Chapter 11

Harper’s POV

I stood there feeling alone and foolish as Levi leaned in to kiss her cheek. She was gorgeous, a statuesque beauty with gleaming auburn hair, practically dripping in poise and grace. Even fully glammed out in my wedding look, I felt insignificant the moment she walked in the room.

The name, Avery, tickled at the back of my mind. As she stepped into Levi’s embrace and pressed her red painted lips to his cheek, I remembered.

Last night, his car – the invitation. My stomach swooped low in my gut, but I forced myself to smile calmly.

“Avery, the one from the invitation,” I said, stepping off the pedestal and offering my hand. The one Levi was marrying. “C-congratulations.”

She ignored my hand and turned to Levi, slapping him playfully on the chest. “You know I was just messing around, no one was supposed to see the prototypes!”

A spark of something too close to hope lit in my chest. “SO those weren’t wedding invitations?” I asked, too quickly.

Levi’s eyebrows rose and he started to answer, but Avery spoke first. “Well not yet,” she said with a smile, looping her arm through his. “I was just playing around with engagement announcements, but we'll be making things official soon, right hon? It's never too early to start planning.”

The hope guttered as Levi smiled down at her. “Like I said, if you want to spend time playing with font design, have at it.”

Avery let out a girlish giggle, slapping his chest again. For a brief moment, I imagined grabbing that hand and ripping it away from him – but that was crazy.

I was crazy! Levi was basically my father, I shouldn’t be jealous of his future wife!

They’re technically not engaged yet.

Okay, I needed to get out of here now. “Well it was great to meet you,” I lied, turning for the dressing room. “I’m done, so –”

“Oh sweetheart,” Avery said, letting Levi go to come closer to me. She eyed my dress, then my back in the mirror and said sweetly, “Don’t worry! I was going to look at dresses too, I’ll help you find the one.”

My cheeks burned as she started pulling off her jacket, handing it and her purse to Levi. This was my dress. I’d tried on dozens with Vera and my friends and at the time, I loved this one. The sweeping mermaid silhouette hugged my curves, the beading sparkled just enough, it was everything I’d dreamed of. It had made me feel beautiful, like a bride. But the way she looked at it, at me …

What do you care, you’re not marrying him anyway! Right. So what if she didn’t like the dress, my plan was to get the hell away from Mason at my next chance.

“Ave, come on,” Levi said, shaking his head. “We’re just finding you a dress for the wedding, not a wedding dress. We have plenty of time, and this is Harper’s appointment.”

I felt a pang of sadness at his words. So that was the real reason he’d come. To find a dress for her – Wait.

“My wedding?” I asked, frowning. “I thought you couldn’t come.”

Levi’s eyes pierced through me, searching. “Plans may change.”

For some reason, my heart skipped in my chest. Then Avery stepped between us, beaming.

“Come on, come on, back in the dressing room!” She grabbed my shoulders and spin me around steering me for the door so fast I almost slammed into it. “I saw the cutest dress in the show room. You’ll look like a princess.” As I shut the door, she added quietly, “And it’ll hide your shape so much better!”

I winced, but… she was trying to help. It had to be intimidating, marrying someone with a grown daughter. Maybe she just wanted to try to do the mom thing for Levi’s benefit. I guess I could try on some dresses with her. It could also give me another shot at escaping if I played things right, so it was worth it.

Nothing else mattered.

The first dress Avery pulled for me was a poofy monstrosity. But she insisted, so I put it on and stepped out, feeling like an overgrown cake topper.

Levi crossed his arms and said nothing. Loudly. Avery cooed, leading me to the pedestal, “Soo isn’t it just darling?” she actually fluffed it more, but then tutted two seconds later. “Actually, its’ just too much dress for you isn’t it? I didn’t realize yow short you are, that’s on me!”

I forced myself to smile. “Yeah, I never really liked the fuller skirts like this.”

“You’re absolutely right, they can really add where you don’t need it. Heard loud and clear.,” Avery said dutifully, shoving me back towards the dressing room. “I already know what you’ll try next!”

My face burned, but I forced myself to calm down. She was just truing to help.

The next time I came out, Avery was in a wedding dress too. It was sleek and understated – and similar to my original dress, without the beading. I just gritted my teeth as I stepped up next to her in the ruffled monstrosity she gave me.

“I do love the silhouette, don’t you, Levi?” she asked. His eyes bounced to me. Catching it, Avery turned and smiled again. “Oh Harper, honey, you inspired me, what do you think?”

I dredged up a grin from somewhere and nodded. “It looks great on you, really. I’m not sure about this one?”

“Oh, but seemed so you,” she said sweetly, stepping down to come fluff the fabric on my stomach. “And look here, around the waist, it disguises all that nicely, see? And you’re not spilling out the top of this one, finally!”

Shame burned through me. I couldn’t look at my reflection, and hardly noticed when Josh stepped back in the room.

“What the hell are you doing?” He demanded. It seemed he’d finally dropped the friendly mask. “We weren’t supposed to be this long.”

I drew back from the ire in his voice. Before I could respond, Mason stepped between us, eyes narrowed.

“Let’s step outside, son.”

Josh scoffed. “And who the hell are you?”

Without missing a beat, he responded, “Levi White Fang. And I’d like to talk to you about the Ridgewood Pack – outside.”

Josh widened his eyes and clenched his jaw, but didn’t have a choice now. “... Ok, sir. Don’t go anywhere,” he warned me, then headed out with Levi.

The moment we were gone, Avery’s hand wrapped around my arm like a vice, so tight I gasped in pain.

“Don’t you ever forget your place with him,” she hissed in my ear. I tried to yank back, but she held fast. “You’re just the adopted daughter he didn’t want in the first place. And since you’re getting married now, you should be worrying about your own family. Don’t get too close to Levi.”

She finally released me and I stumbled back, shocked and hurt.

“You don’t own him.” It was all I could think to say.

“We’ll be engaged soon,” Avery said assuredly. Then she gave me a poisoned smile. “Maybe we’ll even announce it at your wedding! Wouldn’t that be special?”

Irritation sparked through me, but I reminded myself there wasn’t going to be any wedding. Hopefully me disappearing will overshadow their engagement. I let the petty thought be enough.

Besides, what right did I have to fight with Levi’s fiancé?

So I just turned back for my dressing room, done playing her game. “Well, I wish you both happiness.”

Levi’s POV

Something was definitely off with Harper and this beta. Especially if he felt comfortable talking to her like that in front of strangers.

“Why isn’t Mason here?” I demanded.

Joshua frowned. “I told you, it’s against pack tradition for him to see the dress before the wedding.”

I swallowed a growl. I couldn’t argue that. But that didn’t excuse or explain the lack of respect I witnessed.

“I understand,” I said smoothly, forcing my face into friendly lines. “So how are Harper and mason doing?”

The beta narrowed him eyes and just said, “Great of course, why wouldn’t they be?”

I shrugged. “I know wedding planning can be stressful. They fought last night –”

“Hm, I didn’t hear any fight. Must not have been a big one,” he said firmly, cutting me off. “If you’ll excuse me, Alpha Levi, it’s time I escort Harper home.”

He nodded respectfully and stepped around me, back inside. I frowned. I didn’t care what he said, this wasn’t escorting, it was watching her. Controlling her.

But there was nothing I could say or do. I waited by the front door to try and catch Harper on the way out, but Joshua made her go first, practically pushing her ahead of him to the car.

Harper glanced back, and something on her face made me lurch forward. Her eyes… they were screaming help me. But her mouth didn’t move.

Just as I was about to move, Avery wrapped her arms around me from behind. “She’s so cute, in such a hurry to see Mason again. She didn’t even say goodbye.”

I hesitated. Maybe that’s what I was seeing? Her anxiety to get back to her fiancé? Or guilt she didn’t tell me goodbye herself? None of that felt quite right.

But it was too late, Harper was in the car, speeding off.

Back to Mason.