Chapter 14 Shopping
/Edlyn/
I kept my expression calm even though every nerve in my body screamed.
When Nelson told me to “come sit and eat,” I obeyed, not because I wanted to, but because I needed to keep control. My wolf was restless, my fairy magic buzzed under my skin, and Vamp well, she was being her usual dramatic self, pacing in the back of my mind like a caged storm.
I bowed to Jackie before taking my seat. Not out of respect. But strategy. The last thing I needed was to draw more attention. Let her think she had the upper hand. Let her believe she was Luna already.
The air was thick, the tension rolling between everyone like smoke.
Then I felt it the faint vibration of a mindlink passing between Nelson, Felix, and Timi. I didn’t need to be a wolf to sense it; my magic picked up the pulse of power threading invisibly through the room. Their lips didn’t move, but their eyes did the flickers, the small smirks, the way Nelson rubbed his face like they were annoying him.
My instincts prickled.
They were talking about me.
So, I did what any self-respecting fairy hybrid would do.
I listened.
I let my power slide out, silent and invisible, like mist curling under doors. Just a touchenough to catch whispers through the link.
“Did you fuck Jackie last night?”
“Wait… are you guys back together?”
“You let her spend the night here, bro. What were we supposed to think?”
The words hit me like a slap, even though Moon’s voice immediately tried to calm me.
“Stop listening, Edlyn. It’ll only hurt you.”
But I couldn’t stop.
I heard Nelson’s response gritted, low, defensive.
“She tried to come in. I kicked her out. Used the Alpha tone.”
That made my chest twist with something I didn’t want to name. Relief? Anger? Both?
Then one of them mentioned something about a ceremony next week.
“You better figure things out before the ceremony, man.”
Ceremony? What ceremony?
Moon’s voice was soft in my head.
“It’s probably an Alpha event.”
But Vamp chuckled darkly.
“Oh, please. You heard what they said chosen mate. I bet it’s a mating ceremony. Maybe our precious blooded mate is getting hitched to Miss Perfect over there.”
My stomach churned. I withdrew my magic quickly before I lost control and fried the mindlink itself.
I sat there, hands tight around my fork, pretending to focus on the food while my heart hammered.
My emotions were everywhere. And the woman Nelson kissed last night Goddess, she was stunning. She looked like the Creator had sculpted her with extra care, every feature flawless. And this fact alone pissed me off... she's obviously prettier than me... this definitely Nelson’s type.
Seeing her at the breakfast table this morning could only mean one thing: she’d spent the night here.
My stomach twisted painfully.
Did they sleep together...?
“No, they didn’t, You heard him when he told his beta and gemma that he didn’t” Moon whispered softly in my head. “If they had, we would’ve felt it. The bond would’ve burned through us.”
“Ohhh~~,” Vamp drawled darkly. “So the pain we felt last night was just from a kiss, huh?” She asked already knows what the answer is.
Moon sighed, calm but weary. “It was only a kiss, Vamp. Nothing more.”
Vamp scoffed. “Then I bet the pain of him actually cheating will be intense. We will definitely cause an earthquake when such happens"
Her words sliced through me like glass. The image of his hands on someone else his scent tangled with hers made my chest ache. My wolf whimpered somewhere deep inside, and I forced myself to breathe.
He’s not mine. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
But the bond doesn’t care about reason it only feels.
And what I felt last night was enough to shatter something inside me.
I pressed a hand over my chest, as if that could ease the dull throb beneath my skin. The mark there pulsed faintly, mocking me, reminding me who he was… even if he didn’t know it yet.
“I need blood,” Vamp hissed suddenly, her voice sharp and hungry. “I can smell them the wolves, their heat, their power. It’s driving me mad. Feed me before I take it myself.”
Her threat sent a chill through me. Vamp didn’t care about secrecy or consequences. If she lost control, this entire pack would burn.
“I’ll get you blood today,” I whispered, keeping my lips barely moving.
Because if I didn’t, she might force Nelson against the wall and bite him and that would expose everything. Coming to this pack she made her extremely restless.
Moon’s voice was steady but firm. “Hold it together, Edlyn. The bond is already unstable, and Vamp’s hunger makes it worse.”
“I know,” I murmured, stabbing at the food on my plate. “I just need to survive today.”
“Survive breakfast first,” Vamp snorted. “The tension at this table could choke a dragon.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Jasmine sat across from me, chatting with Felix about training schedules. Her bright laugh cut through the heavy silence like sunlight. Jackie, on the other hand, sat beside Nelson smiling too sweetly, leaning a little too close, as if marking territory that wasn’t hers.
Every time her eyes met mine, it felt like a silent dare.
“So, Edlyn,” Jasmine said suddenly, setting her glass down with a grin. “You free today? I was thinking of skipping training and taking you shopping. Show you around the pack, help you settle in.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Shopping?”
“Can you not act surprised?” Vampires shot back. “Our sweet blooded mate literally told us yesterday that we are going shopping today.”
Moon hissed in mock offense. “Can you ever say one sentence without adding the word blood?”
“I could,” Vamp said sweetly, “but where’s the fun in that?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, muttering under my breath, “Goddess, give me strength before these two start throwing shade in stereo.”
Vamp snorted. “You should be thanking me for keeping things entertaining. Without me, your life would just be sad, brooding, and full of emotional damage.”
Moon’s voice went dry. “As opposed to bloodlust, sarcasm, and felony-level thirst?”
“Touché,” Vamp muttered, sulking. “Still, I bet the pain of him actually cheating will be intense.”
Her tone dropped from playful to deadly serious in an instant, and just like that, the ache in my chest flared again.
Jasmine voice brought me back to reality. “Yeah. You could use some new clothes. Maybe something that actually fits and doesn’t scream outsider.”
Before I could answer, Jackie laughed a sharp, fake sound.
“Shopping? You’re taking an omega shopping? Isn’t that… ridiculous?”
The table went quiet.
Jasmine turned her head slowly, her smile not reaching her eyes. “Ridiculous?” she echoed. “Funny, I thought helping new pack members adjust was part of being a Luna candidate.”
Jackie’s smile faltered for half a second before she looked away, pretending to sip her juice.
Vamp purred in my mind. I like her. She bites with words.
Moon hummed softly. She’s kind. Maybe we can trust her.
Trust. The word felt foreign. But there was something about Jasmine warm, confident, grounded that made me believe she meant it.
“I’d love to,” I said finally.
Jasmine grinned, satisfied. “Perfect. After breakfast, we’ll head out. Felix already gave me the keys. And our amazing supreme gave me his credit card.”
Jackie muttered something under her breath, but I ignored her. I was too busy pretending not to notice how Nelson’s eyes flicked to me every few seconds too fast to be caught, but too frequent to be accidental. He looks so guilty and didn’t even know how to look at me.
“Relax,” Vamp teased. “He’s trying not to stare. Pathetic, really.”
Vamp, I warned, hiding my smirk behind a sip of water.
Jasmine chuckled, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath my calm face. “You’ll love the market here. Trust me it’s the best place to find trouble.”
Vamp growled playfully. We could use a little trouble.
Moon sighed. No. What we need is control.
And she was right. I needed to train. I needed to feed. I needed to remember who the hell I was before this bond consumed me.
As the conversation around me carried on, I made a silent promise to myself.
Before sunset, I’d find a way to feed Vamp.
And after that, I’d start training again no matter what it took.
Because being fragile in this life of mine wasn’t an option.
Not when survival meant staying one step ahead of everyone at this table.
Especially him.
All I have was few months and acting like am training or trained won’t be of any help to either me or anyone in the supernatural world.