Page 27 of The Packaged Deal

They dislike it when they say no.

My parents hated it. They fought against my change. I'd been baffled by it at the time because they were just clothes, but they saw something offensive in my behaviour and got stricter and more imposing until they basically gave me away.

Trevor Lockier is perfect. Exactly the kind of man my parents wanted for me as an alpha. Rich, classy, and with a pack as handsome as he is; he showed my mother photos. He has all the charm, and he’s so boring I'd wanted to stab myself with the nearest utensil. He’s also dangerously arrogant, with the expectation that everyone will fall under his will.

He has a secret side. A cruel streak that makes him smile when people are in pain. You catch glimpses of it when you get to know him. A snigger when a server gets stiffed, a smirk when a woman gets told off by a man, a gleam when he sees a fight. It’s the powerful scent of arousal when I told him no. It’s the angry challenge when I said I didn’t want it. Sometimes it was the way he ignored my words like I hadn’t spoken, like I wasn’t a person anymore. I was just a thing. His thing.

I'd rather be alone than be with Trevor.

I am alone. My pack doesn’t want me.

But if Trevor finds me, I won’t be alone.

I'll be dead.

eight

Jade

“Thank you for the rescue,” I singsong.

Hazel studies me curiously out of ocean blue eyes. Her knitted jumper is obviously very expensive, and the shorts show off long, tanned legs. I kinda hate her. “Tell me again why you needed rescuing from Raptore Securities’ best employees and Doctor Shultz?”

“Oh, it’s just a silly misunderstanding.” I beam and cross my leg over the other in the back of the car. It’s a really nice car, smells good, too. Comfortable seats. Very shiny.

“Jade,” Hazel warns.

I’m really lucky that she was driving down the road at exactly that moment, but then again, I don’t really believe in coincidence. One of those people at that house called her.

I tense, and then the energy goes out of me. “So, it turns out that Sven and Adrian are my alphas.”

“That’s great!” Hazel says excitedly.

“Adrian’s leaving, and Sven doesn’t want me. His exact quote was ‘not if I don’t claim her’.” I try for nonchalance, but my tone falls flat.

Hazel sits back and slumps on the car seat. “Boo. Bad boys,” she murmurs with a distant look. “I knew there was something going on between them.”

The car pulls up outside this incredible wood log house. It looks like it’s been plucked from a magazine and placed into this bit of paradise. Hazel gets out, and I trail after her, trying to hide the nerves.

“Come inside, I’ll introduce you to my pack and get the girls on conference call so we can figure out what to do.”

She pushes open the door, and I follow her into the lounge and stop short. Shit.

I stand there and flex my fingers, but my tongue is tied, and no words come out. Kandi is crying, actually crying, and she’s in another man's arms, and he’s holding her. And…am I jealous? Why do I want to be the one holding her? A tiny growl escapes, but I smother it.

Kandi looks up and spots me. “Jade?”

The man turns and glares. “This is her?”

“Sunny, don’t. It’s not her fault.”

“She’s hurting you, sis. I don’t care if it’s her fault or not, I get to hate her.”

I tilt my head to the side. “I've never had anyone hate me before. How novel. Have at it then, Alpha.”

“How does it feel?” he asks with a curious hint of a smile. He’s really all very golden. Too golden. Too smiley.

“Strange. I almost want to weep,” I deadpan.