Alpha Divided (Alpha Girl Book 3) (3 page)

Yuck.

I figured vague was best for the icky part. “We recite some words—kind of like marriage vows—and then it’s done. We shift and take an evening run.” I sat up, moving my legs from Dastien’s lap. “I know it’s a lot to accept, but Dad seems pretty not okay with the whole thing.”

She shrugged. “You’re still his baby. We figured we’d have years before we had anything like this come up, and that was if you could ever let someone get close to you.”

Yeah. I hadn’t been too sure about the whole being-able-to-have-a-boyfriend thing either. Before, it’d seemed like a long shot at best. “I don’t want to upset him.”

“He’s not upset.”

I sat up enough to look at her. “We both know he is.”

“One of the hardest things about being a parent is letting go,” Mom said. “We lost your brother to college this year, and that was hard, but very expected. We didn’t expect to lose you, too. Not like this.”

God. She made it sound like I was dying. “You’re not losing me.”

She brushed her hand across my forehead, sweeping a piece of hair behind my ear.

I was suddenly in my parents’ bedroom as a vision took hold.

“She’s my little girl. I don’t want her to grow up so fast,” Dad said. He wore the same clothes he was wearing today.
Tears glistened in his eyes. “Can’t she wait?”

I jerked away from Mom’s touch. She was the only one with enough control to show me exactly what she wanted me to see and no more, but that I didn’t mean I wanted to see anything. It felt too intrusive.

“
Is this where the party is?” Axel came out to the porch and handed me an ice-cold Diet Coke, breaking the tension. He was my savior when he wasn’t being a pain in my ass.

I popped the tab on the Coke, and took a long drink. I needed to consume more calories as a wolf, but I still liked diet sodas. I’d gotten used to the taste and regular Coke tasted wrong now.

He handed Dastien and Mom root beers and leaned against the railing on the porch. “So, what’s the drama now?”

I rolled my eyes. “No drama.”

“You guys look pretty serious for a drama-free zone.”

I plucked the tab off my can and threw it at him. “Jerk.”

“Nerd,” he countered. “So, what’s up?”

“Nothing. We’re just talking about growing up.”

Axel made a face. “Yeah. That’s a mood-killer for sure.”

“Look. I know you’re worried, but nothing much is changing tonight,” Dastien said.

I scoffed. It seemed like a lot was changing tonight.

“We’re formalizing what’s already happened, so it’s like getting upset over the past. Not worth it. She doesn’t even have to move in with me.”

Uh, I was kind of looking forward to that
, I said through our bond.
And I wasn’t really going to tell them that part.

We have to be honest with them. You’re lucky to have two great parents who care about you, and they’re freaking out right now, so we have to be considerate.

What they don’t know won’t hurt them…

No. We’re not going to lie to them. I just think—

“They’re talking to each other in their heads.” Axel scrunched his nose. “They’re making all the faces they would if they were talking aloud, except without the words. It’s so fucking creepy.”

“Axel! Language!” Mom swatted his leg.

My cheeks burned. It felt like being caught doing something really intimate.

“Sorry. That was rude.” Dastien took the blame, but I was the one who’d started the conversation.

“My bad.” I took a long sip from my drink.

“Just don’t knock up my sister.”

I nearly spewed Diet Coke all over him.

Dastien patted my back as I nearly choked again. I was on a roll today. “Jesus, Axel. Shut up.”

“Who’s talking about knocking my daughter up?” Dad said as he stepped outside.

I groaned. If he owned a shotgun, I was pretty sure he’d be cocking it right about now. “No one is getting knocked up.” I’d need to have a sex life to get preggo and we hadn’t gone there yet.

And God. Could this be more embarrassing?

“Just be
safe
,” Mom said as she patted my hand.

I was wrong. It could totally get more embarrassing. “Please. For the love of all that’s holy, everyone just ixnay on the exsay alktay.”

“If you can’t say it, honey, you shouldn’t be having it.”

Jesus Christ almighty.

I set my drink on the ground and covered my face with my hands. “Did no one hear what I just said? Shit. And it’s my
birthday
…”

I heard Dastien’s laugh through the bond. I peeked at him and his face was a perfect mask of serious.

This isn’t funny.

It’s extremely funny.

“No. It’s humiliating.”

Just think, this time next week, we’ll be getting ready for some Paul van Dyk.

I grinned.
Can’t wait.
“Hey.” I kicked Axel’s foot. “We’re going to PvD next Saturday. If you wanna go, you’re gonna need tickets.”

“Dastien warned me a while back. I guess I’m going to suffer through yet another night of Nintendo music for you.”

Axel had always been my dancing partner, even if he didn’t like the music. Hitting the clubs had been my one release when we lived in LA. “Awesome. Thanks.” The tickets were Dastien’s birthday present to me and I couldn’t wait. We had the same taste in music—a heavy rotation of trance and house with some breaks and ambient mixed in. I never thought I’d meet someone who shared my passions, but Dastien did. He got me.

“Can we have a moment with our daughter before you go?” Dad asked.

I started to protest—whatever Dad said to me he could say to Dastien—but Dastien stood before I could say anything. “Of course. I’ll wait by the car?”

We were quiet as Dastien stepped off the porch. I knew he could probably hear whatever we said—werewolves had fantastic hearing—but he gave my family the illusion of privacy as he leaned against his black Porsche Cayenne at the end of the driveway.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Dad asked. “If you want to wait, I’m sure we can talk to Michael.”

Mr. Dawson, a.k.a. Michael, was Dad’s boss, the head of St. Ailbe’s and the local pack. Even if I wanted Dad to step in—which I didn’t—it wouldn’t do any good. It wasn’t Mr. Dawson’s decision.

I cracked my knuckles as I stared across the driveway at Dastien. The way he leaned against the car made my heart race.

He wasn’t even doing anything and my whole body flushed. How could that get me so riled?

“I’m not nervous about it. Dastien…” God. My face burned because I knew he’d be listening to this. “Dastien is kind of perfect for me. I’m a worrier and he’s mega calm. We have the same interests in music and dancing and whatnot. I’m not good at the fighting stuff and he’s not good at the magic stuff. It’s like we balance each other. We fit.”

I couldn’t even explain what I’d felt when I first saw him. From that moment, it was like I already knew him. I’d never felt something so strongly. And when I left him at the mall, the longing that drew me to him… I couldn’t help but hope he felt the same.

“I know it’s fast and we’re all still adjusting to everything that’s happened, but I need to do this. I think once I do, I’ll feel more settled. But right now, it’s like something could happen and I dunno. I’m nervous. I’m on edge.” The more I tried to pinpoint my feelings the more illusive they became. It wasn’t just growing up that was bothering me.

I blew out a breath. “I don’t know what to say, but I want you to trust me. It’s going to be okay.”

Dad pulled me in for a hug, and I wrapped my arms around him. Dad was always free with his hugs. He didn’t understand my visions the way Mom did, so he didn’t keep his distance. But I didn’t care anymore. Now that I finally had more control, I could relax into his embrace. “You want away from the pack, then we’ll find a way,” Dad said.

I kissed his scruffy cheek. “Thanks, Dad. But seriously, I’m going to be okay.”

He blinked, not letting tears fall. “Okay, big girl.”

Mom pulled me in for a hug next. “
Te quiero mucho.”

“I love you, too.”

I turned to Axel.

“God. It’s like it’s a fucking funeral.”

“Axel!” Mom said.

“What? It’s true.” He pulled me in for a hug, too. “I love you, kiddo. Good luck tonight. And happy birthday. You finally have friends, you awkward dork.”

“I love you, too.” I shoved him away as I laughed. “I’m gonna go. Gotta get ready.”

“Don’t miss dinner next Sunday. Even if you’re tired from dancing,” Mom said.

“Will do.”

I walked to Dastien’s car, and he opened the door for me.

“Hey, Dastien,” Axel shouted.

“What?”

“Take care of my sister or I’ll be forced to kick your ass.”

I laughed. We all knew that the only way Axel was kicking Dastien’s ass was if Dastien let him.

When I looked back at Dastien, he wasn’t laughing this time. “I’ll protect her with my life.” I heard the resolve in his tone and felt it through the bond—he was making a serious promise.

“Good,” Axel said.

Were they for real having a macho handing off the little lady convo? Because that was just so…fifty years ago.

Dastien closed my door and walked around to the driver’s side.

“You ready?” he said before starting the car.

I took one last look at the house—my family standing on the porch. Dad had his arm around Mom. Axel leaned forward over the railing, resting on his forearms. It was weird. I was leaving one family for another, yet I was still part of both. It felt like I was being pulled in so many directions lately.

But I was being overly dramatic. I shook myself free of my thoughts and placed my hand on the window. “Yeah. I’m ready.” Mom lifted her hand in an answering wave.

“Nothing’s changing tonight.”

“That’s not true,” I said as I stared into Dastien’s amber eyes. “I really feel like I shouldn’t have told my cousins the truth. As soon as they left, I got this overwhelming feeling of dread. I don’t like it.”

He raised a brow. “Is it a vision? Is that what I’m feeling from you?”

That was impossible. “I don’t have visions of the future. Only past and present.”

“You could, though. Your powers are still growing. Don’t limit your perceptions.”

I rubbed my sweating palms on my shorts. “It can’t be. I just get the feeling like something’s about to change, and that it won’t be good. But that has nothing to do with how I feel about the Full Moon Ceremony. I want to be with you. I’m already in your head. It’s not like it’d change anything except the way the pack sees us.”

“Then it’s not the bonding you’re worried about?”

“No. I actually can’t wait for that part, but there’s this feeling. The only other time I felt like this was right before I met you.” I paused. “Do you think we should be worried about the Tribunal?” I asked for maybe the millionth time. There was a lot riding on it. Our punishments could even be death, although everyone kept saying that wouldn’t happen to us.

“No,” he said patiently. “People will make their statements. Then there will be a question and answer session—that’s going to be the hardest part. Then, we’ll get to say what we want. Biting you was a serious offense, but we’ve already passed the Seven’s test, and Sebastian and Donovan themselves pardoned us. This is just a formality. It’d be different if that hadn’t happened yet. We’d need to prepare defenses and arguments, but I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t go our way now. Just tell everyone what happened, and they’ll get it. It’s going to be fine. Trust me.”

“Okay.” I’d been working on my speech for the past couple of days, but it wasn’t going very well. The Tribunal wasn’t until Monday night, so I still had some time to get it done. But if Dastien wasn’t too worried, then I shouldn’t be either.

He started down the dirt road. “It’s going to be okay. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it together.”

“Right.” I squeezed his hand, but I wasn’t sure I believed that. I’d never been lucky enough to have things go smoothly. Something told me this wasn’t going to be as easy as Dastien thought.

Chapter Three

The drive from my parents’ house didn’t take long. The baseline of Andrew Bayer’s
“
Bullet Catch” rattled the speakers, and I grinned. I freaking loved this track. The dirty beats made my heart race every time. When the breakdown hit, Dastien squeezed my leg.

He was smiling.
I love this one, too.

It’s kind of perfect, right?

He cranked the volume as he hit the gas, and we wound through the curves of a back road, pushing his fancy-ass car to its limits.

This
. This was why I was with him. He’d totally played this track for me—for us—because he knew it’d make me happy.

The greens and browns of the forest blurred past. As we neared campus, a brick fence loomed. The gates to St. Ailbe’s were just ahead. I held my breath, waiting for Dastien to slow down, but he blew straight past.

I gripped the door handle.
You missed it.

Did I?

He sounded a little more than mischievous. The guy was definitely up to something.
Where are we going?

I want a little time with you before tonight. Is that okay?

Alone time with Dastien?
You read my mind.

He laughed, because that wasn’t far from the truth. Ever since I’d gone furry for the first time, we’d been using this form of communication more and more. It was easier than talking aloud. Or maybe I just liked it better. It felt special.

Dastien finally slowed as he turned the car onto a dirt road.

Huh. I’d never been down here, and for good reason. The “road” was practically a deer path.

A loud thunk rattled the car as it bottomed out. The scratching noise pained me. “Holy crapola! That sounded like it hurt.”

“Eh. I’m sure it’s fine.”

The guy had lost his mind. After ten minutes of holding onto the “oh shit” bar, he finally stopped the car in the middle of the forest.

I unbuckled and got out. “Where are we?”

He gave me a small smile, and a wave of his nerves hit me. “This way.”

Why was he nervous?