《The Proposal》


 Chapter 1

    "Please, please come with me. I don''t want to stand around by myself. We can pretend like we are mingling, but in reality just eat the fine ass food they are going to have and talk shit about everyone there."


    I couldn''t help but suppress a giggle as she begged. As usual, I would get guilted into going, but I could at least have a good laugh in the mean time.


    "Aren''t these your friends? Why don''t you want to be there? Sounds like a grand time." I teased, before tossing my hair behind my shoulder.


    "Vivian please?" Her puppy dog eyes swelling with tears almost pushed me into hysterics.


    She was purposely drawing out the ''e'' to make it sound that much more dramatic. If she wasn''t my best friend I would have told her to go take a hike, but I have always had a soft spot for her. Ever since we were in grade school we found ourselves always drawn to each other, like we were meant to be friends in some weird way.


    "Just this once," I agreed. "You know you shouldn''t even be going to a party."


    She squealed loudly in my ears, throwing her arms around me in excitement, my statement seemingly falling on deaf ears. For a twenty-five year old woman, she sure acted like a giddy teenager, bouncing about for the shear fact I have agreed to her request.


    "Now what to wear?" She asked, tapping her finger on her lips before sauntering away and trailing off with her own thoughts.


    I envied her sometimes. Her ability to draw people to her was one of her best qualities. But, it was also her biggest downfall.


    Making my way up stairs and into my room, I threw myself onto my bed and stretched out. My mind whirled with all the things I had to try and accomplish today in the same time frame I had before Hannah decided it would be time to play dress up.


    I liked getting gussied up just as much as the next girl, but when it came to Hannah, we had to look perfect. Nails, hair, make up, the whole works. I guess there were perks to being roommates with one of the best make up artists in the county, but I preferred to keep it natural, plain Jane.


    I closed my eyes, trying to imagine what this party would be like. Would I end up having to drag Hannah¡¯s drunken body back to the car or would she stand her ground, not willing to give into the demons of the bottle. Only time would tell. I just hope she has enough self determination and control to make it though this unscathed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "So, where exactly is this place?" I questioned as the car slowed to a stop in front of a black iron-cladgate. Gingerly peering out the passenger side window, I could faintly make out the remaining road ahead, as well as the stone and steelfencing that stretched well beyond my line of sight. I was normally all for exploring new places, trying new things. In this case however, the outside alone reminded me of venturing towards Dracula''s castle. A gatewayto hell where there was no telling what would be seen.


    "Chill out! Why are you always so sketchy of places you''ve never been to? Live a little." Hanna joked, stretching across the center console just to poke my arm a few times with her elbow.


    What she said and what she meant were two very different things. She knew I didn''t live life on the wild side. I preferred to have everything out in the open. Know exactly where we were going with a map of all the landmarks, leaving a trail behind in case I was to get kidnapped and needed someone to send out the swat team.


    "Vivian, please just act normal, or as normal as you possibly can."


    I smiled coyly at her. "Oh, I''ll try, believe me. I just can''t make any promises."


    The road beyond the gate was longer than I had expected. It seemed to have stretched for a good mile before we saw any inkling of life. Through the thicktrees, vibrant blues, reds, and white danced on the leaves leaving the trucks to stand unfazed by the colors.


    The persistent pounding of the loud music vibrated the windows, creating a zinging sound throughout the car, threatening to break the glass at any given moment.


    I looked around surprised by the lines of cars along both sides of the narrow road. The sheer number of vehicles spoke volumes of the numberof people that were attending this gathering.


    Even though we were pretty far from the party itself, I could see a mansion set off in the distance. It was simply mesmerizing. I was a Jersey girl from a small town where the houses were modestly built. We weren''t necessarily the lowest on the totem pole, but we weren''t rich either. So, this house looked like a celebrity was living the luxurious life in it.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    A small black car retreated from a space toward the middle of the line as we made our way up. I gestured to her with a lift of my head for her to park there. It would at least get us somewhatcloser to the party.


    Neither of us said anything as we looked out the windows and gawked at the size of the perfectly manicured lawn. I grazed my fingers over the silver handle of the door and slightly pushed it. When the door finally gave, the stench of alcohol that seeped through these poor souls pores hit my nose before we even stepped out of the car. The mess of people on the front lawn clearly indicated how the night was going to progress. Slow, with a slight chance of drunkenness.


    "Well, ready to go have some fun?" Hannah squeaked. I could tell the excitement was starting to pull at her. The want and need to be mingled among the group seemed to be calling out to her, seducing her like a murderer does to his prey.


    Pulling me by my arm out of the car, I hesitated for a minute. It was taking everything in my power to keep from climbing back inside and locking the doors. This was not my scene. I didn''t enjoy watching people getting piss ass drunk and dry humping furniture and dainty looking garden gnomes.


    Even back in high school I was the one that would forgo the parties. I thought my time was better spent locked up in my room, listening to music, and admiring the many posters that decorated my walls.


    "You owe me, big time!" I scowled. "Like rub my feet for a year owe me."


    Hannah tightened her lips together, doing everything she could to keep from laughing before interlocking her boney elbow with mine. After basically dragging me up the hill, I internally beat myself up for not thinking to take my shoes off for the walk. 5-inchheels, a black mini dress and a hill did not work well mixed together.


    By the time we reached the mansion''s steps, I was already breathing heavily and cursing Hannah under my breath for talking me into this. I forgave her quickly as I reminded myself I was here as her support team, like her walking, talking subconsciously.


    My thighs and feet were groaning from the foreign activity I had just put them through. I was not the type that enjoyed working out muscles I didn¡¯t know existed.


    "See we made it." She breathed out just as heavy. "Remind me to roll down the hill on the way out, I''m not going to try and steady myself down this bad boy."


    I rolled my eyes and stared up at the massive columns that helped frame this beautiful home. It was rustic, but at the same time modernized. The floodlightsthat lined the brick curbing shone directly on the massive beast. I was no realtor, so the true beauty of this home wasn''t of much interest to me. All I knew is that, It. Was. Huge.


    "Remind me again who''s party this is." I yelled into her ear as we walked through the glass double doors and into a cloud of smoke. Waving my hands in front of my face, I coughed slightly attempting to expel the now fading fog that made its way into my respiratory system. The music was blaring, deafening almost. How could these people even hear themselves think, it was a madhouse. It reminded me of one of my trips to the local Walmart during Black Friday one year.


    Lights were pulsating through the room as men screamed back and forth at each other while making manly gestures with their muscles. Sometimes men could be very interesting characters when watched in their natural habitat.


    "Tyler Jones," she yelled back as we both nonchalantly stepped over a man who was passed out in the middle of the hall. My first impression was that he was passed out drunk, but for all we knew, he could have been dead. Not one soul stopped to check on him, making my uneasiness 100% rectified.


    "And who is that?"


    Shaking her head and pointing to her ear I got the gist that she couldn''t hear me so, I gave up. There was no point in trying to talk over the music and the mess of people that were inside.


    I followed closely at her heels, allowing her to take my hand tightly into hers. I watched as couples slammed each other up against the walls and continued to make out like they were playing a role in a movie, only stopping to look when someone of importance walked by. The women appeared to have had no shame as they allowed their partner to hike their dresses up and proceed to grind on them.


    The floor was littered with red and blue solo cups with spilled liquors and beer of every kind surrounding them. The fermenting alcohol left the scent of fruit punch in the air causing my stomach to churn with nausea.


    These people were absolute savages. Whoever this "Tyler" was, he was someone I knew I didn''t want Hannah to get messed up with. She already had her demons and didn''t need someone else''s added on top of hers.


    Jerking my hand closer to her body, she yanked me with her into the kitchen where thankfully some of the noise had calmed down. On top of a large granite countertop laid a silver tray of red cups, filled to the brims with liquid. Swiping two, she motioned with her head toward the sliding glass door. I agreed with enthusiasm as I snatched the cup from her hand and led the way. I wanted out!


    "What in the hell was all that?" I askedwhile bringing the cup up to my lips. She smiled hesitantly before taking a swig of her own. I was starting to think she had no idea what she had gotten us in to, but knowing Hannah, she probably left out the parts she know I wouldn''t approve of. This honestly looked like a young teenager''sidea of a party while their parents were out of town.


    "So, how do you know this guy?" I asked again, this time knowing she clearly heard what I asked her.


    "Ok, so don''t be mad," she shifted nervously. "I met him the other day when I was out with Sky and I thought it would be so much fun to come to a party with obviously rich people." Her voice trailed off. "Listen, I just want to fit in again. Just for one night, Viv."


    "I knew it. Damnit Hannah." I growled. "You''re not a child anymore. You can''t afford to fall back on the bandwagon."


    I was disappointed in her. She had always tried so hard to fit in that she hurt the people closest to her along the way. Just being Hannah and having a few close friends was never enough for her, and that hurt.


    I opened my mouth to scold her some more before a tall, built, Greek God walked up the cherry wood patio steps toward us. He was gorgeous. For a second, I forgot all about Hannah and her childish need for attention.


    I snapped my eyes back to meet hers as she smiled in agreement. Maybe this party wouldn''t be that bad, especially if there were more men like that to look at. I didn¡¯t get out much, so this was a treat.


    "You still want to leave?" She smirked, knowing for a fact that I had liked what I saw.


    Doing a double-takeat the sexiness as he walked past us, I decided, for the sake of argument, I could stay a little while longer.

 Chapter 2

    "Are you ready for round three?" The DJ screamed into his microphone. "I can''t hear you! Are.You.Ready?"


    The crowd erupted into screams and whistles. The shrieks were enough to break an eardrum, but my stupid ass was right in the middle, egging the surfer looking dude on.


    "Round three it is ladies! Men, you get to sit this one out you lucky dogs you! Oops, I shouldn''t say that too loud."


    Loud juvenile laughter filled the massive yard. During this wave of entertainment, everyone packed tightly into this one small confined section of grass that was covered by a clear makeshift dance floor. A platform was set high up in the front of the group creating a stage for the energetic DJ to stand. Our shoulders were constantly rubbing against each other because of our close proximity and our feet were accidentally stumbling on one another''s shoes.


    Before we had gotten to this point, I allowed Hannah to have a little bit of fun since I was here with her. I agreed to allow us each to have two beers before I cut us off for the night. My buzz was short-lived, although it let me relax to the point where I wasn''t exactly sure what was going on. I have never been a drinker, so even a small amount of alcohol made me unstable on my feet.


    As it seems, we had unintentionally missed the first two rounds of whatever this gathering was and they were by far not as loud as this one was, and probably the reason for us missing it.


    "Let''s hear it for Mr. Jax Peyton" he yelled, pumping his fist into the air with every word he said. "Now ladies, pay close attention. Mr. Jax Peyton is the Alpha of his pack,"


    "The what to what?" I giggled to Hannah. "What the hell is this guy talking about?"


    She seemingly had no idea, but just played along like everyone else, watching the blonde-haired DJ with intensity.


    "His pack has been handed down for many generations before landing in his lap on one cold winter''s night."


    Immediately, all the women swooned, their hands immediately finding their hearts like they were pulled by force with a magnet. Their loud "awes" would have put a reality show set to shame. I could tell it was all in good fun, but I had had enough for the night. I was tired, and being cramped in such close quarters with people I didn''t know was uncomfortable.


    I turned my attention away from the stage and searched for my phone that I had stuffed in a small, white clutch purse I had hanging on my shoulder. When the screen finally lit up, my eyes widened when I saw the time displayed.


    "Hannah," I whispered, bending over to get closer to her. "We gotta go. It''s almost 3 a.m!" I turned the phone slightly and pressed on the screen until it flickered to life. I knew she wouldn''t be happy due to it being a Friday night, but we were still an hour or so from home and this whole thing was starting to feel like a human auction.


    She let out an exaggerated sigh and cocked her head to the side trying to use her eyes to beg for more time. However, I was determined to get through the sea of people, and instinctively grabbed Hannah''s hand and led the way. I weaved my way in and out of the women and men, even becoming the proud recipient of many dirty looks as I hastily moved through them. I could almost see the edge of the open lawn when Hannah stopped short, yanking my unsuspecting body backwards, tumbling into her.


    "Hold on, Viv. I want to see who he picks!" She whined, trying to help steady my body back in an upright position.


    Throwing my head back in defeat I stood with my arms crossed, like a defiant child, pissed at her mother.


    "Who cares who he picks. It''s not going to be either of us. Have you seen the people here? Their skin basically sparkles." I reminded her.


    Shooing me away with her hands the DJ got ready to pump the energy up again.


    "Who do you choose?"


    The women went wild, jumping up and down begging for Jax to pick them. I could see the desperation on their faces, hear it in their voices. It was almost pathetic.


    I watched as Jax took small steady steps along the edge of the stage, slowly angling his head upward from time to time. From this distance, he looked like an average guy of normal height and looks. Nothing to get all hot and bothered over. "Come on Han, this is stupid!" I started, before being cut off by the actor himself.


    "I choose her!" Jax announced quickly, pointing into the crowd, pulling my eyes to his stiffened index finger.


    The whole mob of people fell silent. It sounded as if the crickets even held their chirps, dying with the same anticipation as everyone else. I rolled my eyes, internally shaming him for his poor choice of words. He literally made every woman within the vicinity of his pathetic finger think she could be "the one".


    "Alpha, you have to be a little more specific." The DJ laughed, trying to lighten the seriousness of his statement.


    Without hesitation and beaming with confidence, he stepped off of the stage and into the ring of women that enveloped his now touchable body. One by one they each moved, parting like the red sea. His gaze stayed straight ahead, and he continued forward, not letting anyone deter him from his mission. The seriousness in which he walked and his poised demeanor kept my eyes locked onto him.


    "Viv, Viv," Hannah whispered while jabbing her elbow into my side making my knees buckle. "Viv, he is coming this way."


    "Big deal Hannah. He''s probably going to pick one of the twins over there with the big boobs and big butts. I''m sure an "Alpha" couldn''t resist that." I chuckled to myself.


    And with that, he stopped, only a handful of us left within his vision. I could see the giddiness starting to grow on Hannah''s face as her smile widened. Her body was gently bobbing up and down the slightest bit, much like a small child waiting impatiently for a treat. Did she seriously want this clown to pick her?


    "Mr. Jax, have you made your decision? There are some beautiful women standing before you."


    "I have." He answered quickly, his voice deep and as smooth as velvet.


    Staring at this man up close was like staring at a model on a magazine cover. His short onyx hair was styled messily complementing his chiseled features. Even in the dead of night, I could see the faint outline of a five o''clock shadow that added to the mysteriousness of the event. His emerald eyes caught mine for a second. In that short time they seemed to bore deep within mine, diving deep with my soul. It caught me off guard, causing me to quickly drop my eyes from him and focus on my feet.


    "I need your decision, man." The DJ urged.


    I couldn''t agree with him more at this particular moment. This hunk was killing time. Did he just want to see us women in the back of the group squirm? I had to hand it to him, he was good. I could almost see the panties dropping to everyone''s ankles the longer he stood here. Even some of the men moved anxiously, their senses heightened by him.


    "You." Jax finally announced.


    I lifted my head and looked around curiously at the women standing around me. Who? Who was he addressing here? Hannah, the weird blonde to my left, maybe the girl crying softly behind me praying out loud to the heavens above that he would choose her? This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Yet, he continued to stand in the same spot, his eyes not shifting an inch.


    Just as I was about to open my mouth to help move him on, he placed his hand in front of me. My heart fluttered before sinking to the pit of my stomach. Wait, me? Oh, no. This couldn''t be happening. There is no way. This was pure insanity! My first instinct was that Hannah had to have put them up to this knowing I was uncomfortable from the start.


    I watched as some of the surrounding women dropped their heads in defeat while others glared at me like they were ready for the kill. They were more than welcome to fight over him. I was single and very much enjoyed it.


    But, he just stood there, staring at me with his one eyebrow raised.


    I giggled nervously, taking a few steps back from his still outstretched hand. I could see in the light that now illuminated over the two of us that they were calloused, definitely not an indicator of the pretty boy he appeared to be.


    I ran my hand along the nape of my neck, still unable to fully comprehend what was going on. I just stood there, like a deer caught in headlights. My hands were starting to shake the longer I stared at him. I had to say something, anything to get his emerald orbs off of me.


    "I''m sure this is an honor to be picked by the Alpha or whatever you are," I cleared my throat. "But, I''m definitely not the one you want to pick."


    "Did she just reject the Alpha?" The DJs voice boomed through the speakers, putting even more eyes upon us. I couldn''t stop the heat that rose to my head and the flushing of my cheeks the longer they stared. I covered my face with my hand, embarrassed. I wanted to crawl into a ball and hide somewhere.


    Jax quickly whipped his head back around to look at the man, his fists clenched into tight balls. He let out a guttural growl so everyone within a mile radius could hear him. As the DJ flung his hands up in a submissive manner, Jax turned his attention back to me. His sight solely locked on me.


    I watched as his breathing started to even back out and his shoulders visibly relaxed. For that instant, I was thankful to the DJ for prying his eyes away from mine.


    "And your name?" He asked, breaking the silence between us. His voice was sweet, yet demanding.


    "Just play the hell along," Hannah whispered through gritted teeth.


    She might have had no problem with this whole situation, but I did. Who in their right mind would plan a party like this? I couldn''t help but bite the inside of my cheeks, irritated at the mere melodramatic play they were putting on. I placed my hands on my hips like a cocky teenager and pursed my lips together to silence them. It wasn''t going to happen.


    "Her name is Vivian." Hannah offered without a second thought.


    I snapped my head toward her and glared at her. If eyes could shoot daggers, my dear friend would have been half dead. How could she betray me like this?


    "Thank you." He nodded to her, appearing happy with her ability to answer a simple question in which I was not.


    He casually rolled his shoulders back straightening his posture. From far away his height didn''t seem to have been that of an extra tall man but standing in front of me, he was roughly about 6 foot, maybe taller.


    He took a few steps closer, now so close that through his finely pressed suit I could see his flexed pecks outlined under his tight white dress shirt. I licked my lips and bit my bottom lip at the thought of my hands running down his chest, my nails digging into his skin leaving behind track marks as proof of our steamy rendezvous.


    I could see his lips turning up at the sides the slightest bit until a smirk fully formed on his face.


    I closed my eyes trying to wipe the image of my own indecency out of my mind, but it was of no use.


    "Vivian, would you take a brief walk with me?"


    My eyes met Hannah''s once again. Even though I wanted to kill her 20 seconds ago, I still turned to her for advice, even if it wasn''t the greatest. I was torn. My stomach continued to do flips and my heart wouldn''t stop feeling as if it were going to burst out of my chest. She gave me a subtle nod, her way of telling me to go for it.


    Without letting myself overthink it, I decided a short walk would probably do me some good.


    "Sure." I agreed gracefully, as he put his arm out for me to take.


    "Let''s hear it for Alpha Jax and Miss. Vivian!" The DJ screamed into the crowd.


    I shuttered, expecting a somber response, for everyone to be upset that they weren''t chosen by the handsome Mr. Peyton. But their screams were filled with joy, stronger and louder than before. I was starting to become completely bewildered by this unusual group of suspects. They were just plain odd.


    Taking in a deep breath, I extended my hand out to touch him, but instinctively retracted. I was hesitant. But, against my better judgement, I wrapped my arm around his, surprised by an excited thrill that pricked at my skin at the point of contact. Without seeming to notice, he started to lead us out of the fan filled festivity and into the open lawn.


    I felt like I could finally breathe, like my lungs could fully expand and take in as much air as they needed. I could see Jax watching me with studying eyes. If he didn''t feel the smothering sensation that I did when in the center of a large group, he was probably use to being in close quarters with people, a lot.


    "You seem nervous. Am I doing that to you?" He asked.


    His eyes were soft, filled with pure concern, yet the way the words rolled off his tongue sounded like they were dripping with arrogance. The question was sweet, but I couldn''t figure out why he even cared. Why did he choose me?


    To keep things civil I just decided it was best to answer his questions, no matter how weird or unethical they were.


    "I apologize," I answered honestly. "I''m not good at this whole meeting new people thing, especially at parties like this. I''m only here to keep an eye on my friend back there."


    "The brunette that answered for you?" He asked, amused.


    "That would be her." I smiled back at him, tugging at a piece of my hair to twist around my finger. A nervous habit that I have tried for years to break but was unsuccessful.


    I had forgotten how nice it was to actually have some human contact. Most days I was huddled up in my room preparing for an upcoming meeting that I would have to present to a board of members. My job was demanding and left me with very little time to myself. In all honesty, I hated it.


    He cautiously reached over to me and slipped my hair out of my fingers and brushed it behind my shoulder. As his fingers lightly grazed over my collarbone I instinctively relaxed, the sensation of calm washing over me. Within the chaos, right now is the most comfortable that I have felt and something told me he knew that.


    I lifted my head to look up at the sky, trying to shift my attention to something other than our awkward silence. It was a clear night with a gentle breeze and the stars appeared to shine a little brighter than they usually did. Their twinkling was always something that fascinated  me. They were always so beautiful up against the charcoal colored sky with the moon seeming to enhance the effects of the twinkle.


    "Do you enjoy star gazing?" He asked.


    "It''s not a hobby of mine. It''s just hard to not appreciate the beauty of the night sky." I admitted, keeping my eyes fixated on the Northern Star.


    "Do you know why they look like they are blinking?"


    I honestly didn''t. It was something I always wanted to know, but never found the time to sit down and research it.


    "I don''t." I shrugged my shoulders, hoping I didn''t sound stupid to him.


    "Here, lay down and I''ll tell you all about it."


    He unbuttoned his overcoat and carefully laid it down on the grass just behind us. He continued to rub his hands over it to release some of the wrinkles. When he was finally finished he stretched out his hand and motioned for me to take his jacket while he plopped himself down on the other side of it on the cool, prickly grass.


    I smiled sweetly as I pulled at the bottom of my dress before I joined him. Jax was a larger man, his bulging muscles making up most of the bulk that he had. My head and torso was able to lay comfortably on the cloth while the grass only tickled at my legs.


    "Do you see that large star right there?¡± He pointed. ¡°That''s the Northern star. It''s the biggest star and the only one that stays fixed. Now, these stars are actually not blinking at all." He said as he turned his head toward me. I hadn''t noticed that while he was talking he had inched his way closer to me, now so close that I could feel his breath on my face.


    "It''s kind of like a trick that our eyes play on us. The stars light, our atmosphere and our eyes are all the reasons they seem like they are blinking."


    I listened closely as he explained more about the earth''s atmosphere and how levels of temperature, density, and wind created layers that the star''s light has to penetrate through.


    He was a very smart man who I could tell had furthered his education well past high school.


    "Now-.¡± He paused for a second, still examining the sky above when a buzzing sound broke through our silence. I could lightly feel a vibration on my leg before noticing that Jax''s pant pocket was glowing. He smiled hesitantly before shoving his hand into the same pocket and pulled out a phone.


    "Shit." He mumbled before pressing the answer button and bringing the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"


    I turned my head away from his not wanting to intrude in on his conversation, but I could faintly hear the echo of a woman and a sudden tinge of jealousy shot over me.

 Chapter 3

    Jax POV


    As soon as I stepped foot on the stage I could feel that she was near. It was just a matter of concentrating and following the unseen force that eventually led me directly to her. I knew this was going to be a challenge based on the number of wolves and humans that showed up to my pack''s unethical mating ball, ¡°The Eligible Bachelor Party¡±.


    My Beta and I wanted to do something different and out of the ordinary with this party. Most of the unmated wolves in my pack were all male and fairly young, some not even reaching the ripe age of 21. Being the Alpha that I am, I wanted to ensure they would have a good time. What better way than to have all the women there swooning over them, even if their mate did not attend.


    ***


    I pressed my finger against the lit-up screen and ended the call before putting the phone back into my pocket. I knew that it was rude to be answering a call, but it was also not my phone. It belonged to Trey Westing, a longtime friend of mine from the Moonstone pack. He too was at my party hoping to find his mate.


    Turning my body to the side to face her, I propped myself up with my elbow and perched my head atop my hand. She was still laying flat on her back with her hands crossed over her abdomen, looking up. She was even more beautiful under the stars than she was standing awkwardly among all the others.


    Her long golden blonde hair laid over her breasts, accentuating her curves. She looked content laying there, like an angel whose wings rested behind her like a pillow, ready to drift off to sleep.


    She must have felt my eyes on her causing her to turn her head toward me. Her beautiful crystalline blue eyes scanned over my body.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question? She breathed out.


    I nodded my head, wanting her to keep talking. The low gentle tone of her voice was soothing, yet exciting at the same time.


    ¡°What exactly did you pick me for?¡±


    Ah, the burning question I knew she would eventually be asking me, and one I have been reflecting on myself. From the question itself, I could tell she was one of the many humans that doesn¡¯t yet know that werewolves exist.


    I drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ¡°First, I¡¯m going to ask that you keep an open mind. Can you do that?¡±


    Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, but after a second she turned on her side, mirroring my position.


    I smiled widely, and took the gesture as a means to continue.


    ¡°Do you believe that there are or could be other beings that live among us?¡±


    ¡°Like aliens?¡± She questioned, seeming amused with her quick-wittedness and excited with her answer.


    I snorted, impressed with her attempt to play along.


    ¡°Yes, like aliens, but not so green or grey.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°So, do you believe in werewolves?¡±


    The words just slipped off my tongue before I could bite them back. They were blunt, yes, but I needed to be direct. I didn¡¯t want to pussyfoot around telling her. I wanted to just dive in headfirst and deal with the consequences later. That is if it didn¡¯t go over well.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories,¡± she explained. ¡°but never thought much about it. Why?¡±


    I reached my free hand around to the back of my head and ran my fingers over my hair, enjoying the feeling of my fresh buzz cut. This was going to be the easy part of it all. The hardest would be convincing her to stay here, with me.


    ¡°Here is your chance to think a lot about it.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Vivian? Vivian?¡± A female voice called out.


    I raised myself up with my hands into a sitting position as the small brunette from earlier came prancing over. She looked nothing like Vivian. Her short untamed caramel curls hung on her shoulders complimenting her heart-shaped face as she tried her best to smile and bat her eyelashes.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hannah.¡± She announced, brushing away a single ringlet that hung down into her pinkened face.


    It smelt like a brewery was looming over us the longer she stood there. I could tell from the swaying of her body that she was highly intoxicated. When we left her with the group she was sober.


    Vivian jumped to her feet extending her hands out to grab her. Hannah placed all her weight onto her body, practically throwing her arm around Vivian''s shoulders.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you! I left you alone for not even an hour. Damn it, Hannah!¡± She said through gritted teeth.


    The animosity in her voice and the look of disgust was hard for even me to swallow. Her emotion was raw, causing my heart to flutter for a second. It may not have been the right time for it, but it was hard to ignore a strong sense of feeling Vivian gave off. It was intoxicating.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She slurred, as her glassy eyes looked daringly into Vivian¡¯s.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take her inside?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian interrupted. ¡°I need to take her home. This is my fault anyway. I never should have agreed to come here. Now I have to try and-.¡± She paused. She was starting to get emotional, trying to take all of the problems that weren¡¯t hers and pile them on her shoulders.


    ¡°This is not your burden to carry,¡± I said, gently lifting her head up by her chin to look at me. ¡°You did not pour the alcohol down her throat. That was her choice, and she should be the only one to be held accountable.¡±


    The top of her cheeks started to glisten as tears slipped down them and onto my forefinger. She understood, but my words still couldn¡¯t take away her guilt that weighed down her heart.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    I slowly retracted my hand from her face, letting my body finally absorb the numbness and warmth it endured by touching her skin. There was no denying that this woman is my mate, even my wolf is yearning to be close to her.


    ¡°Let''s get her inside.¡± I persisted this time, leaving no room for argument. I hoisted Hannah up in my arms bridal style and started our journey to the packhouse.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    By the time we arrived back at the packhouse most of the guests were already gone. The few remaining souls that roamed the back patio stayed to help with the cleaning endeavors. We knew we would need all hands on deck since it was such a big turnout.


    I could feel Hannah¡¯s body becoming heavier, her dead weight signaling she was almost passed out. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t know if it was from the alcohol, exhaustion, or a combination of both. I glanced over to Vivian who was walking with her arms wrapped tightly around her torso and her shoulders slightly slouched. The confident, yet nervous woman I met earlier was slowly slipping away.


    ¡°In here.¡± I gestured with my head, leading her through the patio door and into the kitchen. The house smelt almost as bad as the girl in my arms did. I growled internally, pissed at the disarray. The farther in the house I walked, the more cups I had seemed to have kicked and stepped on. The cracking of the broken plastic sounding much like that of a snapping turtle ready to defend itself. Food was thrown about like the floor was a massive garbage can and the crunching of chips under my feet unnerved me even more. These people were savages.


    Passing through the gourmet kitchen and then the living room, I started debating on where to put her. I wanted to talk more with Vivian, but I wanted privacy.


    A guest bedroom was just a short walk down the hall so I settled on that one.


    I pushed the door open lightly with my foot trying carefully not to jostle or bump Hannah¡¯s head. A dim light lit up the room, allowing me to easily find my way to the bed. I laid her down gently and proceeded to take her high heels from off of her feet. A small multicolored afghan laid at the foot of the bed, folded in a way that didn¡¯t require me to fight with it to cover her up. Leaning over and past the small black wooden nightstand, I grabbed a small metal garbage can and sat it close to the bed, readily available if she was to need it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Vivian''s voice cracked. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do all of that. I mean, we won¡¯t be here long, just a few minutes and then we will be out of your hair.¡±


    I smiled at her, watching as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.


    ¡°I insist you both stay. There is plenty of room and Hannah is already in la-la land.¡± I pointed back over to her limp body as she snored loudly into the echoing room. ¡°There is another guest room down the hall that you can sleep in and I¡¯m sure I could scrounge up some of my shirts for you to change into. I think they would fit you like a nightgown.¡±


    She snorted, obviously agreeing with our size difference. Her dainty body would be swallowed up, but I could almost guarantee she would be comfortable.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°But, you need to let me make this up to you somehow. Maybe lunch one day or something. Anything you¡¯d like really.¡±


    ¡°I shall take you up on that.¡±


    A sudden thrill shot through my body. I didn¡¯t have to touch the girl for my knees to go weak and for my heart to skip. I so badly want her to know who and what I really am, but tonight is not the night. We all needed some rest and maybe after some consideration she would allow me to spoil her with the love an Alpha has for his Luna. And just maybe, she will give in to the love that binds us as mates.


    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡±


    I gently wrapped my hand around her and rested it flat on her lower back, pressing slightly to move her along. She walked willing, scanning the picture frames that lined the hallway walls as we made it into the next room.


    This guest room was bigger, fancier. I saw her eyes widen in surprise when she fully stepped through the door. The walls were splashed with charcoal grey as white and lavender marbled through the darker shade, grabbing the onlooker''s eyes like a painting. The four-post bed sat lonely in the center of the room. The black silk comforter covered the soft mattress as decorative pillows relaxed on top, seducing and calling out like a Siren to anyone who dared to listen.


    ¡°I will let you get settled. The bathroom is there to the right,¡± I pointed to the closed door inside the room. ¡°I will knock when I have a few shirts for you to choose from.¡± I smiled before turning heel and closing the door behind me.


    I rested my back against the door quietly, replaying the sound of her voice in my head. She was absolutely perfect. Everything about her excited me in ways I didn¡¯t know was possible.


    I pushed myself off the wood and proceeded down to the end of the hall. My office was directly at the end. To most people they would have thought it was simply a wall, but the door was painted to be hidden within it. The only means to get inside was by pressing your foot along the bottom molding, allowing the wall to pop open toward you. Behind the wall was the door itself, handle, and all.


    Walking inside, I immediately went to the small oak armoire that I used to store clothes in case of an emergency. Pulling the golden knobs toward me, a small stack of shirts laid folded in a pile. Without searching through them, I instinctively grabbed the whole lot and shut the doors.


    I returned back to the room where Vivian was staying and placed my ear against it. It was completely silent. I rapped my knuckles against the wood and stood waiting, clutching the clothes close to my chest. She must have been sitting on the bed because I could hear her feet hit the floor with a thump before she opened the door.


    Her eyes were glossy and practically slits. It was obvious she was tired.


    ¡°You can choose the one you¡¯d like to wear.¡± I offered while handing them to her. She smiled sweetly and seemed to have just frozen, not knowing what to do next. She needed sleep and so did I.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± I said, taking in her beauty one last time before she retired for the night.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± She echoed, closing the door fully until it clicked.


    And that was it. She was now hidden inside the sanctuary of the room and I was left to wander the house all by my lonesome. I was being selfish in more ways than one, wanting to spend more time with her knowing she was tired. Even after thirty-five years of life, I still can¡¯t fully understand the amount of sleep a human needs. Werewolves are different. Our bodies require rest, but not an extended time. Humans truly are amazing creatures, and for the first time within my pack and my family line, I am the only wolf to ever be mated to a human.


    Walking back the way I came, I bent my knees and crouched forward, picking up some broken cups and ripped up napkins. I had never seen my house a mess like this, and it bothered me to the core.


    This house belongs to the pack, we all live here together, but at the end of the day, this used to be my home. I built this house with my own two hands alongside my father with the intention of it holding a family. That I would have my mate next to me watching as our small children danced around the rooms with Mulan and Aladdin blaring on the TVs. But, that never happened.


    I stood up straight, shaking my head to settle the memories that were flooding back into view. Now was not the time to get emotional about something I had no control over.


    ¡°Jax?¡±


    I turned around quickly and there was Vivian, poking her head back out.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I croaked, trying to ignore my increasingly fast-beating heart.


    ¡°Are werewolves real? Is that why you asked me that?¡±


    Her face was questioning, and her eyes were dead set on mine. This was my chance, to be honest, to explain what really lies ahead of her. My wolf was itching for me to tell her, his selfish wants and needs being his sole reasoning for the reveal.


    ¡°We are real, yes,¡± I answered, waiting for her to absorb what I have just said. She was quiet. To be honest, it scared me. Did I just lose her before I even had a chance to have her?


    ¡°Oh.¡± She said quietly, pulling another strand of her hair into her fingers. She was nervous, she was thinking.


    I racked my brain for something to say to save this moment, but it kept coming up blank. I had nothing. How could I have nothing to say to my own mate?


    ¡°I guess this will make for an interesting breakfast conversation then.¡± She smiled, before pulling her head back inside the room and closing the door, leaving me one hundred percent breathless.


    I was already falling hard for this woman. All I can do is pray that I don¡¯t crash and burn in the process.