Page 6 of Alpha Chase

“Let’s just do this, I need a drink,” I growl, yanking my goggles down over my eyes. If the guys say anything else, I don’t hear it- instead I push off, the wind hitting my face as I sail down the side of the mountain on my board, rapidly picking up speed.

I veer to the left to hit a jump, tucking in as I catch air, heart pounding as my board slaps back down onto the snow. I live for the rush- the speed of my run teetering right on the edge of being controlled. My wolf roars to the surface, lapping up the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I shred my way down the side of the mountain, ramping off of drifts to catch air whenever I can.

I always go faster than most would dare to. Part of the thrill. I almost lose my balance at one point- the downside to my towering height- but I regain it just in time to hit another jump, doing an ollie off it. My heart thunders against my ribs as I trick my way down the rest of the black diamond run, catching my breath once I reach the bottom and drop down into the snow to wait for the rest of my friends. I know they’re getting tired, but I could go again and again. Being on the mountain helps keep my demons at bay.

I zone out while I wait for the others to finish their run and join me at the bottom, then the six of us unclip from our boards and start toward the parking lot to change out of our gear. We typically steer clear of the ski lodge since it’s always crawling with humans, but as we pass the large windows of the lodge restaurant that boasts views of the mountain, something inside catches my eye. Someone, rather. Wavy black hair, round ass, and petite frame. She balances a tray in one hand, emptying drinks from it onto a table of four seated in front of one of the windows.

What are the odds we’d cross paths twice in one day?

“Aye, let’s drop this shit and head in for a drink,” I grumble once we reach the parking lot, swinging my gaze back to the guys.

Levi raises a skeptical brow as he yanks off his balaclava and rakes a hand through his black hair, glistening with sweat. “Here?”

“Sure, why not?” I shrug.

There’s a glaring reason why not, but none of my friends bring up the fact that it’s technically against the rules for us to drink here. We can bend the rules in our own pack’s territory when it comes to the legal drinking age, but the businesses on the outskirts cater to human tourists, so they operate by their laws. A bunch of teenagers bellying up to the bar might throw up a red flag or two, hence the rules put into place by the six-pack council. I’m Alpha now, though, and technically part of the council… so the way I see it, those rules no longer apply to me.

“Yeah, fuck it,” Cal breathes as he throws his board in the back of my white Ford Raptor. “I could go for one.” His lips twitch into a devious grin.

The twins exchange glances as they deposit their boards in the back of Miles’ F-150, but neither speaks up in opposition. Their old man has rank in our pack as an enforcer, so they tend to toe the line more than the rest of us. Probably because their dad’s a dick and has been known to lay hands on them when they fuck up.

Levi grabs both of our bags out of my truck, leaving Callum to fetch his own, and we start to strip out of our gear while the other guys follow suit. Ten minutes later, the six of us are walking up into the lodge like we own the place.

The lodge at Cedar Ridge is exactly what you’d expect from a ski resort- a huge log-cabin style building with stone fireplaces, cozy furnishings, and large wooden beams stretching across the vaulted ceiling. The event spaces in the back half of the building are more sleek and elegant, but everything up front is rustic, giving off comfy cabin in the mountain vibes. The restaurant and bar are situated through a large doorway to the left of the main space, and I lead the way inside, heading straight for the U-shaped bar positioned in the center of the restaurant.

A waitress is standing behind it, filling a pint glass from the tap. Her shiny black hair is falling forward, obstructing my view of her face, but it’s definitelyher- the girl from this morning. If there was any doubt, I know it as soon as her scent hits my nose, my wolf perking up in recognition and practically salivating. She smells fuckinggreat.

She’s changed into her uniform- black pants and a white polo with the Cedar Ridge Ski Resort logo embroidered above her left breast- anddamnshe wears it well. Without the baggy sweatshirt from before, I get a better look at her body. Her boobs aren’t huge by any means, but they’re proportionally big on her small frame, the fabric of her shirt screaming against them. Her white shirt contrasts with the golden tan of her skin tone, and black ink decorates one of her arms, tattoos peeking out from under her shirt sleeve and winding all the way down to her wrist. She’s got this rock and roll edge to her look that gets my dick a little hard wondering how wild she’d ride it.

That headache this morning must’ve affected my memory because I can’t remember her name for the life of me- just that it was something exotic to match her look. As me and my boys draw closer, she tucks her long hair behind her ear nonchalantly and glances our way, nearly dropping the beer glass she’s filling when our eyes meet.

My lips curl into a smirk and I tuck my hands into the front pocket of my hoodie, keeping my eyes locked on hers as I approach the bar. “Sup, smalls?”

“Ugh, not you again,” she groans under her breath, looking away quickly. Bronze- that’s the color of her wolf swirling metallic in her irises. She pushes back the tap and sets the full glass of beer on the counter, heaving an irritated sigh.

I slide onto a barstool in front of her, Levi and Callum taking seats on either side of me and the others filling in beside them.

“You two know each other?” Levi asks, his curious gaze sliding between her and I.

She looks back up at me as we respond with a “no” in unison.

Levi’s eyes narrow on me for a moment, then he turns to the girl and flashes her a wide smile as he extends a hand. “Hi. I’m Levi.”

I’ve seen that slick smile of his work on lots of women. Levi’s a good looking guy- tall, built, tousled black hair and striking green eyes- but above all, he knows how to turn on the charm. Dude pulls almost as much tail as I do.

She hesitates, then extends a cautious hand to Levi. “Vienna.”

“Pretty,” Levi replies smoothly, shaking her hand. “Is that a family name?”

Her demeanor relaxes, her shoulders loosening up as the corners of her mouth tip up into a sly little smile. “Only if you consider Billy Joel family.”

Levi arches a brow in question and Vienna rolls her eyes. “My parents named me after a Billy Joel song,” she explains with the wave of a hand.

“Never heard it,” I snap, suddenly irritated by this exchange.

Vienna frowns, glancing back over at me. She folds her arms over her chest, her boobs squeezing together beneath her shirt. My eyes go straight to them.

“What do you want, Chase?” she asks, her tone laced with irritation.

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