Page 10 of Chasing The Alpha's Son
“I said it was sort of like an apology, a way for the alpha and his family to make it up to us.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Us?”
“Yeah, you know. Me and the other hostages.”
“Max! I know the truth is hard but you’re just lying to your parents now.”
“I know! But what else am I supposed to do?”
Katie gives me this look like the answer is obvious, like the truth is that simple.
In my head I know my parents will love me no matter what, but for some reason the words won’t come out. They’re just stuck inside of me, like a pile of bricks, weighing me down. There’s a chasm between my brain and my mouth and I have no idea how to bridge it.
“Can we talk about something else?” I ask, as the Uber comes to a stop at a traffic light.
“Of course,” Katie says.
I know she’s looking at me—I can feel her in my periphery but I don’t look back. I just keep watching as the traffic light turns from red to green. We roll forward.
The Plaza is only a couple of blocks away. We’re minutes from entering the Yule Ball, where I’m sure to feel completely at home and not at all like a weed in a bed of roses. It’s the first time I’ve been around this many wolves since the Harvest Moon, and the closest I’ve been to Jasper in months.
My body is vibrating, like I’m plugged into an electrical socket and the current is jolting about in my veins. I keep fighting the nervous urge to yawn and rub the back of my neck—not that I can reach that far back in the suit Aisha picked out for me, but still. My collar is way too tight and I’m worried I might suffocate in my supposed-to-be-ironic bow tie.
“How are you feeling about…?” Katie begins to ask but trails off. She’s still got her smoky eyes on me. Beneath the eye shadow and the contouring my best friend is still there, still by my side, where she’ll be forever.
“Nervous doesn’t even begin to cut it.”
She places her hand on top of mine and gives it a little squeeze.
“For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you. And I think you look very handsome in your suit.”
Absent-mindedly, I run a jittery hand through my hair before remembering it took about twenty minutes to get it into a style I liked.
“Thanks,” I mumble. “You look good too. Maybe too good, actually. There’s a high chance Todd and Simon will shift the second they lay their eyes on you in that dress.”
She smirks. “That was the idea. Although now that I think about it, you might be right. What if they go on a rampage through the Plaza?”
“A lot of rich people are going to be very upset.”
“No one is safe.”
“Probably best if we turn around now, head home, avoid the commotion.”
The car comes to a stop.
“This okay?” the Uber driver asks.
Katie and I both stare out the window at the golden entrance. I try to swallow the watermelon in my throat.
“This’ll do.”
I help Katie out of the car, shutting the door behind her as she smooths out her dress.
This all seems like something from a movie. I’ve walked past this entrance—the shiny gold-framed doors, the checkerboard paving, the red-carpeted steps, the footmen, the lamps that look like clusters of little moons—millions of times on my way to the park, but I’ve never actually been inside. Never crossed this glossy threshold.
“You don’t really think they’ll shift and ruin the party, do you?” Katie asks, coming to stand next to me.
I cock an eyebrow and glance sideways. “You want to put money on it?”
