Forced To Love You

Lying On The Floor

Turns out, Christian was loaded. I always suspected he had money if he lived in a mansion in the middle of nowhere. But it wasn't until I had access to some of it that I really understood how much.

I wasn't given an exact amount as to what was in his bank account but being told I could buy whatever I wanted usually meant there was more than enough. It just seemed weird that he had so much money when I never actually saw him work. It wasn't like being an Alpha to a wolf pack was the reason he had money.

Right?

I found something decent to wear in Madison's suitcase that would keep me warm. She didn't leave any winter boots or anything warm so that was the first thing I wanted to look for.

The driver was pretty quiet as he drove me into town. He didn't say anything unless I asked him a question. The quiet was nice in bits and pieces but it was kind of annoying that no one would talk to me upfront. I hated having to initiate every conversation because they thought I was someone important.

The first store I went to was a shoe store. It wasn't a chain store like I was expecting but more of a locally-owned store. Maybe they preferred that around Twisp.

The driver was also a guard so he followed me inside and stood by the doors. It was creepy to be followed around by someone I didn't know. I might have felt more comfortable if Madison were there but I hadn't heard from her since I decided to leave town.

I walked down the aisles as I looked over the different types of shoes. Most were boots of some sort. I assumed they either put away their summer shoes or didn't sell them. If I was still in Twisp by the next summer, I would deal with it then.

I found a pair of black boots and grabbed the box that had my size on it. I carried the box to a small bench and sat down to try them out.

I had just tied the laces of the second shoe when an older woman approached me. She was wearing a light blue sweater with a duck on it, of all things. She wore round glasses that seemed to magnify her eyes. Her white hair was pulled into a neat bun on the top of her head.

She took my hand as she stood in front of me. "I was wondering when we would get to meet the new Luna. It's such a pleasure, my dear. I'm Valerie. If you need help with anything, please let me know."

I gave her a polite smile even though I would have preferred to be alone while I shopped. I knew she was only trying to be nice and the last thing I wanted was for people to hate me before they even knew me.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

She smiled back before she released my hand and began walking back to the register.

I stood and called out for her. "Actually, do you have any recommendations of places I should check out? I'm trying to get some clothes and I... don't know the area very well yet."

She turned around and nodded. "Of course. I'll write down some names for you. The store owners would be delighted to finally meet you."

I watched her walk away and sat back down on the bench. I hadn't even thought about how many people I might meet when I decided to go shopping. If I had, I might have ordered everything online.

I stuck the boots back into the box and wandered the store for a little while longer, slowly stacking boxes on top of one another. When I approached the counter, I couldn't even see Valerie over the boxes.

This happened at the next several stores. I barely made it inside the first clothing store before I was bombarded with praise. It was a nice shot to my ego yet it was overwhelming for me. I wasn't used to being the center of attention. I wasn't even used to people knowing who I was.

It was going to take a while to get used to, that was for sure.

After going through several stores and loading up the car with all my new items, I started to get hungry. I was starting to realize that I got hungrier more often than I used to. Maybe it had something to do with the new changes that were happening with my body. I didn't understand it and I had so many questions but I had no one to ask. I just pretended there was nothing wrong and ignored it.

I asked the driver to take me to get something to eat. Maybe then Christian would cut me some slack.

As we headed to the restaurant, I found myself looking at the buildings we passed. Everything in the town looked nice and well taken care of. There wasn't any trash on the street or sidewalk. The storefronts were decorated for Christmas with lights around the doors and along the edge of the rooftops. The town seemed like it was meant for Christmas, sort of like the towns in Hallmark movies.

It seemed like a nice place to be over the holidays.

I didn't even want to think about Christmas.

Just before I looked away, I noticed a flower shop on the corner of the street we were on. Various flower arrangements sat in the window, all positioned to compliment each flower in the bouquet. I was surprised they were able to get any out-of-season flowers in such a small town.

As we stopped at the intersection, I saw a woman cleaning the window of the door. She had long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, a pale complexion, and was dressed in a lilac dress. She looked beautiful, even from behind.

It was then that I realized who she was.

"Zeke's wife owns this store." I said out loud.

The driver nodded. "Yes."

I hummed softly as we drove around the corner and Harmony disappeared along with her store. I made a mental note to try and meet her soon. I wanted to see what she was like after hearing how bad Zeke was.

The restaurant we pulled up to looked like a diner. There were booths lining the windows and a bar with small stools that sat facing the kitchen in the back. The decorations inside were different than I was expecting. There were pictures of mountains and scenery that looked like they were taken by someone local. It made the place seem less tacky than I initially thought it was.

I followed the guard inside as he checked the place out before letting me get any further than just inside the door. It was incredibly awkward just standing there while everyone inside stared at me. I knew that was something I was going to have to get used to if I was going to stay in Twisp. And, honestly, it didn't seem like there was anywhere else I could go.

When I was finally able to walk further in, I took a booth near the back. The guard sat at the next booth where he could see me yet give me some space. I appreciated the chance to have some alone time after I'd been bombarded all day by people I didn't even know.

I ordered tea and a salad to eat for lunch. I was hungry but I wasn't sure my stomach could handle anything fried after the day I had. It wasn't a bad one but it was nerve-wracking meeting so many new people and being around so much unfamiliarity. I was ready to go back to the mansion and unwind.

I glanced at the guard before I got to my feet and went to the counter. A young man with curly blonde hair looked at me as I approached. "Can you tell me where your restrooms are?"

He pointed to the opposite end of the counter. "Women's bathroom is the first door on your right."

I nodded. "Thank you." I walked through the building as fast as I could without being obvious. The staring was a bit much and it left me unnerved.

I walked into the bathroom and took a deep breath, grateful to be away from all the prying eyes. Whether or not they were doing it to make me uncomfortable or just out of curiosity, it all made me tense.

I approached the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn't one to treat myself to expensive hair appointments or manicures but it looked like I was in need of something. Ever since I got bit, my looks changed into something I wasn't used to. Now, it seemed I needed to put some effort into my looks that I hadn't ever had to before.

As I looked at myself, my vision began to get blurry. The edges of my vision turned dark and I found myself gripping the sink tighter in my hands. But my vision was only the start.

A sharp pain hit my chest and tightened my breathing, leaving me unable to take deep, full breaths. I turned to the door and tried to leave but the step I took left me lying on the floor.