19

CALLUM

“Remind me how we let Chase talk us into this?” Miles grumbles as we slide boxes full of Vienna’s belongings into the bed of Chase’s truck.

“Because he’s our alpha,” I say, turning around and leaning back against the tailgate. I retrieve a joint and lighter out of my hoodie pocket, sparking it up.

Miles heaves a sigh and hops up to sit on the tailgate. “Technically, he’s not yet.”

I blow out a plume of smoke, rolling my eyes and passing him the joint. “Okay, because he’s our friend, then.” I side-eye Miles as he takes a puff. “Honestly, I’m more pissed that we’re stuck on moving duty while Chase gets to have all the fun beating the fuck out of that dude.”

Miles coughs out the smoke, chuckling as he hands the J back to me. “You’re sick, you know that?”

I smirk, shrugging, and raise the joint to my lips again.

Chase called us all together this morning to help him out with an issue concerning his girl. He just found out that she’s been avoiding her house because her mom’s loser boyfriend has tried to put his hands on her, so he’s taking it upon himself to dole out a little justice. While the rest of us pack up and load Vienna’s shit, he’s teaching the dickhead a lesson for what he’s done.

“Hey, save some of that for us!” Dare calls as he approaches with a large box clutched in his hands, Alec right on his heels with another. They slide their boxes into the bed of the truck, and I take one last drag of the joint before passing it off to Dare.

“Chase must be getting really serious about this girl, huh?” Alec comments, snatching the joint from his brother’s fingers, mid-inhale.

“Seems that way,” I murmur. “Though either way, someone had to get involved.”

“Could’ve left it for Alpha Brock to handle, though, since this is his territory,” Dare shrugs. “The fact that he’s doing all this himself must mean he’s got it bad.”

Alec passes the joint back to his brother.”

At least he went to Alpha Brock first and looped him in. Can you imagine the mess this would’ve turned into if Chase just charged in there half cocked?”

“Why would it matter if it was the same result?” Miles groans, leaning back on his elbows.

Dare finishes the joint, tossing it onto the ground and stubbing it out with the sole of his shoe. “Politics, man. The alphas don’t step on each other’s toes, that’s why the alliance works so well.”

“Shows that Chase is finally thinking like an alpha,” I muse. “That’s at least a step in the right direction.”

A silver sedan speeds up to the curb, tires squealing, diverting all of our attention. I immediately recognize the car, a chuckle rumbling in my chest when Vienna leaps out of the passenger side and starts charging for the house, a panic-stricken look on her face.

“Oh shit,” I mutter.

“What are the chances that Chase told Vienna that he was doing this today?” Dare asks tentatively.

I scrub a hand over my face. “Judging by her reaction I’d say he forgot to mention it.”

out from the drivers’ side of the silver car, running a hand through her long hair and watching after

her eyes immediately finding mine. I toss up a wave and she shakes

push off from the tailgate, striding down the driveway to meet her halfway.

scolds, her brow furrowed in frustration.

shoulder. “Wasn’t

to see Levi emerging from the

into the back of the truck. He brushes off his hands on the legs of

man,” Alec

of me. “You headed to work?” I ask, eyeing her white uniform polo with the ski resort logo, visible beneath her open jacket.

She nods.

called this morning, he wants me to

little smile. “Is this your way of inviting me to come?” she asks. 1

my hands into my pockets and shrug; the picture of nonchalance. “Only if you still want

course I do. I get off at three. What time do you wanna pick me up?”

“Five?”

this time instead of texting me from the curb. My parents want

brows shoot up and my stomach

yeah. No pressure, they just want to meet the guy I’ve been spending all my time with lately.” She

through my hair and staring down at the pavement.

drawing my eyes back to hers. “Hey… it’s no big deal,” she coos. “They just want

well I can conceal my emotions, but it seems this girl is beginning to see

my face, eyes widening, and I turn to look over my shoulder as Chase and Vienna emerge from the house looking like Bonnie and Clyde, crimson blood spattering their faces and clothes. Looks like Vienna got her pound of flesh from the man who wronged her, too, and I can’t help

even more in this moment, as she’s stained in blood yet eerily calm. I recognize

whispering to one another, then Vee looks toward Nessa, breaking away from Chase

Nessa’s hand and giving it a little squeeze

down inside from Chase. Judging by the amount of blood on him, I can tell it’s a story I don’t want to miss.

thing, but I’m pretty sure I already know how this is going to go. I see the way people look at me. I’m sure Nessa’s parents will immediately judge

request. When she looks up at me with those wide, hopeful eyes, it’s hard to say no to

as I approach, the sight of Nessa’s smiling face stealing my breath. She’s fucking gorgeous as always, the picture of doe- eyed innocence in a soft white sweater dress and brown suede boots. Her hair is styled in loose curls, her skin flawless and her makeup perfectly

back and gesturing for me

an older looking version of Nessa rushes into the foyer, grinning twice as brightly

she gushes, sticking a hand out in my direction.

hand, shaking it firmly. “Nice to meet you,

was right,” she murmurs, elbowing Nessa with a smirk. “He

furious blush

head. “You know how curious she was the last time he pulled up in that muscle car. She waggles her eyebrows,

I breathe, a little thrown off by her mom’s warm

asks as he makes his way from the living

did most of the work myself, yeah. Took almost a year,

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