Alpha Asher

ALAYA

Sky is a whirlwind, darting around me with an energy I’ve never seen her apply to anything that isn’t related to fashion or beauty. I suppose this could be about that, in a way…

It’s only been a day since I discovered the existence of this letter. Sky has known about it for four days, having been away for a week prior, which means the letter has been sitting in her mailbox for a few days.

She’s convinced that’s why the promised invitations and gifts haven’t shown up yet.

I’m perched on the edge of her bed, observing her meltdown. Sky brushed off my protests when I told her I wasn’t interested in attending.

Sure, I am curious, but the idea of being scrutinized by the millions of people in this pack as I make my entrance isn’t exactly appealing.

“It’s okay, it’s not even noon yet,” I try to reassure her as she busies herself around the room.

“But the party is tonight,” she retorts. “And you haven’t even given me a definitive ‘yes’ yet.”

I sigh, flopping back onto her bed. Well, technically, it is her and Dylan’s bed.

The thought makes me sit up abruptly, a wave of mild disgust washing over me at the images that pop into my head.

“I can’t go,” I say firmly. “I have plans—”

“No, you don’t.”

“How would you know?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “I’m your sister. I know when you’re lying.”

Maybe if I tell her I am rehearsing for an audition, she’d believe me. It is true.

But then she’d just mock me and tell me to keep my dreams to myself. She’s always saying that girls from our neighborhood don’t become actresses.

Lately, she’s even had the nerve to suggest I marry a rich man, as if that’s my only shot at success.

“Seriously,” I protest. “Carter and I have plans.”

Sky’s eyebrow arches, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Here we go, the classic Desire Pack trait of having a mind in the gutter is surfacing.

“You two are pretty close, aren’t you?” she teases.

I roll my eyes. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard her spiel about my best friend.

She conveniently forgets that she once made out with him right in front of me in high school. Now that she’s married, she seems to enjoy trying to play matchmaker for us.

I think she just likes the challenge.

I push her away as she tries to sit next to me on the bed. “We’re just friends—”

“Wait a minute,” she interrupts. “Isn’t your little friend going to the party as one of Alpha Asher’s minions?”

I sigh. “He’s not my ‘little friend.’”

“But seriously,” Sky persists, tilting her head. “If you’re not going to be with Carter, where will you be, big sister?”

Suddenly, the doorbell rings from downstairs. Sky’s face lights up, clearly expecting it to be related to the party.

Without another word to me, she dashes off down the stairs. I quickly move to the window, curious to see who is at the door and if they have anything to do with the party.

To see if it is actually real.

A sleek black car pulls away from the driveway, the driver hidden behind the tinted windows. They disappear as quickly as they arrived, just as Sky emerges from the house.

As she returns upstairs, I resume my spot on the bed. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

She is holding a glittering golden box, tied with a large bow. She nearly drops it as she tries to set it down gently.

“I didn’t see who dropped it off,” Sky says, kneeling on the floor to untie the bow. “It just appeared.”

I can’t help my curiosity and lean over to watch her open the box.

As she lifts the lid, a layer of golden tissue paper with rose-colored paper on top is revealed. Sky picks it up first, revealing two pieces of paper underneath.

A smile spreads across her face as she hands me one of the pieces.

The paper is silky smooth and incredibly thin, as if it could tear at the slightest touch. Swirling lines of sparkling gold paint frame the words beautifully, forming the shape of a wolf—the symbol of allegiance to Alpha Asher.

I read the words silently to myself:

Formal Invitation

Dear Alaya Thorne,

You have been selected to attend Alpha Asher’s party on the 13th.

This invitation gives you access to the first floor.

Please present the invitation to the Guards at the main door, and no one else.

We hope to see you,

Alpha Asher and his Team.

I admire the elegant cursive writing, then notice something dark on the other side. Flipping it over, I see a small set of letters in the bottom left corner, freshly handwritten with a line underneath.

See you tonight.

A

My heart skips a beat.

“Hey Sky,” I says cautiously. “Can I see yours?”

“Sure,” she replies, handing me her invitation as she turns her attention back to the box.

The front of her invitation is identical to mine, except for our names. But that isn’t what I am interested in.

I turn it over. Nothing. Just a blank piece of paper.

I glance at Sky, but she is too engrossed in a satin dress she is pulling out of the box.

I quickly hide my invitation before she could see it. I needed to figure out what it meant, or if it was just someone’s idea of a joke.

“Oh, this is definitely yours,” Sky says in awe, pulling me out of my thoughts.

She holds up a shimmering dress the color of moonlight, tiny jewels clinging to it and catching the sunlight.

Sky’s grin is as dazzling as the dress, which looks like it would completely overshadow my usual plain style.

“How can you be so sure?” I ask, taking the dress from her. It is softer than I expected, as if the jewels weren’t there, just the smoothest silk.

Sky points to a tag on the dress. “Your name’s on it, dummy.”

“How do they know our sizes?” I wonder aloud, examining the dress more closely.

The dress is stunning, no doubt about it. Since I’ve decided to skip the party, it’ll probably end up forgotten in the back of my closet.

Or maybe I could sell it, make enough to get by for a few weeks. People would pay a pretty penny for a dress meant for Alpha Asher’s party, even if it’s never been worn.

Sky gives a nonchalant shrug. “Who knows. They say he sees everything, you know.”

“Who?” I ask, my mind elsewhere.

“Alpha Asher, obviously.”

I glance down at my sister, the dress spread across her lap. It’s the same blush pink as the invitation.

The skirt billows out from the fitted bodice. I can already tell she’s going to look stunning in it.

“How’s that?” I ask, intrigued by her claim.

“Rumor has it he made a deal with Fate. Traded some of his power for…” She trails off. “Who knows.”

I furrow my brow, curiosity gnawing at me. Who would be reckless enough to bargain with Fate? He’s ruthless, devoid of compassion, and can manipulate your future at will.

The members of the Desire Pack pretend to worship him, using it as an excuse for their sinful actions.

“Come,” Sky says abruptly, setting her dress aside. She grabs my arm, pulling me toward her bedroom window. “Look up there and tell me you don’t want to go to this party.”

I sigh, gazing up at Alpha Asher’s estate perched on the hill. It’s undoubtedly the most lavish, ostentatious thing in the entire Pack.

From here, all I see is a blend of twinkling lights and the dark wood it’s partially constructed from. A part of me longs to see what’s happening inside, beyond the walls. It’s a lifestyle we’ll never know beyond this one party.

It would be cruel to go and be reminded of how the wealthy live. So, I respond in the most monotone, indifferent voice I can muster, “I don’t want to go to the party.”

Sky sighs dramatically.

“Let’s make a deal. I won’t bring up your secret auditions ever again,” she proposes, a playful smirk on her face. “If you come to this party with me.”

I narrow my eyes. “Blackmail?”

“Oh, come on…Please? You’re single, and there will be plenty of attractive guys there.”

“Still not convinced.”

“Maybe Fate will intervene and your mate will be there,” she adds.

I slide off her bed, tearing my gaze away from the window. “Sorry sis, I’m not interested—”

“The auditions, Lay. I promise I won’t interfere with your acting career ever again. I won’t even complain if you decide to leave the Pack for it.”

I spin around, locking eyes with my sister. Every time I mention leaving the Pack, Sky throws a fit. She accuses me of abandoning her like our father did when he died.

She belittles my dreams to keep me grounded. But if she’s serious about this, then…

“You’re lying,” I mumble.

She shakes her head. “Nope.”

“It means that much to you?”

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, of course it means a lot to me,” she retorts, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

If I wasn’t so relieved that she was finally agreeing to let me pursue my acting career, I might have been offended. But it doesn’t matter, she doesn’t care about what I do unless it directly affects her.

She’s been like this since our father’s death.

“Fine,” I grumble. “But only for one night. And you better not get drunk and ditch me.”

Sky squeals, launching herself at me in a way that reminds me of her younger days. I’m not doing this for her.

I’m doing this to figure out what that cryptic note on the back of my invitation means.