Page 117 of Psycho Shifters

An hour later, we arrived at the nearest small town. It was built on top of a huge glacier that jutted out over a dark lake. Houses were piled atop each other, and they were lit with lanterns.

In the middle of the houses, there was a little street of shops. On one side of the street, there was a café, a tavern, and a restaurant that specialized in elk meat. On the other side, there was a tailor, a boot store, a hairdresser, and a trinket shop.

Aran grabbed my arm and dragged me into the tailor’s shop.

The beta’s blue hair was frozen to his head, and his lips were a similar shade of blue, but he bounced up and down like he was having the time of his life.

A warm wall of heat hit us as soon as we walked through the door. Instantly, I began to thaw.

“Hot cocoa for you warriors. Thank you for your service at portal three. My name is Loria. How can I help you?” a middle-aged woman said as soon as we entered.

She was a null shifter, and she made a show of adding fresh chocolate shavings to the drinks before she handed them to us.

Loria made a mean hot cocoa. It was the best thing I had ever drunk.

Immediately, the decadent chocolate and soft shop music made me relax.

It was nice to be treated.

Still, I found it bizarre when a shifter was nice. The realm was harsh and unforgiving, and its inhabitants were usually the same way. It was impossible to stay soft when the world was so cold.

“We need two outfits for the Ianuarius celebration. Sadie needs something sexy and daring, since she is the first female alpha,” Aran told Loria while he whisked around the room, pulling fabrics like he was a pro.

Technically, I needed something warm that showed off zero skin. But I let Aran live in pretend land for a little bit.

For a farm boy, he was really into colors and textures. I was really into books and Lucinda was really into cards. I guess fashion was Aran’s thing.

Thinking about my little sister made my heart hurt, but I reminded myself she was safe and sound at school.

Sipping my cocoa, I sank into a plush velvet chair and watched Aran have fun.

My eyes started to close as I sipped, and I wondered if my hobby was sleeping. Sometimes, I just wanted to curl up and sleep for days.

“Sadie wants her cleavage exposed,” Aran said, and I choked on my delicious cocoa. It startled me out of my restful state.

“No, please. I must have my entire torso covered. That’s nonnegotiable.”

There was a long pause as both Loria and Aran stared at me like I was crazy.

“Oh, I get what you are doing,” Loria said.

“Um?” Did she know about my scars? Could she see it in my eyes because I looked like a victim?

“You want a completely tight dress but will have it cover everything so you don’t seem too sexy. Smart girl. It is important to not seem too needy around those alpha warriors.”

The hot cocoa went down the other pipe, and I choked so hard my eyes watered.

As an alpha myself, I did not worry about seeming needy around Jax, Ascher, or Cobra. If anything, the men were all into wanton sexuality.

I was zero percent concerned about impressing them.

At least, I wasn’t that concerned about impressing them sexually because that already seemed to not be happening.

I did want them to respect me as an alpha. Although, as soon as they’d seen me run, that ship had sailed.

Ascher spent every waking minute making fun of my fitness, and Cobra made constant snide comments about me being pathetic.

Still, images of Jax taking Cobra, and the twins climbing all over Ascher, popped into my mind.