Page 22 of The Alpha's Chosen Outcast

She shakes her head. “How can Heather have fun when the man who had his claws digging into her carotid artery is looming over her.”

“I see.”

I sit down in a vinyl chair, ready to get this over with once and for all. Apparently, Heather had the same idea. She takes in a long breath and lets it out, then launches into a question that shocks me.

“Are you planning to kill me? Yes or no?”

I stare at her for a moment, surprised at her audacity. Violet bursts out laughing. She stops abruptly as she realizes that Heather and I are staring each other down. She scoots her chair closer to me and puts her hand on my shoulder.

“Trey, tell this woman who is responsible for the way the most important day of my life will go that you’re not planning to kill her.” Her pitch rises to a squeak.

I ball my hands into fists. “Heather,” she doesn’t drop her gaze, “I promise that as long as you stay here in this shop and do not contact anyone, I will not kill you while you’re working on my sister’s dress.”

“That’s the best you can do?” Violet isn’t satisfied.

I turn to her. “Yes, Violet. That’s the best I can do. Take it or leave it, but this is where we’re at.”

Heather chimes in, “I’m okay with that. I just needed to know that I could work on this dress in peace.”

“You can,” I vow.

By this time, Violet has gathered up the mess on the table back into her bag and she storms out of the workroom. I hear the bell clink on the door, noting that she’s left. I stand up and turn to leave, too but Heather’s voice stops me.

“What about my parents? Are you going to tell them that I’m here?”

I freeze. This is something I expected, but I’m not happy that I have to state the obvious.

“No. And you’re not going to tell them either. They are at the top of the list of people you cannot contact under any circumstances.”

“They’d never tell anyone.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m forbidding it. This is one of those hard rules you have to abide by to stay alive. Are we clear on that?”

She hangs her head. “Yes, we’re clear.”

I turn to leave again but stop at the doorway. My back is still to her.

“They don’t believe you to be dead like everyone else. They never stopped looking for you. They probably never will.”

With that, I continue walking towards the door, but my wolf hearing catches the quiet sobs that come from the workroom and the woman I’ve left behind. I don’t regret telling her.

Maybe, if she survives this, she can find a way to get a message to them before she leaves. At that thought, I’m struck with the surprise that I actually want that for her. Fuck, I’m starting to care. That can’t turn out well.

Chapter 7

HEATHER

The next few days almost feel normal. I work on the dress design and discuss the sketches with Violet, making small adjustments and sending her each new draft.

She comes by one more time to discuss it, with all of her wedding accessories on the table again, but this time, Trey isn’t with her. The experience is almost fun.

Through it all is the looming feeling of my imminent death. I know Trey said he wouldn’t kill me, but the words he used sounded more like, “I won’t kill you…YET.” I try to keep that out of my mind and instead, just enjoy what I do best.

The design that Violet wants is going to be iconic. I’m legitimately sad that I won’t be able to take credit for it.

We’re doing a strapless design for the main dress with a sweetheart neckline and beading all across the bodice in this floral pattern I drew out myself using pastel beads.

The main dress will be a cream color with the pastels being in pink, gold, and a sort of opalescent color.

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