Love Thy Alpha
Chapter 3
JENNESSA
“Yes, ma’am,” Daniel’s voice echoed, deep yet friendly.
“Come on in,” my mom invited, her voice filled with excitement as she opened the door wider for Daniel.
As he stepped in, his eyes scanned the room—maybe he was looking for me or just getting a feel for the place. Either way, it gave me a chance to take him in. And boy, was he a sight to behold!
He towered over me, easily six feet tall, maybe even taller. His shoulders were broad, like a football player’s. He was dressed in a sleek black tuxedo that seemed tailor-made for him.
When his gaze finally landed on me, he flashed a warm smile. My mom was right. This guy was a knockout. His hair was a dark brown, almost black, and his baby blue eyes were inviting.
His square jaw was adorned with the perfect amount of stubble. And when he smiled, he revealed a set of pearly white teeth that made his smile even more captivating.
“Hello,” he greeted me, extending his hand for a handshake. “I’m Daniel, your date for tonight.”
“Hi,” I managed to squeak out, shaking his hand. “I’m Jennessa, but you can call me Jessie.”
His blue eyes swept over me, and when they met mine again, he smiled approvingly.
“Nice to meet you, Jennessa,” he said, my name rolling off his tongue slowly, as if he were savoring it. I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks.
“You kids should get going now,” my mom interrupted, causing me to suppress an eye roll at being called a kid.
“Shall we?” Daniel offered, extending his arm to me in a gentlemanly manner.
I bit my lip to suppress a grin and shyly took his arm. I couldn’t resist giving his bicep a light squeeze—it was as hard as a rock.
Daniel led me to a massive truck parked outside. I had to hike up my dress and practically leap to get into the passenger seat.
As he walked around to the driver’s side, I found myself thinking that maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad. But then we started driving.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that Daniel and I didn’t have much in common. The conversation was stilted and awkward.
His first comment, though well-intentioned, was: “You look beautiful, by the way.
“I didn’t know people from the Reduced community could afford a dress like that,” he said, his gaze lingering on my dress before returning to the road.
“And your mom’s dress too.”
He and his mom lived in Alpha Mainland, a well-off and respected area. My mom and I were lucky that our last name and my dad’s memory still held some weight with most of the pack.
Many people in both Training Hill and Alpha Mainland saw themselves as superior and didn’t hide it.
People like Daniel’s mom owned shops in the nearest town and often looked down on people from the Reduced because of where they lived.
My mom and I were spared the worst of it, but it always turned my stomach when I witnessed it.
I wasn’t one to let a bully get away with their behavior, and having lived in both communities, I knew what each side was like.
I knew they weren’t better than anyone else. Whenever I saw it happening, I was usually the one to step in.
People were scared to upset the status quo, but I wasn’t a follower. That’s not how I was raised.
It wasn’t really Daniel’s fault. He seemed like a good guy. But his comments made it clear that he didn’t understand the struggles the Reduced faced.
Even though my mom and I were lucky that most people respected our family name and didn’t try to belittle us, we were still part of the Reduced community. We were just as broke as everyone else.
We had nicer clothes because of what we brought from Alpha Headquarters, but even those were starting to show signs of wear.
My mom traded a lot of her jewelry and dresses with her friends back in Alpha Mainland, which helped us a lot.
Daniel had never experienced the hardships my mom and I had, so it was hard to connect with him.
The drive to Alpha Headquarters took about forty-five minutes, and I spent the last thirty of them in silence after his final comment.
“I hope you won’t mind if I ask your mom for a dance. Any man would be lucky to have a woman like her, even for a moment.”
When we finally arrived at Alpha Headquarters, where the ball was being held, I was relieved to be out of the car with Daniel. That was saying something.
I forced a smile as I took his arm, and we walked into Alpha Headquarters.
We stood in the foyer with other groups of people who had arrived before us, all dressed to the nines.
The place was dimly lit, with countless candles mounted on the walls and scattered on tables. The chandelier above us cast a soft, warm glow.
A grand staircase stood before us, usually the sleeping quarters for the alpha and his closest wolves. Below it was an arched doorway leading to where pack business was conducted—meetings, ceremonies, and tonight, the ball.
I took a deep breath and started towards the archway. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could leave.
Just keep your head down, I reminded myself repeatedly.
As Daniel and I stepped inside, we were met with a sea of familiar faces. Folks from around town, old schoolmates, they were all there.
Some greeted us with warm smiles and waves, others with friendly hellos, and a few even stopped to chat.
The attention was overwhelming, and I could feel my nerves prickling under my skin. But I kept my smile in place, hoping it would mask the anxiety bubbling within me.
“You’re a little on edge,” Daniel murmured, leaning in so his words could reach my ears over the hum of conversation. We were somewhat secluded in the crowded room.
His observation caught me off guard, but then I felt his hand patting mine. I looked down to find my fingers clenched tightly around his bicep.
“Oh,” I stammered, releasing my grip. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve got quite a grip,” he teased, and I offered him a sheepish smile and another apology. “Don’t worry about it. How about I get us some drinks? I could use one.”
“Sure, that sounds good,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light. I glanced at the bustling bar and felt a wave of relief. It was so crowded that it would likely take him a while to return with our drinks.
Continue to the next chapter of Love Thy Alpha