Chapter 168: Royale Activewear

Lorali

"This is amazing!" I shrieked as I walked onto the Royale Activewear set, thoroughly impressed by how massive it looked.

The last time I was on a commercial set, I had been Walter’s little errand girl, running around with his stupid little costume, and that entire disaster had ended in absolute tears. My tears. All because of a stupid costume mix-up that I still stand my ground on, it was the dry cleaner’s fault, and Walter’s fault for waiting until the literal day of the shoot to pick up his custom.

"This is the happiest I have ever seen you," Scarlett said next to me, sounding even more thrilled than I was as she gazed around at the busy, high-energy crew. My guess was that it had very little to do with the fact that the set looks good and everything to do with the fact that she was also cashing a massive, fat commission check from this deal.

"Stop gawking, both of you. It’s embarrassing," Oril grumbled from right behind us.

I rolled my eyes, turning back to look at him as he trudged forward, weighed down like a pack mule while holding an absurd number of my bags, garment carriers, and skincare cases.

"Please. What’s embarrassing is you walking around looking like a walking coat rack holding all those bags," I retorted sweetly.

Oril grimaced, his jaw tightening as he glared at me. "That’s because you told me to hold all of them at the same time!"

I laughed right in his face at the statement, watching his eye twitch as he looked like he was about to spontaneously combust.

"Yeah, I did do that," I chirped unrepentantly.

Having him as my assistant manager is the petty gift that keeps on giving, Awicked, triumphant grin spread across my face. Every time he complains about carrying my luggage, I remember how much he hates the idea of working for me, and my soul just fills with pure sunshine.

I strolled further onto the set, brimming with a bright, pure joy. I know for a fact that Walter has no idea I am going to be his co-star for this campaign and that makes me even more joy.

Before I could start plotting my first on-set prank, one of the primary producers, a tall, fast-talking man with a clipboard and a wireless headset, trotted over to greet us.

"Oh, hi! You must be Lorali Spade," the producer beamed, extending a hand.

I pulled my hand back slightly, narrowing my eyes. "Alma. Haven’t had my wedding yet, and I prefer Alma."

The producer blinked, looking momentarily confused by my correction before recovering with a quick, awkward chuckle. "Ah, right! Yes. But I heard that your grand wedding toAlpha Torin is happening in February?"

"By the grace of the Goddess, it shall," I lied with a glowing, angelic smile, No, it’s definitely not, but let these people dream.

"Well, congratulations!" the producer chirped, entirely unbothered. "Anyway, I’ll introduce you to your co-star right now, and then we can get your hair and makeup sorted out."

"Wonderful," I murmured.

"I’m sure you’ll do great, no need to be nervous," he added encouragingly as he led us toward the styling zone. "I’m not nervous," I replied flatly. I didn’t get nervous; I get angry, and right now I was just deeply entertained.

We stepped into the main styling area where several hair and makeup stations were set up under bright vanity lights. Seated in one of the leather chairs, getting powder dabbed onto his nose by a stylist, was my favourite omega, Walter. I

The producer clapped his hands together to get attention. "Hey, Walter!"

Walter looked up lazily, blinking against the ring lights. "Yeah?"

"I want you to meet your co-star," the producer announced, stepping aside to gesture right toward me.

Walter turned his head, his eyes landing on my face, and instantly, they went wide as dinner plates. He shot out of his chair so fast he nearly knocked the stylist over.

"Lorali?!" Walter choked out, staring at me like I was a ghost. "What are you doing here?!"

"I’m here for the ad," I said innocently, folding my hands neatly in front of me.

Walter blinked, looking around the styling zone in sheer disorientation. "Oh... I-I never thought you’d come watch me do an ad."

Behind me, Oril dropped half of my bags onto the floor with a loud thud, gasping for air. "Wait... what’s happening here?"

The producer laughed, shaking his head. "No, she’s not watching you, silly! That’s your co-star!"

Walter froze. "No way... she’s my co-star?"

"Of course!" the producer beamed, checking his notes. "The theme of this campaign is ’Dawn Of A New Era,’ specifically a new era for omega’s so naturally we needed a top-tier omega athlete who actually dominates in sports, so who better than the skating prodigy?"

Walter slowly looked back at me with a strained, highly artificial smile stretching across his face. "Oh... wow. This is great." That couldn’t sound any faker.

"This is great indeed," I echoed, my smile matching his, in a mocking sort of way.

The producer clapped his hands once more. "All right! I’m going to leave you two to get ready together. We need to prep the final set pieces before we begin shooting, we want to finish this entire ad done in one single day, if that’s all right with you guys."

"That’s completely fine," Walter said tightly. "My schedule is packed anyway."

"Yeah, this is the only day I have open too," I added.

The producer nodded and hurried off toward the camera rigs. Within seconds, a couple of crew members rushed over, placing a chair for me right next to Walter.

Walter sat back down, trying to regain his composure as his stylist went back to work on his hair. He looked over at me in the mirror reflection. "This is wild... we’re going to be co-stars."

"So amazing," I said, staring straight ahead at my own reflection.

Walter cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Oh, by the way... I wanted to talk to you about your blind dates."

He snapped his fingers at his personal assistant standing nervously in the corner. The assistant hurried over, handing Walter a thick, leather-bound portfolio folder. Walter opened it, sliding it across the vanity table toward me.

"See?" Walter said earnestly, pointing to a printed pack profile inside. "I found you some better packs. High-status alphas, stable incomes, zero history of—"

I turned my head slowly, looking at him with a gaze cold enough to freeze boiling water. "So you’re just going to keep doing this whole pack-matchmaking thing?"

"Yeah," Walter said stubbornly, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "I’m going to earn your forgiveness one way or another, Lorali."

I let out a harsh, dry snort. "Oh, I don’t think you’re ever going to realize that that’s simply not possible."

Before Walter could argue back, my hairstylist pulled a tight nylon cap over my head to flatten my purple hair. She whipped out a heavy, jet-black wig complete with thick, razor-cut bangs and pinned it securely into place.

I blinked, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Oh, wow," I murmured, leaning closer to the mirror. "This is the first time I have ever seen myself in bangs. I look like a totally different person."

Walter glanced over, studying my reflection for a second. "You know... you actually look really good. You should try doing that hairstyle for real."

I shot him a withering glare through the mirror. "I didn’t ask for your opinion, Walter."

"Okay, jeez," Walter mumbled, raising his hands defensively. Even the hairstylist could sense the growing tension in the air, her hands moving nervously against my wig.

Trying to ease the awkwardness, Walter offered the stylist a strained smile. "Don’t worry about it, we talk to each other like this all the time."

"No, we don’t," I snapped instantly. "We don’t even talk to each other at all."

The stylist quietly backed away, praying for a swift death.