The Lycan King’s Second Chance Mate by Sumi

ASHANTI'S POV.

With time, the people around stop looking at me and resume their activities so I decide to linger around some more. I'm in the section of the lobby where various clothes have been put on display on mannequins, in shelves and on hangers and there are people, mostly women in each aisle, checking out one or two outfits. I cannot help but smile proudly each time someone compliments a dress design, a fabric or the colour combination. It took a lot of time and effort and hardwork to get here.

As I walk along the aisle, the sight of a red, shimmering dress, sloughed between other dresses of different designs, grabs my attention. With creased brows, I hasten my footsteps towards the dress to check it out. When I arrive at the spot, I stretch my hand towards the row to the hanger on which the dress is hanging from and gently take out the dress from it. I hold the dress up, admiring it when suddenly, a hand appears from nowhere behind me and snatches the dress. Quickly, I whip my head behind to see who it is and I'm greeted with a heavily baked face which belongs to a woman who seems to be in her forties. There's a wide shallow smile on her face that screams trouble.

"I got it first." The smile has disappeared. Now she's frowning as though daring me to call her a liar. I take the dare.

"That's a lie. You snatched the dress from my hand." I tell her flatly and her gaze grows darker.

"No, I did not!" Her voice is higher than it should by the time she says the last word. That attracts stares from the other clients and even a sales girl who calmly approaches us.

"Is everything alright here?" She asks in the sweetest tone.

"I got this dress first, but this girl seized it from me and now she's trying to gaslight me!" The woman firmly accuses, still using her loud tone. More people swarm by to watch the drama unfolding. "Ma'am..." The Sales girl calls. "If she seized the dress like you claim, why is it in your possession and not hers?"

Brilliant question!

The woman looks from me, to the girl and back to me, completely speechless.

"Are you calling me a liar?" She suddenly bursts out. "Your manager! Where is the Manager of this store? I need to see your manager!" She starts screaming and other salespersons rush towards us to see what's going on. "I am a VIP client here. I should be able to get whatever I want!" She's still yelling and it's grating on my nerves.

have to calm down.

one has recognized me yet but it's just a matter of time before someone does and blows off my cover. I mean to reveal myself today, but not like this. "She can have the dress." I tell the sales girl who's trying to settle our problem. "I'll get something else.

sure Miss?" She asks kindly and I flash her a gentle

let her have it." With that, I walk past the women and start heading for the elevator. My cell phone starts ringing in my

It's my mother again.

mother." I call, pressing the phone against my ear

"Where are you?"

"In the building, why?"

"I just arrived."

elevator

when I end the call. The elevator arrives a few minutes later and I step it, thanking my stars there's no one

turn when I reveal myself. People will be shocked and amazed and confused. Some will be infuriated. After I mysteriously disappeared from Reagan's pack, there was an intense search for me that lasted almost an entire year, but because I was kept hidden in my mother's house, I was never

that. Many theories of my disappearance have been formulated. Some say I

many others will resurface when the announcement is made today and it's

me to do this. I was okay with working in the background

the staff member of the company while I stay behind,

my thoughts travel back

and there were times when I had to hold myself

I miss him.