Page 21 of Alpha Chase

The boys and I dug this firepit years ago, seeking a place to hang out away from the ever-watchful eyes of our parents. We thought it was some clever fucking secret, but after coming home reeking of bonfire smoke, my dad figured out pretty quickly what we’d done. He didn’t take it away from us, though. Instead, he came out and helped us dig it deeper, drilling the rules of fire safety into our heads until he was satisfied we weren’t going to burn the damn forest down. From then on, it became our spot; our own little dominion right near the edge of our pack’s territory.

At first, we were selective about who we invited out to the pit, but nowadays everyone knows about it, and we don’t really care who shows up as long as they don’t take our seats. Mine’s a big Adirondack chair with my name carved into the arm. As soon as we came out here tonight, I slumped down into it, and I haven’t moved since. I sat here and watched Alec and Dare argue over log placement and kindling for a good twenty minutes before lighting the damn fire, and an hour later, I’m still slouched back in my chair, watching the orange and blue flames lick the timbers and curl toward the sky.

I hear the sound of earth crunching under approaching footsteps, glancing up to see Olivia and Jenna approaching the pit. Jenna’s clutching a six-pack of fruity spiked seltzers to her chest while Olivia stakes out a place for them to post up, settling on a large overturned log.

“Liv,” I call out, and her head snaps around to look my way, eyes wide. “Does your sister know you’re here?”

“Yes,” she sighs exasperatedly, sinking down onto the log and sweeping her hair over a shoulder.

I give her a nod, turning my attention away and leaving the two of them to get up to whatever mischief they’ve got planned for tonight. Not that they’ll get away with much, hanging around our group. Olivia is Serena’s little sister, so I do my best to look out for her. Anyone with any sense knows that she’s off-limits, and if they don’t, me and my boys are happy to remind them. Serena doesn’t mind that Liv hangs with us because she knows she’s protected. Same goes for her friend Jenna- she’s the younger sister of Jax, the newly instated Alpha of the Westfield pack. I don’t want any trouble with the other alphas in the alliance, so she’s equally as off-limits, under our protection whenever she’s around.

About twenty people have shown up at the pit tonight so far. Stasia’s here with a few of her girlfriends, shooting back vodka and cackling at a story one of them is telling. The more she drinks, the louder and more obnoxious that laugh of hers is. She’s acting like last night never even happened, which I suppose is par for the course with her. I piss her off, she hooks up with one of my friends to try to get a rise out of me, and when it doesn’t work, she comes crawling back anyways. That girl’s like a fucking disease.

The twins are arguing over whether more wood should be added to the fire, their debate getting louder and more annoying by the minute.

“Let’s just add two more,” Alec urges, standing across from his brother with a log tucked under each arm.

“Dude, you’ll smother it,” Dare responds, shaking his head and blocking Alec’s path to the bonfire. “A fire needs to breathe.”

Alec drops one of the logs to the ground. “Fine, we’ll just add one, then. One log won’t suffocate it.”

“Who the fuck cares?” Levi growls, taking the words right out of my mouth as he shoots the twins a pointed look. We’re all sick and tired of them fussing over this damn bonfire like they’re trying to earn a boy scout badge.

Both Dare and Alec turn to Levi and flip him the bird at the same time, matching scowls on their faces. It’s moments like this that the brothers look every bit the twins they are, despite the fact that they’re so physically different.

Levi rolls his eyes, leaning over from his chair beside me to snatch the bottle of whiskey off the arm of mine. “Time to ban those two from fire duty,” he grumbles, raising the bottle to his lips and taking a pull.

I arch a brow. “What, you wanna fuck around with the fire all night instead?”

Levi swallows down the whiskey, shaking his head. “Nope.”

“Exactly.” I reach over to snag the bottle back and take a pull, wiping my mouth on the sleeve of my hoodie. “Let the two of them fuck with it. Means we don’t have to.” I set the bottle back on the arm of my chair, stuffing my hands into my hoodie pocket, fingers toying with a joint hidden inside.

Alec and Dare must come to some sort of compromise, because I look up to see Alec carefully adding another log to the fire, flinching back as the fire crackles and sparks rise from where it lands. Brushing off his hands, he straightens and looks around. “Oh shit,” he grumbles, staring off into the distance over the fire. “Tonight’s about to get more interesting.”

I lift my gaze to follow his, seeing two figures approaching through the dancing orange flames. I can’t see their faces from my slumped position in my chair, but somehow I already know who it is, even before Levi jumps up and heads over to greet her. He must’ve invited her again tonight and conveniently forgotten to mention it.Dickhead.

Vienna’s face is lit by the flickering glow of the fire, a smile coming to her lips as Levi walks up to her and Nessa. He pulls Vienna in to kiss her cheek and I almost crush the joint in my hoodie pocket as I ball my fists, my wolf sending a wave of possessiveness rolling through me.

It catches me off guard. I shove my wolf back down and yank my hands from my pocket, relieved to see that the joint’s still intact. I place it between my lips and reach back in for my lighter. I’d planned on saving this for later, but it seems that my wolf and I could both use a little help to chill the fuck out right about now.

Levi leads Vienna and Nessa over to the rest of us, then walks away to fetch a couple of beers out of the cooler for them. Now that I have a better view, I slowly drag my eyes up Vienna’s body, the unlit joint still hanging out of the corner of my mouth. She didn’t get all dressed up tonight, but she still looks fucking great in her tight jeans and zip-up hoodie. Her hair falls softly around her shoulders in loose waves, and by the time my eyes reach her face, hers are already staring back at me.

“Couldn’t stay away, huh?” I smirk around the joint in my mouth, flicking my lighter. Vienna’s scent tickles my nose- raspberries and rosewater, deceptively sweet for little miss ‘all bite’.

She rolls her eyes, cocking out a hip and resting a hand upon it. “I’m not here for you,” she says flippantly, a callback to that first day she came to the packhouse.

There’s that fucking attitude again. I chuckle as I light the end of the joint, sucking the smoke into my lungs.

Apparently I’m not the only one who caught Vienna’s scent. Stasia’s like a bloodhound, suddenly coming over to get all up in my shit. She steps around my chair and drops into my lap as I puff on the joint, not even looking up at her.

“Ladies,” Levi says smoothly, reappearing with a beer in each hand and offering them to Vienna and Nessa. I watch as they take them from his hands and he looks around for seating, eyeing Miles in the chair next to his. Before he can ask him to give it up, though, Callum whistles and nods toward the empty bench next to him, and Nessa pulls Vienna over to sink down onto it beside her.

“Can I get a shotgun?” Stasia purrs into my ear, winding an arm around my neck.

Vienna’s eyes flicker up to meet mine and I swear I see her bristle.

“Sure,” I drawl, eyes still locked with Vienna’s as I suck in a long drag from the joint. That’s where they stay, even as I turn my head toward Stasia.

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