Chapter 103 : High

AJAX.

I gasp for air as though I just got splashed with ice cold water. I blink a couple of times just to make sure I’m seeing things clearly, and I am. That really is Maxine’s best friend. That is Livia, and she’s smiling and giggling and flirting with the Alphas.

Draco seems to be enjoying himself, holding two women. But then he jolts and takes out his phone. He reads something that makes his eyes light up, and soon enough he’s shooing away all the women and whispering to Father about something that also makes him look pleased. He leaves, and I have the strange urge to follow him, but at the same time, I know that I can’t just leave Livia here.

“These are barely women,” Beta Jackson says out of nowhere, his voice gruff with disapproval. “How old are they, Alpha?”

“I don’t know, but this is when they’re the best,” my father whispers, staring at the two women.

I recoil in disgust. I can feel bile crawling up my throat. I can’t believe I’m here to witness him say something that he probably has said to himself in silence before. It’s a whole new level of disgust knowing that he’s the one who’s behind all of this.

“Some of them look like children,” the Beta continues to say, looking at the girls with concern. “I don’t think any of them are older than my Yelena, and she’s only nineteen.”

“Oh, don’t be a spoilsport,” one of the Alphas tells him. “Just sit and let them give you some fun.”

“I have a wife,” he says through forced patience. “And so do all of you.”

Father is now glowering at him, but his mood seems to be much improved because of the women around him, because if they were not here, he would have punished him already. Still, Beta Jackson seems to have felt the tension because he smiles and just gets up from his seat.

“You know what, you’re all right,” he just says. “This just isn’t for me, but you clearly enjoy it. I wish you all a lovely night. I’m going to get home to my family.”

With that, he’s out. I thought that at the mention of the word family, the rest of the Alphas would snap into their senses and go home too. But they don’t care. They just take the women on their laps and proceed to flirt with them, touching them in inappropriate ways.

I’m so disgusted I can’t move, but I notice that Livia is making her way towards the Alpha who told the Beta to stop being a spoilsport, and I knew I had to do something.

“Hey,” I call out to her, and she faces me, giggling.

Before I can say something more, Livia sits on my lap and starts to play with the buttons of my shirt.

The Alphas, including my own gross Father, start to cheer.

“Have you ever been with a woman before?” Father even asks.

Fuck him. What is wrong with him? Why is he talking to me like some sort of a pimp? I want to chuck my shoe at his face but I just force a smile. I have to make him believe that I’m on his side, even with things like this. I have done such a great job of hiding my true feelings and he’s learning to trust me more, even inviting me to this meeting. I have to keep that going.

“No,” I say, letting out a laugh that sounds convincingly shy. “Can I have her?”

The Alphas whoop. My father lets out a proud laugh. “Go ahead and take her to your room, then.”

I lift Livia in my arms, making a huge show of it as the Alphas cheer my name. I feel so ashamed and so dirty doing this, but I know that I need to.

I get out of the meeting room with Livia still in my arms. She’s high as a kite. Her eyes are so dilated they look black. The house helpers see me but they don’t say anything, which tells me that this is some sort of a common thing among all of the people in my circle. They have seen some things.

“Are you going to fuck me?” Livia asks as soon as we reach my bedroom. I almost drop her because of her question, but I hold on. “Are we going to have sex?”

“No,” I mutter as I set her down on the bed. “You’re high on moonstone, and you were taken here. I don’t know what happened. But I promise, I won’t hurt you. I won’t touch you. You’re safe with me.”

“Safe with you,” Livia repeats, then she makes a dive at me and tries to grab my crotch. “Are you big?”

Fuck. I know I shouldn’t feel anything, but why am I hot all over? Seeing her writhing on my bed with those pretty eyes is doing things to me that I know shouldn’t happen with her ever. Now I’m having thoughts too. Bad thoughts.

“How did you get here?” I just ask, getting her hands away from me and pinning them to her sides.

But she arches her back like she wants to touch me. “You’re really cute. I think I have a crush on you.”

“Livia, please.” I close my eyes for a moment. I’m blushing. I know I am. “How did you get here? Who took you?”

She pauses for a long while, then she says, “Well… some men came to my school. They said they’re offering a tour of the Werewolf world. I know that my best friend’s stepdad just died. I don’t know if she’s safe or not. I decided it would be my chance to know if she was okay, or maybe get her out of there for good. So I went, then they put us in the back of a van. The next thing I know… I’m here with you, handsome.”

This is not good. They’re targeting young women. They’re tricking them into coming here and being used, only to be turned into beasts later on.

I should get out of here. Or at least, I should get her out of here.

I run out of my bedroom, locking the door behind me. Thankfully none of the Alphas left the meeting room yet. I make my way downstairs and out of the house, and thankfully, the Beta is still there on his phone and standing next to his car.

“…going home, sweetheart, don’t worry about me,” he’s saying, trailing off when he sees me. “I will be there soon. I love you. Tell your mom I love her too.” He drops the call and looks at me. “Ajax, my boy. Is everything alright?”

“No,” I just say. “I took a girl.”

His eyes go wide. “Ah.”

I shake my head. “No, not that way. I… recognize her as Maxine’s best friend. You know Maxine, right?” When he nods, I continue talking, my hands shaking. “Her name is Livia, and I know that she’s from Missouri. She said people came to her school and offered tours to the Werewolf world. That’s how she got here. This needs to stop, and I have to make sure she’s safe.”

Beta Jackson looks at me, then at the mansion. “I need you to bring her here. I will keep her at home. But you have to make your father believe you had your way with her and got her out, and now you don’t know where she is. Understand?”

I nod. “I will do anything.”

“Good. Now take her to me and make sure no one sees, or else we will all be dead.”