His Plump Mate (by Buchanan) novel Chapter 12

**Rebel POV**

Renz casually drapes his arm around the slender waist of the petite blonde beside him. “Luna, meet my mate and your beta female, Lacy. Lacy, this is our future Luna and Austin’s mate, Rebel.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lacy springs toward me, enveloping me in an enthusiastic hug. The suddenness of her affection catches me off guard, and I can’t help but burst into laughter. “We are going to be the best of friends! At last, Austin has found you! Oh, congratulations, Alpha!” she exclaims, her voice bubbling with excitement before she turns to me, her eyes sparkling as if I were a new favorite toy. I catch Austin mumbling something about this being his office and Lacy potentially stealing his mate.

“It’s truly wonderful to meet you, Lacy. Please, just call me Rebel,” I reply, my smile genuine and warm. This place has a way of making me feel light and joyful.

“Eeek! We are going to have an absolute blast spending your mate’s money today! Speaking of which, Austin, we need your card!” she chirps, extending her hand eagerly. Austin rolls his eyes but can’t suppress a small grin as he retrieves his wallet and produces a sleek black card. He hands it to Lacy with a mock-seriousness, saying, “Anything she desires, she gets. And remember, there will be special occasions where she’ll need elegant dresses, so ensure you pick out some of those too. She literally arrived with nothing but the clothes on her back.”

Lacy raises an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. “Dear Alpha, have you met me?” Her confidence is infectious, and I can’t help but admire her spirit. She addresses him with the same playful sass that Roxie and I share, unfazed by his reputation as the most formidable Alpha in the region. “I’ll make sure she has everything she needs and then some, all while spending your money!”

I can’t contain my laughter at the banter unfolding before me. The expression on Austin’s face mirrors the playful annoyance Roxie and I often share, and it’s amusing to witness someone else wear that look. Austin meets my gaze and smiles, his eyes softening as he leans down to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. “You have a beautiful laugh, darling. From this day forward, I want to see you smiling and laughing like this.” His words wrap around my heart, and I feel myself melting under their warmth.

“Yeah, yeah…she’s really laughing because I’m the funny one, Austin. Now you’re cutting into our shopping time!” Lacy interjects, grabbing my hand and planting a quick kiss on Renz’s cheek before pulling me out the door, leading me outside and toward the waiting car. Two guards occupy the front seats, and I notice another vehicle trailing behind us with two more guards. I thought Austin requested three, but it seems four were assigned to ensure our safety.

Once we’re on the road, Lacy raises the partition separating us from the driver and turns to face me, her excitement palpable. “Okay, I want to know everything about you!” she declares, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

I feel a flutter of nerves at the prospect of sharing. I’ve never really engaged in girl talk before, leaving me uncertain about how to navigate this conversation. “What do you want to know?” I ask, hoping she can lead the way, as I’m a complete novice at this kind of interaction.

“Let’s start with this,” she says, her tone turning serious yet playful. “Renz already shared some of your background with me, but I’m not interested in the heavy stuff. I want to know about you—who you are, what you enjoy. Today, as we shop, I want you to rediscover the person you never got to be at that dreadful place. Sound good, girlie?” Her genuine smile is something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before coming to Blackstone.

“Okay. Um, I enjoy playing guitar and singing. I’m mostly self-taught in most things in my life. I also love cooking and smoking meats. My favorite colors are red and yellow, depending on my mood. Is that a good start?” I respond, uncertain if this is the kind of information she’s looking for.

“Wonderful start! So you sing! Who’s your favorite artist? What kind of songs do you like to perform?” she probes, her enthusiasm infectious. It feels like she’s gently unraveling the layers of a tightly wound sweater, pulling at the threads of my guarded heart.

“I mainly sing girl power country songs. Right now, my favorite artist is actually a girl group called Hearts and Glock. Their music is so much fun, and their lyrics always make me laugh,” I share, feeling a bit more at ease.

The rest of our car ride continues in this delightful vein, filled with questions and answers. Lacy asks me about my birthday, favorite food, preferred book, favorite flower, clothing style, and so much more. As we finally arrive at the mall, she beams at me, explaining that we’ll have lunch here and shop to our hearts’ content. I can already sense that I’m stepping far outside my comfort zone. “Well, you won’t grow unless you push yourself,” Roxie’s voice echoes in my mind. “Remember when we trained with our father? He always said to tackle the uncomfortable things if you want to overcome your fears. We could apply that to this, Rebel.” And she’s right—this advice must apply beyond just training, right?

We spend nearly the entire day shopping. Initially, I felt apprehensive, but Lacy’s encouragement to enjoy the experience changes everything. I begin trying on whimsical hats and oversized sunglasses. I experiment with silly shirts and other quirky items. Whenever I strike a particularly funny pose, Lacy captures the moment with her phone, sending the pictures to Austin and Renz. It’s a bit embarrassing, but hey, Austin wants me to smile and laugh, right?

After accumulating a mountain of clothes, shoes, and accessories, Lacy leads me to a store called Victoria’s Secret. I had no idea there existed a store dedicated to bras and panties, let alone that they could look so beautiful. When Lacy asks my size, I shyly admit that I’m an extra large. She tilts her head, a teasing grin forming as she asks if I’ve ever been fitted for a bra before. My cheeks flush with embarrassment, and that’s all the encouragement Lacy needs to summon a salesperson for a fitting. I discover I’m a 3SD, which prompts Lacy to whistle in surprise, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “It’s time for Alpha Austin to know just how hot his Luna really is.”

“Lacy, I don’t understand. Why does everyone keep calling me hot? I know I’m chubby, but I wouldn’t use the word hot to describe myself,” I reply, puzzled.

She gasps, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. “My goddess, Rebel! Can’t you see what a total babe you are? You’re not fat or chubby; you’re thick and delectable! You have curves that so many she-wolves would kill for, and I’m not even kidding!”

“I just don’t see it, Lacy,” I say, looking down at my feet.

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