31. It’s Showtime!
thirty-one
It’s Showtime!
*ROSEA*
Iam thankful that I am busy for the whole day before Forest, and I need to leave for the gala. Before lunch and early in the afternoon, I help Griffin with the remaining data, while Martin has already gone off to meet his contact.
Whenever I think of the upcoming evening, my nerves strike, so any distraction is very much welcome.
However, as the afternoon passes, I know I can’t stall it anymore.
I need to prepare for the evening. The good thing is I am a huge planner.
I love to be prepared for all eventualities, so when Forest and I went shopping, the day we met, I was ready for it all.
I even had several orders delivered to the packhouse, some of them ball gowns.
The gala is different from the meeting Forest and I went to last week. It’s much more formal, and I do not just want—I need—to make a statement with my dress.
“Alright, babe,” Forest steps out of the bedroom, showing me his own brand-new clothes. “I can’t believe I am wearing dress pants, but what do you say?”
He is clad in black dress pants, a black buttoned shirt, unlike the white one most others will wear, and a silver vest. The color will go with my dress.
From old pictures he showed me, I know he used to hide behind his clothes.
He would wear the classic suit-shirt combo, but kind of disappear in it.
He told me himself that he felt lost in them.
He certainly doesn’t look lost today. The jacket he wears on top is a mix of a tailcoat and a jacket. It’s longer than usual, with silver embroidery, and is a tighter fit. It accentuates his broad shoulders and strong build.
“You look like an alpha,” I say bluntly. “It’s hot, Forest. You are looking hot!”
“Really?” he smiles at me. “If you are saying it, I believe you. You know it’s funny, but suddenly dressing to impress is fun.”
The joy he displays is contagious and pushes me to make an extra effort, too.
I already chose my dress days ago. The color matches his vest; it’s a darker silver tone.
The dress itself is floor-length in a loose mermaid style.
It doesn’t restrict my feet too much, but it’s form-fitting, accentuating my silhouette.
The fabric is of hand-stitched beads. Between the beads, it gives the illusion of being sheer, but the only actual sheer part is my back and when it reaches the sweep train of the dress.
The design of the beads gives it a dramatic style.
I wear my hair up and add matching earrings and a bracelet, leaving my neck free, so that nothing takes away from the dress.
I take the time to look at myself in the mirror.
When I still lived with Jordan, I always felt so hollow and like I was slowly turning invisible, but with Forest, my confidence has become so much greater.
I feel good about this. It’s a bold dress without being risky, but it shows my figure, and it’s elegant and sexy.
For an event like this, I had two options: Go for a look that makes me look fragile, so I might gain sympathy, or for a dress that would make me look strong and firm.
I opted for the latter.
It’s nothing like the romantic ‘princess’ gowns I dreamed of as a teen… It’s so much better.
“Forest,” I peek out of the room. “Fair warning: It’s bold.”
He perks up visibly. “Now I am curious.”
When I step out in front of him, I can see it clearly in his eyes. The admiration, the sheer desire. I didn’t know I’d like him to look at me that way, but I do. He looks like he wants me. “Do you like it?”
“Are you really asking?” he blurts out. “You look insane. Insanely hot!”
His admiration spurs me to walk up to him and put a hand on his chest. He takes it in his, placing a kiss on it. “I don’t even know what to say,” he says. “But I know we will give them a show tonight!”
I was scared about seeing Jordan again, but now I feel something else in my stomach. Sweet satisfaction that I am going to this event with a man who is so much better than Jordan is, someone who will take my hand and proudly stand by me.
“Forest, Rose?” There is a knock on the door. “It’s me, Griffin. I am accompanying you tonight. Martin is still… on his job.”
“Come in,” I say.
Griffin opens the door, halting when he sees us. “Holy Glamour-Fashion-Magazine-Cover!” he blurts out. “You two look like you are going to be the talk of the evening and put everyone else to shame next to you.”
“If we manage to do that, I’d say mission accomplished,” Forest grins.
“Alright, Griffin.” I take Forest’s hand. “Genuine question: How do we look?”
“No words needed,” he says. “You look like two stars,” he grins. “Jordan will hate it!”
“That’s the plan,” I say.
“Alright, ready to leave?” Griffin asks.
Forest and I exchange a look, both of us taking one deep breath, and then we nod. “Let’s go.”
The plan is to be one of the last to arrive. The invitation said to come between 6 and 7 p.m., so Forest and I make our entrance shortly before 7.
“We are in this together,” Forest says. “Don’t forget that, Rose.”
“Am I obviously that anxious?”
He shows me a gentle smile. “Yeah, a bit. I get it. Jordan is here, and that has to be extremely difficult for you.”
“I just want to see him suffer,” I say. “I… want to see him in pain.”
“And you will,” Forest emphasizes, taking my hand and entwining our fingers. “Listen, he is a narcissist and a sociopath. He will be fuming when he sees us together,” he grins. “I can’t wait to see his expression.”
“He will be so mad when he realizes someone else is playing with the toy he discarded,” I say. “You know, what? You are right. This is not the time to be anxious. I want to see his downfall so badly, and I want to see him distraught. Tristan will be here, too, right?”
“Yes,” Forest says.
“Did you give him a little heads-up?”
“Just a small one. I told him he should brace himself for some drama. But anything more would have been risky. We never know who listens in.”
“Good, I’d hate for him to feel bulldozed. Besides, we’ll need him as our ally.” I pause. “What if Jordan makes a move on me?”
“Then I will kick his ass.”
“And if he tries to hurt me?”
“He wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on you before I break his neck,” Forest says promptly.
There is something dark in his eyes. It’s raw and angry, but to me it looks reassuring.
He really has turned into the alpha he was always supposed to be.
“Trust me, Rose. No one is going to hurt you. No one is going to insult you. Not without me calling them out on their bullshit. It’s our time to shine now. ”
Something warm fills my chest, a feeling I haven’t felt in such a long time that it almost is foreign to me. “If you put it like that, I can only believe you,” I say with a smile. “I trust you, Forrest. Let’s have fun.”
“That’s the spirit,” he grins. “Let’s have fun messing with that alphahole and his insufferable friends. Today, he will feel so humiliated.”
His motivation is contagious. And he is right. I am sure Jordan will try a few things, but I am also sure he will fumble because he won’t expect me to be there, and he won’t expect Forest to be the way he is. Jordan is in for a surprise.
“Ready?”
“Let’s go.”
Forest leads me to the entrance door, where a concierge is going through the list of names. He ticks us off before opening the door for us to enter.
Time to shine.
The way into the hall feels like an out-of-body experience. It was a calculated move to dress the way we did, one I was hoping would work, and fortunately, it does. Forest holds my hand tightly, walking next to me, and he looks so strong and secure that he sweeps me with him.
“Forest, Rose!” Tristan walks over and greets us. He is the first to do so; the others just stare at us open-mouthed. “It’s lovely to see you.” He lowers his voice, “You look like you are ready for battle.”
“That’s because we are,” Forest mutters.
“Your weird message got me curious. To be honest, I have no idea what you are plotting.”
“There is no way you would be able to guess,” I say. “We can’t deny that it’s probably going to get messy.”
Tristan looks at us, intrigued. “I hope it will be.”
“What?” Forest snorts. “You hope there will be a mess?”
“Yes, these events suck. Jordan and his goons are here, which means it’s the usual pissing contest. So, if it gets messy, I am there for it.”
Two alphas and their lunas, whom I recognize from last time, catch his last words and nod. “Jordan, that ass,” one of them mutters, gripping his luna’s hand tightly. “As if I would ever…”
“What happened, Nico?” Forest asks.
“He told me he was interested in an alliance,” the alpha, named Nico, spits.
My mind goes into overtime until I can put his name to a pack.
Right, big pack, Jordan always wanted a deal with them.
“My pack is rather big, but my father hated Jordan. Said the former alpha was good, but that as his successor, he sucks. However, Jordan called me a couple of times. He wanted to invite me to a casino night.”
I raise my brows. “Oh, did he?”
“Yeah. When I told him I was not betting my money, he said to use my pack’s.” He frowns. “And when I told him I wouldn’t do that, he said I could offer my mate.”
Forest and I exchange a look. “Excuse me,” I say. “What?!”
“Right,” the guy exclaims. “That was my reaction, too. What a psycho.”
“As if any of us would ever,” Tristan says. “Not that he is interested in me.”
“I bet he would be,” I say. “You have a strong pack. But he knows it’d be in vain trying to pull you into his web. He knows you wouldn’t buy it, so you are not worth the risk for him.”
“She is right,” Forest muses. “You would never follow him, and he knows it. He was never interested in me, either.”
“He was,” I say. “I am pretty sure he was interested. After seeing your pack and learning what I know now, I am certain he wanted an alliance with you.”
At that, the others stare at me. “Luna Rose,” one of the men mutters. “Jordan, he…” a pause. “He was terrible to Forest.”
“I know, but that doesn’t say much,” I point out. “It was part of his strategy.”
“Wait a moment; humiliating and ignoring me was part of his strategy?” Forest asks. “He always talked to Lissa instead?”
“Yes, he probably wanted to destroy your confidence.” I smile at him. “He has no idea he doesn’t stand a chance with you.”
Forest pulls me into his arms. “That fucker!”
“It makes sense what Luna Rose says,” one of the other lunas agrees. “I have heard him talk down to two other newer alphas, as well. And they follow him like lost pups.”
One of the guys grimaces. “So, it is a strategy.”
I am sure about it now. I didn’t realize it sooner, but seeing this event and talking to these people made a light bulb go off inside my head.
Negging Forest, crumbling his confidence, humiliating him, is exactly what Jordan would do, both out of cruelty and to make him dependent on him.
“It’s definitely how he treats his women,” I say.
Tristan has stayed quiet, but now he looks at me curiously. “You know a lot about him, Rose.”
I am about to answer when a shiver goes down my spine, and Forest suddenly tightens his grip on my hand. Without even looking around, I know he is here. My very own nemesis has made his appearance. I raise my eyes, looking past several groups of people to look right into his ice-cold eyes.
“You could say we have a long history,” I say, straightening my back.
I feel calm all of a sudden. Forest is with me; he is not going anywhere, and seeing him now, in the same room with Jordan, makes it so much clearer how much more of a man he is.
“Ready to play?” Forest asks.
“Yes.”