Chương 23: Chapter 23: Trial by Retail
MAEVE
Let's get one thing straight: shopping has never been my idea of a good time.
But when five she-wolves and Zane, the honorary member of the girls' club, show up on your doorstep, brimming with excitement and practically wagging their imaginary tails over an impending "transformation," it's hard to say no.
Or maybe it's just hard to out-sass them before they haul you out the door.
"Think of it as… a bonding experience," Zara said, looping an arm through mine as we strode down the sidewalk toward a row of shops.
The two of us actually knew each other. She was Liam's friend, and one of a few who knows about our relationship. "I mean, you don't want us to think you're hopelessly dull, right?"
"Bold of you to assume I care what you think," I replied with a smirk. But in truth, I was curious.
These women were my unofficial jury — a pack of wolfish women who'd known Ronan since forever and who also knew more about Liam than I probably ever would.
Ahead of us, Leila and Zane exchanged a look. "I think she just challenged us," Leila said, her voice full of dangerous glee.
"Oh, she's in for it now," Zane agreed, crossing his arms with a grin that was more daring than playful. "Ladies," he added, holding his hand to his chest with mock seriousness, "I believe it's time to enter serious makeover mode."
"What have I gotten myself into?" I muttered under my breath, although I couldn't keep from laughing.
Leila, who looked like she'd walked straight out of a yoga retreat for only the exceptionally beautiful, turned around with a knowing smile.
"You know, we don't usually get to do this kind of thing. Isabelle always liked to… handle it herself."
I raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Oh, don't get us started on that one," Zane chimed in with a wry smile. "She was the total opposite of you, Maeve. All polish, no personality. I mean, I'd try to start a conversation about some basic bonding stuff — like favorite movies or anything fun — and she'd go on about the 'energy' it was going to disrupt."
Anna snorted, barely able to contain her laughter. "She actually told Leila her aura was 'too intense' once. I thought she was going to start handing out sage smudges to everyone in the pack."
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "So, I take it Isabelle wasn't exactly a pack favorite?"
"Oh, she was alright," Zara said, shrugging. "But she never let loose with us. We'd invite her to girls' nights, and she'd always have some important spell she had to tend to. Apparently, she was, uh… busy with her mystical calling."
"I think we intimidated her," Leila said, her eyes bright with amusement. "She could handle Ronan, but a few she-wolves who actually, you know, talk to each other? That seemed to rattle her. Which is probably why it's so refreshing to have you around."
Honestly, they weren't wrong. Isabelle had never seemed to click with the pack the way they had hoped. I'd seen it myself during the wedding prep — she'd started out eager enough, throwing herself into the planning with that spell-bound intensity. But as the months wore on, that spark dulled, and it was like she was just going through the motions, her coven swooping in to make decisions while she looked… almost bored. By the end, she was barely present, as if she'd already moved on to the next thing in her mind.
I felt myself relax a little, trying not to let on that I was genuinely touched by the approval. I wasn't exactly here by choice, but if I had to be the new Luna — even if only temporarily, if it is still possible — at least it didn't mean sticking out like a sore thumb.
"Well, if that's your standard for 'refreshing,' I'd hate to see what 'unbearable' looks like," I replied, grinning as we finally stepped into the first store.
Zara clapped her hands, gesturing grandly toward racks of designer clothes that practically screamed 'untouchable price tags.' "Alright, Maeve. Time to ditch the biker look and see what we can work with here."
"Oh, good," I said dryly, eyeing a dress that looked like it belonged on a doll rather than a human. "Because if there's one thing I've always thought I was missing, it's a sequined romper."
"You'll look amazing in it," Zane countered with a sly grin, already holding the garment out to me. "Try it on. It's not even a suggestion. This is non-negotiable."
I shot him a dubious look but took the outfit, half-resigned to the fact that resistance was futile. I trudged into the dressing room, slipped into the sparkly number, and stepped out to see the group's reaction. The wolves' collective jaws practically hit the floor.
"Oh my god, she actually did it," Anna gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. "And it looks good. I didn't think anyone could actually pull off a romper with this much… glitter."
I glared at her through the mirror, crossing my arms. "I feel like I belong in a 90s boy band music video. Next?"
The room exploded with laughter as I retreated into the dressing room, peeling off the romper and hanging it as far out of sight as possible.
When I came back out, Zane was already holding another option — this time, a sleek black dress with a dangerously low back.
"Now, this," he said, dangling it in front of me, "screams mysterious Luna."
"Mysterious and Luna are probably the last two words I'd use to describe myself," I muttered, but took the dress anyway.
"Mysterious and Luna are probably the last two words I'd use to describe myself," I muttered, but took the dress anyway.
I stepped into it, and I had to admit, this one was… different. It felt sophisticated, powerful even, and the way it clung in all the right places had me almost, almost convinced that maybe I didn't look like a fish out of water.
When I came out, Leila's eyes lit up. "Now that's more like it! If you show up at the gallery looking like this, the press will be eating out of your hand."
I couldn't help but laugh. "I think they're more likely to eat me alive, but thanks for the vote of confidence."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Trust us. Ronan will be speechless."
"Oh, if only," I said, smirking. "That would be worth every penny of this overpriced thing."
Leila tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Speaking of Ronan, how's that going? I mean, it's not exactly every day the Alpha ends up married to a human. A little unconventional, don't you think?"
Understatement of the century. I shrugged, trying to keep my tone casual. "It's… complicated."
Zane grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Complicated as in 'there's constant tension,' or complicated as in 'you can't decide if you want to strangle him or kiss him'?"
"Both," I replied before I could stop myself, "usually within five minutes."
The words tumbled out, slipping past my usual guard, and they all burst into laughter. Crap. The realization of what I'd actually said hit me just a second too late. I wanted to backtrack, downplay it, but they were already leaning into my accidental confession with merciless delight.
"Oh, she's got it bad," Zara teased, nudging me with her elbow, her expression both delighted and wicked. "Let me guess, you're already imagining him with one of these dresses bunched up around your—"
"Alright, alright," I interrupted, practically waving my hands in surrender, feeling the heat crawling up my neck. I shot her a look, half-shocked, half-amused. "Do I have to pull my Luna-thingy on you?."
My reaction only seemed to fuel their laughter, and Zane leaned in, eyes gleaming. "Hey, no shame. The guy's gorgeous, broody as hell, and—did you know he hates thunder? Like, the moment it starts, he locks himself up in his room."
I blinked. Ronan? The all-powerful, growling Alpha, hiding from thunder like a kid? "You're kidding."
"Oh, it's a real thing," Leila chimed in, clearly delighted by my surprise. "The whole pack knows. When a storm's rolling in, if he can he's out faster than you can blink. Nobody dares mention it, of course, but we all know. It's like an unspoken rule."
I laughed, the image of Ronan — Mr. Control Freak Alpha himself — escaping from a little thunder too ridiculous not to enjoy. "Well, that's… strangely endearing," I admitted, grinning despite myself.
Their laughter echoed around me, light and infectious, and in that moment, I felt all my worries and the tangled mess of my life with Ronan fade into the background.
For once, I wasn't Maeve the reluctant bride, the temporary Luna, or the human dragged into a world she didn't belong to. I was just Maeve, sharing ridiculous secrets with women who, shockingly, seemed to like me for who I was.
They weren't here for alliances or some "Luna charm" show. They were here because, somehow, in this chaotic pack, I fit in.
For a moment, I marveled at how easy it was to just be with them. And as I laughed, Zara's earlier teasing struck me again. She knew about Liam and me — yet here she was, making jokes about Ronan as if she was… completely fine with it. It left a strange warmth mingling with my unease.
As I was mentally congratulating myself for surviving so far, Meera stepped forward, holding a dress that was somehow both classy and daring, with a dark emerald color that caught the light beautifully.
"Maeve," she said, her voice a little quieter than the others, "this one… I think this one might be perfect for tonight. Plus," she added with a wink, "it's a personal favorite of mine. And as your personal guide to the gallery, I have an obligation to make sure you're dressed like a queen."
I took the dress, feeling an unexpected wave of warmth at her words. "I appreciate it. Really," I said, feeling almost shy. "You didn't have to… you know, make this whole thing so painless."
Anna threw an arm around my shoulders. "Oh, we absolutely did. You're our Luna now, like it or not, and that means you're one of us. Isabelle never wanted that — she acted like she was above it. But you? You fit in just fine."
I swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in my throat and nodded. "Well, I guess if I'm going to survive this new life, I'd rather do it with people like you in my corner."
"Oh, she's softening up on us," Zane teased, nudging my shoulder.
"Don't get used to it," I shot back, but I was smiling.
We eventually moved to a cozy café for a break, the group filling the booth with laughter and inside jokes. Somewhere between bites of overpriced scones and sharing horror stories of failed dates disasters, I realized I was genuinely enjoying myself.
These women weren't just Ronan's pack — they were a family. And weirdly enough, they'd taken it upon themselves to treat me like one of their own.
As we finished our drinks, Zara leaned in with a wicked grin. "So, Maeve, hypothetically speaking… if you had to choose between Ronan and Liam—"
"Oh no. We're not doing this," I said, but they all ignored me, leaning in with eager expressions.
"Come on," Anna urged, her eyes dancing with mischief. "We're dying to know — Ronan, the intense broody Alpha, or Liam, the charming wildcard?"
I groaned, waving my hands in protest. "You're asking me to pick between the lesser of two headaches."
Zane gasped, clutching his chest dramatically. "Lesser of two headaches? You're married to the Alpha, Maeve! You can't just call him a headache."
I leaned back, crossing my arms with a grin. "Oh, can't I? If you all spent a week in my shoes, I promise you'd be using way harsher words."
Leila leaned in, her eyebrows raised. "Maybe, but I'm not sure I'd call that man a headache. Ronan's got that classic appeal, you know? Silent strength, dangerous looks… you could say he's the whole dark romance package."
"Sure," I shot back, "if your idea of romance is someone who frowns about 90% of the time. The other 10%? Probably checks his fur for fleas."
The table erupted in laughter, and I joined in, the sound of it lighter than anything I'd felt in days. I could admit, as far as interrogation tactics went, this wasn't too bad.
"Don't act like you don't find him interesting," Zara smirked. "We saw the way you looked at him during that last dance party at the townhall."
"Oh, yeah?" I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms defensively. "And how was that, exactly?"
"Like you were plotting his downfall," Lila chimed in, her grin wicked. "But there's more to it. Trust me, Maeve — we can tell. You might think you're giving him a headache, but he doesn't mind one bit."
I rolled my eyes, but they didn't miss the hint of color creeping up my cheeks. "Fine. Maybe he's… tolerable. Occasionally."
Zane leaned in with that signature smirk. "So, tolerable, huh? Does that mean you'd still pick him over, say… Liam?"
Anna's fingers drummed on the table, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Careful, Maeve. Half the supernatural community — and probably a good slice of the human one, too — would jump at a chance with Liam."
I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Oh, don't I know it. Believe me, I'm probably Public Enemy Number One to a few hopeless romantics out there." I paused, and after a moment added, "And just so it's clear, that story with Liam? Closed book. Anyone who wants him can have him. I'm married now, like it or not, and the last thing I'd do is cheat. What kind of person do they think I am?"
Zane gave me a look, eyes bright with approval, as if my answer had hit the mark. He nudged me with a grin, his tone light. "Relax, Maeve. They know better now. And, honestly? You're probably too much for most of them to handle anyway."
I raised an eyebrow. "'Too much to handle?' Is that code for 'I have a big mouth' or something?"
They nodded in perfect, shameless unison, laughter bubbling up and filling the space around us. "Exactly," Zara said, patting my shoulder. "And we wouldn't have it any other way."
Their laughter — and the sense of welcome and ease it brought — stirred a warmth inside me that I hadn't felt in ages.
Here I was, bantering with a group of werewolves like old friends. Somehow, in the middle of all this craziness, I'd found something I didn't even know I'd been missing.
"All right, Maeve," Anna cut in, bringing the focus back as she met my gaze. "So if Ronan's not just a headache, then tell us — what actually keeps you around?"
My mouth opened with a quick retort, but then I paused, caught off guard by the question. It was easy enough to joke about Ronan's brooding, his heavy silences, his inexplicable, Alpha-style quirks. But… what was it, really?
I couldn't exactly say that I had no way of escaping right now - but at this point I wasn't really sure if that was still the case.
"Honestly?" I said, feeling more exposed than I intended. "It's probably that he respects me. I mean, he drives me crazy, but he doesn't expect me to change. He just… lets me be." I shrugged, feeling the weight of that truth settle. "I've never really had that before."
They exchanged knowing glances, and Zara leaned in, smirking like she knew exactly where this was headed. "See? It's because he likes it, Maeve. You think he's tolerating you, but he's loving every second of that back-and-forth. Trust us."
I scoffed, brushing it off, but the warm flutter in my stomach said otherwise. Before I could dwell on it too long, Meera slid a dress bag onto the table, pulling me back to the moment.
"Now, Maeve, this is our pièce de résistance for tonight," she said with conspirational tone, pointing to the green dress." You'll have Ronan — and every camera at that gallery — eating out of the palm of your hand."
"And don't say anything." Leila added. "Just show up and knock them dead. We'll be there too, making sure you have backup. Especially if the press gets nosy."
"And if anyone tries comparing you to Isabelle," Zane added with a wink, "we'll set them straight."
I couldn't hold back a grin. "You're all way too invested in this. Wasn't this just supposed to be a shopping trip?"
Zara held a hand to her chest, mock-offended. "Excuse us, but we're here to defend our honor, not just yours. A Luna who can hold her own makes all of us look good."
By the time we finished, the car was stuffed with bags, and we were chattering like old friends, swapping inside jokes and impossible pack stories. They'd stripped down every defense I'd put up, inch by inch, tugging me into the fold through their warmth and wit.
I hadn't expected to feel so light or find myself… happy.
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