Page 7 of Luna Trials
“Alpha, if I may,” Trenton said.
His father nodded.
“Don’t we want to show the world that Nuva Pack isn’t a bunch of…” Trenton’s voice trailed off as he sniffed in my direction, “scroungy mutts?”
My pupils dilated, anger racing through my veins and riling my beast, but I did my best to keep my expression blank.This backwoods, double-wide trailer trash.He had some nerve calling me scroungy. I may have grown up in a smaller trailer, but he grew up onthe other side of the park and we were all in the same damn fence.
“What is that supposed to mean?” My tone was steady as I held my claws in check. Even though I should have kept my mouth shut and let my enemies win, for once. They were helping me. Sort of.
“You know exactly what I mean.” Prince Trenton didn’t dignify me with a second glance.
“Go home, son. I’ll speak with you later.” Alpha Derek reached for a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and poured himself a drink. “You too, Stefanie. Your father’s waiting outside. My decision is final.”
With the sick sense of dread twisting my gut, I turned to leave with them. Stef shot me a glare that told me exactly how this was going to go down. I prepared myself for the fight coming outside the bar. She wasn’t as tough without her groupies though. It would be over soon.
“Not you, Aspen,” Alpha Derek called me back because the nightmare wasn’t over yet.
I’d have much rather fought Stef outside.
I fixed my gaze on a spot on the floor where a beer stain darkened the hardwood planks, trying to will my wolf to behave. For the past twelve years, I’d avoided being the sole focus of Alpha Derek after he’d discovered that I had a teeny-tiny problem with authority. But I’d worked really freaking hard to stuff it down as I grew up. That was a discussion I never wanted to have again. I needed to stay calm before I did something stupid, like get myself killed.
The door closed leaving us alone in the bar.
“Do you know why I put your name in as a Luna contender?” Alpha Derek asked.
I shook my head because Alphas didn’t like to hear that they were crazy which was pretty much the only reason I could come up with.
“You’ve got the looks.” He smirked, eyeing my body in a way that made me glad I was wearing overalls. I resisted the urge to cross my arms over my chest. “But you’ve also got a good head on your shoulders.”
“Thank you, Alpha Derek.” I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood, begging my wolf to stop paying attention to this conversation as she started to pace in my mind. Submission. That was what he wanted. It was physically painful to keep my gaze averted.
But I’d mastered a solid 100-yard stare after the lessons he’d instilled when I was twelve. The bottles on the bar shelf would burst if they could feel the intensity burning behind my eyes.
“Stefanie and you were at the top of your graduating class. Your work in the prison distinguishes you from the other unmated females. And as my son puts it, we need to show the world Nuva Pack isn’t a bunch of hillbillies.” Alpha Derek grinned over the rim of his glass. Maybe he was getting old, because his voice didn’t hold the same bite I remembered when I was young.
Still, I didn’t want to piss him off and when he put it that way, it made sense. I looked good onpaper. Maybe he wasn’t as much of an idiot as I’d always thought him to be.
“I don’t want to mate an Alpha,” I kept my voice low, hoping he wouldn’t see it as a challenge or an insult. That maybe he would understand.
“Why wouldn’t you want to mate an Alpha?” He puffed out his chest as if he hadn’t beaten me within an inch of my life when I was a scrawny pup for daring to say things should change. I was forced to hide from my own papa for three days so he didn’t see the bruising and get himself hurt by trying to defend me. Why would I want to mate an arrogant jerk with Alpha qualities?
I let my gaze drift to Derek, watching as he picked his teeth with a pointed claw.
Never mind.
“I just don’t want to get mated.” I shrugged, trying to think of how else to convince him to rethink this whole thing.
“I assumed as much. Four seasons and still no mate.” Derek sipped from his glass. This was about to get a whole lot more awkward if he knew… “Is something wrong with your wolf?”
There is nothing wrong with me.I clamped down on my lips to stop from growling. You know what was bullshit? Male shifters got years to decide on a mate and no one batted an eye. But I wasn’t ready to get in an argument with the Alpha about gender stereotypes. Especially not when my freaking life was on the line.
“She hasn’t found anyone she clicks with.” It was mostly the truth so I didn’t worry about him sniffing out the lie.
“I see.” The ice clinked in his glass and he poured another drink. “Then I’m doing you a favor by giving your wolf choices. I think we can come to an arrangement here.”
“What arrangement?” I asked, confused.
Derek pulled a folder out from behind the bar and smacked it on the counter. From where I was standing, I could make out my name stamped on the front page.