The Beasts Curse

Twelve

Twelve

My feet ached, and I could feel the throbbing of an oncoming migraine. The overwhelming perfume of the clothes store Alex and I had just entered only seemed to cause the pounding in my temples worse. My hands ached with the weight of the numerous bags. Alex seemed unfettered by the strain of the past few hours. Her step was just as light as it had been when we had left the pack house.

"Oh Anne look at this!" She exclaimed. She was holding a set of lacy lingerie. The bra was a black push up with a white trim of lace. The panties were less revealing but just as seductive. "You should get this, and I'll get the same kind but in pink!" Her mouth was stretched into a grin as she pulled the pink set out. "Our boys will not know what to do with themselves when they catch us in these." She shot me a knowing wink. "And look at these." She ran further into the store, not bothering to see if I was following her.

I made my way to the cash register where there was a bench. My fingers pulsed with gratitude as I set the multitude of bags down. A painful rush of blood made me wince as I stretched my fingers. I sighed as I sat down, watching as Alex picked several pieces of showy undergarments.

"Anne, you just rest there. Don't worry, I'll pick out some things that are sure to make the Alpha pass out in exuberance." Alex was an okay girl. She had almost to much spunk to handle. But of course without her I knew I would feel even more out of place and lonely than I would otherwise.

My eyes wandered out of the store. The mall was busy, and there were so many people it was a wonder that anyone got any shopping done with the throngs of people. My eyes landed on a tall figure across from the store I was in.

He was tall, but not quite as tall as Knight. Dark blonde hair rested lightly on his shoulders, curling at the ends. His face was turned away, but I could see the pale skin of his neck, as if he were sick. He turned then, staring at me as if I had called out to him. I had to hold in a whimper of terror as his blood rimmed eyes landed on me. From this distance I couldn't completely tell the exact color of his eyes.

An involuntary shiver ran down my spine as a slow grin spread across his face. This smile terrified me. It was as if I knew this man, yet I could not place where I had seen him. As I continued to stare at him his lips curved into a bloodless smile. His lips pulled taught over his teeth.

"Renee Annabelle Hilton." His lips didn't move, but I knew the voice was coming from him. How I had heard this was a mystery to me, but as I flinched at the sound of his voice, his grin only grew. "I have waited a very, very long time for you, my pet." His voice was like sharp glass on a chalkboard. Grating at the corners of my mind.

I felt the blood leave my face. My hands were trembling as they rested in my lap. My jaw clenched on its own accord. But, my eyes refused to leave him.

He had not moved from his spot. He rested against the wall. His eyes darting occasionally, searching the store and the crowd around him. I knew this man. I didn't know how. I didn't know where I had met such an awful looking person. But, deep inside of my being I knew him. And, I knew that he was trouble that if he had shown his face here, it meant that my life was in danger. The life of my mate and my pack was in danger.

I felt an arm clamp down onto my shoulder. My head whipped around to see Alex holding a bright pink bag. A puzzled look on her features.

"Anne, are you okay? You don't look too well." As she spoke I looked quickly back out of the store. The man was no longer there. There was no trace of him having ever been there. "Anne?"

"What? Oh no, Alex, I'm fine. Just tired." I gave her a small smile. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I don't believe you, but we're all done here so let's go." She helped me to my feet. I bent down and picked up the bags that had been resting beside me.