The Plan
eleven
*FOREST*
Ineed a moment to process what Rosea is saying. Obviously, we aren’t mates. She had hers before he betrayed her in the worst way possible. I knew something was off, stinking to the sky, when I heard him talk during the alpha gathering.
And my own mate died.
We can’t be fated mates.
“Okay, say I take you home as my fated mate tonight,” I say. “And you play the part. Could you really do that?”
“Easy,” she shrugs. “I had Jordan doing horrendous things to me and still played the part of the luna and his mate.”
It could work. With her brains, I could maybe get somewhere in my revenge against my parents.
This woman must be crazily smart. It’s obvious from the way she talks, the way she assesses any situation and from how she survived in her old pack.
There is just one thing… “But my parents will know you can’t be my mate, because… ”
“Yes, because they killed yours. But they don’t know you know.”
I stare at her as finally it settles in. A fresh wave of anger hits me. “You are right, and if they doubt me, they’d need to have a reason.”
“They would need to admit they know your mate is dead,” she says. “And how would they know?”
“Right!”
“And if we meet Jordan…” she pauses.
“He told everyone you are his chosen mate,” I tell her before I can stop myself. “Fuck! Sorry, that was insensitive. I—“
“That makes it so much easier.” Instead of looking pained, she looks grim. “How could he claim that both of us aren’t fated mates, then? He’d need to come clean.”
“That could actually work,” I mutter.
“We just need to play our roles and go from there,” she says. “Obviously, it’s not perfect, and I need a good background story for your pack, but nothing too specific.”
“You were traveling,” I suggest.
She nods. “We’ll tell them I come from old money, which is true. And I will also keep my parents’ story close to the truth. It’s easier to maintain a story if we don’t make up too much. And if Jordan finds out…” she chuckles.
“… who the fuck cares,” I add. “You are my fated mate.”
“Our first goal will be to work on the perception of the pack towards you. We need them to back you up.” She stands up now. “It’s time to get moving. I need some things from town, and I want to have everything I need organized by evening.”
For the first time in years, I actually feel some drive, some motivation.
I wasn’t even aware of how down I felt. But now I am ready to reclaim my life and take revenge for the cruel killing my mate met.
I reach out my fist towards Rosea, for the first time in what feels like forever, allowing myself to feel angry, to lean into the feeling of wrath.
“Let’s bring them down. Lissa, my parents, and Jordan. ”
Rosea shakes my hand, her expression grim. “Let’s be their downfall.”
Obviously, I didn’t plan anything when I ran from the pack house last night. All the things I have right now are things my grandfather owned, which isn’t ideal. However, at least I found his old phone, and I make sure to take it along with me now.
“We’d need someone to pick us up,” I muse.
“Yes, but later.” Rosea furrows her brows. “First, I need clothes and some necessities. Unfortunately, I need to buy them. I can’t retrieve anything from my old pack.”
“I am so sorry. I will try to somehow get my credit—"
Rosea chuckles, much to my surprise. “Don’t worry, I am prepared.” She turns to me. “Where exactly are we and how far is it to the next town?”
“Probably half an hour by car.”
She nods. “Then please call a cab.”
I am curious as to what she has planned and how she wants to pay the driver without any cash, but she said she is prepared.
Maybe I am an idiot for being so gullible, but I decide to trust her.
And with that, not an hour later, we’re sat in a cab on the way to town.
Rosea, however, tells him to make a detour and halt in front of a deserted factory building.
“Just stay here,” she tells me. “I want to get some of my stuff.”
“Wait, I’ll come with you to be safe.” I nod at the driver. “Please wait for us.”
“Of course.”
With that, I hurry after Rosea, noting how she directly walks through the deserted, old building and then downstairs.
“There hasn’t been anyone here in ages,” she tells me.
“Sometimes teens come here, but they never go down to the basement. It’s dangerous.
Something about hazardous leakage. For us wolves, that’s not an issue, though. ”
Once downstairs, she leads me to the farthest corner of the basement and rummages in some wood shavings before retrieving a small handbag. She opens it for me to see money, two credit cards and her ID.
“You were prepared,” I say, stunned.
Her eyes fall on me, her gaze suddenly turning cold. “There are certain things I expected.”
“I know,” I say quietly. “Good thing you did.”
She looks around before sighing. “Shall we?”
“Rosea,” I reach out my hand to touch her elbow. “Should we practice?” When she stares at me, her blue eyes bearing into mine, I feel my face blush. “Please don’t think I am trying to be creepy or anything; I am just nervous that my family and pack won’t buy it.”
“I actually think it’s a good suggestion,” she reassures me before reaching out her hand.
I take it, noting how cold her skin still feels. Once we are back at my pack, I need to make sure she can get a hot bath and warm up properly. “We need to make sure you will be safe in my pack,” I mutter. “In case my parents try something.”
“Yes, I have been thinking about that, too,” she admits. “But I am good at surviving. Plus, you will introduce me as your mate to everyone immediately. It will be harder for them to get rid of me then. When is your pack dining, usually?”
“Between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., though most pack members eat around 7.”
“Then we need to make sure to make our entrance at that time.”
“I hate to spring this on you, but I will be less anxious if you stay in my suite with me,” I say. “Instead of an extra apartment.”
She smiles slightly. “I would have suggested the same. It’s also better for the cover,” she pauses.
“You are not being creepy, Forest. You are voicing valid points and suggestions. We need to talk about this. So, whatever you worry about and what comes to mind, tell me, so we can discuss it before we head to your pack.”
I feel relieved at her words, and at the same time, unusually relaxed. I can’t remember the last time it was this easy for me to communicate with someone without feeling awkward. She doesn’t make me feel like an idiot, and that’s certainly new.
Hand in hand, we head back to the cab to finally go to the shopping mall in town.
Rosea pays our driver and makes sure to tip him generously, before she starts a long, tedious shopping spree.
She is obviously not doing it for fun, but with a plan in mind.
It’s unbelievable how many things she considers at the same time.
She only buys clothes in light tones, claiming they need to be colors that symbolize positive emotions in the eyes of my pack members.
A lot of blue, whites, some light rose, and beige.
She also places an online order for evening wear and business wear, having it delivered to my pack tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I carry her bags until, surprisingly, she buys a suitcase and has me put everything in it. “What’s that for?” I ask.
“I was traveling, remember?” she proclaims. “Plus, I am moving to my new pack to be with my fated mate.”
“Right,” I sigh. “Sorry, I am probably a bad actor.”
“Not really,” she says. “You are natural in your reactions, which isn’t bad. Just make sure you go with the flow when I do or say something, and it should be fine.”
“Your credit cards…“ I point out. “Won’t Jordan be suspicious and track you when you pay with them?”
“He doesn’t know they exist,” she tells me.
“They are under my mom’s name. I think she might have felt that something was off.
My father, too; he told me to keep their inheritance a secret from everyone, in case I need it.
” For a moment, her eyes turn sorrowful.
“They must have sensed that I was in danger. And while at that point I had no idea about what Jordan was up to, I listened to their advice.”
“It’s good that you did,” I say quietly. “I am glad your parents watched out for you until the end.”
“They tried to,” Rosea mutters.
I wonder how horrible and traumatizing it was for her to live under those circumstances, to see her fated mate take everything from her. She told me about how violent he was, but I am sure she only scratched the surface of what happened.
The last thing she buys is some electronics: a new phone, a tablet and a small notebook. Then, we are finally done.
“How about something to eat?” I offer. “We barely had anything.”
“Good idea. Maybe a restaurant that’s not too crowded?”
“I think there is an Italian restaurant that sells everything but pizza.” I grimace. “Lissa likes it there, which sucks. But the place suits our purpose best.”
Rosea looks at me thoughtfully. “We will get to Lissa. Don’t worry, Forest. Planning her downfall is the easiest.”
“Why?”
“Because she is no one,” she tells me. “She has no specific rank, no specific task, nothing. All she has is being your sidekick and your parents’ little puppet. I obviously will replace her as your sidekick from now on.”
“As my luna, you will accompany me everywhere,” I add.
“And all we need to do is to cut the connection from her to your parents,” Rosea smiles.
“That’s easy. Lissa was a tool for your parents; she is disposable.
The good thing about being with someone like Jordan is that I know all his shady tricks.
Who knew that it would come to my advantage, one day? ”