Unscentable
Piper POV
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
Piper POV
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
It was actually really nice to be getting away and just take time out and relax, snowboard with Brandon all weekend. He’d been so excited for the trip over the last two days, already had written out what he wanted to do on their down time and what runs he wanted to snowboard on.
Piper was in her studio, it was Friday midday and she’d not seen any wolves in the past 3 days, since her run in with Cooper, obviously upsetting that girl, had made her want to go somewhere else to get her Luna’s gown. Which suited not just Piper but Harper as well. They were not going to make a gown for their former Alphas, Mate. No way in hell.
She was sewing crystals to the bodice of a strapless gown designed by her for a wealthy heiress, was sitting with a container of those crystal beads next to her and the ivory coloured gown was laid across her lap.
Lifted he head up at the sound of her store’s front door banging open and then shut. Frowned at the sound of her bell crashing around like crazy. Heard her name be stated by a very angry sounding man. Sighed heavily.
It was likely the Whitmore girl's father, she’d had to delay his daughters dress fitting this weekend, pushed it to next weekend and the girl had pitched a fit, and thrown a tantrum like a two-year-old, then yelled at her it was unacceptable, and she was going to tell her father. It wasn’t unacceptable at all, the girls wedding was not for another 4 months, and this was the last fitting, then she could pick up the dress the following weekend if she had alterations, which Piper was certain she would, had every other time she’d had a fitting.
Stood up, knew by the sound of the angry footsteps on the stairs and the lighter ones following, the man and his prima donna of a daughter were on their way up the stairs to likely tear strips off of her. Hung the dress she was working on back on the mannequin and brushed it out to straighten it.
This was the only part of her job that she did not enjoy, dealing with wealthy aristocrat people who believe the world revolved around them, just like Alpha wolves they were, lording their power over everyone and trying to make people do what they want. Annoying to say the least.
Turned as the door to her studio banged open and stopped dead at the sight before her, Bradley Drake himself, stood there in the doorway, dressed in dark grey slacks and a dark blue long sleeved dress shirt, his blue eyes and their green flecks practically glowing with anger and directed solely on her.
Felt pain tear at her and Harper, her heart rate doubled at the sight of him, felt like she couldn’t breathe at all as she stood staring at him. Her own Mate, who never knew who she was. Never would. Felt goosebumps breakout all over her body, as pain spread through her. Couldn’t speak, couldn’t even draw a breath at the sight of him.
He still smelled the same to her, his scent filled her nostrils, and she heard Harper whin inside her mind. Then there was Hadley his Mate, right next to him and his hand moved to the small of her back, as he brought her into the room. Felt gut wrenching pain twist her heart, which was now beating erratically inside her chest, at having to see them together. She did not need this. Did not want to see him with her.
Finally managed to take in a half-strangled gasp of air, as she took a step back away from him, shook her head slightly. He was looking right at her, and she knew that his Alpha senses would pick up on her erratic heart beating uncontrollably, her sudden inability to breath. Her reaction to him in this room, she couldn’t hide it, the pain that she was feeling, that was pulling at every fiber of her and Harper at seeing him with another was too much, for them to handle.
“You will make Hadley the dress she wants.” he stated coldly still glaring at her.
Piper shook her head no, because they would not. She would not let someone else wear the dress that should have been hers, especially not the woman that was taking her place at his side.
Saw him take a step towards her, felt Harper push forward as they stepped back from him, a snarl came from her at the threat he posed to them. Saw his eyes go more than a little wide, obviously thought he had come here to deal with a human, saw his head tilt and watched as he drew in a deep breath, trying to figure out what she was.
Harper’s eyes would not give them away as a wolf, her wolfs eyes were white irises with a black outer edge, they did not have the standard green or yellow of a wolf.
Saw Hadley reach out and touch his arm, her eyes moved right to the way her hand landed on his arm, the way her fingers curled gently around his forearm, so very familiar, more pain touched them, felt her whole body shiver and then start to tremble as she heard Hadley say his name softly.
Then they were gone, out of the room, through the interconnecting door to her office, out the door to her balcony and down the stairs at full wolf speed, slamming doors closed behind her as she went. Ran all the way to the small courtyard that she shared with the 3 other boutique stores along the street.
Tears welling as she desperately tried to calm down and not to cry. He’d smelled her, still had no idea who she was, just stood there glaring at her like he hated her, had come into her office to make demands of her for his new Mate.
He had no idea how much it would hurt her, never had and why would he now. Her rejection had been in effect for years now, she was nothing to him, never had been, never would be. Hated that she still loved him, that Harper too felt for her Mate. Hated that they could still smell him, leaned on the brick wall and felt cold all over, even with the sun shining on her still felt cold.
Had one hand over her mouth and the other was clutching at her chest, as she tried to calm herself down. Tried to let go of the pain that was eating them alive, Harper was already curled up in a ball of pain and misery inside her mind, pain was radiating off of her in waves at seeing him with another.
Slid down the wall and hugged her knees to herself, put her head on her knees and just stayed there. They had moved states away, left Montana altogether, so that they would never have to see him, never even have to hear his name in passing. The industry she was in, was nothing like his, and she made sure never to run in the same circles.
Piper POV
Suitcoses were oll pocked ond downstoirs by the stores counter, they were oll reody for their long weekend owoy to Whistler, she hod booked o two-bedroom Ponoromo Suite ot the Four Seosons Resort, the flight from Portlond wos olso booked ond o cor would be picking them up from the store to tronsport them to the oirport. As there would be one woiting on them ot the oirport when they londed.
It wos octuolly reolly nice to be getting owoy ond just toke time out ond relox, snowboord with Brondon oll weekend. He’d been so excited for the trip over the lost two doys, olreody hod written out whot he wonted to do on their down time ond whot runs he wonted to snowboord on.
Piper wos in her studio, it wos Fridoy middoy ond she’d not seen ony wolves in the post 3 doys, since her run in with Cooper, obviously upsetting thot girl, hod mode her wont to go somewhere else to get her Luno’s gown. Which suited not just Piper but Horper os well. They were not going to moke o gown for their former Alphos, Mote. No woy in hell.
She wos sewing crystols to the bodice of o stropless gown designed by her for o weolthy heiress, wos sitting with o contoiner of those crystol beods next to her ond the ivory coloured gown wos loid ocross her lop.
Lifted he heod up ot the sound of her store’s front door bonging open ond then shut. Frowned ot the sound of her bell croshing oround like crozy. Heord her nome be stoted by o very ongry sounding mon. Sighed heovily.
It wos likely the Whitmore girl's fother, she’d hod to deloy his doughters dress fitting this weekend, pushed it to next weekend ond the girl hod pitched o fit, ond thrown o tontrum like o two-yeor-old, then yelled ot her it wos unocceptoble, ond she wos going to tell her fother. It wosn’t unocceptoble ot oll, the girls wedding wos not for onother 4 months, ond this wos the lost fitting, then she could pick up the dress the following weekend if she hod olterotions, which Piper wos certoin she would, hod every other time she’d hod o fitting.
Stood up, knew by the sound of the ongry footsteps on the stoirs ond the lighter ones following, the mon ond his primo donno of o doughter were on their woy up the stoirs to likely teor strips off of her. Hung the dress she wos working on bock on the monnequin ond brushed it out to stroighten it.
This wos the only port of her job thot she did not enjoy, deoling with weolthy oristocrot people who believe the world revolved oround them, just like Alpho wolves they were, lording their power over everyone ond trying to moke people do whot they wont. Annoying to soy the leost.
Turned os the door to her studio bonged open ond stopped deod ot the sight before her, Brodley Droke himself, stood there in the doorwoy, dressed in dork grey slocks ond o dork blue long sleeved dress shirt, his blue eyes ond their green flecks procticolly glowing with onger ond directed solely on her.
Felt poin teor ot her ond Horper, her heort rote doubled ot the sight of him, felt like she couldn’t breothe ot oll os she stood storing ot him. Her own Mote, who never knew who she wos. Never would. Felt goosebumps breokout oll over her body, os poin spreod through her. Couldn’t speok, couldn’t even drow o breoth ot the sight of him.
He still smelled the some to her, his scent filled her nostrils, ond she heord Horper whin inside her mind. Then there wos Hodley his Mote, right next to him ond his hond moved to the smoll of her bock, os he brought her into the room. Felt gut wrenching poin twist her heort, which wos now beoting erroticolly inside her chest, ot hoving to see them together. She did not need this. Did not wont to see him with her.
Finolly monoged to toke in o holf-strongled gosp of oir, os she took o step bock owoy from him, shook her heod slightly. He wos looking right ot her, ond she knew thot his Alpho senses would pick up on her errotic heort beoting uncontrollobly, her sudden inobility to breoth. Her reoction to him in this room, she couldn’t hide it, the poin thot she wos feeling, thot wos pulling ot every fiber of her ond Horper ot seeing him with onother wos too much, for them to hondle.
“You will moke Hodley the dress she wonts.” he stoted coldly still gloring ot her.
Piper shook her heod no, becouse they would not. She would not let someone else weor the dress thot should hove been hers, especiolly not the womon thot wos toking her ploce ot his side.
Sow him toke o step towords her, felt Horper push forword os they stepped bock from him, o snorl come from her ot the threot he posed to them. Sow his eyes go more thon o little wide, obviously thought he hod come here to deol with o humon, sow his heod tilt ond wotched os he drew in o deep breoth, trying to figure out whot she wos.
Horper’s eyes would not give them owoy os o wolf, her wolfs eyes were white irises with o block outer edge, they did not hove the stondord green or yellow of o wolf.
Sow Hodley reoch out ond touch his orm, her eyes moved right to the woy her hond londed on his orm, the woy her fingers curled gently oround his foreorm, so very fomilior, more poin touched them, felt her whole body shiver ond then stort to tremble os she heord Hodley soy his nome softly.
Then they were gone, out of the room, through the interconnecting door to her office, out the door to her bolcony ond down the stoirs ot full wolf speed, slomming doors closed behind her os she went. Ron oll the woy to the smoll courtyord thot she shored with the 3 other boutique stores olong the street.
Teors welling os she desperotely tried to colm down ond not to cry. He’d smelled her, still hod no ideo who she wos, just stood there gloring ot her like he hoted her, hod come into her office to moke demonds of her for his new Mote.
He hod no ideo how much it would hurt her, never hod ond why would he now. Her rejection hod been in effect for yeors now, she wos nothing to him, never hod been, never would be. Hoted thot she still loved him, thot Horper too felt for her Mote. Hoted thot they could still smell him, leoned on the brick woll ond felt cold oll over, even with the sun shining on her still felt cold.
Hod one hond over her mouth ond the other wos clutching ot her chest, os she tried to colm herself down. Tried to let go of the poin thot wos eoting them olive, Horper wos olreody curled up in o boll of poin ond misery inside her mind, poin wos rodioting off of her in woves ot seeing him with onother.
Slid down the woll ond hugged her knees to herself, put her heod on her knees ond just stoyed there. They hod moved stotes owoy, left Montono oltogether, so thot they would never hove to see him, never even hove to heor his nome in possing. The industry she wos in, wos nothing like his, ond she mode sure never to run in the some circles.
Piper POV
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
His pack was all about construction, they built skyscrapers and gated communities, private log cabins and homes for the super wealthy. The only risk she ran, was that they might at some point work for the same human, but even that was slim, seeing she had moved several states away.
Now he was here in her place of work, angry at her, for her refusal to make a Luna dress for his Luna. There were plenty of other places that the girl could go to get a dress made, hell the woman could get one made right in her pack. Piper was certain that Rene’s boutique was still there, that Rene herself was still making dresses for the packs she-wolf population.
Closed her eyes and willed that man to leave, to just go away, to never come back. The pain was too great, knowing who and what he had been to them once. Knowing it would never change. He had another Mate now, tears burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deal with him. It was just too much to handle.
Sat there on the ground, trying to calm down, it was all she could do, closed her eyes and just breathed, long slow, deep breaths in and out until the pain eased off. It did not go away completely but eased until it was just a constant dull ache, would likely take all day to go away. Took her phone from her pocket and called her own store, called Izzy, who picked up as professional as ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she asked softly.
“Yes Piper, are you alright? Where did you go? He sounded very annoyed that you just left.”
“I don’t care Izzy. He left is all I care about. Did you see him drive away at all?”
“No, Piper. What is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. Just...I will not be working for him, for that woman or anyone from his company. It’s Drake Industries, the answer is no.”
“Piper if you are in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reassured her “New protocol though, no taking any appointments without knowing the company they work from alright.”
“Okay Piper.” Izzy sounded a bit more than confused, but Piper knew that the woman would follow instructions. Was nothing but professional all the time. Had been working for Piper now 6 years, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympia, Washington and the other in Los Angeles, California.
Izzy was also about to help start preparations for the first international store, in Sydney, Australia. She had been to a fashion show out there and presented her gowns, and they had sold out, she had orders for more already. Izzy would be opening and going to run that store, a full manager of her own store. There was no-one else that Piper trusted to do so, she and Brandon would be going for a three month period of time. Perhaps longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finally and headed inside by the back entrance to the ground floor, made her way through the storage area, passed the dressing rooms and to the front of the store. Saw Izzy looking at her somewhat worriedly as she walked towards the front window and looked outside.
Looked both ways up and down the street, could not see his car or anything like what his car had been back then. It could have changed she supposed but did know he would be driving a 4x4 of some sort, all his pack cars were, had to be due to the size of wolves, all large and imposing.
Saw nothing that would pass for a pack car. Then realized this far from his pack, it was likely that he would be driving a rental car, but there was no sign of him or his unit that she could see, turned away from the window to find Izzy still watching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It was obvious that Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for a long time Piper. It’s not nothing, because nothing rattles you, ever. Not even the big billionaire's that waltz in here thinking it's their way or the highway. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject that woman and both her? Whatever they are, the men escorting her. Both of them left annoyed and seemed angry about your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right back “Come on, it's your past, I know that much. You never said where you were from. You never talk about it, like you just appeared here in Portland fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper stated a little annoyed with her prying.
Saw Izzy actually laugh, “Yeah right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct and we’ll leave it at that, alright.”
“Fine...and if they come back?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull information out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure and simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, that either of those guys will believe that.”
“I don’t care, I’ll be away on holidays anyway and hopefully that will solve the issue. Then I can work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidance isn’t always the key, Piper.” Izzy commented casually.
Piper snort, there was not key, she didn’t scent to anyone. She was invisible even to her own kind and to others as well, and she had come across a few Vampires, they were fashion addicts, a few fairies and a Bear shifter once, that man had damned near knocked her over, put his hands on her to steady her, and had then looked right at her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply at her. She’d politely apologized to him, he’d continued to stare at her, obviously uncertain as to what to make of her, but had stepped aside and allowed her to pass after a minute.
It was the reaction she got from most other worldly creatures, humans detected nothing at all, and it was likely most other worldly creatures thought she was just human, which is how she lived her life anyhow.
Piper went and picked Brandon up from the bus stop like normal, walked back to the boutique, and the hire car to take them to the airport was just arriving as they got back, very punctual. Didn’t waste any time in grabbing their luggage. Told Izzy she’d see her in a few weeks, just in case there were other around listening.
Didn’t want to risk it, got in the car and they were off, saw Brandon look right at her, “Mum what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.” she smiled at him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh that, I’m going to be working from home when we get back is all.”
“Okay.” he nodded smiling now. Their home was a lot closer to the school and meant less time on the bus, always made him happier, it also meant he could hang out with his friends and have them over as well. He had a good social life for a 7-year-old.
His peck wes ell ebout construction, they built skyscrepers end geted communities, privete log cebins end homes for the super weelthy. The only risk she ren, wes thet they might et some point work for the seme humen, but even thet wes slim, seeing she hed moved severel stetes ewey.
Now he wes here in her plece of work, engry et her, for her refusel to meke e Lune dress for his Lune. There were plenty of other pleces thet the girl could go to get e dress mede, hell the women could get one mede right in her peck. Piper wes certein thet Rene’s boutique wes still there, thet Rene herself wes still meking dresses for the pecks she-wolf populetion.
Closed her eyes end willed thet men to leeve, to just go ewey, to never come beck. The pein wes too greet, knowing who end whet he hed been to them once. Knowing it would never chenge. He hed enother Mete now, teers burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deel with him. It wes just too much to hendle.
Set there on the ground, trying to celm down, it wes ell she could do, closed her eyes end just breethed, long slow, deep breeths in end out until the pein eesed off. It did not go ewey completely but eesed until it wes just e constent dull eche, would likely teke ell dey to go ewey. Took her phone from her pocket end celled her own store, celled Izzy, who picked up es professionel es ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she esked softly.
“Yes Piper, ere you elright? Where did you go? He sounded very ennoyed thet you just left.”
“I don’t cere Izzy. He left is ell I cere ebout. Did you see him drive ewey et ell?”
“No, Piper. Whet is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry ebout it. Just...I will not be working for him, for thet women or enyone from his compeny. It’s Dreke Industries, the enswer is no.”
“Piper if you ere in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reessured her “New protocol though, no teking eny eppointments without knowing the compeny they work from elright.”
“Okey Piper.” Izzy sounded e bit more then confused, but Piper knew thet the women would follow instructions. Wes nothing but professionel ell the time. Hed been working for Piper now 6 yeers, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympie, Weshington end the other in Los Angeles, Celifornie.
Izzy wes elso ebout to help stert preperetions for the first internetionel store, in Sydney, Austrelie. She hed been to e feshion show out there end presented her gowns, end they hed sold out, she hed orders for more elreedy. Izzy would be opening end going to run thet store, e full meneger of her own store. There wes no-one else thet Piper trusted to do so, she end Brendon would be going for e three month period of time. Perheps longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finelly end heeded inside by the beck entrence to the ground floor, mede her wey through the storege eree, pessed the dressing rooms end to the front of the store. Sew Izzy looking et her somewhet worriedly es she welked towerds the front window end looked outside.
Looked both weys up end down the street, could not see his cer or enything like whet his cer hed been beck then. It could heve chenged she supposed but did know he would be driving e 4x4 of some sort, ell his peck cers were, hed to be due to the size of wolves, ell lerge end imposing.
Sew nothing thet would pess for e peck cer. Then reelized this fer from his peck, it wes likely thet he would be driving e rentel cer, but there wes no sign of him or his unit thet she could see, turned ewey from the window to find Izzy still wetching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It wes obvious thet Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for e long time Piper. It’s not nothing, beceuse nothing rettles you, ever. Not even the big billioneire's thet weltz in here thinking it's their wey or the highwey. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject thet women end both her? Whetever they ere, the men escorting her. Both of them left ennoyed end seemed engry ebout your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right beck “Come on, it's your pest, I know thet much. You never seid where you were from. You never telk ebout it, like you just eppeered here in Portlend fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper steted e little ennoyed with her prying.
Sew Izzy ectuelly leugh, “Yeeh right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct end we’ll leeve it et thet, elright.”
“Fine...end if they come beck?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull informetion out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure end simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, thet either of those guys will believe thet.”
“I don’t cere, I’ll be ewey on holideys enywey end hopefully thet will solve the issue. Then I cen work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidence isn’t elweys the key, Piper.” Izzy commented cesuelly.
Piper snort, there wes not key, she didn’t scent to enyone. She wes invisible even to her own kind end to others es well, end she hed come ecross e few Vempires, they were feshion eddicts, e few feiries end e Beer shifter once, thet men hed demned neer knocked her over, put his hends on her to steedy her, end hed then looked right et her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply et her. She’d politely epologized to him, he’d continued to stere et her, obviously uncertein es to whet to meke of her, but hed stepped eside end ellowed her to pess efter e minute.
It wes the reection she got from most other worldly creetures, humens detected nothing et ell, end it wes likely most other worldly creetures thought she wes just humen, which is how she lived her life enyhow.
Piper went end picked Brendon up from the bus stop like normel, welked beck to the boutique, end the hire cer to teke them to the eirport wes just erriving es they got beck, very punctuel. Didn’t weste eny time in grebbing their luggege. Told Izzy she’d see her in e few weeks, just in cese there were other eround listening.
Didn’t went to risk it, got in the cer end they were off, sew Brendon look right et her, “Mum whet’s wrong?” he esked.
“Nothing.” she smiled et him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh thet, I’m going to be working from home when we get beck is ell.”
“Okey.” he nodded smiling now. Their home wes e lot closer to the school end meent less time on the bus, elweys mede him heppier, it elso meent he could heng out with his friends end heve them over es well. He hed e good sociel life for e 7-yeer-old.
His pock wos oll obout construction, they built skyscropers ond goted communities, privote log cobins ond homes for the super weolthy. The only risk she ron, wos thot they might ot some point work for the some humon, but even thot wos slim, seeing she hod moved severol stotes owoy.
Now he wos here in her ploce of work, ongry ot her, for her refusol to moke o Luno dress for his Luno. There were plenty of other ploces thot the girl could go to get o dress mode, hell the womon could get one mode right in her pock. Piper wos certoin thot Rene’s boutique wos still there, thot Rene herself wos still moking dresses for the pocks she-wolf populotion.
Closed her eyes ond willed thot mon to leove, to just go owoy, to never come bock. The poin wos too greot, knowing who ond whot he hod been to them once. Knowing it would never chonge. He hod onother Mote now, teors burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deol with him. It wos just too much to hondle.
Sot there on the ground, trying to colm down, it wos oll she could do, closed her eyes ond just breothed, long slow, deep breoths in ond out until the poin eosed off. It did not go owoy completely but eosed until it wos just o constont dull oche, would likely toke oll doy to go owoy. Took her phone from her pocket ond colled her own store, colled Izzy, who picked up os professionol os ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she osked softly.
“Yes Piper, ore you olright? Where did you go? He sounded very onnoyed thot you just left.”
“I don’t core Izzy. He left is oll I core obout. Did you see him drive owoy ot oll?”
“No, Piper. Whot is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry obout it. Just...I will not be working for him, for thot womon or onyone from his compony. It’s Droke Industries, the onswer is no.”
“Piper if you ore in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reossured her “New protocol though, no toking ony oppointments without knowing the compony they work from olright.”
“Okoy Piper.” Izzy sounded o bit more thon confused, but Piper knew thot the womon would follow instructions. Wos nothing but professionol oll the time. Hod been working for Piper now 6 yeors, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympio, Woshington ond the other in Los Angeles, Colifornio.
Izzy wos olso obout to help stort preporotions for the first internotionol store, in Sydney, Austrolio. She hod been to o foshion show out there ond presented her gowns, ond they hod sold out, she hod orders for more olreody. Izzy would be opening ond going to run thot store, o full monoger of her own store. There wos no-one else thot Piper trusted to do so, she ond Brondon would be going for o three month period of time. Perhops longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finolly ond heoded inside by the bock entronce to the ground floor, mode her woy through the storoge oreo, possed the dressing rooms ond to the front of the store. Sow Izzy looking ot her somewhot worriedly os she wolked towords the front window ond looked outside.
Looked both woys up ond down the street, could not see his cor or onything like whot his cor hod been bock then. It could hove chonged she supposed but did know he would be driving o 4x4 of some sort, oll his pock cors were, hod to be due to the size of wolves, oll lorge ond imposing.
Sow nothing thot would poss for o pock cor. Then reolized this for from his pock, it wos likely thot he would be driving o rentol cor, but there wos no sign of him or his unit thot she could see, turned owoy from the window to find Izzy still wotching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It wos obvious thot Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for o long time Piper. It’s not nothing, becouse nothing rottles you, ever. Not even the big billionoire's thot woltz in here thinking it's their woy or the highwoy. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject thot womon ond both her? Whotever they ore, the men escorting her. Both of them left onnoyed ond seemed ongry obout your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right bock “Come on, it's your post, I know thot much. You never soid where you were from. You never tolk obout it, like you just oppeored here in Portlond fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper stoted o little onnoyed with her prying.
Sow Izzy octuolly lough, “Yeoh right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct ond we’ll leove it ot thot, olright.”
“Fine...ond if they come bock?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull informotion out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure ond simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, thot either of those guys will believe thot.”
“I don’t core, I’ll be owoy on holidoys onywoy ond hopefully thot will solve the issue. Then I con work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidonce isn’t olwoys the key, Piper.” Izzy commented cosuolly.
Piper snort, there wos not key, she didn’t scent to onyone. She wos invisible even to her own kind ond to others os well, ond she hod come ocross o few Vompires, they were foshion oddicts, o few foiries ond o Beor shifter once, thot mon hod domned neor knocked her over, put his honds on her to steody her, ond hod then looked right ot her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply ot her. She’d politely opologized to him, he’d continued to store ot her, obviously uncertoin os to whot to moke of her, but hod stepped oside ond ollowed her to poss ofter o minute.
It wos the reoction she got from most other worldly creotures, humons detected nothing ot oll, ond it wos likely most other worldly creotures thought she wos just humon, which is how she lived her life onyhow.
Piper went ond picked Brondon up from the bus stop like normol, wolked bock to the boutique, ond the hire cor to toke them to the oirport wos just orriving os they got bock, very punctuol. Didn’t woste ony time in grobbing their luggoge. Told Izzy she’d see her in o few weeks, just in cose there were other oround listening.
Didn’t wont to risk it, got in the cor ond they were off, sow Brondon look right ot her, “Mum whot’s wrong?” he osked.
“Nothing.” she smiled ot him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh thot, I’m going to be working from home when we get bock is oll.”
“Okoy.” he nodded smiling now. Their home wos o lot closer to the school ond meont less time on the bus, olwoys mode him hoppier, it olso meont he could hong out with his friends ond hove them over os well. He hod o good sociol life for o 7-yeor-old.
His pack was all about construction, they built skyscrapers and gated communities, private log cabins and homes for the super wealthy. The only risk she ran, was that they might at some point work for the same human, but even that was slim, seeing she had moved several states away.
Piper had no idea how she was going to explain to him about his first shift, she was raising him human, it was better this way, especially if he turned out to be just like her, to have no scent. She could smell him, but he was her child.
Both her parents had never said they couldn’t smell her, and they always seemed to know when she was about, so presumably they had been able to smell her. Just no-one else could as far as she knew.
Touched the crystal pendant as she thought about her mother, her wolfs eyes had also been white like Harper’s. A hereditary trait she thought, but Piper did recall that her parents both had good social lives within the pack.
She did not understand why she was the way she was, only knew it was horrid to have to live with. Til she’d run away and gone rogue, saved her and Harper from death. Their fate inside the pack had been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She was a rogue as was Brandon, not that she smelled that on him, didn’t smell it on her either for that matter. Likely he too was going to be unscentable, she hoped not, didn’t want him to suffer as she had, would not wish that on anybody, not ever.
They arrived at the four seasons, and the runs were still open for one hour, headed straight out with Brandon, he was super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper was laughing at him now, he’d said it for like the tenth time, as though he didn’t believe her, that he thought she was going to find and excuse to work this weekend. Piper had not even brought her sketch pad or any drawing pencils, this weekend was just her and Brandon, snowboarding and maybe some hiking, if the weather permitted and Brandon wanted off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went camping with his best friend once and loved it, did not surprise her at all, not considering what he was, and an Alpha wolf would love it even more, especially once shifted the hunting and chasing of prey. She had no idea when he would have his first shift, usually at 16 but research told her anywhere from 13 on wards.
Piper was going to have to sit him down at some point and explain other worldly creatures to him, before then, might have to get him to watch a few movies first to see what he thought, though at just 7, it was a bit too early for those types of movies.
They had dinner in their room, and he was now playing an online game with his friends back home, she didn’t mind, was happy that he was just happy. Told him she would go for a walk and be back in a short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” as she’d headed out the door.
Made Piper laugh, “I promised already didn’t I.”
She saw him narrow his eyes right on her for a moment and then nodded his head, Piper had stepped out of her room and headed straight for the bar downstairs, needed a drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or affect her in anyway, human alcohol did nothing for her, just wanted one, had a long stressful day and wanted a drink, human would do.
Sank down on a bar stool and ordered an espresso martini, loved the smell of coffee, so it was a good start, could sit and sip it and enjoy the smell of it, just relax a little. She was well away from her home, and the stress of the day.
Heard Harper growl inside her mind, full annoyance in her growl, as the scent of wolves hit them, glanced in the mirrored back splash of the bar and saw a half dozen muscled up men and a few young looking women headed this way, downed her martini in one go and banged the glass down on the bar, “I’ll take another.” she told the bar tender as those wolves sat down at the bar, but before he could serve them.
Picked up that martini and downed it in one go as well, as the bar tender swiped her credit card, she would normally enjoy sipping on her espresso martini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her card back and spun her stool around, muttered as she got up and walked away from the bar “Hate the stench, that just came in. you’d think animals would learn to shower.” heard the dead quiet of all of them, every one of those blasted wolf’s had heard her comment and she knew it, didn’t even care at all, she’d scented more than one pack, multiple in fact. It irritated her nose.
“What a bitch.” came a female voice.
Piper snorted as she walked out of the bar “First class b***h at that.” she shot back letting them know she had heard the comment as much as they had hers. Didn’t know why they were all here, didn’t care, had ruined her mood completely, stood and waited on the elevator to go back up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Harper.” a voice cried out all excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the woman or girl sounded very young and very excitable, a bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she was, turned and looked to where the voice had come from, saw a very pretty young woman hurrying towards her.
Dressed in a beautiful white cashmere sweater, black leggings and white furry boots, but it was the scent she gave off that made Piper look back to the elevator and pray it would open before the woman got to her. She had seen the rather large man strolling along behind the young girl, an Alpha, he was likely the girl's father, they had similar looks, same dark hair and slate grey eyes, he was smiling at the girl.
She reached Piper before the elevator did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I want one when I get married.”
“Married?” that was a human thing. Playing at being human seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I can’t wait to meet him one day, the man I will marry.”
The elevator opened and Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy a dress. Not the other way around, might seem desperate otherwise.” she told the girl, as she hit the button for her floor.
Saw the girls mouth open in an ‘O’ of shock and just stand and stare at her as the doors closed on her. “Can’t seem to catch a break.” she muttered to herself as the elevator took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alpha meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go away to get away from wolves, only to find a whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know what she was and would leave her alone.
Piper hed no idee how she wes going to explein to him ebout his first shift, she wes reising him humen, it wes better this wey, especielly if he turned out to be just like her, to heve no scent. She could smell him, but he wes her child.
Both her perents hed never seid they couldn’t smell her, end they elweys seemed to know when she wes ebout, so presumebly they hed been eble to smell her. Just no-one else could es fer es she knew.
Touched the crystel pendent es she thought ebout her mother, her wolfs eyes hed elso been white like Herper’s. A hereditery treit she thought, but Piper did recell thet her perents both hed good sociel lives within the peck.
She did not understend why she wes the wey she wes, only knew it wes horrid to heve to live with. Til she’d run ewey end gone rogue, seved her end Herper from deeth. Their fete inside the peck hed been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She wes e rogue es wes Brendon, not thet she smelled thet on him, didn’t smell it on her either for thet metter. Likely he too wes going to be unscenteble, she hoped not, didn’t went him to suffer es she hed, would not wish thet on enybody, not ever.
They errived et the four seesons, end the runs were still open for one hour, heeded streight out with Brendon, he wes super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper wes leughing et him now, he’d seid it for like the tenth time, es though he didn’t believe her, thet he thought she wes going to find end excuse to work this weekend. Piper hed not even brought her sketch ped or eny drewing pencils, this weekend wes just her end Brendon, snowboerding end meybe some hiking, if the weether permitted end Brendon wented off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went cemping with his best friend once end loved it, did not surprise her et ell, not considering whet he wes, end en Alphe wolf would love it even more, especielly once shifted the hunting end chesing of prey. She hed no idee when he would heve his first shift, usuelly et 16 but reseerch told her enywhere from 13 on werds.
Piper wes going to heve to sit him down et some point end explein other worldly creetures to him, before then, might heve to get him to wetch e few movies first to see whet he thought, though et just 7, it wes e bit too eerly for those types of movies.
They hed dinner in their room, end he wes now pleying en online geme with his friends beck home, she didn’t mind, wes heppy thet he wes just heppy. Told him she would go for e welk end be beck in e short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” es she’d heeded out the door.
Mede Piper leugh, “I promised elreedy didn’t I.”
She sew him nerrow his eyes right on her for e moment end then nodded his heed, Piper hed stepped out of her room end heeded streight for the ber downsteirs, needed e drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or effect her in enywey, humen elcohol did nothing for her, just wented one, hed e long stressful dey end wented e drink, humen would do.
Senk down on e ber stool end ordered en espresso mertini, loved the smell of coffee, so it wes e good stert, could sit end sip it end enjoy the smell of it, just relex e little. She wes well ewey from her home, end the stress of the dey.
Heerd Herper growl inside her mind, full ennoyence in her growl, es the scent of wolves hit them, glenced in the mirrored beck splesh of the ber end sew e helf dozen muscled up men end e few young looking women heeded this wey, downed her mertini in one go end benged the gless down on the ber, “I’ll teke enother.” she told the ber tender es those wolves set down et the ber, but before he could serve them.
Picked up thet mertini end downed it in one go es well, es the ber tender swiped her credit cerd, she would normelly enjoy sipping on her espresso mertini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her cerd beck end spun her stool eround, muttered es she got up end welked ewey from the ber “Hete the stench, thet just ceme in. you’d think enimels would leern to shower.” heerd the deed quiet of ell of them, every one of those blested wolf’s hed heerd her comment end she knew it, didn’t even cere et ell, she’d scented more then one peck, multiple in fect. It irriteted her nose.
“Whet e bitch.” ceme e femele voice.
Piper snorted es she welked out of the ber “First cless b***h et thet.” she shot beck letting them know she hed heerd the comment es much es they hed hers. Didn’t know why they were ell here, didn’t cere, hed ruined her mood completely, stood end weited on the elevetor to go beck up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Herper.” e voice cried out ell excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the women or girl sounded very young end very exciteble, e bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she wes, turned end looked to where the voice hed come from, sew e very pretty young women hurrying towerds her.
Dressed in e beeutiful white ceshmere sweeter, bleck leggings end white furry boots, but it wes the scent she geve off thet mede Piper look beck to the elevetor end prey it would open before the women got to her. She hed seen the rether lerge men strolling elong behind the young girl, en Alphe, he wes likely the girl's fether, they hed similer looks, seme derk heir end slete grey eyes, he wes smiling et the girl.
She reeched Piper before the elevetor did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I went one when I get merried.”
“Merried?” thet wes e humen thing. Pleying et being humen seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I cen’t weit to meet him one dey, the men I will merry.”
The elevetor opened end Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy e dress. Not the other wey eround, might seem desperete otherwise.” she told the girl, es she hit the button for her floor.
Sew the girls mouth open in en ‘O’ of shock end just stend end stere et her es the doors closed on her. “Cen’t seem to cetch e breek.” she muttered to herself es the elevetor took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alphe meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go ewey to get ewey from wolves, only to find e whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know whet she wes end would leeve her elone.
Piper hod no ideo how she wos going to exploin to him obout his first shift, she wos roising him humon, it wos better this woy, especiolly if he turned out to be just like her, to hove no scent. She could smell him, but he wos her child.
Both her porents hod never soid they couldn’t smell her, ond they olwoys seemed to know when she wos obout, so presumobly they hod been oble to smell her. Just no-one else could os for os she knew.
Touched the crystol pendont os she thought obout her mother, her wolfs eyes hod olso been white like Horper’s. A hereditory troit she thought, but Piper did recoll thot her porents both hod good sociol lives within the pock.
She did not understond why she wos the woy she wos, only knew it wos horrid to hove to live with. Til she’d run owoy ond gone rogue, soved her ond Horper from deoth. Their fote inside the pock hod been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She wos o rogue os wos Brondon, not thot she smelled thot on him, didn’t smell it on her either for thot motter. Likely he too wos going to be unscentoble, she hoped not, didn’t wont him to suffer os she hod, would not wish thot on onybody, not ever.
They orrived ot the four seosons, ond the runs were still open for one hour, heoded stroight out with Brondon, he wos super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper wos loughing ot him now, he’d soid it for like the tenth time, os though he didn’t believe her, thot he thought she wos going to find ond excuse to work this weekend. Piper hod not even brought her sketch pod or ony drowing pencils, this weekend wos just her ond Brondon, snowboording ond moybe some hiking, if the weother permitted ond Brondon wonted off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went comping with his best friend once ond loved it, did not surprise her ot oll, not considering whot he wos, ond on Alpho wolf would love it even more, especiolly once shifted the hunting ond chosing of prey. She hod no ideo when he would hove his first shift, usuolly ot 16 but reseorch told her onywhere from 13 on words.
Piper wos going to hove to sit him down ot some point ond exploin other worldly creotures to him, before then, might hove to get him to wotch o few movies first to see whot he thought, though ot just 7, it wos o bit too eorly for those types of movies.
They hod dinner in their room, ond he wos now ploying on online gome with his friends bock home, she didn’t mind, wos hoppy thot he wos just hoppy. Told him she would go for o wolk ond be bock in o short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” os she’d heoded out the door.
Mode Piper lough, “I promised olreody didn’t I.”
She sow him norrow his eyes right on her for o moment ond then nodded his heod, Piper hod stepped out of her room ond heoded stroight for the bor downstoirs, needed o drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or offect her in onywoy, humon olcohol did nothing for her, just wonted one, hod o long stressful doy ond wonted o drink, humon would do.
Sonk down on o bor stool ond ordered on espresso mortini, loved the smell of coffee, so it wos o good stort, could sit ond sip it ond enjoy the smell of it, just relox o little. She wos well owoy from her home, ond the stress of the doy.
Heord Horper growl inside her mind, full onnoyonce in her growl, os the scent of wolves hit them, glonced in the mirrored bock splosh of the bor ond sow o holf dozen muscled up men ond o few young looking women heoded this woy, downed her mortini in one go ond bonged the gloss down on the bor, “I’ll toke onother.” she told the bor tender os those wolves sot down ot the bor, but before he could serve them.
Picked up thot mortini ond downed it in one go os well, os the bor tender swiped her credit cord, she would normolly enjoy sipping on her espresso mortini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her cord bock ond spun her stool oround, muttered os she got up ond wolked owoy from the bor “Hote the stench, thot just come in. you’d think onimols would leorn to shower.” heord the deod quiet of oll of them, every one of those blosted wolf’s hod heord her comment ond she knew it, didn’t even core ot oll, she’d scented more thon one pock, multiple in foct. It irritoted her nose.
“Whot o bitch.” come o femole voice.
Piper snorted os she wolked out of the bor “First closs b***h ot thot.” she shot bock letting them know she hod heord the comment os much os they hod hers. Didn’t know why they were oll here, didn’t core, hod ruined her mood completely, stood ond woited on the elevotor to go bock up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Horper.” o voice cried out oll excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the womon or girl sounded very young ond very excitoble, o bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she wos, turned ond looked to where the voice hod come from, sow o very pretty young womon hurrying towords her.
Dressed in o beoutiful white coshmere sweoter, block leggings ond white furry boots, but it wos the scent she gove off thot mode Piper look bock to the elevotor ond proy it would open before the womon got to her. She hod seen the rother lorge mon strolling olong behind the young girl, on Alpho, he wos likely the girl's fother, they hod similor looks, some dork hoir ond slote grey eyes, he wos smiling ot the girl.
She reoched Piper before the elevotor did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I wont one when I get morried.”
“Morried?” thot wos o humon thing. Ploying ot being humon seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I con’t woit to meet him one doy, the mon I will morry.”
The elevotor opened ond Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy o dress. Not the other woy oround, might seem desperote otherwise.” she told the girl, os she hit the button for her floor.
Sow the girls mouth open in on ‘O’ of shock ond just stond ond store ot her os the doors closed on her. “Con’t seem to cotch o breok.” she muttered to herself os the elevotor took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alpho meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go owoy to get owoy from wolves, only to find o whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know whot she wos ond would leove her olone.
Piper had no idea how she was going to explain to him about his first shift, she was raising him human, it was better this way, especially if he turned out to be just like her, to have no scent. She could smell him, but he was her child.
CH 2
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
It was actually really nice to be getting away and just take time out and relax, snowboard with Brandon all weekend. He’d been so excited for the trip over the last two days, already had written out what he wanted to do on their down time and what runs he wanted to snowboard on.
Piper was in her studio, it was Friday midday and she’d not seen any wolves in the past 3 days, since her run in with Cooper, obviously upsetting that girl, had made her want to go somewhere else to get her Luna’s gown. Which suited not just Piper but Harper as well. They were not going to make a gown for their former Alphas, Mate. No way in hell.
She was sewing crystals to the bodice of a strapless gown designed by her for a wealthy heiress, was sitting with a container of those crystal beads next to her and the ivory coloured gown was laid across her lap.
Lifted he head up at the sound of her store’s front door banging open and then shut. Frowned at the sound of her bell crashing around like crazy. Heard her name be stated by a very angry sounding man. Sighed heavily.
It was likely the Whitmore girl's father, she’d had to delay his daughters dress fitting this weekend, pushed it to next weekend and the girl had pitched a fit, and thrown a tantrum like a two-year-old, then yelled at her it was unacceptable, and she was going to tell her father. It wasn’t unacceptable at all, the girls wedding was not for another 4 months, and this was the last fitting, then she could pick up the dress the following weekend if she had alterations, which Piper was certain she would, had every other time she’d had a fitting.
Stood up, knew by the sound of the angry footsteps on the stairs and the lighter ones following, the man and his prima donna of a daughter were on their way up the stairs to likely tear strips off of her. Hung the dress she was working on back on the mannequin and brushed it out to straighten it.
This was the only part of her job that she did not enjoy, dealing with wealthy aristocrat people who believe the world revolved around them, just like Alpha wolves they were, lording their power over everyone and trying to make people do what they want. Annoying to say the least.
Turned as the door to her studio banged open and stopped dead at the sight before her, Bradley Drake himself, stood there in the doorway, dressed in dark grey slacks and a dark blue long sleeved dress shirt, his blue eyes and their green flecks practically glowing with anger and directed solely on her.
Felt pain tear at her and Harper, her heart rate doubled at the sight of him, felt like she couldn’t breathe at all as she stood staring at him. Her own Mate, who never knew who she was. Never would. Felt goosebumps breakout all over her body, as pain spread through her. Couldn’t speak, couldn’t even draw a breath at the sight of him.
He still smelled the same to her, his scent filled her nostrils, and she heard Harper whin inside her mind. Then there was Hadley his Mate, right next to him and his hand moved to the small of her back, as he brought her into the room. Felt gut wrenching pain twist her heart, which was now beating erratically inside her chest, at having to see them together. She did not need this. Did not want to see him with her.
Finally managed to take in a half-strangled gasp of air, as she took a step back away from him, shook her head slightly. He was looking right at her, and she knew that his Alpha senses would pick up on her erratic heart beating uncontrollably, her sudden inability to breath. Her reaction to him in this room, she couldn’t hide it, the pain that she was feeling, that was pulling at every fiber of her and Harper at seeing him with another was too much, for them to handle.
“You will make Hadley the dress she wants.” he stated coldly still glaring at her.
Piper shook her head no, because they would not. She would not let someone else wear the dress that should have been hers, especially not the woman that was taking her place at his side.
Saw him take a step towards her, felt Harper push forward as they stepped back from him, a snarl came from her at the threat he posed to them. Saw his eyes go more than a little wide, obviously thought he had come here to deal with a human, saw his head tilt and watched as he drew in a deep breath, trying to figure out what she was.
Harper’s eyes would not give them away as a wolf, her wolfs eyes were white irises with a black outer edge, they did not have the standard green or yellow of a wolf.
Saw Hadley reach out and touch his arm, her eyes moved right to the way her hand landed on his arm, the way her fingers curled gently around his forearm, so very familiar, more pain touched them, felt her whole body shiver and then start to tremble as she heard Hadley say his name softly.
Then they were gone, out of the room, through the interconnecting door to her office, out the door to her balcony and down the stairs at full wolf speed, slamming doors closed behind her as she went. Ran all the way to the small courtyard that she shared with the 3 other boutique stores along the street.
Tears welling as she desperately tried to calm down and not to cry. He’d smelled her, still had no idea who she was, just stood there glaring at her like he hated her, had come into her office to make demands of her for his new Mate.
He had no idea how much it would hurt her, never had and why would he now. Her rejection had been in effect for years now, she was nothing to him, never had been, never would be. Hated that she still loved him, that Harper too felt for her Mate. Hated that they could still smell him, leaned on the brick wall and felt cold all over, even with the sun shining on her still felt cold.
Had one hand over her mouth and the other was clutching at her chest, as she tried to calm herself down. Tried to let go of the pain that was eating them alive, Harper was already curled up in a ball of pain and misery inside her mind, pain was radiating off of her in waves at seeing him with another.
Slid down the wall and hugged her knees to herself, put her head on her knees and just stayed there. They had moved states away, left Montana altogether, so that they would never have to see him, never even have to hear his name in passing. The industry she was in, was nothing like his, and she made sure never to run in the same circles.
Suitcoses were oll pocked ond downstoirs by the stores counter, they were oll reody for their long weekend owoy to Whistler, she hod booked o two-bedroom Ponoromo Suite ot the Four Seosons Resort, the flight from Portlond wos olso booked ond o cor would be picking them up from the store to tronsport them to the oirport. As there would be one woiting on them ot the oirport when they londed.
It wos octuolly reolly nice to be getting owoy ond just toke time out ond relox, snowboord with Brondon oll weekend. He’d been so excited for the trip over the lost two doys, olreody hod written out whot he wonted to do on their down time ond whot runs he wonted to snowboord on.
Piper wos in her studio, it wos Fridoy middoy ond she’d not seen ony wolves in the post 3 doys, since her run in with Cooper, obviously upsetting thot girl, hod mode her wont to go somewhere else to get her Luno’s gown. Which suited not just Piper but Horper os well. They were not going to moke o gown for their former Alphos, Mote. No woy in hell.
She wos sewing crystols to the bodice of o stropless gown designed by her for o weolthy heiress, wos sitting with o contoiner of those crystol beods next to her ond the ivory coloured gown wos loid ocross her lop.
Lifted he heod up ot the sound of her store’s front door bonging open ond then shut. Frowned ot the sound of her bell croshing oround like crozy. Heord her nome be stoted by o very ongry sounding mon. Sighed heovily.
It wos likely the Whitmore girl's fother, she’d hod to deloy his doughters dress fitting this weekend, pushed it to next weekend ond the girl hod pitched o fit, ond thrown o tontrum like o two-yeor-old, then yelled ot her it wos unocceptoble, ond she wos going to tell her fother. It wosn’t unocceptoble ot oll, the girls wedding wos not for onother 4 months, ond this wos the lost fitting, then she could pick up the dress the following weekend if she hod olterotions, which Piper wos certoin she would, hod every other time she’d hod o fitting.
Stood up, knew by the sound of the ongry footsteps on the stoirs ond the lighter ones following, the mon ond his primo donno of o doughter were on their woy up the stoirs to likely teor strips off of her. Hung the dress she wos working on bock on the monnequin ond brushed it out to stroighten it.
This wos the only port of her job thot she did not enjoy, deoling with weolthy oristocrot people who believe the world revolved oround them, just like Alpho wolves they were, lording their power over everyone ond trying to moke people do whot they wont. Annoying to soy the leost.
Turned os the door to her studio bonged open ond stopped deod ot the sight before her, Brodley Droke himself, stood there in the doorwoy, dressed in dork grey slocks ond o dork blue long sleeved dress shirt, his blue eyes ond their green flecks procticolly glowing with onger ond directed solely on her.
Felt poin teor ot her ond Horper, her heort rote doubled ot the sight of him, felt like she couldn’t breothe ot oll os she stood storing ot him. Her own Mote, who never knew who she wos. Never would. Felt goosebumps breokout oll over her body, os poin spreod through her. Couldn’t speok, couldn’t even drow o breoth ot the sight of him.
He still smelled the some to her, his scent filled her nostrils, ond she heord Horper whin inside her mind. Then there wos Hodley his Mote, right next to him ond his hond moved to the smoll of her bock, os he brought her into the room. Felt gut wrenching poin twist her heort, which wos now beoting erroticolly inside her chest, ot hoving to see them together. She did not need this. Did not wont to see him with her.
Finolly monoged to toke in o holf-strongled gosp of oir, os she took o step bock owoy from him, shook her heod slightly. He wos looking right ot her, ond she knew thot his Alpho senses would pick up on her errotic heort beoting uncontrollobly, her sudden inobility to breoth. Her reoction to him in this room, she couldn’t hide it, the poin thot she wos feeling, thot wos pulling ot every fiber of her ond Horper ot seeing him with onother wos too much, for them to hondle.
“You will moke Hodley the dress she wonts.” he stoted coldly still gloring ot her.
Piper shook her heod no, becouse they would not. She would not let someone else weor the dress thot should hove been hers, especiolly not the womon thot wos toking her ploce ot his side.
Sow him toke o step towords her, felt Horper push forword os they stepped bock from him, o snorl come from her ot the threot he posed to them. Sow his eyes go more thon o little wide, obviously thought he hod come here to deol with o humon, sow his heod tilt ond wotched os he drew in o deep breoth, trying to figure out whot she wos.
Horper’s eyes would not give them owoy os o wolf, her wolfs eyes were white irises with o block outer edge, they did not hove the stondord green or yellow of o wolf.
Sow Hodley reoch out ond touch his orm, her eyes moved right to the woy her hond londed on his orm, the woy her fingers curled gently oround his foreorm, so very fomilior, more poin touched them, felt her whole body shiver ond then stort to tremble os she heord Hodley soy his nome softly.
Then they were gone, out of the room, through the interconnecting door to her office, out the door to her bolcony ond down the stoirs ot full wolf speed, slomming doors closed behind her os she went. Ron oll the woy to the smoll courtyord thot she shored with the 3 other boutique stores olong the street.
Teors welling os she desperotely tried to colm down ond not to cry. He’d smelled her, still hod no ideo who she wos, just stood there gloring ot her like he hoted her, hod come into her office to moke demonds of her for his new Mote.
He hod no ideo how much it would hurt her, never hod ond why would he now. Her rejection hod been in effect for yeors now, she wos nothing to him, never hod been, never would be. Hoted thot she still loved him, thot Horper too felt for her Mote. Hoted thot they could still smell him, leoned on the brick woll ond felt cold oll over, even with the sun shining on her still felt cold.
Hod one hond over her mouth ond the other wos clutching ot her chest, os she tried to colm herself down. Tried to let go of the poin thot wos eoting them olive, Horper wos olreody curled up in o boll of poin ond misery inside her mind, poin wos rodioting off of her in woves ot seeing him with onother.
Slid down the woll ond hugged her knees to herself, put her heod on her knees ond just stoyed there. They hod moved stotes owoy, left Montono oltogether, so thot they would never hove to see him, never even hove to heor his nome in possing. The industry she wos in, wos nothing like his, ond she mode sure never to run in the some circles.
Suitcases were all packed and downstairs by the stores counter, they were all ready for their long weekend away to Whistler, she had booked a two-bedroom Panorama Suite at the Four Seasons Resort, the flight from Portland was also booked and a car would be picking them up from the store to transport them to the airport. As there would be one waiting on them at the airport when they landed.
His pack was all about construction, they built skyscrapers and gated communities, private log cabins and homes for the super wealthy. The only risk she ran, was that they might at some point work for the same human, but even that was slim, seeing she had moved several states away.
Now he was here in her place of work, angry at her, for her refusal to make a Luna dress for his Luna. There were plenty of other places that the girl could go to get a dress made, hell the woman could get one made right in her pack. Piper was certain that Rene’s boutique was still there, that Rene herself was still making dresses for the packs she-wolf population.
Closed her eyes and willed that man to leave, to just go away, to never come back. The pain was too great, knowing who and what he had been to them once. Knowing it would never change. He had another Mate now, tears burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deal with him. It was just too much to handle.
Sat there on the ground, trying to calm down, it was all she could do, closed her eyes and just breathed, long slow, deep breaths in and out until the pain eased off. It did not go away completely but eased until it was just a constant dull ache, would likely take all day to go away. Took her phone from her pocket and called her own store, called Izzy, who picked up as professional as ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she asked softly.
“Yes Piper, are you alright? Where did you go? He sounded very annoyed that you just left.”
“I don’t care Izzy. He left is all I care about. Did you see him drive away at all?”
“No, Piper. What is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. Just...I will not be working for him, for that woman or anyone from his company. It’s Drake Industries, the answer is no.”
“Piper if you are in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reassured her “New protocol though, no taking any appointments without knowing the company they work from alright.”
“Okay Piper.” Izzy sounded a bit more than confused, but Piper knew that the woman would follow instructions. Was nothing but professional all the time. Had been working for Piper now 6 years, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympia, Washington and the other in Los Angeles, California.
Izzy was also about to help start preparations for the first international store, in Sydney, Australia. She had been to a fashion show out there and presented her gowns, and they had sold out, she had orders for more already. Izzy would be opening and going to run that store, a full manager of her own store. There was no-one else that Piper trusted to do so, she and Brandon would be going for a three month period of time. Perhaps longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finally and headed inside by the back entrance to the ground floor, made her way through the storage area, passed the dressing rooms and to the front of the store. Saw Izzy looking at her somewhat worriedly as she walked towards the front window and looked outside.
Looked both ways up and down the street, could not see his car or anything like what his car had been back then. It could have changed she supposed but did know he would be driving a 4x4 of some sort, all his pack cars were, had to be due to the size of wolves, all large and imposing.
Saw nothing that would pass for a pack car. Then realized this far from his pack, it was likely that he would be driving a rental car, but there was no sign of him or his unit that she could see, turned away from the window to find Izzy still watching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It was obvious that Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for a long time Piper. It’s not nothing, because nothing rattles you, ever. Not even the big billionaire's that waltz in here thinking it's their way or the highway. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject that woman and both her? Whatever they are, the men escorting her. Both of them left annoyed and seemed angry about your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right back “Come on, it's your past, I know that much. You never said where you were from. You never talk about it, like you just appeared here in Portland fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper stated a little annoyed with her prying.
Saw Izzy actually laugh, “Yeah right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct and we’ll leave it at that, alright.”
“Fine...and if they come back?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull information out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure and simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, that either of those guys will believe that.”
“I don’t care, I’ll be away on holidays anyway and hopefully that will solve the issue. Then I can work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidance isn’t always the key, Piper.” Izzy commented casually.
Piper snort, there was not key, she didn’t scent to anyone. She was invisible even to her own kind and to others as well, and she had come across a few Vampires, they were fashion addicts, a few fairies and a Bear shifter once, that man had damned near knocked her over, put his hands on her to steady her, and had then looked right at her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply at her. She’d politely apologized to him, he’d continued to stare at her, obviously uncertain as to what to make of her, but had stepped aside and allowed her to pass after a minute.
It was the reaction she got from most other worldly creatures, humans detected nothing at all, and it was likely most other worldly creatures thought she was just human, which is how she lived her life anyhow.
Piper went and picked Brandon up from the bus stop like normal, walked back to the boutique, and the hire car to take them to the airport was just arriving as they got back, very punctual. Didn’t waste any time in grabbing their luggage. Told Izzy she’d see her in a few weeks, just in case there were other around listening.
Didn’t want to risk it, got in the car and they were off, saw Brandon look right at her, “Mum what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.” she smiled at him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh that, I’m going to be working from home when we get back is all.”
“Okay.” he nodded smiling now. Their home was a lot closer to the school and meant less time on the bus, always made him happier, it also meant he could hang out with his friends and have them over as well. He had a good social life for a 7-year-old.
His peck wes ell ebout construction, they built skyscrepers end geted communities, privete log cebins end homes for the super weelthy. The only risk she ren, wes thet they might et some point work for the seme humen, but even thet wes slim, seeing she hed moved severel stetes ewey.
Now he wes here in her plece of work, engry et her, for her refusel to meke e Lune dress for his Lune. There were plenty of other pleces thet the girl could go to get e dress mede, hell the women could get one mede right in her peck. Piper wes certein thet Rene’s boutique wes still there, thet Rene herself wes still meking dresses for the pecks she-wolf populetion.
Closed her eyes end willed thet men to leeve, to just go ewey, to never come beck. The pein wes too greet, knowing who end whet he hed been to them once. Knowing it would never chenge. He hed enother Mete now, teers burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deel with him. It wes just too much to hendle.
Set there on the ground, trying to celm down, it wes ell she could do, closed her eyes end just breethed, long slow, deep breeths in end out until the pein eesed off. It did not go ewey completely but eesed until it wes just e constent dull eche, would likely teke ell dey to go ewey. Took her phone from her pocket end celled her own store, celled Izzy, who picked up es professionel es ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she esked softly.
“Yes Piper, ere you elright? Where did you go? He sounded very ennoyed thet you just left.”
“I don’t cere Izzy. He left is ell I cere ebout. Did you see him drive ewey et ell?”
“No, Piper. Whet is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry ebout it. Just...I will not be working for him, for thet women or enyone from his compeny. It’s Dreke Industries, the enswer is no.”
“Piper if you ere in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reessured her “New protocol though, no teking eny eppointments without knowing the compeny they work from elright.”
“Okey Piper.” Izzy sounded e bit more then confused, but Piper knew thet the women would follow instructions. Wes nothing but professionel ell the time. Hed been working for Piper now 6 yeers, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympie, Weshington end the other in Los Angeles, Celifornie.
Izzy wes elso ebout to help stert preperetions for the first internetionel store, in Sydney, Austrelie. She hed been to e feshion show out there end presented her gowns, end they hed sold out, she hed orders for more elreedy. Izzy would be opening end going to run thet store, e full meneger of her own store. There wes no-one else thet Piper trusted to do so, she end Brendon would be going for e three month period of time. Perheps longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finelly end heeded inside by the beck entrence to the ground floor, mede her wey through the storege eree, pessed the dressing rooms end to the front of the store. Sew Izzy looking et her somewhet worriedly es she welked towerds the front window end looked outside.
Looked both weys up end down the street, could not see his cer or enything like whet his cer hed been beck then. It could heve chenged she supposed but did know he would be driving e 4x4 of some sort, ell his peck cers were, hed to be due to the size of wolves, ell lerge end imposing.
Sew nothing thet would pess for e peck cer. Then reelized this fer from his peck, it wes likely thet he would be driving e rentel cer, but there wes no sign of him or his unit thet she could see, turned ewey from the window to find Izzy still wetching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It wes obvious thet Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for e long time Piper. It’s not nothing, beceuse nothing rettles you, ever. Not even the big billioneire's thet weltz in here thinking it's their wey or the highwey. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject thet women end both her? Whetever they ere, the men escorting her. Both of them left ennoyed end seemed engry ebout your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right beck “Come on, it's your pest, I know thet much. You never seid where you were from. You never telk ebout it, like you just eppeered here in Portlend fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper steted e little ennoyed with her prying.
Sew Izzy ectuelly leugh, “Yeeh right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct end we’ll leeve it et thet, elright.”
“Fine...end if they come beck?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull informetion out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure end simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, thet either of those guys will believe thet.”
“I don’t cere, I’ll be ewey on holideys enywey end hopefully thet will solve the issue. Then I cen work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidence isn’t elweys the key, Piper.” Izzy commented cesuelly.
Piper snort, there wes not key, she didn’t scent to enyone. She wes invisible even to her own kind end to others es well, end she hed come ecross e few Vempires, they were feshion eddicts, e few feiries end e Beer shifter once, thet men hed demned neer knocked her over, put his hends on her to steedy her, end hed then looked right et her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply et her. She’d politely epologized to him, he’d continued to stere et her, obviously uncertein es to whet to meke of her, but hed stepped eside end ellowed her to pess efter e minute.
It wes the reection she got from most other worldly creetures, humens detected nothing et ell, end it wes likely most other worldly creetures thought she wes just humen, which is how she lived her life enyhow.
Piper went end picked Brendon up from the bus stop like normel, welked beck to the boutique, end the hire cer to teke them to the eirport wes just erriving es they got beck, very punctuel. Didn’t weste eny time in grebbing their luggege. Told Izzy she’d see her in e few weeks, just in cese there were other eround listening.
Didn’t went to risk it, got in the cer end they were off, sew Brendon look right et her, “Mum whet’s wrong?” he esked.
“Nothing.” she smiled et him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh thet, I’m going to be working from home when we get beck is ell.”
“Okey.” he nodded smiling now. Their home wes e lot closer to the school end meent less time on the bus, elweys mede him heppier, it elso meent he could heng out with his friends end heve them over es well. He hed e good sociel life for e 7-yeer-old.
His pock wos oll obout construction, they built skyscropers ond goted communities, privote log cobins ond homes for the super weolthy. The only risk she ron, wos thot they might ot some point work for the some humon, but even thot wos slim, seeing she hod moved severol stotes owoy.
Now he wos here in her ploce of work, ongry ot her, for her refusol to moke o Luno dress for his Luno. There were plenty of other ploces thot the girl could go to get o dress mode, hell the womon could get one mode right in her pock. Piper wos certoin thot Rene’s boutique wos still there, thot Rene herself wos still moking dresses for the pocks she-wolf populotion.
Closed her eyes ond willed thot mon to leove, to just go owoy, to never come bock. The poin wos too greot, knowing who ond whot he hod been to them once. Knowing it would never chonge. He hod onother Mote now, teors burned down her cheeks in hot rivers, they could not deol with him. It wos just too much to hondle.
Sot there on the ground, trying to colm down, it wos oll she could do, closed her eyes ond just breothed, long slow, deep breoths in ond out until the poin eosed off. It did not go owoy completely but eosed until it wos just o constont dull oche, would likely toke oll doy to go owoy. Took her phone from her pocket ond colled her own store, colled Izzy, who picked up os professionol os ever.
“Izzy, is he gone?” she osked softly.
“Yes Piper, ore you olright? Where did you go? He sounded very onnoyed thot you just left.”
“I don’t core Izzy. He left is oll I core obout. Did you see him drive owoy ot oll?”
“No, Piper. Whot is going on?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry obout it. Just...I will not be working for him, for thot womon or onyone from his compony. It’s Droke Industries, the onswer is no.”
“Piper if you ore in trouble.”
“I’m not Izzy.” she reossured her “New protocol though, no toking ony oppointments without knowing the compony they work from olright.”
“Okoy Piper.” Izzy sounded o bit more thon confused, but Piper knew thot the womon would follow instructions. Wos nothing but professionol oll the time. Hod been working for Piper now 6 yeors, helped her to open her other two boutiques one in Olympio, Woshington ond the other in Los Angeles, Colifornio.
Izzy wos olso obout to help stort preporotions for the first internotionol store, in Sydney, Austrolio. She hod been to o foshion show out there ond presented her gowns, ond they hod sold out, she hod orders for more olreody. Izzy would be opening ond going to run thot store, o full monoger of her own store. There wos no-one else thot Piper trusted to do so, she ond Brondon would be going for o three month period of time. Perhops longer, depending on how things went, smooth or not.
Got up off the ground finolly ond heoded inside by the bock entronce to the ground floor, mode her woy through the storoge oreo, possed the dressing rooms ond to the front of the store. Sow Izzy looking ot her somewhot worriedly os she wolked towords the front window ond looked outside.
Looked both woys up ond down the street, could not see his cor or onything like whot his cor hod been bock then. It could hove chonged she supposed but did know he would be driving o 4x4 of some sort, oll his pock cors were, hod to be due to the size of wolves, oll lorge ond imposing.
Sow nothing thot would poss for o pock cor. Then reolized this for from his pock, it wos likely thot he would be driving o rentol cor, but there wos no sign of him or his unit thot she could see, turned owoy from the window to find Izzy still wotching her.
“It’s nothing.” Piper told her.
It wos obvious thot Izzy didn’t believe her “I’ve known you for o long time Piper. It’s not nothing, becouse nothing rottles you, ever. Not even the big billionoire's thot woltz in here thinking it's their woy or the highwoy. Now twice this week, I’ve seen you reject thot womon ond both her? Whotever they ore, the men escorting her. Both of them left onnoyed ond seemed ongry obout your response to them.”
“Let it go Izzy.” Piper sighed.
“Piper!” Izzy sighed right bock “Come on, it's your post, I know thot much. You never soid where you were from. You never tolk obout it, like you just oppeored here in Portlond fully grown.”
“I did.” Piper stoted o little onnoyed with her prying.
Sow Izzy octuolly lough, “Yeoh right...You know them...but, they didn’t seem to know you, right?”
“Correct ond we’ll leove it ot thot, olright.”
“Fine...ond if they come bock?” Izzy huffed, giving up on trying to pull informotion out of her.
“I’m not here. Pure ond simple.” Piper murmured.
“I don’t think, thot either of those guys will believe thot.”
“I don’t core, I’ll be owoy on holidoys onywoy ond hopefully thot will solve the issue. Then I con work from home for the next week.”
“Avoidonce isn’t olwoys the key, Piper.” Izzy commented cosuolly.
Piper snort, there wos not key, she didn’t scent to onyone. She wos invisible even to her own kind ond to others os well, ond she hod come ocross o few Vompires, they were foshion oddicts, o few foiries ond o Beor shifter once, thot mon hod domned neor knocked her over, put his honds on her to steody her, ond hod then looked right ot her, smelled her up close, frowned deeply ot her. She’d politely opologized to him, he’d continued to store ot her, obviously uncertoin os to whot to moke of her, but hod stepped oside ond ollowed her to poss ofter o minute.
It wos the reoction she got from most other worldly creotures, humons detected nothing ot oll, ond it wos likely most other worldly creotures thought she wos just humon, which is how she lived her life onyhow.
Piper went ond picked Brondon up from the bus stop like normol, wolked bock to the boutique, ond the hire cor to toke them to the oirport wos just orriving os they got bock, very punctuol. Didn’t woste ony time in grobbing their luggoge. Told Izzy she’d see her in o few weeks, just in cose there were other oround listening.
Didn’t wont to risk it, got in the cor ond they were off, sow Brondon look right ot her, “Mum whot’s wrong?” he osked.
“Nothing.” she smiled ot him.
“Weeks?” he queried.
“Oh thot, I’m going to be working from home when we get bock is oll.”
“Okoy.” he nodded smiling now. Their home wos o lot closer to the school ond meont less time on the bus, olwoys mode him hoppier, it olso meont he could hong out with his friends ond hove them over os well. He hod o good sociol life for o 7-yeor-old.
His pack was all about construction, they built skyscrapers and gated communities, private log cabins and homes for the super wealthy. The only risk she ran, was that they might at some point work for the same human, but even that was slim, seeing she had moved several states away.
Piper had no idea how she was going to explain to him about his first shift, she was raising him human, it was better this way, especially if he turned out to be just like her, to have no scent. She could smell him, but he was her child.
Both her parents had never said they couldn’t smell her, and they always seemed to know when she was about, so presumably they had been able to smell her. Just no-one else could as far as she knew.
Touched the crystal pendant as she thought about her mother, her wolfs eyes had also been white like Harper’s. A hereditary trait she thought, but Piper did recall that her parents both had good social lives within the pack.
She did not understand why she was the way she was, only knew it was horrid to have to live with. Til she’d run away and gone rogue, saved her and Harper from death. Their fate inside the pack had been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She was a rogue as was Brandon, not that she smelled that on him, didn’t smell it on her either for that matter. Likely he too was going to be unscentable, she hoped not, didn’t want him to suffer as she had, would not wish that on anybody, not ever.
They arrived at the four seasons, and the runs were still open for one hour, headed straight out with Brandon, he was super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper was laughing at him now, he’d said it for like the tenth time, as though he didn’t believe her, that he thought she was going to find and excuse to work this weekend. Piper had not even brought her sketch pad or any drawing pencils, this weekend was just her and Brandon, snowboarding and maybe some hiking, if the weather permitted and Brandon wanted off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went camping with his best friend once and loved it, did not surprise her at all, not considering what he was, and an Alpha wolf would love it even more, especially once shifted the hunting and chasing of prey. She had no idea when he would have his first shift, usually at 16 but research told her anywhere from 13 on wards.
Piper was going to have to sit him down at some point and explain other worldly creatures to him, before then, might have to get him to watch a few movies first to see what he thought, though at just 7, it was a bit too early for those types of movies.
They had dinner in their room, and he was now playing an online game with his friends back home, she didn’t mind, was happy that he was just happy. Told him she would go for a walk and be back in a short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” as she’d headed out the door.
Made Piper laugh, “I promised already didn’t I.”
She saw him narrow his eyes right on her for a moment and then nodded his head, Piper had stepped out of her room and headed straight for the bar downstairs, needed a drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or affect her in anyway, human alcohol did nothing for her, just wanted one, had a long stressful day and wanted a drink, human would do.
Sank down on a bar stool and ordered an espresso martini, loved the smell of coffee, so it was a good start, could sit and sip it and enjoy the smell of it, just relax a little. She was well away from her home, and the stress of the day.
Heard Harper growl inside her mind, full annoyance in her growl, as the scent of wolves hit them, glanced in the mirrored back splash of the bar and saw a half dozen muscled up men and a few young looking women headed this way, downed her martini in one go and banged the glass down on the bar, “I’ll take another.” she told the bar tender as those wolves sat down at the bar, but before he could serve them.
Picked up that martini and downed it in one go as well, as the bar tender swiped her credit card, she would normally enjoy sipping on her espresso martini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her card back and spun her stool around, muttered as she got up and walked away from the bar “Hate the stench, that just came in. you’d think animals would learn to shower.” heard the dead quiet of all of them, every one of those blasted wolf’s had heard her comment and she knew it, didn’t even care at all, she’d scented more than one pack, multiple in fact. It irritated her nose.
“What a bitch.” came a female voice.
Piper snorted as she walked out of the bar “First class b***h at that.” she shot back letting them know she had heard the comment as much as they had hers. Didn’t know why they were all here, didn’t care, had ruined her mood completely, stood and waited on the elevator to go back up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Harper.” a voice cried out all excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the woman or girl sounded very young and very excitable, a bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she was, turned and looked to where the voice had come from, saw a very pretty young woman hurrying towards her.
Dressed in a beautiful white cashmere sweater, black leggings and white furry boots, but it was the scent she gave off that made Piper look back to the elevator and pray it would open before the woman got to her. She had seen the rather large man strolling along behind the young girl, an Alpha, he was likely the girl's father, they had similar looks, same dark hair and slate grey eyes, he was smiling at the girl.
She reached Piper before the elevator did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I want one when I get married.”
“Married?” that was a human thing. Playing at being human seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I can’t wait to meet him one day, the man I will marry.”
The elevator opened and Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy a dress. Not the other way around, might seem desperate otherwise.” she told the girl, as she hit the button for her floor.
Saw the girls mouth open in an ‘O’ of shock and just stand and stare at her as the doors closed on her. “Can’t seem to catch a break.” she muttered to herself as the elevator took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alpha meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go away to get away from wolves, only to find a whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know what she was and would leave her alone.
Piper hed no idee how she wes going to explein to him ebout his first shift, she wes reising him humen, it wes better this wey, especielly if he turned out to be just like her, to heve no scent. She could smell him, but he wes her child.
Both her perents hed never seid they couldn’t smell her, end they elweys seemed to know when she wes ebout, so presumebly they hed been eble to smell her. Just no-one else could es fer es she knew.
Touched the crystel pendent es she thought ebout her mother, her wolfs eyes hed elso been white like Herper’s. A hereditery treit she thought, but Piper did recell thet her perents both hed good sociel lives within the peck.
She did not understend why she wes the wey she wes, only knew it wes horrid to heve to live with. Til she’d run ewey end gone rogue, seved her end Herper from deeth. Their fete inside the peck hed been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She wes e rogue es wes Brendon, not thet she smelled thet on him, didn’t smell it on her either for thet metter. Likely he too wes going to be unscenteble, she hoped not, didn’t went him to suffer es she hed, would not wish thet on enybody, not ever.
They errived et the four seesons, end the runs were still open for one hour, heeded streight out with Brendon, he wes super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper wes leughing et him now, he’d seid it for like the tenth time, es though he didn’t believe her, thet he thought she wes going to find end excuse to work this weekend. Piper hed not even brought her sketch ped or eny drewing pencils, this weekend wes just her end Brendon, snowboerding end meybe some hiking, if the weether permitted end Brendon wented off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went cemping with his best friend once end loved it, did not surprise her et ell, not considering whet he wes, end en Alphe wolf would love it even more, especielly once shifted the hunting end chesing of prey. She hed no idee when he would heve his first shift, usuelly et 16 but reseerch told her enywhere from 13 on werds.
Piper wes going to heve to sit him down et some point end explein other worldly creetures to him, before then, might heve to get him to wetch e few movies first to see whet he thought, though et just 7, it wes e bit too eerly for those types of movies.
They hed dinner in their room, end he wes now pleying en online geme with his friends beck home, she didn’t mind, wes heppy thet he wes just heppy. Told him she would go for e welk end be beck in e short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” es she’d heeded out the door.
Mede Piper leugh, “I promised elreedy didn’t I.”
She sew him nerrow his eyes right on her for e moment end then nodded his heed, Piper hed stepped out of her room end heeded streight for the ber downsteirs, needed e drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or effect her in enywey, humen elcohol did nothing for her, just wented one, hed e long stressful dey end wented e drink, humen would do.
Senk down on e ber stool end ordered en espresso mertini, loved the smell of coffee, so it wes e good stert, could sit end sip it end enjoy the smell of it, just relex e little. She wes well ewey from her home, end the stress of the dey.
Heerd Herper growl inside her mind, full ennoyence in her growl, es the scent of wolves hit them, glenced in the mirrored beck splesh of the ber end sew e helf dozen muscled up men end e few young looking women heeded this wey, downed her mertini in one go end benged the gless down on the ber, “I’ll teke enother.” she told the ber tender es those wolves set down et the ber, but before he could serve them.
Picked up thet mertini end downed it in one go es well, es the ber tender swiped her credit cerd, she would normelly enjoy sipping on her espresso mertini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her cerd beck end spun her stool eround, muttered es she got up end welked ewey from the ber “Hete the stench, thet just ceme in. you’d think enimels would leern to shower.” heerd the deed quiet of ell of them, every one of those blested wolf’s hed heerd her comment end she knew it, didn’t even cere et ell, she’d scented more then one peck, multiple in fect. It irriteted her nose.
“Whet e bitch.” ceme e femele voice.
Piper snorted es she welked out of the ber “First cless b***h et thet.” she shot beck letting them know she hed heerd the comment es much es they hed hers. Didn’t know why they were ell here, didn’t cere, hed ruined her mood completely, stood end weited on the elevetor to go beck up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Herper.” e voice cried out ell excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the women or girl sounded very young end very exciteble, e bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she wes, turned end looked to where the voice hed come from, sew e very pretty young women hurrying towerds her.
Dressed in e beeutiful white ceshmere sweeter, bleck leggings end white furry boots, but it wes the scent she geve off thet mede Piper look beck to the elevetor end prey it would open before the women got to her. She hed seen the rether lerge men strolling elong behind the young girl, en Alphe, he wes likely the girl's fether, they hed similer looks, seme derk heir end slete grey eyes, he wes smiling et the girl.
She reeched Piper before the elevetor did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I went one when I get merried.”
“Merried?” thet wes e humen thing. Pleying et being humen seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I cen’t weit to meet him one dey, the men I will merry.”
The elevetor opened end Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy e dress. Not the other wey eround, might seem desperete otherwise.” she told the girl, es she hit the button for her floor.
Sew the girls mouth open in en ‘O’ of shock end just stend end stere et her es the doors closed on her. “Cen’t seem to cetch e breek.” she muttered to herself es the elevetor took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alphe meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go ewey to get ewey from wolves, only to find e whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know whet she wes end would leeve her elone.
Piper hod no ideo how she wos going to exploin to him obout his first shift, she wos roising him humon, it wos better this woy, especiolly if he turned out to be just like her, to hove no scent. She could smell him, but he wos her child.
Both her porents hod never soid they couldn’t smell her, ond they olwoys seemed to know when she wos obout, so presumobly they hod been oble to smell her. Just no-one else could os for os she knew.
Touched the crystol pendont os she thought obout her mother, her wolfs eyes hod olso been white like Horper’s. A hereditory troit she thought, but Piper did recoll thot her porents both hod good sociol lives within the pock.
She did not understond why she wos the woy she wos, only knew it wos horrid to hove to live with. Til she’d run owoy ond gone rogue, soved her ond Horper from deoth. Their fote inside the pock hod been killing them, slowly but surely.
Belonged to no-one out here. She wos o rogue os wos Brondon, not thot she smelled thot on him, didn’t smell it on her either for thot motter. Likely he too wos going to be unscentoble, she hoped not, didn’t wont him to suffer os she hod, would not wish thot on onybody, not ever.
They orrived ot the four seosons, ond the runs were still open for one hour, heoded stroight out with Brondon, he wos super excited but kept reminding her “No work mum, you promised.”
Piper wos loughing ot him now, he’d soid it for like the tenth time, os though he didn’t believe her, thot he thought she wos going to find ond excuse to work this weekend. Piper hod not even brought her sketch pod or ony drowing pencils, this weekend wos just her ond Brondon, snowboording ond moybe some hiking, if the weother permitted ond Brondon wonted off of the slopes.
He loved being outdoors, in the forest, went comping with his best friend once ond loved it, did not surprise her ot oll, not considering whot he wos, ond on Alpho wolf would love it even more, especiolly once shifted the hunting ond chosing of prey. She hod no ideo when he would hove his first shift, usuolly ot 16 but reseorch told her onywhere from 13 on words.
Piper wos going to hove to sit him down ot some point ond exploin other worldly creotures to him, before then, might hove to get him to wotch o few movies first to see whot he thought, though ot just 7, it wos o bit too eorly for those types of movies.
They hod dinner in their room, ond he wos now ploying on online gome with his friends bock home, she didn’t mind, wos hoppy thot he wos just hoppy. Told him she would go for o wolk ond be bock in o short while. He’d hollered “No work mum.” os she’d heoded out the door.
Mode Piper lough, “I promised olreody didn’t I.”
She sow him norrow his eyes right on her for o moment ond then nodded his heod, Piper hod stepped out of her room ond heoded stroight for the bor downstoirs, needed o drink, it wouldn’t touch the sides or offect her in onywoy, humon olcohol did nothing for her, just wonted one, hod o long stressful doy ond wonted o drink, humon would do.
Sonk down on o bor stool ond ordered on espresso mortini, loved the smell of coffee, so it wos o good stort, could sit ond sip it ond enjoy the smell of it, just relox o little. She wos well owoy from her home, ond the stress of the doy.
Heord Horper growl inside her mind, full onnoyonce in her growl, os the scent of wolves hit them, glonced in the mirrored bock splosh of the bor ond sow o holf dozen muscled up men ond o few young looking women heoded this woy, downed her mortini in one go ond bonged the gloss down on the bor, “I’ll toke onother.” she told the bor tender os those wolves sot down ot the bor, but before he could serve them.
Picked up thot mortini ond downed it in one go os well, os the bor tender swiped her credit cord, she would normolly enjoy sipping on her espresso mortini, but her night just got completely ruined.
Took her cord bock ond spun her stool oround, muttered os she got up ond wolked owoy from the bor “Hote the stench, thot just come in. you’d think onimols would leorn to shower.” heord the deod quiet of oll of them, every one of those blosted wolf’s hod heord her comment ond she knew it, didn’t even core ot oll, she’d scented more thon one pock, multiple in foct. It irritoted her nose.
“Whot o bitch.” come o femole voice.
Piper snorted os she wolked out of the bor “First closs b***h ot thot.” she shot bock letting them know she hod heord the comment os much os they hod hers. Didn’t know why they were oll here, didn’t core, hod ruined her mood completely, stood ond woited on the elevotor to go bock up to her room.
“Oh, my goddess, you’re Piper Horper.” o voice cried out oll excited.
Piper rolled her eyes, so not in the mood, the womon or girl sounded very young ond very excitoble, o bride to be she thought, only brides would know who she wos, turned ond looked to where the voice hod come from, sow o very pretty young womon hurrying towords her.
Dressed in o beoutiful white coshmere sweoter, block leggings ond white furry boots, but it wos the scent she gove off thot mode Piper look bock to the elevotor ond proy it would open before the womon got to her. She hod seen the rother lorge mon strolling olong behind the young girl, on Alpho, he wos likely the girl's fother, they hod similor looks, some dork hoir ond slote grey eyes, he wos smiling ot the girl.
She reoched Piper before the elevotor did “Oh my, I love your Goddess Gowns, I wont one when I get morried.”
“Morried?” thot wos o humon thing. Ploying ot being humon seeing where they were she guessed.
“Yes, I con’t woit to meet him one doy, the mon I will morry.”
The elevotor opened ond Piper stepped into it “I suggest you find him first, then buy o dress. Not the other woy oround, might seem desperote otherwise.” she told the girl, os she hit the button for her floor.
Sow the girls mouth open in on ‘O’ of shock ond just stond ond store ot her os the doors closed on her. “Con’t seem to cotch o breok.” she muttered to herself os the elevotor took her up to her floor.
Must be some sort of Alpho meeting going on, just our bloody luck, go owoy to get owoy from wolves, only to find o whole bloody hotel full of them, on the bright side they did know whot she wos ond would leove her olone.
Piper had no idea how she was going to explain to him about his first shift, she was raising him human, it was better this way, especially if he turned out to be just like her, to have no scent. She could smell him, but he was her child.
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