“Necessary? She’s trying to hijack my wedding playlist like it’s her ceremony!”
“She’s just being thoughtful. You don’t need to mock her for it.”
Selene sniffled, dabbing at her eyes dramatically. “It’s fine, Lucian. I’ll get over it. I just… I thought it would make her happy.”
“Oh, give me a break!” I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms as I looked out the window.
Lucian sighed, clearly annoyed. “Talia, can you at least try to be a little more considerate? It wouldn’t kill you to be nice.”
I whipped my head around, glaring at him. “Nice? I’ve been nothing but nice while she tries to take over my wedding! But sure, let’s make me the bad guy.”
Selene sniffled again, this time louder, and Lucian’s focus shifted entirely to her.
“Don’t let it get to you,” he said softly. “You were just trying to help.”
I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue, knowing anything else I said would only make things worse. Nothing I said would matter—not when Selene had the power to make even Lucian second-guess himself.
***
The sales assistant greeted us with a bright smile when we walked in, but her eyes immediately darted to Selene, like I wasn’t even there.
“Looking for something special?” she asked, practically glowing.
Selene smirked and waved at me like she was handing me off. “She is. I’m just here for support.”
Support. Right.
I forced a polite smile. “I’m looking for something simple.”
Selene snorted. “Simple is boring! You’re going to be Luna, Talia. You can’t just fade into the background.”
“I don’t need a dress to prove my worth,” I said quietly, stepping past her toward the rows of gowns.
Lucian stayed where he was, his intense gaze following me like he was waiting for a storm to break. But he didn’t say a word.
The assistant eventually brought me a gown—ivory, elegant, understated. Exactly what I wanted. She handed it to me with a warm smile, but before I could thank her, Selene chimed in again.
“I’ll take a look too,” she said, grabbing a sparkly emerald gown off a rack. “Might as well have some fun while we’re here, right?”
I swallowed hard and followed the assistant to the fitting rooms. Once inside, I took a deep breath and stared at the dress in the mirror. It fit perfectly, the simplicity of it grounding me in a way nothing else had today.
When I stepped out, Lucian’s eyes finally landed on me. For a second, I thought I saw something—approval, maybe—but before he could say anything, Selene burst out of her fitting room.
She spun in her shimmering gown like she was on a runway. “Wow! This is it. What do you think, Lucian? Do I look like a Luna or what?”
Lucian’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long.
“You look great, Selene,” he said finally, his voice flat. Then his eyes flicked back to me. “But Talia looks—”
“—plain,” Selene cut in, flashing a smug grin as she adjusted her dress straps. “Talia, don’t you think you should pick something with more... presence? You don’t want everyone forgetting who the ceremony’s about, do you?”
I locked eyes with her. “The people who matter won’t forget.”
Her smirk wavered for a split second, but she quickly covered it, turning her charm back on Lucian.
“You’re no fun,” she teased, nudging him playfully.
I turned and went back into the fitting room without saying anything else. As I slipped out of the gown, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture. This was the dress. The one that actually felt like me.
When I came back out, Selene was fussing over Lucian, straightening the lapels of a suit she’d somehow talked him into trying on. He looked sharp—too sharp, really—the dark fabric highlighting his powerful frame and making him look every bit the Alpha he was.
“See?” Selene said, laughing as she adjusted his tie. “Doesn’t he look amazing? You’re welcome, Talia. Your Alpha needed a little upgrade too.”
The knot in my chest tightened, but I kept my face neutral. “You’re enjoying yourself, huh?”
She grinned at me. “Someone has to keep things interesting.”
Lucian’s gaze shifted back to me, his brows pulling together slightly. “Are you ready? If you don’t like this boutique, we can go somewhere else.”
I shook my head. “This place is fine. I’ll take the dress I tried on.”
His frown deepened. “Are you sure? You didn’t even try anything else.”
“I’m sure,” I said firmly, holding his gaze.
Lucian opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but Selene looped her arm through his and pulled his attention back to her.
“You should trust her, Alpha,” she said sweetly, though her smirk ruined the act. “Talia knows what she’s doing.”
I didn’t wait for him to reply, I turned and headed for the door. The truth was, it didn’t matter. We weren’t having a real wedding, so why bother wasting any more time?
