Page 51 of Alpha Games

“Aspen has never liked pack functions or hanging out after dark.” Trenton tipped back his beer acting like he knew me so well.

In this instance he was right.

But still…

I tried hard not to roll my eyes at him, wishing he’d elaborate a little more on that statement. Like explain why I didn’t hang out with the pack or enjoy their company very much.

A camera crew came around the corner, turning their lens our way, and I remembered Alpha Derek’s warning.

“You guys are out late.” My voice was a little higher pitched than I intended. “Aren’t you going to be tired for the hunt tomorrow? If I were you, I’d make sure to get a good night’s rest before the big event.”

Colton chuckled. Hillary blushed.

Trenton’s shoulders stiffened.“Stop acting like my mom.”

“What?”I asked through our pack link, still smiling. “Early to bed, early to rise. That’s my motto.”

You’re rambling.My wolf groaned just as Trenton did.

Am I?The cameras were coming closer now. My skin prickled with nerves and I took a step back, bumping into Landon North.

“Careful there, dear.” He side-stepped, keeping his hands raised in the air as if scared to touch me.

“I’m sorry,” I said, not sure who I was apologizing too. Trenton’s eyes narrowed and I tried again, “I mean, Trenton will do great tomorrow. He’s an amazing hunter. The best. He doesn’t need as much sleep as the rest of us.”

The cameraman hung back a few feet, filming me make a fool of myself, as the air around us filled with the stench of all my dirty lies.

“Tone it down.”Trenton chugged the rest of his beer as Colton burst into laughter.

And this was why I normally stayed in my room.

I turned on my heel, about to abandon this peopling-mission altogether, when Edith came up beside me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

“Aspen,” she drawled my name. “What are you doing out this late? Come have a drink with us.”

“Sure,” I squeaked, grateful for the save and hoping that wherever she was sitting Fallon would be too and by extension Ranger. He was the only thing that would make this awful nighttime adventure away from my bed worth it.

Edith waved to the bartender, pulling me away from Trenton as she leaned closer to the counter. “What are you having?”

I stared at the shaker in the bartender’s hands, trying to ignore the feeling of Trenton glaring daggers into my back. “I’ll try whatever you’re getting.”

Edith clapped in delight as she let go of my shoulder. “Make that two apple martinis.”

*

This was probably the most disgusting thing I’d ever tasted in my life. I sipped at the frosted glass as I followed Edith outside and tried not to grimace. The taste of sugary-sweet apple syrup hit the back of my tongue and I gagged. My first instinct was to drink it down quick to get it over with, but I didn’t want to risk Edith suggesting we get another.

One of these was enough for one lifetime.

I sniffed it again, triple checking it didn’t contain any poison even though I’d watched the bartender like a hawk as he made it, and forced myself to take another sip. The sound of smooth jazz drifted from a speaker somewhere and blue cigar smoke curled in the air.

Chad had one leg crossed over his knee as he leaned back on the wicker bench under the pavilion near the pool. Lilith was sitting on the lounger beside her cousin, texting on her phone and not bothering to look up as we approached.

Meghan sat with her Alpha Scott from Florida. Rumor was Ranger punched him in the face during the nesting trials though I didn’t know why. Meghan and Scott weren’t blood related. Clara hadn’t given me any dirt on them, but Meghan looked nothing like Scott except for their similar colored bleach blonde hair. They didn’t smell like family.

“Hey girl,” Cindy brushed past me, taking the spot next to her cousin Brett Fraizer on the opposite couch from Chad. A camera crew followed her over and set up behind the pavilion as she flashed them an award-winning smile.

Everyone here looked so natural, effortlessly cool, and you could practically smell the money on them. It was painfully obvious I didn’t belong, but Edith dragged me into the circle like I did.