Beta Rollings (Shimmering Falls Pack series #2)

Chapter 4

PAULETTE POV

I love my mate, but sometimes I just need some girly quality time! I am so excited about going shopping with my best friends! I still miss my other friends from high school, but since we graduated, one has moved to New York City to be a model and the other is getting married in a few years and is currently in college, so they have been relatively busy, as have I and Rae.

“So…P…tell me what’s got your mind occupied?” Rae asked me.

I just shrugged. “Just glad to spend time with you all. Also excited to go baby shopping!” I squealed excitedly.

Everyone laughed at my comments. I suddenly felt uncomfortable as I felt a pain in my lower back and hips. I tried to ease the ache by readjusting my position. I rubbed my belly as the ache eased slightly. Rae must have noticed something was wrong because I suddenly felt her hand on my belly to get my attention.

“You, okay?” She asked as she looked at me with concern.

I nodded. “My back is achy but that is apparently normal this far along, especially since I am having twins.”

Understanding flashed in her eyes. She then pressed her hand on my lower back, and I felt the ache go away as calm washed over me. I sighed in relief. “Thanks Rae-Rae.”

We rode the rest of the way in a comfortable silence as we reached the mall. The warriors escorted us into the mall but hung back a few feet, far enough to give us space but close enough to have our back if we needed it. We all decided to do the baby shopping first, then we would shop for our clothing. After that, we would all head to the food court for some grub.

I still could not shake the uneasy feeling that manifested in the pit of my stomach. I just had a bad feeling, but I tried to push it to the back of my mind. I didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress on anyone. I was pulled out of my thoughts by Rae’s voice.

“Have you spoken to your parents?”

I saw the concern on her face, so I smiled, reassuringly at her. “No, I don’t know what to say to them.” I became slightly sad; I really missed my parents! It didn’t matter to them that I was just a human baby when they chose to adopt me when I was an infant. I never knew my biological parents; it was like they had just vanished! I gave up looking for them years ago. I was happy with my adoptive parents at the time.

“Ugh…P! I swear to the moon goddess that if you do not get your s**t together and call your parents, I will do it for you!” Rae seethed at me.

I became angry and I completely blamed my pregnancy hormones for this! “You don’t understand what my mother did!” I looked away from my friend. I had never yelled at her with this much anger before. I felt a hand on my right shoulder, and I slowly faced my friend.

“P…I know everything. I know that she cheated on your dad with Neil Carrington. I also know that she fell prey to becoming one of his victims as well. I also know that your father has forgiven her for her mistake, so why can’t you?” Rae took a calming breath before she wrapped me in a hug. “P, I think that you need to think about the true reason for your hating your mom because I know that you DON’T hate either of your parents.”

I hugged her back and guilt was eating away at me. Here I am purposefully ignoring my parents and Rae would give anything just to be able to see or talk to her mom again! I am sorry Rae-Rae. I promise that I will call them tonight. I know that you are right and, honestly, I don’t know why I was so angry at my mother.”

Rae released me with a smile on her face. “Now let’s have some shopping fun!”

I agreed and looked to see if Sam was just as excited as us, but she was nowhere in sight. I am worried about her; she has been acting slightly off lately. She wasn’t as talkative as she used to be and a little distant. “Hey Rae, where is Sam?”

Rae looked around and I could see the panic start to settle in her eyes before we both relaxed. We watched as she was exiting the women’s restroom. “What a way to alarm us, Sam! Why didn’t you let someone know my brother would skin me alive if something happened to you!” She scolded Sam playfully.

Sam just rolled her eyes at Rae, when she mentioned her brother. “That boy would never touch a hair on your head, let alone skin you alive! Alpha would never let him!” She then beamed with mischievousness. “So shall we go put a dent in our mates' credit cards?”

We all nodded excitedly. We resumed our way towards the baby shops. We entered the first shop we saw. I went to the newborn section. Rae went to the furniture section and Sam was just milling around. I could not help but eye Sam, there was something off about her, but I could not figure out what it was. I shrug it off as nothing important at the moment. Sam has been our friend for about 6 months now, so I know that she would eventually talk to us if it was important.

We shopped in this store for about 10 more minutes before we headed to the next store. I have bought several cute girls' and boy’s clothes for my babies, blankets for both and two solid oak, cherry wood in color, cribs with combination changing tables. I don’t have to worry about rocking chairs because the Luna and Alpha gifted Rolls and I a matching pair so that we can both feed the pups. Rae bought three black solid oak cribs with a single rocking chair, a large diaper bag, black in color. She also bought a huge number of onesies and footed pajamas, all white. She has a couple more weeks before she can find out the s*x of her triplets, but we are all pretty sure that she will be having boys, all alphas! She is just buying unisex clothing right now until she knows for sure that she will have boys.

We exited the store and were instructed by the warriors to wait while some of them took our purchases to the SUV. Once all five were with us, we walked to the next store. I got a weird feeling that I was being watched. I roamed my eyes around the mall to see if I could locate the culprit, but I found nothing unusual, so I tried to force myself to relax.

You felt that, didn’t you? Rae’s voice filtered through my head.

I nodded my head, and she became more alert, as did the warriors. I looked at Sam to find her already looking around. We entered the shop and the unusual feeling stopped and, once, we all relaxed a bit. The warriors were instructed to remain alert and report anything suspicious. I just walked around the store until my stomach growled loudly. I would have been embarrassed had it not been for Rae’s stomach to growl just as loudly!