The salesgirls were catering to Rosalie because she was the most important person in the Dark Moon pack. After all, she was betrothed to the Alpha. And so she was the most powerful she-Lycan who had a say in everything.
River sauntered down the aisles of dresses. She had to pick only one dress and so she was looking for something that was simple, yet unique and not too garish. Since she was alone, River decided to pick up a dress for Mia too. She noticed that Rosalie was picking up as many dresses as she could, mindlessly.
River walked down to the last aisle and saw a fuchsia gown with pearls adorning the neckline. It had a tulle skirt that fell until the knees. She took the dress out of the hanger and was evaluating it when all at once, she heard an excited gasp. When she turned to look over her shoulder, she found Rosalie looking at her.
“That dress! I love it,” Rosalie said to the salesgirl, pointing at the fuchsia dress River was holding.
River was taken aback. Was Rosalie keeping an eye on her? As far as she remembered, she was isolated and walking down the aisles on her own. Not a single sales girl was interested in her because they were all catering to Rosalie. Rosalie strode to her and started admiring it as she brushed its skirt. “This is so beautiful! So many layers of fabric.”
“Oh, yes, Lady Rosalie,” the salesgirl agreed, nodding vehemently. “In this dress you will look like a princess.”
“I want it!”
“But-” River said.
“Of course, Lady Rosalie!” The girl cut her off, glaring at her. “Don’t you know that she is the future Luna of our pack. She will have priority over all the dresses here.
River gaped at the two of them, but she gave the dress to Rosalie. “Yes, you are right,” she said in a meek voice trying her best not to garner attention. “This dress is appropriate for a princess like you.” River’s gaze swept on the fuchsia dress in her hands and thought how gaudy it would look for the party. She wouldn’t have worn it in her pack even if she was called for an April ****Day party.
Rosalie grabbed it from River, flipped her hair in style at the back of her shoulder and walked out of that aisle.
Taking a deep breath in, River trudged to another aisle that was filled with evening gowns that were even more extravagant. Just to check her intuition, she placed her hand on an orange dress with gold embroidery all over. And as she predicted, Rosalie came running for it and said, “This one is even more beautiful than the first one! Can you please pack it for me?”
“Sure, Lady Rosalie!” the salesgirl chirped. Then she glared at River and snatched the hanger from her hand.
River pursed her lips to stifle her laugh and turned to the next aisle. For a long time, she just kept roaming and not picking up anything. She knew that whatever she would pick up, Rosalie would end up taking it from her. It was as if Rosalie was not going to let her buy any dress for the evening and make her go in the same dress that she was wearing now.
River had been through these situations so many times with her sister that she understood how psychology of girls like her worked.
The twins, Mina and Gina were admiring Rosalie’s dresses while they too had picked up dresses for themselves which River knew would all go on Alpha Hunter’s card. Though, in the morning she had saved his card from Rosalie, she couldn’t save his money. Well, it wasn’t her business either….
“Have you picked up a dress for yourself?” Rosalie asked in an irritated tone after a while. “I don’t have all the time in the world for you. If you haven’t, we are leaving. You can kiss your dress goodbye!” Saying that she walked to the counter where the twins were already standing and glowering at River. “Get that card here!” Rosalie shouted.
River gave the card to Faria, who took it to the counter. Rosalie plucked it from her rather rudely.
Happy with her purchase and her plan to sabotage River’s shopping, Rosalie gave the card to the brunette on the counter. Few moments later, the brunette peeped over Rosalie’s shoulder and said to someone behind her, “Will you be adding the bills of those two dresses to this card?”
Rosalie whipped her head back and saw River standing with two very beautiful dresses. One was a light sapphire blue and the other a carnation pink. Both were silk and had delicate embroidery on them. Rosalie’s face looked like she had eaten lemon.
“Yes please,” River said, giving the dresses to the girl.
“Sure!” The brunette replied cheerfully. “Lovely choice,” she grinned. “They had just come yesterday. You picked up the trendiest ones.”
“Thank you,” River said softly.
She knew that Rosalie was picking up every dress that she liked, so she placed her hands on the most outrageous ones. Rosalie grabbed away all those dresses from her. River had already seen these two dresses in one of the aisles and
thought of getting them in the last. Her strategy worked. Now she had one for herself and one for Mia.
Rosalie was growling and with a very bad temper when she came out of the boutique. If looks could ****, she was sending daggers to River.
As for River, she sat in the car meekly with the card that was returned to her. Mina and Gina decided to travel with Rosalie. As Faria sat down, she said, “When did you choose those dresses?”
“Long back,” River gave a short reply.
“They are elegant,” she murmured.
“Thanks.”
They all ***to the castle back in absolute silence. Rosalie, along with the twins left in a huff. “I have so much to do, unlike breeders who only have to bake babies in their ovens.”
River’s mood dipped at pure ****. Rosalie was just like Brianna She didn’t leave a stone unturned to humiliate her. All River hoped was that she wasn’t beaten up by Alpha Hunter when Rosalie complained.
At the castle, Faria escorted River back to her room and said, “I will be taking you for the ball in the evening. For that I will come to prepare you.”
River gave her the pink dress and said, “Please give it to Mia.”
Faria looked at her with wonder. She became quiet and a moment later said, “You should give it to her. She will like it.”
“Oh, okay. But when will she return from school?”
“She will be back by 3PM.”
It was only 1PM.
Faria didn’t stay long. She hung the dresses in her small closet and went away.
What happened next was something River wasn’t ever prepared for.
