Chapter 17: Shopping Spree!

AsaLynn

“Well, that was shit! Ugh, I wish for once my mom wouldn’t be so damn cryptic,” Flora yells as she throws the herb bowl down.

“I’m sorry, Asa.”

“It’s okay, Flora. I mean she told us a little, I guess. She knows why my mark is blue, and she knows my mom apparently.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know anything. Ugh! Man, I’m pissed. Where is Zade? He needs to get back so I can fuck my frustration away!” Flora announces bluntly.

I can’t help but laugh.

“We both know they are gone today. How about we go shopping like we were supposed to when we got here? All I have left is skimpy clothes thanks to someone…”

I stare accusingly.

“Yes, bitch! Retail therapy!” Flora pulls out the black card she took from Levi before.

“You still have that? You’re something else. Let me go change, and we can head out.”

It’s fairly hot today so I change into a sundress and make my way out to the garage to meet up with Flora.

She’s changed and now stands in some booty shorts that hug her beautiful curves and a very, very low shirt that shows off the tattoo that trails down between her breasts.

“Are we going shopping or to the club?” I joke.

“I mean, why not both? Shop first, play later?”

“You and I both know Levi would murder us both if we went to a club while he was gone.”

“Bitch, you are the Queen Luna. Who the fuck would dare even breathe in your direction? Everyone has heard the stories of Levi.”

I sigh. “We will see, okay? But for now, let’s go hit up the mall right outside the pack territory, so we aren’t far.”

We decide to go with a basic black SUV for our shopping spree and head out.

The place is a lot bigger than I expected, which only seems to make Flora giddy. She looks like a child walking into a candy store. This is going to be a very long day.

First stop, we go into a shoe store. Lines of all forms of shoes. I see a cute pair of flats and see the price.

“Are you kidding me, Flora?! These are over four hundred dollars! I can go online and get ones just like it for twenty bucks,” I say in shock.

“First off, we are in Australia, so currency exchange makes that only like three hundred dollars U.S.

“Second off, ~your~ man said not to worry about prices, so we are not looking at tags!” Flora responds nonchalantly.

Goddess help me.

I rummage through some shoes and settle for a pair of flats, some cute six-inch heels that Flora insists I buy, and two nice combat-style boots.

Flora has probably twenty pairs ranging in style and colors.

I really hope Levi knew what he was getting into telling her not to worry about price.

A handful of more stores and we are loaded down with bags. We have already had to run to the car to drop stuff off like three times.

One more store left. After Flora’s begging, I agree to one last shop. Now I’m just waiting on her to get back from the vehicle.

“Ready? This is the store I’m most excited for!” Flora practically squeals as she drags me to a very expensive dress shop.

“What could we possibly need in here?!” I exclaim.

“Your luna ceremony dress, duh!”

~Shit. I forgot my ceremony is next week. I guess I do sort of need to get one.~

“Okay, so I was totally thinking of a black, Goth night-goddess look!”

“You know I would normally fight you on this, but fuck it! Just please try not to make Levi go broke.” At my response, Flora squeals again and starts clapping.

Within five minutes Flora has about twenty dresses piled up in the changing room.

“Seriously, Flora! My feet already hurt enough.”

The store clerk sees our pile and walks over, asking if we need help. We decline, but Flora decides to get some help in finding her own dress.

Thirty minutes later and sixteen dresses in, I slide on a beautiful black dress. I look at myself in the mirror and instantly fall in love.

It’s beautiful. Black lace over grey, a slight sparkle to catch the eye. It reminds me of stars in the sky. It’s a sleeveless mermaid-style dress.

The bottom flares out with black tulle and beautiful grey embellishments. This is the one.

This time I sound like Flora. I squeal.

“Oh my goddess, please say that is a squeal of happiness, Asa!”

I walk out of the dressing room and spin in front of the pedestal mirrors.

“This one! A thousand times, this one!” I practically yell.

“A very good choice, ma’am, and it’s on sale!” the clerk says.

Flora looks at the tag and bursts out laughing. “So much for watching price. I thought I had expensive taste.”

I turn my head to look at the tag, and Flora yanks it off. “No, bitch. You’re getting this dress.”

And she skips over to the register and hands the clerk the card, along with our other items.

The clerk goes to hand Flora the receipt, and I snatch it first.

“Holy shit! Fifty-three thousand! I cannot buy this!”

Flora giggles. “Too bad. No returns and it’s already bought!”

I hear Cypris huff. It sounds like a laugh.

~“You’re kidding me. Radio silence for how long now, and now you laugh? Screw you, Cypris.”~

We head out of the store and make our way to the vehicle. Once we get close enough, I see through the windows, and the vehicle is packed! ~Goddess, help me.~

I go to put the bag in the SUV and see Flora collapse to the ground. ~What the fuck.~ The hair on my neck stands up, and I see a single needle piercing her neck.

I jump up but not before feeling a sting on my own neck.

I fall, but my eyes don’t close. I can’t move. The world is blurry and spinning. I hear growls and can make out two men fighting.

We are in public so they fight in skin so humans don’t see, but I can smell they are both wolves. One of the men is from the pack. It smells like…Zeus?

The other has a weird smell. I can’t place it.

My vision starts to fade. I can still hear. It seems like hours until it goes quiet, and I try my hardest to pull my eyes open.

All I can see is a pool of blood next to me and a figure. I struggle to see who is next to me, but once I do, everything goes dark.

Zeus’s body lays there limp, blood pooling, and his eyes stare at me, lifeless.

I can feel my body being thrown into a vehicle and another thump next to me. Flora! Goddess, please let her be okay.

We drive for hours. Maybe days? I don’t know anymore. My body is unable to move. My eyes are unable to open.

All I can do is listen to my captors laugh and chat. They speak in a language I have never heard before.

I try to mind-link with Levi, but my energy is gone. I push and push, trying to reach out, but I can’t.

I’m going to die, aren’t I? I feel a single tear roll down my cheek, and my mind drifts to darkness.

Leviathan

The meeting is over, and Zade and I have both retired to the bar to have a drink and relax. I think we are both ready for this trip to be over.

With Marcus out there and now gone mad, my wolf is stirring. He doesn’t like being away from our mate.

I have to keep reminding myself I’ll have her back in my arms tomorrow. I have linked the chef and a few others at home to prep a late birthday surprise for Asa.

I throw back some rum and let the burn ease my mind, mindlessly chatting with my buddy. Then Zade’s eyes go black.

“What’s wrong, Zade?” I say with more anger than intended.

Only one word escapes his mouth before his body starts trying to shift. “Flora.”

I go to ask what he is talking about because they were just shopping, and I have had Zeus watching over them all day.

The moment my mouth opens, I feel the pain rip through me. Asa’s hurt.

I growl and force my shift back, trying to prevent Zade from shifting. I use the alpha command and say, “Do not shift! Keep control, Zade. Zeus is there. They will be okay.”

I link Zeus to figure out what is going on.

~“Leviathan, the girls were attacked. Some sort of paralysis dart. I’m going after the man now.”~

I hold my breath waiting for his response. Minutes go by. Asa’s link is growing dimmer. I can’t link her.

~“What the hell is he! He is too power—”~

Zeus’s words are cut off, and his link breaks. He’s dead.

Zade howls in pain. Pain for his hurt mate and pain for the death of our friend. When you die, the link severs from the entire pack, and we all feel it.

I’m trying hard to keep my calm. I can’t go crazy, or nothing will get fixed. Our mates won’t be saved. I link every warrior and tell them to get there now.

My body is shaking, and I feel Asa grow weaker. She is still alive, but not mentally there. All I feel is a slight buzz.

Why did I have to come on this damn trip? Why didn’t I have more warriors watching them? Why?

Then it hits me…Marcus. The power Zeus was talking about… It had to be him. Even if I had an army of men, they wouldn’t have been able to take him on. FUCK!

“We need to get back now!” I command. “It’s Marcus!”

“We won’t get a flight for hours,” Zade says. His fist is trembling. His wolf is trying to fight my control.

“Shift. We will run there.”

Zade and I shift in an instant and barrel through the bar—off into the forests to try and get to our mates.

I can’t lose her. Thousands of years of waiting and I finally found her. I won’t watch her die like I did my family.