Page 8 of Claimed By the Alpha Wolves

I think about the hot flashes, the moments of extreme confusion and then ultra-clarity. The itching under my skin to get as close as I can to another person.

“No,” I say, shaking my head as I lie. “No, thank the gods.”

“I’m terrified of the idea,” Addilyn says, just as a loud bell rings throughout the building.

I jump.Shit. Is it time for the first event already?I thought I had more time to prepare. Time to figure out my plan. When I glance at Addilyn, I realize that she’s already wearing her gown. Her mask sits next to her on the bed.

My gaze meets her eyes. “I’m not ready.”

“Come on,” Addilyn says with a laugh, jumping to her feet, “let’s get you dressed for the ball.”

That’s not what I meant by, “I’m not ready.”Another sob starts to creep up my throat, coupled with anxiety roiling in my stomach, but I push it down and get to my feet, accepting Addilyn’s help. Some part of me knows that my only choice is to leave this room on my own or to be dragged out of it.If I’m going to have to do this no matter what, I’d rather do it on my own.

After quickly undressing, I step into the gown and Addilyn laces it up in the back. Then she brushes out my blonde hair and lays it delicately on my shoulders. Every second she works, all I can do is stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look… fragile. Like the softest wind could blow me over.How did I get so… weak?

“Curls would do nicely,” she says, shaking her head. “Too bad there isn’t time. For tomorrow’s?—”

Another bell rings out, making my bones tremble, and Addilyn takes my hand, placing my mask in it and tugging me toward the door. For some reason, having her warm hand in mine calms me, if only by a little bit.At least if I’m going to do something terrible, I can do it with someone I like and trust.

“Come on,” she says, “time to meet our suitors!”

“Or not,” I mutter, as we step out into the hallway and join the stream of omegas funneling toward the grand staircase at the end of the hall. As we pass under an elaborate chandelier with hundreds of small candles, I send up a prayer to the gods.

Please, let them pass over me. Let me leave here unscathed, and unmated.

FOUR

Ezra

“Hey, man!”

I open the door to see Cayson standing in the hallway, a bottle of wine held high in his left hand. His hair is in its usual fashion, short on the sides and far too high on the top, probably styled with half a bottle of gel. He’s wearing a light blue suit for the first big Selection event. It screams his desire for attention, almost comically loud compared to my simple black suit. And he’s smirking at me, revealing the dimples in the corners of his mouth. It’s usually a look he saves for whatever pack of ladies he’s trying to get into bed.

I guess I should be flattered he’s using it on me…

Cayson gives me a quick hug, patting my back like he’s assessing me. “Hey man,” he says, “muscles looking a little small. I can help you with that, if you want to join me for some workouts.”

Please. Cayson is smaller than me in all ways, even though it’s not by a lot. At six foot five inches, I’m a tall man, but I never stop reminding him that at six-two, he’s shorter than me. And while he’s naturally muscular, I’m still bigger because I actually work at it by keeping myself busy helping my pack. The only wayhe’d get bigger than me is if he started participating in his pack, or started hitting the gym on a daily basis. Neither of which he’s going to do. Not when there are drinks and fun to have.

But I don’t say that. “Yeah, well I’d rather have small pecs than a small di?—”

He cuts me off. “Shut the fuck up,” he says, cuffing me on the back of the head and pushing past me into my room. He spins in a circle, letting out a low whistle as he takes in my plush room. I close the door, rolling my eyes at his theatrics as he falls down onto the bed.

“Why do you always get the best rooms?” he complains, holding the wine bottle up to me. “My room doesn’t even have a proper sitting area. And you have a fuckingbalcony?”

I find a corkscrew in a drawer and pop the bottle open. I hand it back to him, even though I probably shouldn’t be encouraging his drinking. The thing is, I could use a drink and the time to relax with a good friend before the first event takes place with the omegas.

Cayson sits up, taking a long glug of the wine before he passes the bottle to me. Because… we’re animals who don’t need glasses. But if I say that, I’ll never hear the end of it.

“Did you guys get that problem sorted with the geese?” he asks, even though I’m sure he doesn’t really care.

I shake my head and accept the bottle. It’s warm, and I want to ask him where he got it. He’s always screwing around. He probably stole it from the kitchens, something he’s done atmanydifferent homes.And he wonders why he gets the shitty rooms.

“Yes.” I wipe the back of my hand over my lips and hand the bottle back. “No thanks to you.”

Not that I’d expected him to help when I’d texted him about the geese situation on my pack lands. I’d mostly just wanted to see him, even if he just hung out with me while I took care of thedamn creatures. As frustrating as Cayson can be, he can also find the fun in any situation.

He lifts his hands like weights on a scale on each side of him, even though he has the wine bottle clenched in one hand. “Hmm, deal with a geese problem, or travel through Europe? I don’t know man, it’s a hard choice.”

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