorry to bother you. The young lady downstairs wants one of your older gowns.”
“I don’t make those anymore.” Piper replied calmly “Just tell her to buy one off of the rack’s downstairs, I’m sure there is something she will like. I don’t have the time to make something knew right now, even from the old.”
“Yes Piper…are you alright Piper?” Izzy asked her with a slight frown.
“I’m fine Izzy, have a headache is all.” she waved the girl away “Close my door, I can’t stand the smell.” she stated, not wanting to smell them or even hear the conversation those two down there may have. And to hell if that escort or the girl heard her comment about the smell.
Glanced at the large wall clock and sighed, hopefully they would leave soon, she had to go and get Brandon from the bus stop in a little while. Did not want that man around her son, period. Not that he would connect any dots, she did not smell to that wolf downstairs and any likeness to Bradley, would simply be shrugged off.
Heard a knock on her door a few minutes later and was about to raise her voice to Izzy, for disturbing her yet again, she’d been given instructions already. When the door opened without her stating come in, looked to it a deep frown on her face. Her jaw tightened as she was Cooper open the door to her office without permission.
Cooper, the Beta to Black Haven Pack, he stood there in her office doorway, smiled right at her, all charmingly, thought he was going to be able to use his good looks and charm, to be able to sway her into whatever he wanted.
Most human females would be drooling already, at his black hair and deeply dark charcoal grey eyes, his chiseled jaw and well-built physic.
Little did this wolf know, she wasn’t some gullible human out for the charming. She was not going to fall at his feet and stare up at him all dreamy eyed and become so smitten that she’d do whatever he wanted her too. It was likely how he’d gotten past Izzy though.
Had used those stormy grey eyes of his and by the look of it had run his hand through his hair, which would have showed off the muscles in his arm, he was only wearing a short sleeved very well fitted tee-shirt and those sickeningly perfectly pearly white teeth of his, that he had turned on her now. He was a picture of charm and s*x appeal; he was definitely trying to play on his good looks to get what he wanted. She was not attracted to him in the slightest.
“Hello, I’m Cooper.”
Piper cut him right off there “I don’t care. Get out.” she snapped at him, did not want this wolf anywhere near her at all.
Saw his smile actually falter, and frown at her “That’s not a very nice way to treat a potential customer, I have a friend here who would.”
“I don’t care.” she cut him off once again “I already told my store manager Izzy, I don’t have time to make a dress from an old obsolete line.” turned her eyes away from him, back to her desk and the design pad in front of her, effectively dismissing him, he would understand that, likely seen his Alpha do it many times, hell he’d probably done it himself a heap.
“Please.” she heard him actually step inside of her office “We’ll pay whatever you want.”
Turned her eyes back to him, more than annoyed now, trying to use money to get what he wants, now he understood his looks wouldn’t do it, typical. “I don’t need your money. Now I am very busy Carter…was it. Have your friend choose something in the store downstairs.”
“It was Cooper,” he grated out sounded like he didn’t like her tone.
Well, she didn’t like him in her office, any more than he looked like, he wanted to be in here right now, she was ticking the man off it seemed. Good. Maybe he’d take that woman and leave altogether.
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