“Listen, you shouldn’t be here,” Grayson insists, glancing around as if someone might see him talking to a negligible such as me.
I roll my eyes, brushing past him, only to be followed closely.
He grabs my arm, forcing me to give him my full attention.
“You could at least tell me why you’re here.” I narrow my eyes at him. What business is it of his what I do?
Sure, it’s obvious I am not wanted here, a party where Alphas mingle with other high bloods.
That is where my backstory comes in; I am the daughter of a rich executive who lives in the hills of the Discipline Pack.
That way, no one would question my indigenous eye color.
However, my backstory doesn’t work with Grayson. He knows who I am and what hatred I have toward Alphas.
He knows I am a risk, so any excuse I can conjure up is sure to be useless.
“Why I am here is none of your business,” I snap, narrowing my eyes on the hand still firmly clutching my arm.
His gloves are similar to those other men here wear. It is uncommon for unmated males to go without gloves to parties like these, especially Alphas.
This is mainly because parties like these are for men and women to party without the worry of finding their mate.
“It is, if you’re conspiring against one of us,” Grayson says.
By the look in his eyes, he doesn’t want to believe the words he is saying, but he knows he is correct in his assumptions.
I nod down to his hand on my arm. “I think you should let me go.”
Looking at his hand, I suddenly notice something glint around his finger through the thin fabric of his glove. It looks to be a silver ring.
“Why the hell are you wearing a silver ring?” I question. Silver burns, so he should be in pain right now. He swallows.
“I…”“Just let me go,” I insist again, desperate to get away from him.
“Lexia,” he says, his voice thick with warning.
I twist my arm from his grip, taking a step back.
“Don’t come near me ever again,” I growl. “And consider your offer declined.” It feels good to turn around and walk away from him with my departing words.
Even though his angered gaze on my back is heavy, and I might regret making enemies with an Alpha, it still feels exhilarating.
I weave my way past dancing bodies, trying to find the outskirts so I can breathe.
“Hello Blondie, what brings you here?” The slurred sound of a drunken idiot makes me pause, but not just any drunken idiot.
A Love Pack idiot. You can tell by their strong accents that allude to their bedroom desires.
“Malik,” I mutter sourly. I would know those glassy blue eyes anywhere.
“As much as I love you in that dress, I would love it more to see you out of it,” Malik says.
His mouth tilts into a suggestive smile.
There is no way I am in the mood for his romantic tendencies. Unmated Love Pack members are the worst.
“Aren’t there plenty of drunk, unmated females for you to seduce elsewhere?” I question, setting my voice into a bored tone so he will get the hint that I am not interested in whatever he is offering.
“I’ve never been with a girl from the Discipline Pack. Are they as wild as I hear?” Malik asks as he takes a shaky step closer to me.
The way he looks at me through strands of ruffled brown hair suddenly makes me nervous.
He is serious, and by the way his hand twitches slightly by his side, it is obvious he is itching to get his hands on someone.
I happen to be the closest.
“You should go, Malik, I’m not interested,” I caution.
He only chuckles, taking yet another step closer, which I match back.
“Lexia, we should be going,” a smooth, caressing voice utters from behind me. I don’t even have to bother turning around to know it is Jasper.
Malik looks blandly at Jasper, who stands behind me.
No flicker of recognition sparks in his eyes, as if he doesn’t realize he is staring at the long-lost Alpha of Devotion.
Maybe he is just too drunk.
“You’re her date?” Malik questions, finally taking a step backward.
The relief that I feel is overwhelming and so is the desire to turn around to thank Jasper.
Sure, Malik would have been on the floor holding his privates had he advanced any closer, but another failed relationship with an Alpha wouldn’t be good.
Jasper must have nodded, as he grabs my hand and Malik backs off.
All of a sudden, as if he has spotted another lone girl to prowl on, Malik disappears into the crowd.
“Thank you,” I say, as I turn around, facing Jasper. I can feel sweat dripping down my cheek.
“You look hot. Come and get a drink,” Jasper says, nodding his head toward the bar.
A drink of water doesn’t sound terrible right now, especially with the heat and the clinginess of my dress.
Together, we walk to the bar and take a seat on two barstools. Jasper offers a glass of water that was already sitting there.
Nervously, I take a sip. Tastes like water.
“He wanted you, badly,” Jasper mutters, his back facing the bar as he stares out into the crowd.
“He isn’t the only one.”
“Don’t tell me you only saved me from Malik as a way to get in my pants,” I say, gladly joking. Although Jasper seems to take it very seriously.
“I’m not interested in you, Lexia. Especially not with your mate here.”
His words spark an interest in me. The mention of him knowing my mate has me curious, especially since he is an Alpha.
“And your mate?” I ask.
Jasper’s eyes shadow and instantly I know the subject is a little shady. “We aren’t together.”
“Why not?” I should really shut up.
“She doesn’t believe I exist.”
I bite back another question. By the look on Jasper’s face, he isn’t so happy about the thought of his mate.
“Malik didn’t notice me,” Jasper stated, bringing up the subject that I had been meaning to ask.
I take another sip of my water. “Why not?”
Jasper shrugs, but he holds back his reason. He seems to be enjoying this elusive set of questions and denying me the answers.
All these loose ends are making me nervous.
“How do you know my name?”
He tilts his head as I stare at him over the rim of my glass.
“It’s not that hard to learn someone’s name,” he muses. My jaw clenches, and I set my drink down.
I suppose he’s right, but why would he go out of his way to find out my name when he and I hadn’t met until an hour ago?
Surely, he didn’t know I existed until I tapped on his back. I was about to bring up my valid argument when he cut me off with his own words.
“What you should be worried about is why I know you truly don’t want a mate,” Jasper added.
“You’re scared of whoever he might be, but you’re mainly scared that he will abandon you like your sister’s mate did when she was killed by those men…”
My heart skips a beat. His words burn into the truth that surrounds them.
He’s right. He is so right, and it makes me sick. I’ve never told anyone that in my life…
“How did you know?” I question, my voice shaky and unsure.
Jasper leans forward in his seat, a slight smile of wicked knowledge etched into his face. He truly isn’t normal.
He reaches out his arm, and with the tip of his index finger, he brushes his fingertip along my temple.
“Because you told me.”
