Chapter 10 - Bailey

Even though the party seemed like a good idea, by the time I get there, I’m feeling stressed and tired. When I walk in the front doors with Jack and immediately get swarmed by people, my headache gets even worse.

I wade through the crowd, trying to be polite to everyone and maintain my sanity at the same time. It’s difficult when a few girls have to get right up close and hug me.

I’ve been used to this type of thing since high school, but I’m married now, and I’m the pack alpha. I can’t just casually cuddle up to women who aren’t my mate.

With that in mind, I keep searching the house for Gina. I know I won’t be able to relax until I see her. The irony of this is not lost on me—that I actually wanted a bit of freedom to clear my head, and now that I have it, I don’t want it anymore.

Where is she?

I can smell her, just faintly. She has to be here somewhere. There are so many people here, it’s difficult to pick out any one scent, but hers wafts through the place like a river of sweet honey and chocolate, making my mouth water as I try to track her.

Jack stays with me, but the crowd around me eventually fades. The grabby girls wander off to find more suitable attention. I can’t really blame them for still hanging around as if I’m available—my marriage doesn’t look very serious, even to me.

After grabbing something to eat and a couple of beers from the back deck, we head up to the top end of the house. Up here, the rooms are dark except for pulsing strobes, and the beat throbs hard and fast, with enough bass to shake the windows.

When I get there, Gina’s scent gets stronger immediately. I look around the edges of the room, expecting to see her standing quietly in the shadows, just like she always did at school.

When the crowd parts, my eyes are dragged to the center of the floor by a swirl of silken, shiny red. The girl completes a full spin, the long skirts swirling around her legs as she writhes to the music.

It takes a few moments for the rest of the details to catch up to me. Long, curly black hair, beautifully curved legs, luscious hips, and big, mouth-watering breasts…

Gina!

She throws her head back and laughs, reaching out for her friends’ hands. She’s dancing with Tara and Laura, her friends from high school.

I can’t take my eyes off her as she twists and bends, reaching out and hugging her friends as they all shimmy back and forth. The way her breasts bounce when she wriggles her hips is almost painful for me to watch.

It’s not like I’m going to stop watching, though.

I move over into a dark corner, hoping no one has noticed me. I just want to hang out and watch Gina for a bit, and I don’t need the entire pack giving it away that I’m here. She looks like she’s really enjoying herself, and that is something I want to see.

I never thought I’d see her cut loose like this!

Her friends disappear periodically and come back with drinks. I’m amazed by how many of them Gina throws down. Every time she has another round, her dancing gets more and more liberated. At this point, I can’t even think about looking away or interrupting her.

Watching her body move in the flickering light, I feel a deep, primal howl within me. I want her. I want her desperately. I’d do anything to see her move like that underneath me, or above me—any which way, I don’t care. I just want to see her writhing in ecstasy, moaning in rapture, for me, with me—

But all of this longing is nothing to the pain of my wolf. This is deeper than lust, stronger than desire. My wolf has walked around its entire life with half a heart, half a soul. There she is, right there in front of me…

And I can’t touch her.

It’s like a knife twists in my heart. I have to do something about this, but now that I’ve apologized for my behavior at the prom, I honestly don’t know what else to do.

I’m still watching the girls dance, but my eyes have lost their focus. I want to do something to prove to Gina how much I want her. It’s all I can think about, even though I know I’m not likely to figure it out with six beers and two shots of whiskey in me.

Suddenly, I snap back to the present moment. Gina has stopped dancing, and she’s talking to someone. I can’t see much, but she’s leaning on his arm, smiling up at him and laughing.

Him? It’s a guy!

I stand up, tilting my head to get a better look. One of the disco lights spins, obliging me and illuminating his face for a few seconds.

It’s that dude Scott!

I’m surprised that he has the balls to come back sniffing around my mate after how I sent him running.

I don’t move, just stay in the shadows. I’ve been incognito here for a while, and I want to keep it that way, at least for now.

Scott hands my wife a shot and holds up one of his own. Gina takes it, and they clink the tiny glasses together, throwing their heads back to swallow the liquor in one gulp. Gina cheers and bounces a little, clinging to his arm.

She stumbles, and Scott immediately puts his arm around her. Before I even realize I’ve made a conscious decision, I’m halfway across the dance floor.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” My voice cuts through all the other noise—the music, the hard bass, the talking, the laughter. The dark resonance of my wolf voice can be heard as clear as day.

Scott pales, as expected, but instead of letting go, his arms tighten around Gina.

Big mistake.

I take another step towards them, feeling my instincts taking over. My muscles are hardening all over, and my eyes must be glowing with a predatory sheen as my wolf howls to be free.

Tear up my rival! Chew him to pieces!

“I’m sorry,” Scott says, finally taking a step back and letting go of Gina. “It was just a friendly chat.”

“The hell it was!” I snap, lunging towards him. Gina jumps right in front of me and smacks her hands against my chest.

“Will you fucking calm down?” she cries, her voice shrill from the alcohol. “We were just having a drink.”

“This is the scum that was sniffing around you the other day!” I growl at her, barely keeping my voice from rising. I want to roar and scream, but I’m still aware of the crowd around us.

“Scott? Sniffing around? You’ve got to be kidding me, especially after the show you put on when you first arrived!”

“Show? What show?” I shake my head, genuinely confused.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!” she yells. “Jill! She was all over you from the second you walked in! Now, I’m only just finding out she was trying to get with you all through high school. Is that who you’ve been doing the last few years? My ex-best friend?”

I shake my head, feeling my guts drop with uncertainty. I can’t remember how many girls hugged me when I walked in the door. Was Jill one of them? Maybe. I really don’t know. I wasn’t paying that much attention.

“Don’t try and deflect,” I retort. “The issue here is you and this festering snotrag. He’s come after you before. Now, here he is again with his hands all over what rightfully belongs to me.”

Gina puts her hands on her hips and glares at me. “I am not your property.”

“That may be so, but you are my wife!” I can’t help it, I finally yell. “You are my fated mate, and you can’t be letting other men touch you—especially in public.”

Gina laughs, shaking her head. “The audacity that you can stand there and say that about me after what you did when you walked in those doors.”

Suddenly, I realize that it’s too quiet. The lights have stopped moving, and there is no music playing.

Fuck! Fuck! We’re arguing in front of the whole damn pack!

Jack appears by my side, grabbing my arm and giving me a shake. “Time to settle down, hey buddy? Let’s get you two lovebirds home, shall we?”

“That’s a good idea,” Gina says quietly, “but I’m pretty sure the damage is already done.”

Jack drives us home, and Gina and I don’t say anything the whole ride home. When we get back, I stay silent because I don’t want to start the fight again. I have plenty more that I want to say. I just know I need to calm down before attempting to say it.

I go to bed after a hot shower, and when I wake up in the morning, I’m surprised to find Gina next to me. She’s put as much bed as possible between us, but I really didn’t think she’d even want to share a room with me after last night, let alone a bed.

When I reach for my phone, it’s completely blown up by messages and missed calls. From the way Gina gasps in surprise when she grabs hers, it’s exactly the same.

“I’m being called to an immediate meeting,” I say gruffly.

“Me too,” she answers. She looks fragile and wounded, sitting there on the edge of the bed, as if last night tore her to the bone. I want to take her in my arms and comfort her, but I’m not sure she’d accept it, so I keep my hands to myself.

We get ready and head to town, taking a cab because I left my car at the party. Out the back of Shelley’s, we find Carson, Sasha, Seth, and Dane waiting for us.

“Sit down,” Carson says, pointing at the end of the table.

Gina and I each take a chair. She keeps her eyes down while I look around the table, letting the elders know I’m here to be accountable and I’m not going to shy away from my own mistakes or the consequences of them.

“The whole pack is talking about last night,” Sasha says. “This is a completely unacceptable situation. Whatever problems you two are having, they should be talked out, not aired at top volume in a public place.”

“Agreed,” says Dane, nodding. “The gossip is ripping through the pack like wildfire.”

Gina looks up, and her face is a mess of tears. She looks tortured as well as exhausted, and my chest aches to see it. I can’t bear her pain.

“This can’t be allowed to go on. We’ve made a decision, and it is final,” Seth says.

My stomach goes cold, even as my heart beats faster. What are they going to do? Separate us?

Surely, they can’t do that!

“Take it easy,” Carson says, waving his hands lightly as if he can feel the tension rising in the air. “There’s no need to turn this into another fight.” He looks at me. “What we have decided is that you should leave on your mission to Mount Wilson immediately, and Gina is going with you.”

“What?” I cry out as I hear Gina gasp. “It’s dangerous!” I yell, banging my fist on the table. “I can’t just take her into enemy territory, especially when they are known to be hostile.”

Sasha shrugs. “She is an alpha mate. She has just as much responsibility as you do, and she needs to learn how to negotiate and even fight, if needed.”

“What’s the matter, Bae?” Seth asks, his voice hard. “Do you doubt your ability to protect your mate?”

I glare at him, clenching my fists. That’s a low blow, completely uncalled for. I know exactly why he did it—to force me to accept—and I hate that it fucking worked.

“Fine,” I say, sitting back in my chair. “Let’s do it. Let’s go, right now.”

“What if I don’t agree?” Gina asks.

The elders all exchange looks before Sasha turns to Gina. “You can refuse, but you give up your position as the alpha’s mate. You also become an outcast. You cannot return to the pack or run with wolves ever again. You will receive no protection or aid from us, or any other wolf. You will be known as a rogue—heartless, damaged, and not worthy of a place with us.”

Gina visibly gulps, and her breathing speeds up. She wraps her arms around herself, rocking a little. She glances over at me, then back to the elders.

“Okay,” she whispers, her voice thick with tears. “I’ll go.”