Page 64 of Alpha Reid

The two of us get in the Mustang and make the short drive to the Stillwater Tap, and as soon as we walk in, I’m dazed by the flashing lights and loud music. The crowd is thick once again- I’d venture to say that even more people have turned up this week as compared to last.

Damn, was it just a week ago that we were here before? So much has happened since then, it feels like a lifetime.

I spot Quinn and Jax seated at a high-top table across the bar and nudge Reid to indicate to him as Quinn sticks up a hand to wave us over. Reid takes my hand, leading the way, and the crowd parts to let him through, many of them greeting him respectfully as we pass and shooting me curious glances. I suppose that much hasn’t changed from last week- I’m still the outsider on their alpha’s arm.

“Hey guys!” Quinn greets enthusiastically as Reid and I approach the table and slide onto a couple of stools on the opposite side.

“About time you two showed up,” Jax teases, smirking.

“Have you been here long?” Reid asks.

Quinn rolls her eyes at her mate. “Like five minutes.” She picks up a shot glass from the table, bringing it to her lips and throwing it back. I can smell the tequila from over here.

Before I even get a word out, the same raven-haired waitress from last time is already at our table, wedging herself between Reid and me.

“Alpha!” she greets, flashing a cheerful smile. “What can I get for you?”

Reid returns her smile politely. “Hey Soph. Just a beer for me, and…” he gestures to me, arching a brow. “Grape vodka, was it?”

“With Sprite,” I nod.He remembered.

“Got it, I’ll be right back with those,” Sophie chirps, turning and strutting away without even casting so much as a glance in my direction. Guess I’m either a curiosity or straight up invisible to the members of Reid’s pack.

At leasthedoesn’t see me that way- I’m chewing on the inside of my cheek, staring down at the table and lost in thought when I feel his hand slide onto my thigh and I look up to meet his eyes. The way he’s looking at me like I’m the only woman in existence immediately quells the doubts ping-ponging around in my brain, calming my nerves and bringing me back to the moment.

“You okay?” he asks, giving my thigh a little squeeze.

“Yeah,” I breathe, offering him a smile. “I’m great.”

“I tried to talk Fallon into coming out tonight, but Gray’s got his hands full with splitting the squad off into teams,” Quinn says, tracing the rim of the empty shot glass in front of her absently. “Guess she felt like she needed to stick around to offer him moral support or something.”

“He’d better put together a decent team for me,” Jax sighs. He takes a swig of his beer, then points the tip of the bottle toward Reid. “Bet he’s gonna field all the best fighters for his own team.”

“Hey, you could’ve volunteered to put together the teams yourself,” Reid points out, chuckling. “And you know Gray, he’ll be fair about how he splits everyone up. If it was Theo putting together the teams, you’d have a reason to worry.”

“No shit,” Jax laughs, right as the waitress returns to our table with a drink in each hand. She positions herself right between Reid and I again with her back to me, sliding a bottle of beer in front of him and a glass with clear liquid in front of me.

“Here you go, Alpha,” she says cheerfully, and I stifle an eyeroll as I pick up the glass she set in front of me, bringing it to my lips.

“Let me know when you need another round!” Sophie says in a sing-songy voice, hand brushing Reid’s shoulder as she turns and struts away.

I take a sip of my drink, and as soon as the liquid hits my mouth I gag, spitting it back into the glass as I cough and sputter. It tastes like dirty dishwater- like I was just served a glass of the cleaning solution that the bartenders dip the glasses in to wash them behind the bar.Damnit, that’s exactly what’s in the glass, isn’t it?I stare at the murky liquid, feeling a bit sick to my stomach as I come to the realization.

Reid’s eyes fly to meet mine in concern, his hand landing on my thigh. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s… not what I ordered,” I mutter, wishing I could brush my teeth right now and scrub the foul taste out of my mouth.

Reid narrows his eyes on me questioningly, looks from me to my drink, then reaches for the glass, bringing it to his lips.

“No, don’t!” I warn, attempting to snatch it back from him.

My reaction only makes him more suspicious. He pauses with the glass lingering in front of his lips, nostrils flaring as he sniffs it, instead. Then he scrunches his nose in disgust and I can see his temper flare as his wolf pushes forward, evident in his eyes.

“The fuck is this?” he scowls, slamming the glass back down and throwing up a hand to summon the waitress back over.

“Don’t,” I lean in and hiss between clenched teeth, but it’s too late- as soon as Sophie saw Reid’s hand shoot up, she made a beeline over here.

“Problem?” she asks, sauntering up to the table with a smug smile, batting her big fake eyelashes at Reid. My own wolf pushes forward possessively, but I quickly push her back.

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