EverChange

Chapter 24

I thought i looked pretty spiffy today. A knee length, grey pencil skirt, and a mauve purple button up. The sleeves ended a bit before my elbows, and felt a bit tight. Donovan frowned at the outfit, tugging at my sleeves, the at some of the buttons.
"....This fits?" he asked, a look in his eyes.

"Just about." I felt nauseous.

We had gone over the sorts of questions they would ask, and I had read some of the testaments against me. I was allowed to read those, and a few other things. There was a stack that was maybe ten inches tall on the desk in the study; I could barely stomach one folder let alone that much vitriol.

Donovan had walked in on me thumbing through the papers over a cup of gin and tonic. Was not pretty.

The room at the academy was little more than a condo, or a well furnished hotel room. One bedroom, a study, kitchenette, one and a half bathroom and a living room with a television that had a gaming system.

We had been there for maybe a week or so, but it felt like ages. Betas came in to talk to Donovan, some even spoke to me. He had alliances stretching quite a few families, and all of them said they would speak on his behalf if needed.

I kindly declined.

From time to time, people sent gifts. And that's what I was trying on right this moment.

Someone had sent me some clothes that looked like it would be great for the hearing only--

"This is at least two sizes too small, Sam." Donovan began undoing the buttons, pulling the shirt off me. "There's a sweater in here some--"

"I thought it looked nice--" I snapped back, trying to grab the blouse from his hands.

"They're insulting you!" he grit his teeth.

"No!" I barked back, fighting back tears, "They're insulting you!"

He knew what I meant. The hushed tones, the invasive glances, the laughs behind their hands. Rumors had begun at what an out of control trollop I was.

Donovan held my gaze as I fought a thick hiccup that threatened to drag tears. He shook his head and looked at the blouse in his hands. Donovan's jaw set and he spoke clearly, concise with well controlled anger.

"Sending worthless fabric that you can't wear, or even shift to wear. It's a farce of a gift to flaunt the fact you are wearing a collar," he looked at the thin metal choker I wore.

It looked little more than those tattoo ones that were bouncing back into style, but it held power to bind all my powers. It also kept Donovan and my bond at bay, he felt so far away.

One of Cosma's siblings had stopped by and crafted the heavy metal shackles I was wearing, into something light and discrete. I was grateful, but goddamn was this driving me up the wall.

There was a knock, and without waiting for an answer.

"I'm here, I'm here!" Cosma held up her hands in a surrender motion. "Stop the yelling."

I looked at Cosma, her actions cleared by the counsel the day we came to Remine. Alister spoke she was merely following orders for the families Buchanon and Malinda.

She walked up to me, frowning, then offering a cheeky smile. "Those bitches sent you some clothes?"

I swallowed, motioning towards one of the many boxes on the bed.

"I don't have anything from home." I mumbled, thinking of all the clothes I would probably never wear again. Since they just migrated my family to Remine in a moment's notice.