Page 153 of The Alpha

Another chill went up her spine. “Melvale? Me?” Her voice cracked.

They smiled and nodded.

Pari shivered. Part of her was enthralled, but the nagging little voice in the back of her head kept telling her to run and not look back.You’re only going to get your heart broken. You always get your heart broken. Think of how bad the break will be with this one!

Pari shut her eyes. She didn’t want to think about it.

“So, how much time do we have to throw this together?” Kitty asked.

Pari opened her eyes and looked at Shona. She tapped her pen on the legal pad again. “Three days.”

“Three?!” Pari sat back in her chair. “You want to throw a party in three days?”

Shona shrugged. “It’s not like we don’t have the help. In fact, putting it all together is half the fun. Melvale will love it.”

Pari sighed. “Well, if you say so.” Her eyes flicked between them. “And after the party, then what?”

Shona sighed. “We all go home”

Pari’s heart sank again. But thiswasher home, and she didn’t want to leave it, yet she was beginning to not want to be apart from Melvale either. How did this happen?

Kitty leaned toward her. “You’ll want to get him a present.”

Pari shook her head. She was still too busy being torn between home and a hot alien that kissed her in her uncle’s kitchen. If she went with him, would she really be able to return here whenever she wanted?

“Pari?” Shona prompted.

Pari nodded. “So… what sort of stuff does he like?”

48

“AChristmas party?!” Melvale cried with a clap of his hands. “That’s a wonderful idea!” He pranced back and forth across Pari’s bedroom.

Shona, Kitty, and Pari stared at him wide-eyed.

“What?” he asked innocently and came to a stop. “Oh, details, yes, of course! We’ll need a tree and decorations, and there’s baking to be done and oh! Should we dress up in costumes?” He waggled his eyebrows at them. “I could be an elf!”

Pari’s eye grew rounder. “Melvale?”

“It’s like he’s completely back to normal,” Kitty said next to her. “And then some.”

Melvale’s hands went to his hips. “And what’s wrong with that? I would think you’d be happy to see me.”

Kitty smiled. “We are, it’s just… you were vacillating between this and your Alpha side.”

“Yes,” Shona agreed. “And I’ve seen your eyes more blue than gray.”

Pari nodded. “Bon…”

“Don’t say it!” Melvale cried, shaking his head. “I’d like to be myself for a few measly minutes without the other side of me barging in and taking over.” He sighed. “You have no idea what’s that’s like.” He sat on Pari’s bed. “Now, let’s discuss the party!”

Pari cocked her head in confusion. “Is this… normal?”

He smiled at her. “I… don’t really know.”

Shona began to back out of the room. “I think I’d better fetch Kwaku…”

Melvale shrugged. “If you must.” He held out his hand to Pari. “Come, sit next to me, Kitten.”

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