Page 87 of Hunting the Alpha

ChapterTwenty-Nine

SAVANNAH

“Why are men such sons of bitches?” I demanded before knocking back another shot.

“Tell me about it,” Grace muttered, knocking back hers. “Kyran will probably be screwing someone else tomorrow. But noooooo. Not me. He doesn’t want me. But he doesn’t want anyone else wanting me either, telling me there’s no one good enough for me. Asshole. Bastard. Stupid penis face.”

I shared a look with Gen who took charge of the situation. She wrapped her arm around Grace’s shoulder. “How much have you had to drink, hon?”

“A lot. Needed it. Kyran, the butt bunny!” She hiccuped, her words slurred. “He snatched me off Oscar! Threw me over back. Oscar’s back. I mean, Kyran threw me over his back when Oscar tried to play pool, the shithead-face. And Donovan! Don’ get me started there with Everleigh. The cock fighting butthead!”

“I think you’ve had enough of that.” Gen took the cup from Grace’s hand.

I stroked back the hair from her face and wiped the smudged makeup from beneath her eyes. “We’ll sort them out. Them and their double-standard bullshit. Is this a wolf thing or something?”

“Yep,” Gen replied. “But Donovan gets a tiny pass because you’re mated and the wolf will be driving him hard to be a dick. But he doesn’t get one for not telling you about Everleigh coming here. And he needs a kick in the balls for letting him paw her in front of you.”

“I don’t want to be that girl, you know?” I gnawed my lip. “The one who gets jealous and tries to keep her man on a leash.”

“Ha,” Grace said. “Leash. Wolf. Dog. Funny. But lishen,”—she patted my arm,—“Donovan don’t want her. Worships you. Don’t let her stir shit between you.”

“I know. I won’t.”

“But you should make him sweat,” said Gen. A new song boomed through speakers, and an evil smirk appeared on her lips. “Come on. Let’s go have some fun.”

She dragged us off again, and I followed, already loving her for her terrible influence on me. We stayed away from the fire where we’d left Donovan and the others. What he’d said to Everleigh, her reaction. He hadn’t told her about me and vice versa, and it had resulted in us both being unprepared at the turn of events. It was a sucky thing to do and the motherfucker needed his karma.

We didn’t need the fire for Gen to play with it though. She grabbed Sam and Oscar and got them dancing, bringing in a few others so we had a crowd of people to dance with. Gen laughed, getting us involved, and let the mood and the booze take over, sinking into some dance moves.

Gen jumped on the back of a guy and bounced around, him loving it as she whooped into the night. Grace soon got into things, taking off her cardigan and swinging it around in the air. Oscar smiled, looking at her with affection. He definitely had a crush but was respectful enough to stay back so as not to evoke Kyran’s wrath again.

I got into it, jumping, grinding, and twirling with the rest of them. Someone handed me a drink. I knocked it back. Every time someone went to offer Grace one, either me or Gen took it, letting her have the fun instead of drinking herself into oblivion. We looked out for one another, having fun, laughing like I’d never laughed before. I enjoyed the craziness of the night after so much intensity the past few months. And not only from Gideon. Everything had become about work. About my current job. My next job. Even my art had suffered as I stifled myself. But here, among these people, I was finding myself again.

More of the younger wolves joined us, radiating to the group we’d created. We partied away from the families, enjoying ourselves. I kicked off my shoes and got lost in the music, grinding my ass and weaving in and out, and around, as the music changed to something sultry. Sexy.

It made me pine for Donovan.

I missed him.

I wanted his hands on me. I wanted him to dance with me, enjoying such a beautiful night as his mate. I didn’t like this wedge between us, even though I’d stuck it there by walking away. But he’d annoyed me. Hurt me. And I needed a moment to let loose.

Someone fed their hands around my waist, dancing from behind. At first, I thought it was Donovan, but it felt off. I turned to see Sam and jolted. A monstrous roar broke through the crowd. Everyone turned silent. Someone shut down the music as the younger wolves parted. A giant wolf moved through them, snarling, and growling in warning, baring its teeth.

Donovan.

I should be panicking over how big he was compared to the other wolves. I should be worrying over why he looked ready to pounce and take a chunk out of someone. But all I could think was how beautiful, how regal, how powerful he was, stalking toward us with layers of silken fur.

His amber eyes drew me in, showing me into the soul of my mate. I reached out to touch him but Sam stepped out from behind me in a rush, his hands up in surrender.

“I’m sorry, Donovan. I only just saw her mark, I swear. I didn’t know you’d mated.”

Donovan growled again, his eyes predatory, taking in the young wolf. I stepped in front of Sam and narrowed the gap between me and Donovan. “Donovan. I wasn’t going to dance with him like that, okay?”

The other alliance members came to the circle, drawing closer, ready to intervene should Donovan let go of his wolf.

Donovan was only focused on me, trying to weave by to get a hold of Sam.

“Donovan,” I snapped, wondering why the hell I’d used such a tone when he snatched his head toward me. But I reminded myself the wolf was Donovan. He’d never hurt me. “I don’t want Sam. I only want you.”