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She blushed, running her fingers down her dress. She suddenly couldn’t wait for Xander to see her in it.
After everyone had their freak out, she changed. She had a busy day ahead of her, and she couldn’t sit in the dress and ruin it. She hung it in the special cupboard in the closet, knowing it would be safe. It was her own personal closet, and Xander’s stuff was in there as well. No one was going to mess with it.
After she put everything away and thanked her sisters for talking with her and Harper, she started her day. Harper headed out with her.
She decided on lunch first and headed toward the kitchen. She had grown accustomed to people being around and greeted them accordingly. While some people were friendly, she knew other people still disliked her.
And there was a certain mean girl that was very vocal about her hatred. Vivian, a friend of the royal family, was quick with her tongue and showed no care if she offended the future queen.
Vivian was in the dining hall eating. Her bright green eyes slipped up when Lexi stepped in, and the area grew quiet.
Lexi could eat in her room, but she didn’t want to. She needed to be seen as a queen, and queens didn’t run away. So, she held her head high and walked toward a seat.
Harper went to grab their food, and she looked around. She smiled at a few people and waved. There were some there who had helped with the wedding planning. Some of the girls were overjoyed with the upcoming nuptials.
Some girls sat with her and discussed what they thought would look nice. She enjoyed having other people’s opinions. She liked knowing what others thought would look nice.
She felt Vivian’s eyes drilling holes into her. Lexi was trying to ignore it, but it grew harder when she walked up to their table.
“Afternoon, Lexi,” she chirped, a viper smirk on her face. “You seem in a good mood. Did you finally shift?”
A growl formed in the back of Lexi’s throat, but she contained it. She pulled her lips in and stared at Vivian. “Is there something I can help you with? If not, I’m busy.”
Vivian held her smirk. “Well, the girls and I were just worried. You know, having so much on your plate and everything. We were thinking of taking a run. Oh, wait.” She started to laugh. “You can’t shift. So terrible of me to mention it.”
She growled this time, gripping the table. She knew Vivian was saying it to get under her skin. “I’m to be your queen. I’d learn to hold my tongue if I were you.”
Vivian’s eyes narrowed. “You’re no queen of mine. You and I both know you’re unfit. You’re trying to play dress up, and soon it’s all going to fall apart. I, at least, will be honest to your face.” Vivian was trying to piss her off. She wanted to anger her, and it was working.
“Watch your tongue,” she growled back, angry now. “While I may not be able to shift, that doesn’t mean I can’t still kick your ass all the way to Sunday.”
Others stopped their conversation to listen in. Vivian was sure to catch others’ attention. The woman craved it.
She watched Vivian’s lips pull into a deep scowl. “I would love to see you try. You want to test that theory?”
She pulled herself out of her seat, squaring off with her. “I don’t need to test it to know it’s true. I’ve been training for years.”
“As have I,” Vivian snarled.
She narrowed her eyes and put a bit behind her words. “There is a difference. I’ve put grown men on their asses. Don’t think you’re any different. Unlike you, I know how to fight in human form. I don’t need claws or teeth to be dangerous. Remember that.”
Vivian growled, and she watched as Vivian readied to shift.
Suddenly Harper was there, standing next to her. “I’d take a step back if you know what’s smart.” Vivian still held her anger, but she took a step back. She looked at Harper for a moment before turning back to her.
Vivian turned on her heel, and Lexi held her breath. She heard others murmur around her, and she hoped it was good. She didn’t need anyone thinking she was weak.
She turned and reseated herself. Harper sat with her, placing their food down.
She was no longer hungry but knew she needed the food, so she forced herself to eat. She looked around the room and caught eyes on her, but they weren’t harsh. If anything, they looked proud of her.
After eating, she decided to head back to her room to get some cleaning done before meeting with Xander to finalize the menu for the party. The closer the engagement came, the more she realized what she still had on her plate to finish.
She had asked Harper to leave her for a while. She wanted some time to herself to just think. She needed to figure out how she was going to handle situations like the one with Vivian. She couldn’t fight everyone, nor did she want to. Somehow, she needed to earn their approval, but she didn’t know how.
While she knew that once she was queen, most would be inclined to like her, she wanted to make it happen her way. She didn’t want people to like her to her face and hate her behind her back. She sighed as she shut her bedroom door and wished for a nap. She decided against it since she really didn’t have the time.
Her eyes went to the closet, and she frowned. She didn’t remember leaving the door open. She was sure she had shut it. She walked over, pulling the door all the way open, and her eyes went to the large glass door where her party dress was hung. The door was half open, and fabric peeked out. Her stomach dropped. She knew for a fact that she had shut that door. She certainly wouldn’t have allowed any of the material to stick out and ruin the dress.
