Chapter 42: Red Rose

When the twins had assured her they’d arranged for their stylist to take her out on a shopping excursion, that's exactly what they meant. When Samantha had slipped into silence following her failed attempts at sparking a conversation, Netayah leaned back into her seat. Luxuriating in the blessed silence of the car her gaze went out the passenger side window, watching as the scenery continued to slip by her.

The town was just as awe-inspiring as everything else she had seen thus far, developing true pride in her mate's accomplishments at leading. The entire town looked like something straight out of one of the fairy tale novels she'd been read by her father when she was a little girl. As the car drove them threw the residential neighborhood of town she was stunned by the enormous villas that lined either side of the street, completed by manicured lawns. Most had beautiful fountains out front of the estates, though a few of them had gorgeous gardens that followed the trail of the driveway. It seemed everyone in town seemed to be just as rich as Lucy, as there didn't seem to be a single house or rundown shack to be found anywhere.

Among the neighborhood was yet another park for the children to play at, that had the best equipment she'd ever seen, a series of twisting and twirling slides, long stretch of monkey bars. Definitely had more of a theme park appearance, as there was a wide assortment of games and rides for the children to enjoy outside of their homes. There were five different points around the park where beautifully decorated gazebos were positioned, picnic tables and chairs for people to sit at, even grills should they feel the desire to barbeque. That was only the beginning, as she was soon to learn.

The drive took them through an assortment of different neighborhoods, all of them as luxurious as the first, until they reached the center of town. Netayah could not disguise her shock when she received her first good look at the center hub of Blue Diamond, which left her completely awe-struck. The center of town was a stretch of the road that went on for at least a mile in either direction, where on each side the storefronts could be seen. Each side was lined by the most expensive stores that could ever exist, along with a series of different cafes and restaurants, then a few others she couldn't even name. Nor was it just the one.

Acutely heightened vision saw on either side, realizing it stretched out to the next street over, creating a maze. It was like an enormous outside mall. There was so much activity in this place, people walking down the streets, coming in and out of the stores, talking and toting their purchases for the day. She’d never seen so much activity or people in a single place for anything, but this was simply due to the pack residence shopping for the day. She could only imagine what one of their ceremonies and rituals would be like.

Up until this moment she’d thought that Black Bear had been impressive to look at, with dozens of different stores for people to choose from, the womenfolk always out shopping. Black Bear didn't have anything on Blue Diamond. She almost burst out laughing at the thought of what Alpha Darius would do if he was to ever bear witness to the richness and splendor of this place. The man had always prided himself on his accomplishments in life, praising that he had created one of the richest and most profitable packs in the territories.

What a laugh. The man didn't have shit. His town of less than four hundred people and only a couple dozen stores paled in comparison to what she was bearing witness to in Blue Diamond. It wasn't a town, hell it wasn't even a city, it was a kingdom of enterprise and splendor, amazing her at the capability of what the twins had done. She truly wondered how the two of them, orphaned far too young and mere boys when they had taken their seat of power, had made such accomplishments. It was truly awe-inspiring, to say the least.

An entirely different sense of pride welled up inside of her as she saw what the pack had become, all because of the twin alphas, proud at what they'd done.

Samantha drove the Corvette beneath the turquoise awning of an upscale clothing boutique, alighting from the vehicle she extended keys to a valet. When a footman came forward to open the driver's side door Netayah hurriedly climbed out of the vehicle too, tipping her head towards the man. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure miss,” he said in kind.

Stepping around the man as the door closed behind him, at her beckoning she followed Samantha through the double wide doors of the store. The stylist preened. “Welcome to the Red Rose.”

“Red Rose?”

“It's my favorite clothing boutique,” she added.

Netayah glanced around her as she was led through the store that had high vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, a luxurious sitting area off to the side, a small coffee shop. This store alone looked like its very own mall, rows upon rows of clothing expanding across the walls, then more wracks in the center, so much her eyes couldn't even track it all. She'd never seen such a place.

“Samantha,” a middle aged woman dressed in a tailor pant suit practically purred as she approached them, though she failed to acknowledge the girl in her presence. According to her drabby clothes, the lack of jewels or make-up, she was considered to be of no status or wealth, thereby of no consequence to her. She failed to react to the rebuffment from the woman, having grown used to this same treatment from people growing up in Black Bear. Unless you had money and status, then people like this failed to care.

She wondered what this woman would do if she knew the truth, if she knew the one she'd treated so rudely to was the mate to the alpha twin. How would she react then?

“What brings you here?”

After giving the woman the expected hug and exchanging kisses from one cheek to the next, Samantha took a cordial step backward from her. A hand motioned to the girl in her presence. “Hanna I would like you to meet Netayah Greystone, Miss Netayah I in turn would like to introduce you to Hanna Blake, the owner of this fine establishment.”

Hanna pasted on a bright smile that she centered on the young girl, though all could tell that it was faked, not wanting to be rude to Samantha. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Netayah Greystone. What brings you to Blue Diamond?”

“Visiting,” Samantha took the lead of the conversation, having a set mind on the explanation she would give to the girl's presence in town. “Miss Netayah is from Black Bear.”

Her eyes widened. “Alpha Darius's pack?”

“Yes,” she agreed, “of his beta lineage.”

Her eyes rounded even bigger when she caught on to the understanding, realizing precisely who the girl standing before her was. “Phillip and Gloria Greystone? Are you of any relation? They are the most well-known betas in the territory, aside from ours that is.”

“They are my parents,” she answered honestly.

Suddenly the smile became all too real, Hanna took the delicate hand the girl extended out to her and happily shook it. “It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Greystone.”

“Now Hanna,” Samantha again brought the conversation back to her, “I have come here with the purpose of outfitting our dear girl in the largest, most absolute best wardrobe that you can provide for her. This request comes straight from the alphas,” she replied, extending a golden card.

All the color immediately drained out of her face when she saw the gold card that was the twin alphas' own personal bank card. Thoroughly horrified at the realization of what she had nearly done, the insult it would have incurred if she'd continued on in that light. She bowed her head. “As my leiges request, I will ensure she has a wardrobe that will be the envy of every girl in the kingdoms.” She snapped her fingers. “Girls we will have no further business for that day.”