Chapter 71 SEVENTY ONE | WEDDING BELLS PT. 2

Chapter 71 SEVENTY ONE | WEDDING BELLS PT. 2


Alexi POV 

It was hard leaving Alaia at home, but I knew there was no way I could get around it. The moms practically threw Xander and me out. I’m surprised we had time to pack a bag and have breakfast. 

But I wouldn’t let it get to me.  Not today. Today was my last day as a single man before I was forever tied to the love of my life. I couldn’t wait to make her my wife, but today was for us guys to have a good time. 

“What’s on the agenda for today?” I asked the car. 

Kade and Aaron hadn’t wanted to share any details about tonight, but I was hoping, since we were already on the road, that they would give just the smallest hint. 

“I’ve got us a suite at the Waldorf.  It’s not like we’ll really use it much, but I figured we’d send you two out with a bang,” Aaron said. 

“Okay, then what’s the plan after we check in?”

“You’ll see,” was all I got in return. 

“Kade, as your Alpha, I can command you to tell me what the plan is tonight,” Xander reminded him. 

Yes! Now we were getting somewhere. 

“Yeah, I know. And that’s exactly why only Aaron knows. We knew you’d try to pull the alpha card.”

Aaron turned to the two of us from the front seat and smiled. These dicks had really covered their bases, and now we just had to wait to find out. 

“Just relax.  Tonight will be epic, and we will make sure you’re back in one piece to marry my sister.”

I just sat back and put my earbuds in. There was no use arguing with them, not when they had put so much work into keeping the secret. 



After checking in, we went up to the room to shower and change. We hadn’t originally planned to be here so early, but since we were, we had to improvise until night came. We still had plenty of time before it would be dark out, so we opted to start with some lighter activities. 

Kade found a paintball place a few blocks away, so we decided to head over and shoot at each other for a while. It was a lot of fun, besides the paintball I took to the cheek that felt like a shotgun blast. Alaia wouldn’t be too happy about it, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it now. 

We grabbed a quick lunch afterwards, then went back to the room for another shower…it was almost time for the super-secretive plan Aaron had pulled together. An hour or so later, we were all piled in the truck heading over before he pulled into a shady-looking parking lot and hopped out. 

We walked down a dark alley and stopped in front of a cheesy-looking strip club. It had the usual neon lights and grunge look you’d expect. Both Xander and I looked at the building, then over to Kade, Matt, and Aaron. 

“Well, it looked better when I Googled it.  Let's just go in and see if the inside is any better,” Aaron suggested. 

We walked in and found that the place was packed. The bar that lined the left wall was full of people, as were all the tables and chairs that littered the floor. There was a second level that looked like it was for vip booths and private dances. Matt looked extremely uncomfortable with all the women around.  As soon as they saw him, they’d be attached at his hip, and it didn’t look like the idea excited him too much. 

Kade, on the other hand, was in his element and found the first half-naked woman dressed as a bunny and had her escort us to our reserved table. We were on the second floor, in a spot that overlooked the stage below but didn’t leave us completely exposed to all the dancers and patrons. Matt quickly found a seat and settled in. He did not look okay. 

“You okay, man? I think if you stay in the booth, you should be alright. There shouldn’t be too many women coming up here,” I told him. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just that something feels off being in here. It’s not my usual scene.”

Kade then interjected. 

“That sounds like more private dances for me. We have a few ‘special’ bottles coming up, so you guys relax and have a good time. I’ll be back.”

“What’s so special about them?” Xander asked. 

“They are extra strong so that wolves can actually catch a buzz. There’s also a regular bottle as well. We’re not trying to kill Alexi tonight.”

He then walked off and into a room across the hall. 

“He’s going to catch something one day,” I said to no one in particular. 

Just then, our “special” bottles were delivered by a small waitress who was also dressed as a bunny. She had on a black strapless leotard that had a small white poof, which I guessed was her tail, on her butt. Her outfit was crazy tiny and pretty much left nothing to the imagination regarding her body. 

She was a beautiful girl, with smooth brown skin that made her striking green eyes really stand out. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she had bunny ears perched at the top of her head. 

“Good evening, gentlemen. Welcome to Eden. My name is Taylor, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. If you need anything, just press the red button here on the wall, and I’ll be right over.  Besides your drinks, can I get you anything else right now?”

Aaron and Xander quickly answered that we were alright, but when I looked around at Matt, I saw him violently shaking in the corner. What was going on here?

“Thanks, Taylor, were good for now,” I said, letting her know she could leave. 

Once she was out of the booth, I reached over and touched Matt’s arm. Xander and Aaron seemed to notice something wasn’t right as well, because they were soon standing right beside us. 

“Matt? What’s going on?” Xander asked. 

He didn’t answer; he just kept shaking and breathing erratically. I wondered if he had been poisoned or something on the way in. 

“Matt! Look at me,” Xander finally commanded, which pulled him back to reality. 

Matt raised his head and looked off past the three of us, where the waitress had just been standing. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Mate.”

Matt POV 

Walking up to the club, my hands started to sweat, and my heart was racing. It felt like I was having a damn heart attack, and I couldn’t understand why. I had been around women all my life, so why was this one place making me so nervous?

When the doors opened, there was way too much sound from the music and voices. The smells of food, liquor, and cheap perfume bombarded me, and I just wanted to sit down. But by the time I got to our booth, I thought my heart was going to explode. 

I tried to sit in the corner and pull myself together. I didn’t want to ruin the night for the guys, but nothing was working. Then she walked in, and I was hit with the most incredible smell ever. It was like a cinnamon and vanilla swirl. It made my mouth water. 

When I looked over at her, I was floored. I had never in my life seen something so exquisite; every single detail of her was perfection. 

And that voice? Hearing her speak was like hearing angels sing. She was everything. She made eye contact with me and smiled before she turned and left the booth. She was human. 

I wanted to rush after her and claim her then and there. She was mine. She was made for me. No other man should be seeing her body, that was for me only! But she was human. If I did what my mind, body, and soul begged me to do, I would scare her. And I never wanted her to be afraid of me. 

I was having an internal battle with myself. I needed her, but I had no idea how I could get to her. I heard the guys talking to me, but I was far too focused on keeping my cool and figuring out how to have Taylor. She had such a beautiful name. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Xander finally boomed out. 

I spoke the one word I knew they would understand. 

Mate. 

“Ahhh, shit! Is it the waitress? But she’s human,” Alexi said. 

“I understand that, Alexi. But she is still mine. She should not be here. She should be with me. I’m going to find her. And if anyone in here touches her, I’ll rip their hands from their body.”

I stood up, but all three of them blocked my path. 

“Matt, you need to be smart about this. We are not on our land; this is human territory. You can’t just go claim a human and think it’s okay.”

“Well, what do you expect me to do, Xander? That’s my mate down there. I’ve been looking for her for years, and she’s in a strip club dressed as a fucking bunny. Men are looking at her! Trying to put their hands on my mate. Move out of my way!”

I could feel myself starting to shift. I was losing control. If I couldn’t at least touch her, I was going to burn this entire filthy building to the ground.

“Matt, calm down and sit your ass in that chair. NOW!”

My body couldn’t refuse a command from my alpha. I sat, and immediately my body began to shake while I broke out in a cold sweat. I needed to get to her. 

“Aaron and Alexi, do us a favor and go see if you can find Taylor. Just watch her and make sure nothing happens to her. Keep her safe until we figure all this out.”

They both stood up and left the booth to go find her. I should be the one keeping her safe, not them. A few seconds later, Kade came back into the booth, pissed off that his dance had been cut short. 

“What the fuck, Xander? It was just getting good in there.”

“Not now, Kade. We’ve got a bigger issue that’s more important than your dick.”

“I doubt that.”

“Our waitress is Matt’s mate. And she’s human.”

“Ohh, damn.”

He looked over at me and gave me a half smile. I guess trying to offer comfort, but only Taylor could do that for me now. 

“So what’s the play here? What do you need me to do?”

“Go with Matt downstairs and be his wingman. We’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way. She’s probably used to tons of guys hitting on her working here, but I’m sure you two can figure something out.”

The thought of someone else looking at her with lust in their eyes had me seeing red. She. Is. Mine!

“Matt, if you don’t chill out, I swear I’ll drag you all the way back home. We’ll get her, you just need to be a little patient.”

He was right. I had to approach her differently, and I would do whatever it took to make her mine. 

I followed Kade downstairs and let my nose lead me to her. She was standing by the bar waiting for her drink order. A lone spotlight was shining above her, so she almost looked like she was glowing. Her curves were insane, and I could already imagine what they would feel like under my hands. 

When we were maybe fifteen feet away, some piece of shit walked up and smacked her on her ass. I pushed my way through the mass of people, but before I could make it to her, she had spun around and punched him in his nose, breaking it. 

Blood was beginning to pour, and that made the idiot furious. He pulled back his fist to hit her, which I caught in midair. 

“You will not lay a finger on her, do you understand me?”

I squeezed his hand in mine and felt as his bones began to pop and break. He screamed in agony, but that didn’t stop me. He had touched what was mine. He tried to hurt her. 

“If you ever come near her again, I’ll wreck you. I promise you this.”

“Ahh, fuck man! I didn’t know she was taken already. I’m sorry!!”

“Taken or not, you don’t treat women like that!”

I squeezed his hand one more time, making sure every bone in it was crushed, before I let go and pushed him to the ground. The guys were all standing behind me, creating a protective barrier between Taylor and the drunken dick on the ground. 

“Calm down now Matt. You don’t want to scare her,” Kade stepped up and said. 

I focused myself and calmed my breathing. I needed to get it together for her. When I turned around, I could only see the tips of her bunny ears behind the guy's backs. I gave them a nod, letting them know that I was alright, and they walked off and made their way back up to the booth, giving Taylor and me some space. 

“Do I know you from somewhere?” she walked up and asked. 

Hearing her voice was one thing, but hearing her voice when she was speaking just for me was totally different. I was completely in love with this girl. 

“No, we only crossed paths upstairs in the vip booth. I’m Matt. It’s nice to meet you.”

I put my hand out to shake hers, and when they touched, fireworks exploded at the connection. I could tell she felt it too by the way her breathing changed and her pupils dilated. 

“Taylor, and it’s nice to meet you, too.  So what is a gorgeous guy like you doing in a strip club? I’m sure you can get any girl you want by just smiling at them. You surely don’t need to pay for it.”

She spoke her mind, and I love that. She would fit in our group just fine. 

“You’re right. I can get any girl I want. But I don’t want any girl. I just want one, the one who was made for me.”

We were still holding hands, and I gently pulled her closer to me. 

“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life,” I told her. 

She tilted her head up and cocked it to the side. 

“Ditto.  I don’t know what it is about you, but I feel drawn to you. And it’s not because you’re so insanely hot. I feel safe with you.”

There was nothing I wanted more than to hear her say those words to me. 

“You are safe. I’d never hurt you, or let anyone else, for that matter.”

She laughed, and it immediately became my favorite sound. 

“I can see that. I’m pretty sure you broke that guy's hand.”

“And you broke his nose, so I believe we’re even.”

I reached up and traced my finger along her cheek. Her skin was like the finest silk. I couldn’t wait to taste it. 

“Hey! I don’t pay you to stand around, Taylor. Get your sweet ass back to the vip lounge. Your tables are waiting for service.”

A greasy-looking guy with a huge gut and a horrible combover came walking over. He reeked of stale whiskey and cigar smoke, and I hated him immediately. When he reached out to grab Taylor’s arm, she shrank back from him, and I moved myself between the two. 

“Listen, buddy, Taylor isn’t a dancer. She’s a server. If you want to spend time with her, buy a drink. Otherwise, she’s got a job to do.”

He again tried to grab for her, but I caught his wrist halfway. 

“Stop doing that. Do not touch her again.”

“Taylor, who the hell is this guy?  You know what, it doesn’t even matter. You were already on your last strike, and I know you broke Bill’s nose earlier. You’re out of here!”

He turned and walked away before I looked back at Taylor. I expected her to be upset about being fired, but instead, she looked relieved. 

“It’s about time. I hate working in this shit hole. The customers are the worst and treat us like we’re walking fuck toys. I’ve saved up enough anyway.”

“Do you want to go grab some dinner or drinks?  We can celebrate you getting fired.”

She laughed again, and it warmed my soul. 

“Sure. Let me go put on some clothes that don’t leave half my ass exposed, then I’ll meet you out front.”

When she walked off, I sent the group a quick mindlink. 

She’s perfect guys. Absolutely perfect. I’m going to take her for dinner. Sorry about ditching the party. 

It’s no big deal. We are happy for you, Matt. You deserve this. We’ll see you back in the room. 

Thanks, Alexi. You guys have fun. 

I walked out front, and a few minutes later, Taylor walked over to me. 

She had changed into a pair of dark blue skinny jeans that fit like a second skin and black knee-high boots. Her white tank top accentuated her chest, and the thigh-length cardigan drew my eyes to an ass made for me to worship. 

“Do I look okay?  I know it’s a big difference from the stupid bunny suit.”

“Better than okay. I’ll have to really control myself tonight. I’ve at least got to be a gentleman for the first date.”

“Oh, so you think this is a date? And that there will be more?”

“I hope so.”

She smiled and placed her small hand in mine before she pulled me down the street. 

“Come on. This Chinese spot around the corner has the best crab rangoon egg rolls. You’ve got to try them.”

Luckily, I loved Chinese food, but even if I didn’t, I would have tried anything she wanted. I’d do anything for her.