I hadn't been to this mall since the day I learned what rogues were. May was almost over. Graduation was in a week, but the school already sent over my honors diploma. They offered their congratulations on finding my mate and that it was unnecessary for me to walk with my class in order to graduate. I argued with Gabriel about letting me go to the ceremony—just to at least see Jason, Julie, and Kellan walk. He was melting to the idea, but I still needed to . . . persuade him a little.

I leaned into Gabriel's chest, my ear pressed against the spot where his heart beat against his skin. My arm wrapped around his torso and I inhaled his intoxicating scent.

"That's right, girl. You cuddle up to him—soften him up so we can use his credit card," Julie mock-whispered from the third row of the SUV. Vance's eyes flicked to us from the rearview mirror, but he returned them to the road as the stoplight turned green.

I chuckled. "I don't have to cuddle him to steal his money."

Gabriel gave a short laugh. "As sad as it is, this is true."

I gave him a brief and tight squeeze, which he returned with a kiss to the top of my head. Vance pulled the SUV to the curb outside my favorite stationery store. Gabriel stepped out smoothly and gracefully, like an a-list celebrity arriving at a Hollywood event. I attempted to mimic his grace but I ended up just sort of falling out of the car. Gabriel caught me by the forearm and tugged me onto the sidewalk.

"I can fight a rogue but I can't get out of a stupid car," I grumbled.

"My clumsy mate," he said, clearly amused, placing a kiss on my forehead.

Julie and Seth exited the vehicle after us and Vance went to park the car, followed by a second SUV that was emptied of its occupants as we stepped out onto the curb. Spencer came to stand on my left as Gabriel took my right hand, guiding me toward the entrance of the mall. For all intents and purposes, we looked like a group of young adults heading into the mall for an afternoon. But if someone had the proper training (say, Secret Service?), they would have noticed how Spencer, Sarah, and the two other werewolves who trailed behind our group darted their eyes left and right, taking in the surroundings; noting the quickest exit strategy and sizing up potential threats.

I quickly caught on to which of the teenagers strolling around the mall were werewolves. They stared at Gabriel like he was a divine entity—their eyes wide and their mouths agape. Their eyes slowly moved from him to the human whose shoulders his arm was draped over. They admired me briefly as their eyes flicked from Gabriel, to me, and back to him. As we passed, they bowed their heads, tilting their necks at an angle to show submission. The humans who accompanied them watched on with confusion or interest or fear . . . or all in one.

We entered the first store. The men collectively took a step back as they noticed the pink sign sitting at the entrance of the store—all of them stepped away . . . except Gabriel. He strode into Victoria's Secret without hesitation. I stopped him just inside the door. He looked down at me, his eyebrows raising when I gave him the look. The "go hold my purse and sit down outside the store while I spend your money on things I probably don't need" look.

He looked around. "Am I banished from this store and I was not aware of it until now?"

I rolled my eyes. "You can wait for us outside."

His eyes locked on to a black set of lacy lingerie. "How will you know what I like?"

I glanced at the set. "I know you better than you think, Gabriel."

He glanced back at me. "Oh? What if I want to see it on you?"

"You'll have to be surprised, then, I guess."

He stared at the set for another moment before turning to me, a sly grin on his face. "I think I like that one."

"Go." I pointed to where the other men lingered outside the store. "I'll call for you when I need your money." I gave him my sugary sweet smile.

He chuckled, gave me a quick kiss, and exited the store.

The moment he was gone, a saleswoman came up to me. "Where can I get one of him?"

I laughed, shocked at her forwardness. "Sorry, but he's the last one."

"Damn," she said. She handed me an in-store shopping bag and asked if I was looking for anything special.

I shrugged. "Browsing, I guess."

"All right, then. Just let me know if you need any help. My name's Lindsey."

I thanked her then followed Julie to the intimates section of the store. Sarah hung back as per her duties, but cleared her throat loudly when she saw something she thought Julie or I would like. I took a few sets of lingerie to the dressing room with Julie in tow. She stuck more with the brightly colored sets—pink and blue and purple—while I stayed with pieces in black, grey, and white. Julie threw a last minute red one to me before I closed my dressing room door.

I tried the red one on last. As I was admiring it in the mirror, a knock came at my door. "Julie, I don't know if I'm feeling this red one," I said as I turned to open the door. As I swung it inward, a body came into the dressing room with me. I stumbled back, surprised.

But it wasn't Julie.

McKinley shut the door behind her, pressing the lock in place. She glared at me, her smile unkind. "Well, well, well. Looks like your dog let you off the leash."

"What the hell do you want, McKinley?" I snapped. "Last I checked, we were no longer friends."

"We aren't," she snapped back. "I just wanted to see for myself if the rumors were true." She eyed me up and down, but I refused to cower from her gaze. "You sure as hell don't look pregnant."

My blood stilled. "Why would you even care?"

"Oh, I don't. I just wanted to know if you were his baby machine now, spitting out half-breeds left and right."

My fist clenched, but I tried to keep my heart rate down. Gabriel would come tearing into the dressing room if he detected even a slight rise in the rhythm of my heartbeat. "Leave, McKinley. I have nothing to say to you."

"I have a few more things I'd like to get off my chest—"

"I don't give a damn what you have to say, McKinley! You're all broken inside, full of hate and not much else. I pity you because you hate yourself so much you let it affect how you view and treat other people. Go spew your baseless words to someone who pretends they care about you, because that full-time job sure as hell is no longer mine."

I reached to open the door, but McKinley gripped my wrist as I twisted the door handle. The door swung open wildly before smacking into the opposite wall as McKinley snarled, "You fucking bitch—"

I tore my wrist from her grip. My fist flew toward her face before I could stop it. I gave her three quick taps to the nose, a bone breaking under my fist the second time I punched her. Blood spurted from her face as she screamed, her hands cupping her face and her eyes wide with fear.

I cornered her in the far corner of the wide dressing room. "If you ever approach me or my pack members again, or if I hear you're insulting my mate or my wolves, I will ruin you. Do you understand?"

She nodded quickly.

The door flew open and a large chest pressed against my back. Gabriel's hands rested on my shoulders. McKinley's eyes widened as she took in the sight of my mate.

"McKinley," I said calmly. "Meet my mate, the North American king of werewolves, Gabriel Alexander." God, it shouldn't feel so good to say that . . . But it was totally worth it when her eyes grew even wider and she shrunk back in fear.

"Gabriel," I said over my shoulder. "Meet McKinley, my bitch of an ex-friend."

"Pleasure," Gabriel said lowly.

I turned back to McKinley. "Leave. And don't ever speak to me or mine again."

She stepped around us before running for the dressing room door, where Spencer and Sarah stood, eyes wide. Sarah was trying not to grin.

"Let her pass," I said calmly when Sarah didn't move away from the door. They did as I asked and McKinley ran off. Hopefully, that was the last I saw of her.

Gabriel shut the dressing room door and turned to me, his eyes appreciating the red set of lingerie I still wore. He grinned and my heart melted, all worries and anger over McKinley drifted away. "I like this one."

I checked the price tag. "Eighty dollars for a full set? Jesus."

He grabbed me, pulling me into his chest. His hands cupped my bottom, where there was no fabric. He kissed me once before pulling away and slowly turning me around. "Buy three."

My eyes widened. "Three?"

"In case the first two get ruined."

I gasped, shocked but secretly pleased.

He kissed me again, taking advantage of my open mouth. He pulled away and sat down in the chair in the corner of the dressing room. He pointed to the black set. "I want to see that one next."

___

Author's Note:

Okay, I lied. NOW there's only one more chapter left, I promise.

McKinley is SUCH A BITCH, right? Anyone have/had a McKinley in high school? Ugh.

Comment and vote, please and thanks!

xo -Willow