TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 334

Three hundred and thirty four

Isabella POV

Iris seemed more excited about the gala than I was. As Luna Lisa’s assistant, she had to be there the day before, but she would come home to get dressed and help me get ready.

As the gala drew closer, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst would happen. Wesley planned to tell Barbara they were breaking up, and then he wanted us to tell Anita we were together.

I, meanwhile, planned to tell Grandma Cassidy that I felt a bond with Wesley-one I knew for sure he didn’t feel.

Earlier that week, Wesley had given me money to buy a dress. The next day, Anita sent me one.

“What a nice emotional complication,” Iris said, bursting out laughing.

“It’s not funny,” I mumbled, staring at the dress hanging in the room.

Iris checked the tag and whistled. “From Luna’s exclusive collection. Must cost an arm and a leg. Wesley gave you→→ enough money to buy half the dresses in a store. It’s like you’re Luna Lisa hosting the gala herself.”

I shook my head. “There’s something called a savings account, in case you don’t know. This money will go a long way toward paying for Maverick’s daycare, food, and everything else he needs.”

Iris groaned. “Of course. Because God forbid Isabella spends money on herself.”

I smiled despite myself.

The dress was beautiful, but more elegant than anything I would have chosen. I preferred simple things I could move around in without worrying about stepping on the hem or exposing too much.

“It’s just too much,” I said, brushing my fingers over the low neckline. “I don’t want to look like I belong to the Alpha family.”

Iris said I was buzzing like a fly and needed to shut up for once. She promised to steam the dress and adjust the neckline until I felt comfortable in it. Then she dragged me shopping for everything else she insisted I needed.

I spent far too long choosing between two pairs of shoes.

“These,” Iris said, holding one up.

“They’re uncomfortable.”

“You’re going to a gala, not the market.”

I picked up a pair of earrings.

“Ugh! Don’t pick those,” Iris said. “They’re going to get washed out before you even get home.”

She also rejected the clutch I picked because it was too big for the dress. Iris made me put it back, reminding me that I should know better considering I was in fashion.

“I give up,” I said, dropping onto a couch. “Just because I know how to design a dress doesn’t mean I know all this expensive fashion.”

“You have to learn. Your man loves the finest things. And your woman, if I may add.”

I glared at her, making her laugh.

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unced and thirty Your

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By the time the gala arrived, Iris was giddy.

“This is it,” she said while working on my hair. “By tonight, every secret will finally be out in the open.

I sat before the mirror as she pinned my hair back, leaving a few curls loose around my face.

“You’re too excited about this.”

“Because I’m tired of watching you two sneak around.”

I picked up the foundation brush and tried to thin out the layer of foundation she’d put on my face/

“Stop.”

“It’s too much.”

“Come on, girl. It’s a gala, not your Monday morning desk.”

I ignored her and kept blending.

“If you touch my work again, I’ll use this curling iron on you.”

When I tried to tuck one of the loose curls into the style, she slapped my hand away. Once she finished, I stood before the mirror.

I barely recognized myself. The dress reshaped my shoulders, the makeup transformed my face, and the heels lengthened my legs. My hair exposed my neck, while the earrings caught the light whenever I moved.

“I can’t even cross my legs. Am I going to walk like this all night, like I’m avoiding puddles?”

“Beauty is pain,” Iris said, stepping back to admire her work.

She wore a sea-green dress that suited her and still allowed her to work at the gala. Her hair was swept partly back, and gold earrings framed her face.

The taxi Harrison had hired picked us up. The closer we got to Alpha Cameron’s house, the heavier the traffic became. Cars lined the road, some with chauffeurs waiting outside while others filled the designated parking areas. Guests were getting out before the entrance because the line of cars had backed up.

We paid the driver and climbed out.

The place was already a spectacle. Photographers captured arrivals while some guests eagerly posed for them. Others pretended not to care, subtly adjusting their clothes before walking inside.

I straightened my shoulders as we approached. A few girls turned to look at me, probably wondering who I was. Their eyes made every imperfection on my body feel exposed.

“Stop slouching,” Iris whispered. “Hold your head high. You’re going to be the Alpha’s queen.”

I nudged her.

“Keep your voice down, you idiot. Someone could hear you.”

She laughed.

Traditional dancers performed near the entrance, their costumes bursting with colored feathers, beadwork, and painted details. Different colors and decorations marked their ranks and artistic traditions. As they moved, the feathers swept through the air, making the dance seem larger than the dancers themselves.

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Their feet stamped against the floor as drums rolled and people clapped. Metallic ornaments rattled with every movement. The dancers shifted through formations until the music ended, and the room erupted in applause.

I recognized some people from the administrative building, but their hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry made them almost unrecognizable.

Courtney from accounting waved at me, and I didn’t recognize her until she pulled me into a side hug

“You look so different.”

“So do you.”

Luna Lisa and Alpha Cameron stood near the entrance, receiving guests. Luna Lisa wore a long wine-colored dress with embroidery and a few pieces of heirloom jewelry. Nothing about it looked overly complicated, yet she carried/ herself with effortless grace. They moved through the crowd, greeting people with handshakes and hugs, and I couldn’t stop wondering how they would react to the truth.

I’d lived in this house before, but it felt different with so many people inside. Furniture had been pushed aside to make room for guests, while servers threaded through the crowd with trays of food. Familiar local dishes sat in small portions, and I grabbed some as I passed.

Wesley and Barbara arrived.

Barbara looked almost unrecognizable in her silver dress. She looked like a bride.

Wesley stood beside her, and she rested one hand lightly against his arm. They moved through the room as a pair while people complimented them and offered congratulations.

I looked away.

Iris gave me an encouraging look before leaving. I watched the room, trying to keep myself occupied, until I felt someone’s eyes on me from across the room.

Wesley’s gaze traveled over me. When he caught me watching him, he didn’t look away. He gave me the smallest smile.

My stomach fluttered.

I turned away and walked toward Anita.

She was surrounded by people waiting to greet her, but the moment she saw me, she broke away from the group.

“Oh my God, you look so beautiful!”

She wrapped me in a tight hug.

“Thank you.”

“That dress looks even better on you than I imagined.”

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