Alex’s POV
Felix was being secretive about something even with me and Calix. He kept excusing himself to talk on his cell. Tonya was livid. The vibe between them was weird today. Not that it mattered. Tonya and Felix were not fated mates. In fact, we would all have to leave our girlfriends when we found our fated mate, our Luna. I could scarcely wait to find her. I had hoped I would find her somewhere between eighteen and twenty years old. I was turning twenty-one and taking over as Alpha tomorrow with no Luna. Mom was tough to deal with at times but Dad would be lost without her. She had also given him us, his heirs. All of that was swirling in my mind while I was out drinking or perhaps it was the alcohol that produced the swirling effect. I did feel a little bit giddy but it wasn’t easy for a werewolf, especially not an Alpha, to get drunk.
“Let’s call it a night,” I said.
“It’s still early!” Whined Calix.
Avery giggled from where she sat in our booth on his lap. The girls were a lot tipsier than us. They had driven to the pack house to see us this morning. They shouldn’t be driving home in this state.
“We should drop the girls home,” I said.
“Our cars are at your place, Babe!” Whimpered Sandra, nibbling on my ear.
“You know I can’t live without my car!” She complained.
“You shouldn’t be driving,” I said.
“Let’s go back to the pack house and then drop the girls home in their cars and then shift and run back!” Suggested Calix.
“Yes! Wolf run!” Growled Felix playfully.
Ugh. No.
“Ok,” I said unenthusiastically.
I was not in a running through the snow on all fours kinda mood. I wish I was curled up somewhere…with my Luna. Why was my wolf pushing thoughts of my Luna into my mind every five seconds? We usually obsessed over this but not this much! Did he know something that I didn’t? Was she nearby? I felt a bit excited. Maybe, I should shift soon and see if I can get a whiff of her or some clue. Our senses were great in this form but they were way better in wolf form.
“Guys, let’s go!” I said, eager all of a sudden.
I got up and pulled Sandra up. She laughed at nothing in particular. Tonya was glaring at Felix because his phone was ringing again.
“Hey Keaton,” said Felix, walking quickly ahead of us.
“Where are you going?” Snarled Tonya.
“Just a sec, beautiful,” called Felix.
“Come back here right now!” She said and she actually stamped her foot.
Yeah, she was not the one. I knew we weren’t stellar boyfriends to the girls we weren’t fated to or anything like that but we weren’t jerks. We made sure they were safe and relatively happy. Tonya was always pissed even when they were not in a fight. Sandra egged her on. Avery was honestly…a tad ditzy. I didn’t think she understood enough things to have anything to get pissed or upset about.
I wondered what Chasity was doing. Her image flashed in my mind.
“I wanna go home! FELIX COME ON!” I yelled after him.
He actually listened to me.
“We need to check on…the party planner,” I lied.
“Yeah…I wanna go home too…to check on the party planner,” said Felix, agreeing. I could sense he was lying too.
We drove the girls back to the pack house. I drove slowly even through my head had cleared already. Felix sped through the snow like he was in Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift or something. Calix had this meandering zig-zag way of driving which was super annoying and gave me anxiety. I hated driving behind him. I couldn’t drive fast enough to be behind Felix. We arrived at the pack house where the girls’ cars were but the girls were thirsty so we went inside.
“This is the party planner you wanted to check on?” Asked Tonya, clearly envious.
The party planner Ronda, a blonde woman in her thirties, eyed Tonya just as enviously. I knew a lot of girls wanted to be with us. I could understand that in a non-arrogant way: we were rich, they’d be luna, they’d have three Alphas catering to their needs and whims nonstop. Even if you had a fight with one boyfriend, you could just go complain to your other two boyfriends and they all knew and approved of each other. It was a pretty nice package.
I instinctively looked around for Chasity. She was the party planner’s helper. She was made to help with everything even the birthday party preparation although it was also her birthday. I knew Mom and Dad never got her anything. She sorta hated me so I didn’t feel that inclined to gift her anything in person but I had been thinking of buying her some new clothes and pretending like they were Mom’s old clothes and fooling Dad into handing a basket of them to Chasity. Or maybe even Calix. She might accept something from him. She had a preference for him or at least hated him the least. I kept trying to steer Sandra towards the door. She got the message.
“Girls, let’s go,” she said.
She was kinda the leader of the other two.
Avery and Calix were making out and Ronda kept making a lot of noise with her prep, slamming cupboard doors and shaking bags of confetti and glaring at Avery. We drove the girls home in their own cars. They all lived in the same affluent residential area. We met up in front of Sandra’s house.
“Let’s do this,” said Felix, stripping shamelessly.
I rolled my eyes. I undressed and felt my bones break and reshape themselves until I was a massive dark wolf. Calix nipped me immediately in his wolf form and ran away meaning for me to chase him. The air was cold and crisp and the snow was nice and crunchy under my paws. I ran after him and Felix bounded after us. It barely took a few minutes to reach the pack house. We were fast. I got onto the porch in wolf form, sniffing about while my brothers shifted. They looked at me still in my wolf form like I was crazy.
“Ok, we’re home now, Alex,” said Felix pointedly, dressing in clothes we always left in a hamper on the porch.
I was trying to pick up my Luna’s scent. I smelled Ronda who smelled of stale bread and hair dye. I smelled Chasity, honeysuckle and roses. She had a beautiful scent but there was no seductive edge to it like my Luna would have but she was not of age so that was to be expected. I paused, thinking about that. It couldn’t be. I probably just wanted it to be Chasity because she was beautiful and there already and sassy and ignored me and I wanted her attention and…
Ugh stop it!
I shifted.
“You drunk, big bro?” Asked Calix worried.
“No, little bro, I’m good,” I said with a laugh, grabbing a random outfit.
We went inside and Ronda was all smiles. I smiled at her politely and she beamed at us.
“What’s up, Ronda?” Said Felix.
“You know…I didn’t wanna say anything but Charity came home really late from school…”
Felix’s POV
“Where is she?” I demanded, immediately freaking out.
The afternoon school bus dropped her straight home, an arrangement I had secretly made with the driver. I didn’t ask the same favour in the morning because I wasn’t busy then and I liked walking her myself. I was gonna kill that guy! He was supposed to call me whenever she missed the bus! Fuck!
“She’s here now…some girls dropped her home,” said Ronda.
Chasity actually had friends. She was so sullen. That was nice. Maybe, I shouldn’t kill the bus driver. Chasity crawled out from under the kitchen table. My jaw dropped. She looked…very…uh…womanly. Well, she would be a woman tomorrow I supposed. She looked gorgeous but I was annoyed. She never dressed up. This was for a boy! I just knew it! Some snotty nose horny grabby hands motherfucker from that stupid high school. I was gonna scare the shit out of him as soon as I found out who he was.
“Leave it to us, Ronda,” I said, sneering at Chasity in her mini skirt and high heels. “We’ll punish her.”
If I waited till midnight when she turned eighteen, maybe I could put her over my lap and spank her. My wolf liked that idea. We were in agreement for once. I could tell my brothers were shocked by her new look too. She stood in front of the kitchen island.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I had to do some extra math for Mr Johnson.”
She looked nervous. My wolf told me to go easy on her. Why should I? After all the stuff I’ve done for her, why should I condone this kinda thing? I didn’t want her with some loser boy from school. That was a distraction. I knew she was bright and couldn’t afford college obviously but if she wanted to go, I could do another fake sweepstakes or fake scholarship or something and pay for it. I didn’t want her far away though! My wolf reminded me she didn’t know that I’d ever done anything for her. Oh yeah. That was true.
“Ok,” I said, trying to be fair. I got closer to her. She smelled of roses as always with a hint of honey. Good no nasty male scent on her. Thank goodness!
“What’s all of this?” I asked her, gesturing to the tiny outfit.
She was wearing makeup and she had her hair was as beautiful as ever. She would draw too much attention like this and then I would have to beat up some boy and then Dad would be pissed…
“My eighteenth birthday is tomorrow too. I’m just trying out how I wanna look,” she said with her eyes downcast.
“Do you have a boyfriend, is that it?” Asked Alex, sounding angry.
Exactly! Do you?
“I’m too fat to get a boyfriend, remember?” She said sassily referencing our earlier exchange.
My wolf turned on me, his anger at my insult from this morning reigniting. He told me to apologise to Chasity. Calix was quiet, just smiling at Chasity, his eyes lit up.
“Don’t play games with us,” I said softly. A horrifying thought crossed my mind. What if this new look was to entice her mate? What if she had an inkling of who he was? My chest literally hurt and my inner wolf let out a sorrowful howl.
“Is all of this for your mate? Have you figured out who he is?” I asked, already panicking internally.
“No!” She said. I felt so relieved I was giddy. Please don’t be lying to me Chasity. Please.
“You’ll only know for sure tomorrow. Your inner wolf will tell you who your mate is,” said Calix.
“I don’t want a mate,” she said.
Was this girl crazy? My wolf was going crazy and blaming me for this. How was this my fault?
“Why the hell not?” Asked Alex.
Yeah! Why he hell not?
“Because he’d just be mean to me and call me names and I get enough of that from you,” she snapped.
Fuck. Ok, I saw why my wolf was blaming me now. Fuck! Was I that bad? Had I made Chasity not want a mate? Literally the greatest pleasure in a wolf’s life.
“Are you stupid?” Asked Alex.
My wolf winced at that. Ugh, it was our fault wasn’t it? Especially me. I should explain mates to her. She was young and she didn’t get it, that’s all.
“No werewolf would insult his own mate or be mean to her,” I explained.
I rolled my eyes. She should know better than this. All werewolves worshipped their mates.
“Don’t you know anything?” Asked Calix.
“Ok, thanks, I get it now,” she said simply.
Were we making it worse?
Wait. What if she was just trying to impress us with her little outfit? We were Alphas. Girls usually threw themselves at us. Chasity was coming of age. Maybe she had finally had enough of our bickering and wanted to make nice. I was ready to make nice. Real nice. My wolf approved of this.
“You dressed up for us, didn’t you?” I said, watching her reaction to my accusation carefully.
I smirked at her, stroking my chin as I scrutinised her expression. She seemed shell-shocked by the question.
“Don’t make her admit it,” said Calix. “She’s embarrassed, Felix.”
So even baby boy Calix agreed with me. Chasity wanted to look cute for us. My wolf and I were very happy with the sudden turn of events. Maybe, I should tell her blatantly that the car was from me when it came.
“Admit it! You did this for us!” I exclaimed, closing the distance between me and Chasity until her back was against the kitchen island. Being this close, I realised her scent was much more beautiful than I remembered. She always had a pretty smell, not like Ronda and her mouldy sandwich smell, but it was enhanced somehow.
“Yeah, ok,” said Chasity softly, looking down, clearly embarrassed. She hugged herself tightly. “I dressed up for you. I asked two girls at school to help me. I really did have a math thing but I went to get dolled up after so that made me late as well. I’m sorry,” she said, confessing and topping it off with an apology.
I was stunned to hear her admit it. My heart was beating so hard and so fast. I didn’t know what to say. Chasity had a little crush on us. My wolf was howling in delight. He was the president of the Chasity fan club after all.
She covered her face with her hands. She was shaking a little. Oh shit! We made her cry. Fuck. I hated that. I wasn’t good at comforting people. Thankfully, Alex spoke.
“Hey, you know, we aren’t the stupid little boys we used to be when we would fight with you,” said Alex, keeping his tone gentle. “We’re taking over this pack tomorrow and as you’re part of this pack we just wanna know what’s going on with you that’s all.”
She didn’t look up just yet.
“Don’t cry, stupid,” I said, feeling desperate. My wolf snarled at the insult.
“Don’t insult her when you’re trying to cheer her up, stupid,” said Calix.
Were Calix and his wolf trying to usurp the presidency of the Chasity fan club?
“Chasity,” said Calix, making sure to use her correct name ands not her nickname Charity.
She looked up at Calix. Her eyes seemed dry. Had she been faking? Calix neared her.
“Thanks for dressing up for us. I hope you wear an even shorter skirt tomorrow,” said Calix in a stage-whisper.
She rolled her eyes at us and we burst into laughter. She tried to brush past me and my wolf reached for her before I could stop him, lifting her and placing her back against the kitchen island. I pretended like I was annoyed with her defiance. I couldn’t let her know how my wolf got the better of me sometimes. She would think I was weak.
“Did I say you could leave?” I asked, leaning so close to her that our noses brushed. She squirmed in my arms, making me realise I was still holding her.
“You need to have respect for your Alphas, Charity,” said Alex, using our not-so-nice nickname for her and ruining the sweet-talk from Calix that had calmed her down.
“Fuck you!” She screamed in my face. My wolf whined, begging me to hold her tight and whisper soothing things to her. “Let me go! Three Alpha males against one omega female is insane. You have no honour,” she cried, struggling to get out of my grip. I let her go.
“We were just playing with you, Charity!” I called after her as she darted away. “Good grief! Go! Run upstairs!”
My wolf desperately wanted me to run after her. I wanted that too but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She hated me. I was a fool to think she had suddenly developed a crush on us.
Calix’s POV
I felt heartbroken watching Chasity run upstairs, so upset. There were three of us. She probably felt we were bombarding her. Why had Felix and Alex used that stupid rude nickname?
“Ugh! Felix! Why are you such a jerk to her?” I snarled, my eyes darkening.
My wolf and I were angry.
“Me?” Said Felix incredulously.
“Yes, you!” I snapped.
“Baby boy Calix, chill out,” said Felix dismissively.
That was enough! I’d had it!
“You always over do it!” I bellowed shoving Felix.
He shoved me back. I growled, my wolf coming forwards to handle the situation.
“Calix,” chastised Alex. “Don’t!”
“Felix!” Said Alex sternly. “Calm down! We probably were too harsh with her!”
“And you both called her Charity instead of Chasity,” I pointed out, my anger growing again.
“I’m done,” I yelled, walking away from them and heading outside.
“You’re just as dramatic as Charity!” Said Felix.
I stopped in my tracks and turned around to glare at my elder brothers.
“Chasity deserves better and you both know that!” I snarled.
Felix began to look guilty.
Alex nodded, his gaze softening.
“Calix, I’m sorry! Let’s go get some rest ok,” said Alex. “We’re going out just before midnight to ring our twenty-first birthday in!
“Tell Chasity you’re sorry!” I insisted.
Felix squirmed uncomfortably. He glanced at the direction Chasity had gone in.
“I’ll apologise,” said Felix, shocking Alex and me. “At the birthday party tomorrow,” said Felix. “I’ve been wanting to talk to her anyway.”
“Alex?” I asked. He wasn’t getting away with acting like he had done nothing wrong.
“I’ll apologise also,” said Alex. “But separate from Felix,” he added. “I need to speak with Chasity alone tomorrow anyway.”
“About what?” Asked Felix, getting annoyed again all of a sudden.
“What does it matter?” Asked Alex.
Felix huffed but remained silent.
“I didn’t know we were going out to ring things in at midnight,” I said.
I had planned on keeping watch at Chasity’s door to her little room. She would shift tonight at midnight. Shifting for the first time was painful and scary. She might need me. Chasity and I had a different sort of relationship to the ones she had with Felix and Alex who hid every nice thing they did for her. I was more open with her. I hoped she could see that. I hoped I was her favourite. I grinned at that thought.
“Wipe that stupid grin off your face,” said Felix.
I growled at him.
“Aw come on Calix, I’m joking,” said Felix, breaking into a smile.
I smiled slightly. He pulled me into a hug. Alex joined in.
“You two go hug and make up with Chasity then,” I mumbled.
Felix burst out laughing.
“She’d probably scratch my eyes out if I tried to put my arms around her suddenly after what just happened,” Felix said, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. “Not that I care,” he added, clearly torn up inside that Chasity disliked him.
Alex just smiled in the direction Chasity had gone.
“It’s her birthday too tomorrow. She might be in a good mood,” said Alex. “You never know what tomorrow could bring.”
“Are you working for the Hallmark Channel on the side, Alex?” Snapped Felix.
“Go take a nap,” barked Alex. “Both of you. You’re cranky.”
I chuckled. I walked upstairs. Chasity was in her room. I could smell her sweet floral scent. I neared the door. I could not bring myself to knock on it. My fist was raised and hovering just an inch away from the wood. I sighed. I went up a floor to our parents’ room and banged unceremoniously on the door.
“What the fuck,” I heard my Dad mutter.
“Mommy!” I said.
“Calix!” Squealed Mom.
She rushed to the door and threw it open. She was holding her robe around her tightly. Dad was hastily tying his robe. My face paled. I’d interrupted something.
“What is it, Honey?” Cooed Mom. “Are you nervous about being Alpha?” She asked, ushering me into the room.
We sat on the edge of the bed. Dad scowled.
“No,” I mumbled.
“What is it, Calix, tell Mommy, please?” Asked Mom.
“Stop babying that boy, Ronnie,” said Dad sternly.
“Romeo,” snapped Mom, flashing him a warning look.
He sighed and fell silent. Dad was a tough Alpha but Mom was secretly the boss in my opinion. She was a tough Luna.
“My brothers want me to go out before midnight to countdown to our birthday,” I told her.
“That’s wonderful, Honey! They’re including you! Remember, when you would get left out sometimes!” Said Mom.
Dad snorted with laughter.
We both glared at him and he stopped. He had that Felix sense of humour.
“Yeah,” I admitted.
Alex and Felix would run off without me sometimes but they had stopped doing that a while now.
“But I had plans at midnight,” I said.
“With a girl?” Asked Mom, looking shocked.
“Yeah,” I breathed.
“Calix,” chastised Mom.
“Chasity,” I said.
“WHAT?!” Barked Mom.
“Yeah, she doesn’t know, but I was gonna wait for near midnight and hang about for when she shifts in case she needs me,” I said, telling her my idea.
It was a great idea. I was proud of it. I grinned at Mom. She didn’t look happy with me being thoughtful like usual.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked.
“No, Honey, no,” she said.
“So I have a favour to ask?” I said.
“What is it, anything for you!” Said Mom brightly.
Dad grumbled to himself.
“Will the two of you please keep an eye on Chasity? And give her shifting advice? So I can go with Alex and Felix?” I asked.
I was torn between the two. If I turned down my elder brothers and their plans, they would exclude me again which I didn’t need this close to being co-Alphas with them. Mom looked uncomfortable. She and Dad exchanged a glance.
“Mom!” I said sharply.
“Yes, we’ll talk to her,” agreed Mom.
Dad nodded.
“And make sure she gets back inside safely after her shift?” I specified. “If she’s late coming back please call me!” I said, locking eyes with Mom.
“I will,” said Mom.
“How late is late?” Asked Dad.
“Half past midnight,” I said.
“Thirty minutes to run about before she has to come in?” Asked Dad incredulously.
“Yes!” I snarled. “She’s a young girl in a frigid wilderness!”
Dad growled. I growled back louder, shocking myself, Mom and him. I opened my mouth to apologise but Dad spoke first.
“Finally!” He commented, clapping me on the back. “You’re acting like an Alpha. Making your demands!”
Ok.
“Yes, exactly,” I said quickly, looking very unapologetic for my bad behaviour, as Felix always did. Yay. He was not upset at all.
“I expect a report of events afterwards,” I said. I wasn’t sure what that even entailed exactly but Alex said that a lot in pack meetings and Dad always looked proud.
“Sure, we’ll call by one and tell you what went on,” said Dad.
Oh, it was literally just a conversation saying what happened.
“Yes, of course,” I said. I couldn’t get too tipsy. My tolerance was a little lower than my elder brothers because I drank less. It was still difficult to get completely drunk though as a future Alpha.
I was so relieved. My wolf and I were elated. They would keep an eye on my Chasity for me. Tomorrow, I would be Alpha and some stuff was gonna change around here. Starting with me picking out a different room for Chasity. I also wanted her to have a proper allowance so she could buy herself things. The money was mine come midnight and I cancelling this ‘loan’ Chasity was paying off. I didn’t want her free labour. It was gross and weird. I would argue about that tomorrow in my Alpha voice! My wolf and I were so excited. No one could disagree with us soon, not officially, anyway.
“Thanks Mom and Dad, you’re the best!” I said.
On the way back to my room, I went back to Chasity’s door to make sure she was still in there. I smelled her. She was. Soon, things would be so much better and easier for you Chasity. I rest my forehead on her door. I quickly pulled away in case my smell disturbed her or even scared her. I was not sure how similar I smelled to my brothers. We were identical. I kissed my palm and then I placed my hand to the door. That was how I said goodnight to Chasity. She didn’t know that obviously. That was my one secret ritual. Aside from walking her to school. The first time I tried I realised Felix was already doing it. He was such a closet softie. I glared at his door on the way to my room. I threw one last look at my Chasity’s door before I went in for a nap.