Page 40 of Chasing The Alpha's Son
“Do you know how it felt?!”
“Of course I do!” he roars. “Do you get how hard that was for me? Being put on the spot like that. There are bigger things happening here than you and me, Max. This trip is important for the relationship between the packs. If Morven were to find out—”
“Stop hiding behind your father and the pack and your goddamn duty. This isn’t about protecting anyone; this about you being a coward.”
“Get out,” he spits through clenched teeth.
I’ve overstepped. Suddenly, I have no idea what my plan was. To come here and seduce Jasper before anyone else could? If that was the idea, I’m doing a terrible job. Being called cowardly isn’t exactly a turn-on.
“Jasper.”
“Get out, Max.” He stares at the rug and points at the door. “And don’t talk to me anymore while we’re here.”
“That’s ridiculous I—”
“I mean it: leave me alone.”
I feel so stupid. I know this person: this is the Jasper who pushes me away and treats me like crap—the Jasper he apologized for being, the one he said was an act to keep me at arm’s length. I don’t even like this person, but I’ve followed him all the way to this overdressed ski resort.
With clenched fists I give in. “Fine.”
I amble back to my room, deflated and sober.
I wish I’d closed the curtains when I managed to get back into my room last night. As it is, the morning sun is streaming like a spotlight through the windows this morning.
What did Mia have in that flask?
Somehow managing to sit up, I blink until the light seems less blinding, and my breath catches at the view. It was spectacular at night, all shimmery and silver, but in the day…woof! A golden sun in a perfectly clear blue sky shines down on crisp white mountaintops, black jagged rocks poke through the powder the lower down I peer. Drawn to the balcony, I make my way outside and take it in. I didn’t notice last night, but off to the left, low in the valley, is a town, set amongst the rocks like it was carved out of the mountainside.
Automatically, my gaze drifts to Jasper’s balcony. It’s empty and suddenly I’m filled with regret. What did I think I was doing? I know Jasper, and there’s no way showing up randomly drunk would ever win him over. And now he’s pissed at me—more than usual.
There’s a knock at my door and I have a feeling I know who it is.
“Happy Christmas Eve Eve!” Katie says, throwing up her arms and hugging me the second I open the door.
“How are you so chipper?”
“Must be this mountain air.” She shrugs. “We’re heading down to breakfast; I bet they have good breakfast.”
If that strudel last night was anything to go by, I bet they have some wild pastries, and I could devour an entire cow’s worth of sausages right now. I may be feeling all kinds of awful, but I don’t want to miss this meal.
“Let me get dressed.”
I slap some water on my face, attempt to fuss with my unruly hair before giving up, then head down to breakfast with Katie, Simon, and Todd.
“So where did you slip off to last night?” Katie asks as we saunter down a pine-scented hall.
“Well if the plan was to get his attention I think it worked.”
“So it went well?”
Ah, Katie, if only…if only.
Breakfast is served in the parlor buffet style, and I’ve barely packed enough meat and pastries on my plate and sat down at a table by the window when Mia—accompanied by Jasper and Clayton—walks past.
“Max!” she shouts excitedly.When did we become besties?She hurries over to me while Katie shoots me a confused glance. “How are you this morning?”
Clayton and Jasper have followed Mia over, and I catch Clayton elbowing Jasper’s side as if to say, “Who is this dweeb?”
