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My face hurts from smiling so much. The woman staring back at me from the floor length mirror is radiating joy. This is the first expensive dress I've ever owned. I was raised well off enough and left a little money from my mom when she passed, but never wealthy enough to own a dress like this or have the occasion to wear it to. We're getting ready for the benefit gala to raise money for omega shelters in New York. The theme is casino, so Connor got me a floor length, off the shoulder sleeveless evening gown. It's forest green satin and hugs my curves in a way that a dress only can when it's been perfectly tailored to your body. I feel sexy. Empowered. So freaking lucky to have found a pack that loves me and spoils me like this. I rub my hands over the soft material in a dreamy sort of daze. I'm about to go find my matching pumps when the musical clicking of heels on the marble floors has me turning to see Jade strut into the room.
My heart palpitates at the sight of her and perfume leaks out of me so strong she starts to purr in response, and a hungry look enters her eyes. She looks breathtaking in a fitted black spaghetti strap dress that dips into a deep V, showing off enough cleavage to make my mouth water. It's a shimmery black overlay with a nude lining so it looks like she's naked underneath where there isn't any black material. Her toned thighs tease me with each step, peeking through the double slit flowy bottom. Jade looks more suited to the red carpet than a lousy benefit gala.
"Omega," she growls when she reaches me and grips my throat to pull me into a plundering kiss. My head swims when she pulls back and grins at me. "You almost ready?" she asks.
"Yeah, I just have to find my heels." She steps back to look at me for the first time, and her smile drops. "What?" I ask, confused.
"That's what you're wearing?" Her frown deepens.
"Um...yes. This is the dress Connor got me." I turn around and look back in the mirror for any snags or stains that I might have missed.
"It's not very flattering, sweetie," she says in a gentle tone, stepping up behind me. Shock ripples through me, but I do a decent job of keeping the hurt off my face.
"You don't think it looks good?" I ask in a whisper, barely containing the whimper that's building at disappointing my alpha.
"It's a beautiful dress, and you know I think you're beautiful. It just makes your arms and hips look a little…well,big."
I look the dress over with new eyes, turning to the side to get a glimpse from every angle. I guess...maybe my butt does look a little too big. And therearedivots in my arms where the off the shoulder straps are a little tight. Tears sting my eyes, making my reflection blurry.
"Hey, it's okay. I've got a dress in my closet that is bigger and has sleeves. I can go get that, okay? No need to cry and ruin your pretty makeup," she says and saunters off towards her bedroom.
I strip out of the dress swiftly, no longer wanting to look at myself in it. Except, when I do, I'm faced with my almost naked body, and all my pudginess is on full display now. I never thought of myself as fat before. But now I can't help but compare myself to Jade who is built like a runway model. Stick thin with long, toned legs and almost no body fat.
"Got it. I grabbed this, too. Throw these on quickly, it's almost time to go," she says, handing me a dress that feels much heavier than the one I just had on. On top of it is a pair of Spanx that looks like it goes down to mid thigh and up the entire torso. My lower lip trembles, but I do as my alpha asks and start getting dressed. No longer excited about the gala and wishing I didn't have to show up on the arms of three incredibly good looking alphas when I look like their own fluffy omega charity case.
"Summer!" I jump out of my skin at the sound. When I realize I got lost in a memory and Ava is trying to get my attention, I refocus on her with a mumbled apology.
"Sorry, I zoned out. What'd you say?"
"I was asking if you'd try on the other dresses again and let me see them," she frowns. I realize she's holding one of the other dresses in her arm, and I start to shake my head.
"No, that's okay. I don't think I'll get one," I stutter, not wanting her to see how bad I look in them.
"Uh uh. No way. We are both getting dresses. Now get your ass moving and let me see the other dresses. I'm hungry!" Ava practically undresses me herself, yanking at the dress I have on. I huff, no wonder everyone that frequents The Hog’s Head is intimidated by her.For an omega, she sure has an alpha’s presence and sense of authority,I think to myself as I do as she says and try on the other dresses again.
Fourteen
Summer
We endedup each getting a dress at the store, just as Ava demanded. She looks phenomenal in hers, as I knew she would. It's not at all what I thought she'd go for though. I pictured Ava as a neutral color kind of girl; sexy, yet understated. Maybe something in all black to match her sharp and dangerous personality.
But she chose a neon pink mini dress with sequins everywhere. It's fun and flirty and eye-catching. I ended up going with the last dress I tried on. The black velvet spaghetti strap dress that I hated at first, but Ava convinced me looked too good not to buy, though she ooh'd and aah'd over all the other dresses, too. I'm still not sure about it, but I figure Jade took enough from me, I won't let her take a second more of my confidence.
At the checkout counter of the dress shop, we debated on what to eat. She suggested pasta, and I took my stomach rumbling at that time as confirmation. Back on the sidewalks, bags in hand, we are headed to acute little Italian placedown the road, as Ava put it. She's talking to me about her week at work, and I listen, laughing at the story of drunk patrons and bar disasters that happen during the week when I’m not there. A pop of color from a window display draws my eye as she chatters away. When I get a good look at the item behind the glass pane, my feet change direction, and suddenly, I'm walking into the store—almost against my will. But Ihaveto have it. Just the thought of walking by without buying it makes my skin tighten and anxiety assaults me.
I'm in the door and halfway to the display before Ava realizes I've stopped walking with her, and she's careening through the shop door, looking around for me. "Damn, Summer. Warn a girl," she admonishes. I can't seem to care, though. I've picked up the baby blue blanket and am rubbing it all over my face. I have to get my scent on it. The fabric is so incredibly soft to the touch—like how I imagine it would feel to fall through a cloud—and it's heavy, too. It's perfect. "Ooooh," Ava says softly, and then huffs a laugh at my expense, "your heat is coming up, huh?"
Ugh.
It has to be close. Within the next week or so probably. With the way my emotions are all over the place, how I'm basically ready to mount every member of Pack Whitlock when I see them, and my overwhelming need right now to nest, yeah. I'd say it's coming in hot. "Probably be pretty soon, yeah," I mumble in answer to her question.
"Well, come on then. Go buy the pretty blanket. I'm still hungry," she instructs, shooing me toward check out. Obliging her, I heft the thick blanket to the counter.
"Good choice," the genteel older lady says as she rings up my blanket. I balk at the high price but still hand over the cash for it. I pretty much burned through most of the money I ran with in the first few months. A few new clothes, shoes, rent, and food did not get very far with five grand. But I had a few bucks left. Enough to justify this purchase. It wasn't exactly a luxury item like the dress I just bought. An omega's nest can make all the difference during a heat. Having these comforts won't take away the ache I'll feel soon going through a packless heat, but it will lessen it. It'd be so much worse—unbearable really—if I didn't have a packora nice nest. One out of two doesn't sound too bad in the grand scheme of things.
"We've got matching pillows, too," the cashier says, pointing to the pillow section of the store that I walked by on my mad dash for the window display. I saw the pillows she was talking about almost immediately; drawn to those as well.
"How much?" I ask, almost sure I don't want to know. When she answers, my eyes go wide. "Just the blanket is fine."Bummer.Those pillows look just as soft and fluffy.
