Chapter 32: Bane of my existence

Two hours later, Alyssa emerged from the mansion alongside Pandora, both of them bundled up in matching snuggly hoodies, skinny jeans, and dark sunglasses. Alyssa had pulled her striking hair back into a high ponytail.

André was waiting beside the Rolls-Royce when they stepped outside. He offered a friendly nod to Alyssa before opening the door for her.

"Thank you," Alyssa smiled sweetly, sliding into the vehicle. The interior felt like an entirely different world, radiating wealth and luxury.

Pandora slid in right beside her, already texting furiously on her phone. A soft frown knitted her brows before she huffed out a frustrated breath.

"What’s wrong?" Alyssa asked, her voice laced with concern.

"It’s Anthony," Pandora rolled her eyes dramatically. "I swear, that man derives pure pleasure from getting on my last nerve."

Alyssa chuckled softly as André slipped behind the wheel and smoothly backed out of the long driveway.

"I’ve been meaning to ask," Alyssa said, shifting in her seat. "Are you two mates?"

"Mates?" Pandora exclaimed, her eyes widening instantly. "Hell no! I’d rather eat glass than be Anthony’s mate."

"Oh," Alyssa murmured in surprise. "I just thought... considering how close the two of you are."

Pandora made a mock-gagging face. "Anthony is the absolute bane of my existence. We grew up together, him, Dorian, and me, and he has spent the last century deliberately annoying me."

Pandora looked thoroughly pissed, but a telltale heat had rushed to her cheeks. Alyssa knew it certainly wasn’t from anger. It was a much deeper emotion, one that Pandora was desperately trying to hide.

"Do you like him?" she asked suddenly.

Pandora’s head snapped to the side, her eyes wide open. "What? Like him? I loathe him! I mean, don’t get me wrong. He’s a good friend and he protects me, but ughhhh! He is such a pain."

Alyssa could clearly see how hard Pandora was trying to mask the fact that she actually liked Anthony. It was as plain as day; even a ten-year-old would connect the dots easily.

She wondered if Anthony felt the same way toward her, and if Dorian knew about it.

The rest of the ride continued in a comfortable silence. Alyssa was stunned by the sheer beauty and elegant structure of the Northern pack. It was vastly superior to the South where she grew up.

The roads were perfectly paved and swept clean, with vibrant flowers spilling their sweet fragrance into the air. Rows of perfect apartment buildings aligned flawlessly on both sides of the road, separated by neatly trimmed hedges.

Back in the South, the roads were dusty and uneven. Most of the houses sat dilapidated, completely forgotten for years. Apparently, the Alpha of the South, Alpha Grayson, didn’t care at all about the well-being of his pack. Alyssa’s home had been one of the few houses that actually looked decent.

André eventually pulled into the parking lot of an enormous brick building, painted in a perfect blend of black and gold. A large sign at the top of the building read: Jenny’s Wardrobe.

Alyssa stepped out of the car, staying close to Pandora. A sudden wave of nervousness hit her, being out in the open this way.

Pandora noticed her anxiety and instantly shifted into her mama bear mode. "I promise, Alyssa. You’re completely safe with me. Whoever tries to come close to you will have to go through me first."

Alyssa laughed nervously, pushing her hair out of her eyes as the wind whipped it into a frenzy.

"That’s not why I’m nervous," she murmured softly. "I’m just not used to being in public spaces. People tend to give me weird looks because of my hair."

"Your hair is perfect," Pandora said without hesitation. "It’s the most beautiful shade I’ve ever seen. I would literally kill to have it."

Alyssa smiled, lowering her head shyly. "You’re just saying that to make me feel better."

"No, I mean it." Pandora clasped her hand tightly. "So what if people look at you? They’re probably just stunned by your beauty. Revel in it."

Alyssa burst out laughing. "You’re funny, Pandora. I’m so happy you came with me."

"We’re stuck to each other from now on," Pandora beamed happily. "So, are you ready?"

​Alyssa nodded, her blue eyes shimmering with anticipation. She clutched Pandora’s hand tightly as they walked toward the entrance doors, with André trailing securely behind them.

The first thing Alyssa noticed was how gigantic and highly organized the mall was. Shoppers moved about briskly, dragging carts, holding high-end bags, and a few yelled at their unruly kids as they hurried past.

No one turned to give her odd looks. A wave of profound relief washed over her when she realized that absolutely no one was paying attention to her.

"So," Pandora said, pulling her out of her thoughts. "What do you want to get first?"

"I don’t know," Alyssa admitted. "Dorian said to get anything I needed, and that means everything because I have nothing to my name. I don’t even know if I should buy a few things for the wedding, or if he will take care of it..."

"Wait, hold up!" Pandora reared back, her eyes almost popping out of her head. "What wedding?"

"Um," Alyssa frowned slightly, her breath catching. "Our wedding? Dorian and I. We’re getting married next weekend."

The more Alyssa spoke, the more Pandora’s eyes expanded until she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Oh," Alyssa laughed nervously, realizing she had spoken of something she wasn’t supposed to. "I’m guessing you haven’t heard it yet. He didn’t tell you."

"He certainly did not!" Pandora exclaimed. "Okay! You need to spill the tea right now. Spill! When did Dorian decide to dump Samantha and marry you?"

...

From the opposite upper section of the mall, two women were in the middle of shopping.

One possessed curly blonde hair, while the other wore a short, spiky dark cut. They looked like upper-class citizens from the luxury way they dressed.

The blonde one, Serena, casually looked up from her shopping bag and caught sight of Pandora on the other side of the mall. When her gaze fell on the unknown girl with black and red hair, she frowned deeply.

"Jenny, who is that girl with Pandora?" she asked her companion.

Jenny followed her line of sight and spotted Pandora with Alyssa.

"Oh, that must be the girl Alpha Dorian found a few days ago," she said.

Serena’s curiosity instantly piqued. "What girl?"

"Oh, just some girl he crossed paths with three years ago," Jenny explained, looking up from her phone. "People said he searched for her everywhere like a madman, until she turned up at his pack a few days ago, on the brink of death. According to the gossip the omegas shared, she’s wolfless."

Serena’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Always one for fresh gossip, she instantly knew that she had uncovered some sort of massive secret Dorian had been hiding.

From that distance, she spotted a black card clutched tightly in Alyssa’s hand. She didn’t need to add it up to know that it was Dorian’s platinum black card. He was the only one who owned it in the entire North.

Hmmmm. Why would he give a wolfless girl such an expensive card? Why was she here with Pandora?

​"I thought the Alpha King was supposed to marry Samantha," she pressed on.

"He was," Jenny said. "But people are whispering already. They think this new girl is slowly taking Samantha’s place."

Serena’s eyes lit up. This was premium gossip, and she had to share it with a particular someone immediately.

She pulled out her phone, swiped at the screen, and waited anxiously as it rang. It was answered on the second ring.

"Serena?" a male voice spoke from the other end.

"Hello, Joffrey," Serena smirked, already thoroughly pleased with herself. "I have some important information about your cousin, Dorian. And you will not believe what I just heard."