Chapter 9 - Killian

“Is that really all you brought with you?” I asked, looking at Leah’s meager selection of clothes hanging in our shared closet. Aside from a handful of folded t-shirts in neutral tones, it looked like she had a total of five outfits to choose from.

“This is all I had to bring,” she replied, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “My parents didn’t give me a large amount of money for personal purchases, and they insisted I only wear designer clothes. Kind of hard to buy those on a budget.”

“I can only imagine,” I said. “Now that I’m thinking about it, though, I don’t remember seeing you wear the same thing more than once. How is that possible?”

Leah smiled. “When you don’t have much to work with, you find ways to adapt. It’s all in the accessories.”

She seemed lost in thought, and I wondered what memories she was ruminating on. Something about her clothes seemed to trigger deep feelings for her.

If only I could find a way to help , I thought.

But I could, I realized. I know the perfect way to help cheer her up. Or, at least, to solve a problem for her.

“Grab some shoes,” I said. “I have somewhere I want to take you.”

She looked puzzled by my abrupt request but didn’t question it as she followed me to the car. In no time at all, we pulled up to a boutique run by one of the older women from Alpha Nile’s pack.

“What are we doing here?” Leah asked, following me to the door of the boutique.

“You’ll see,” I replied with a smile.

“Killian! Wonderful to see you, dear,” the owner said as soon as we walked in the door.

“Good morning, Kay,” I replied. “I was wondering if you had some time to do some measurements for us. My new bride is in need of a new wardrobe.”

Kay clapped her hands together as Leah’s eyes widened.

“Of course!” Kay said. “Come back here, dears. Let’s get this party started.”

“Why do I have to get measured?” Leah whispered to me as we followed Kay toward the dressing rooms in the back.

“So she can make your dresses,” I explained. “Kay is a seamstress—one of the best on earth. And she loves taking on commissions.”

“I don’t think I need handmade dresses,” Leah whispered back, casting her eyes furtively at Kay’s back as we walked.

Kay apparently heard her. “Nonsense!” Kay said enthusiastically. “Everyone needs new dresses sometimes. Although what you have on is lovely on you, dear.”

Kay patted Leah’s hand conspiratorially, as if their taste in clothing made them kindred spirits. My mate looked at me uncertainly, and I smiled back at her.

“You deserve to have nice things—whatever you want,” I assured her. “Kay is going to take good care of you.”

“That’s right, dearie,” Kay told me.

She helped Leah up onto a stepstool while pulling a tape measure from her pocket, then lifted her glasses and placed them on the end of her nose.

“Sit down over there,” she said, waving me toward a bench a few feet from them.

I watched as Leah allowed Kay to move her limbs and measure her from head to foot. All the while, Kay chatted with her, and before I knew it, Leah had broken out of her shell of shyness.

“…and when it got to the top of the hill, it was so covered in mud that it slid right down again!” Leah said. She had been telling Kay a story about her friend’s childhood puppy trying to play outside in a rainstorm, and the two women were both laughing and grinning from ear to ear.

“I wish I still had my old dog,” Kay said wistfully. “Animals bring so much light into the world, don’t you agree?”

Leah nodded, and I found myself completely mesmerized by her. She hadn’t even tried anything on, yet it seemed like she had already had a makeover. This had been the first time since her arrival that I had seen her true smile—the one she wore when she wasn’t concerned about what others were thinking of her.

“Alright, now that I’ve got your measurements, I’m going to pull some dresses for you to try on, just to get an idea of what kind of style you’d like,” the seamstress said. “Head into that dressing room behind you, and I’ll bring a few options in.”

I waited patiently, my mind wandering as Leah went inside the small, curtained room. A few moments later, she reemerged, and I felt my heart skip in my chest.

Everything she wore looked good on her, but this dress accentuated her curves in ways that I found hard to ignore. I realized my mouth had fallen open, and I hurried to close it before Leah noticed.

“What do you think?” Kay asked her.

“It feels comfortable, but it’s different from what I usually wear,” Leah said. “What do you think, Killian?”

It was taking everything in me not to kick Kay out of her own shop and have my way with my mate right here and now. That probably wouldn’t help my situation with Leah, though, so I tried to play it cool.

“You look gorgeous,” I said. “Absolutely stunning.”

Leah smiled at my response and began chatting with Kay about what styles she’d like to have done for her dresses. She tried on a few more to see what she thought of different hem lengths and colors, and then Kay dismissed us so she could get to work.

“Sounds good,” I replied to the seamstress. “I do want to take a quick look around the display cases while we’re here. My bride likes to accessorize.”

“Of course,” Kay said without looking up from her paperwork. “Just shout if you find anything you like.”

Leah gave me an unamused look as I guided her toward the front of the boutique.

“Oh!” she suddenly exclaimed. “I was so wrapped up in trying things on, I forgot to ask about payment.”

“Don’t worry about that,” I replied. “I’m taking care of it.”

Leah frowned, a crease appearing between her eyes. It looked like she was trying to be stern with me, but her expression was so cute, I couldn’t take it seriously.

“I can’t let you do that,” she said. “As soon as I find a job and have the means to take care of it, I’ll cover my own expenses. I insist.”

“You can insist as much as you like,” I replied with a shrug. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to get to pay for them.”

“Stop being so difficult,” she said with a huff.

“Only if you will,” I teased.

After a few moments of browsing, I noticed that Leah had looked at one particular necklace multiple times but hadn’t picked it up yet. Clearly, it had caught her eye. I was about to suggest that she try it on when I saw her sneaking back toward where Kay was working.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked.

“I just wanted to chat with Kay again.”

She was trying to be nonchalant, but I could guess her motives. “You aren’t paying for the dresses, Leah. I’m your husband. Providing for you is my responsibility,” I said.

“Yes, I am,” she said stubbornly. She started to walk more confidently toward the back to inform Kay of her plans, but I prevented her by grabbing her arm gently.

“Alright, alright,” I said, admitting defeat. “I’ll make you a deal. If you let me buy you this necklace that you keep eyeing, I’ll let you buy the dresses.”

She looked between me and the necklace, gauging whether I was serious or not before relenting. “Fine, it’s a deal.”

I grinned and called out for Kay to unlock the display case for us.

“Here you are,” Kay said after a moment. “Would you like me to wrap it up for you?”

“No,” I replied. “I want her to wear it.”

Kay placed the pendant in my hand, and I marveled at how the pattern of the moss agate swirled and flowed through the stone. I stood behind Leah and fastened the clasp. As she turned around, I admired the way it looked on her.

“It suits you,” I said.

True to my word, I paid for the necklace and informed Kay that Leah would be handling the expenses from the dresses once they were completed. The seamstress cocked an eyebrow at me, but I shrugged.

“Whatever the lady wants to happen is what happens,” I explained.

Kay chuckled at my response, but I knew my reasons went far deeper than what I had just said.

From what I could tell, Leah had spent most of her life being controlled by others. Never again would she be restricted or forced to do what others wanted. She deserved to have her independence now.

It was the least I could do.