MATED TO THE ALPHA AND HIS BETA - Season 5 Episode 72

Lanie

Why I’d thought taking a pair of cranky twins shopping for clothes and shoes was going to be a good idea the day after an all-night party, I could never know, but I was definitely cursing myself for it within the first half an hour. Not only did Alaina and Isaac complain and literally drag their feet as we went from shop to shop, we couldn’t make it more than a few feet down the sidewalk without being stopped.

I’d thought people would be curious about and want to meet Stella, of course, but I hadn’t quite counted on how many people wanted the chance to get close to their new Luna. Sure, I’d technically been the Luna before we left, but it had been for such a short time, and there’d been all that mess and confusion with the assigned mating. Gabriela had been the Luna for Xander after his father gave over the leadership to him, and the pack had been used to her.

Well, now they had me. I hadn’t realized how exhausting it would be to smile and engage with everyone from the people passing on the street to the cashiers and sales staff in the shops, to other customers…by the time we got out of the final store and were heading toward the ice cream shop where I’d promised my cranky twins we’d get a treat, my face ached from forcing the smiles.

“Come on, you two. Settle down or else we’re going right back to the house, and it’ll be nothing but broccoli for you both.” I scolded, but there wasn’t much force in my words; I wanted ice cream, too.

We found a booth toward the back and, fortunately, once we ordered our giant ice cream sundaes with all the extra toppings…people left us alone in peace. The twins dug in right away, but Stella only nibbled at hers.

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“You’ve been quiet all day. Was it too much for you, little star?” I kept my voice quiet, but the twins were so busy gobbling their sweet treat that they didn’t seem to be paying much attention to us.

She shook her head and licked the tip of her spoon. She’d chosen, not her usual vanilla or chocolate, but the more exotic black cherry chocolate alongside a scoop of butter pecan. Not a combination I thought I’d enjoy. I couldn’t tell if she was, either.

“People have been so nice. It’s just weird to feel them watching me all the time. Even if they’re not talking to me,” she said, then shrugged and dug her spoon deep into the ice cream. She took a bite and smiled. “Yum!”

She looked like an adult, but there was still so much childish joy in her that I had to smile back. I waved my spoon at her. “You didn’t get the chance to buy many new clothes.”

The twins had been so irritable that I’d had to keep my focus on them while leaving Stella to purchase her own items. Most of our packages had been sent on to the house so we didn’t have to carry them, but she had a few bags at her side. I leaned to take a peek into one, but it was so close to her that I couldn’t see what was in it.

“Did you at least pick out some pretty things? Whatever you got, it has to be better than wearing your old mother’s stuff.”

We both laughed, but our chuckles were a little strained. Stella looked the same age as me, if not maybe even a couple of years older. We were similar in size, but she was taller. My clothes didn’t fit her the same way.

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“I’m still deciding on my style,” she told me. “I guess I’m trying to figure out who I want to be.”

Something in those words rang a little off to me. I studied her face. “Nobody says that what you picked out today has to be it forever, Stella. You’re allowed to discover your own preferences.”

“It’s just that I grew up so fast,” she said in a low voice, not meeting my eyes. “I didn’t have time to learn about how to dress or style my hair or do my makeup or anything like that. Don’t girls usually

do all that with their friends or sisters?”

At that, my heart panged. My sister and I were only a year-ish apart in age…and it had been so long since we’d been able to hang out and do our hair and nails…I missed her.

“I’m going to have to invite your Auntie Selena to come over. She was always a lot more into fashion and makeup than I was.” My heart panged again.

Stella smiled. “That sounds like it would be fun.”

A figure appeared at the side of the table. The young woman could barely string a sentence together as she stumbled over her greeting to Stella. She was clearly overwhelmed at meeting a Celestial. I was proud of Stella, though. She handled the girl’s obvious star-struckness with poise and calm.

There was something shadowed in her expression, though. A sadness there I hated to see and wished I could take away.

“I’m fine, Mama,” she assured me, even though I hadn’t said a word. “Just learning exactly what it’s like when people find out what I am, that’s all.”

I wanted to believe that’s all it was.