This is the Life

Elijah

" W here are we going?" I ask Rafael as he slings his arm around my shoulders, giving me that smirk that tells me he's up to something.

"Come on El, we just completed our training. With flying colours I might add; we deserve a little fun and some time to party," he replies with a mischievous wink.

I can't help but smirk cockily, knowing exactly what he means by ‘a little fun' as he leads me down the hall. We're heading to the VIP area, meaning we'll be getting the best tonight. And there's only one rightful way to celebrate a win.

The door is opened by two guards, and I step into the room that is lit ablaze with red lights.

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Good music, good alcohol, and plenty of sexy, scantily dressed women.

"See what I'm saying?" Rafael pushes. "Let's party until we drop before the real work begins."

Someone's on a roll tonight. With him having a young brother he needs to take care of since his parents' death, I know he's been wanting to go home for a while.

We're both twenty-one, and have just completed five years of training, which is compulsory for all alphas, but his responsibilities far outweigh mine.

There are around thirteen future alphas here, all of whom will return to their respective packs tomorrow. With the end of a gruelling five years of blood, sweat and pain, we are now ready to take our titles; to show our predecessors that we are capable of those titles.

Just as I will when I return home and take over as Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack.

I turn my attention to the sexy strippers that dance around the poles in nothing but tiny thongs and jewellery. A sexy little blonde captures my attention, and I rake my eyes over her. She has a narrow waist, good-sized breasts with curvy hips and an ass that I wouldn't mind fucking tonight.

I walk over to one of the purple velvet couches and sit down, instantly one of the naked bombshells comes over with drinks.

"Hey handsome," she says, bending down and pouring me a glass and I don't shy away from checking out her ass.

Oh, fuck yes, this is going to be a good night…

I pick up my glass as she walks off, strutting sexily in those heels and making her ass jiggle.

I'd do a lot more than tap that…

"So, have any of these pretty dolls caught your attention?" Rafael questions as he sits down next to me.

He's getting a lot of attention already; we both are. However, unlike myself who knows and takes advantage of it, I don't think he realises how much women want him. That or he just doesn't care.

I have sandy brown hair, and cerulean blue eyes, whereas he's Italian, with dark, messy black hair and brown eyes. I don't think he even realises that his charming behaviour can often be mistaken for flirting.

"Maybe a couple. I don't think I'll settle for one tonight. I bet I know which one you have your eyes on," I remark, scanning the women until I spot a dark-haired slender one who is sexily twirling around the pole on the far side. "Her," I murmur, drinking my whiskey.

He smirks. "You know my type."

"Obviously, being stuck with you for nearly four years helped," I remark, running my free hand through my messy curls. Rafael had joined a little late, but that didn't stop him from climbing the ranks as one of the strongest alphas in our age group.

I slip my phone out of my pocket, and there are a couple of messages congratulating me on finishing training. There are messages from my sister Indigo, Dad, Aaron, and Liam, both of whom are my best friends, Jessica, my stepmom… I'm about to put my phone away without answering them when Rafael speaks.

"You don't need to put that away on my account. I had messages from several of the Elders." He winks, smiling faintly as he turns away.

He acts like he doesn't care and he can keep telling himself that, but the hard truth is he doesn't have anyone. His parents had no known family and despite being here for training, Rafael has run his business alongside his training.

We've been sharing a room for nearly four years, and in that time I've seen how hard he has worked. He'll stay up every night dealing with business meetings, deadlines, and work. Or he's on the phone with the Elders begging them to go easy on his brother. The disappearances in the middle of the night where he'd return exhausted, and I know for a fact he wasn't with a woman, although many would assume that.

He never told me at first where he went, but as time passed, he would just say ‘I had to deal with my brother'. His younger brother is a handful, always in trouble, but never once have I heard Rafael complain or get angry about it. He had to step up when his parents died. After all, they only had each other.

He has become one of my closest friends. I trust him as much as I trust my friends Aaron and Liam back home and I appreciate him.

I drink my whiskey as a few of the boys make their way over to the dance floor. Cocking my brow in disgust when I see the prick Kenneth grinding against a girl's ass. The assface graduated a year early as he's just one of those overachieving dickheads, or as the trainers liked to say a "prodigy". But I wouldn't consider him a prodigy. The only thing about him you can possibly consider a genius is how his over-gelled hair doesn't move – at all. Fucking ever.

I snicker and Rafael cocks a brow. "Care to share what you're laughing at?"

"The usual…" I smirk as my phone rings. I glance down at it, Dad's video-calling. I cut it and Rafael shakes his head.

"Why not go out and take the call?" he suggests, jerking his head towards a side door.

"Weren't you the one who said tonight's to enjoy?" I counter, watching as the blonde I have my eyes on twirls around the pole sensually.

Rafael places his glass down. "The night is young. I'm sure you'll be busier later." He smirks. "I'm certain they must be excited and proud of you."

I shrug, as I switch to Instagram, tilting my head as Indigo's picture pops up. She's with her friend Daniel, and I smile, damn she's grown. I miss that pixie.

"Who's the guy? Are you going to go all ‘big brother' mode on him?" Rafael asks, spotting the image of my phone with Indigo and Daniel pulling their tongues out at the camera.

"Na, that's her best friend," I reply, clicking on her page only to see she's uploaded a few new images. Indigo is actually Jessica's daughter, which makes her my stepsister, but she's like my own little kid sister, one I never had.

Rafael watches as I lazily scroll. "Hold up, who's that chick?" he asks suddenly, pointing to someone behind Indigo in one of the snaps. It's obvious from Indigo's smug expression that she knows she's caught her in the shot.

‘A peachy day' she captioned the image.

I glance back at the picture, the woman behind her has her back to the camera, her hands that are clad in lace gloves are in her vibrant red hair. She's in a crop top that shows off her tiny waist and curvy hips, her sexy ass is in tiny denim shorts that accentuate the curve of her peach and fishnet tights cover what you can see of her thighs.

I throb in my pants and swallow, glancing away.

Fuck, she looks sexy as hell…

I give Rafael a glare, "Jessica's older daughter," I say curtly.

"Oh, your sister, huh?" He smirks. "Is she off limits?"

I know he's joking, but it doesn't sit right with me. "Yeah, and she's not my sister," I growl.

"Oh? Then why is she off limits if you don't consider her your sister?" he taunts arrogantly.

"Fuck you, Raf." I stand up. "I'm going to call Dad back before I get drunk and spend the night fucking these bombshells."

"Sounds like a plan." He raises his glass to me as I walk off with mine, his eyes fixed on the dark-haired chic on the pole.

I weave my way through the crowd, downing my glass and taking another from the bar before I reach the doors and step out. The music fades and I carry on down the hall until I reach the exit. Once the fresh air hits me, I inhale deeply. Not even realising how the smell of arousal, sweat, perfume and alcohol had mixed in there.

Glancing around, I make my way over to a low wall and scan the area on the other side. The occasional car passes by and the streetlight above me is casting enough light for them to be able to see me.

I hit the call button waiting for them to answer. It's not even on its third ring when they answer and both Dad and Indigo's faces fill my screen. "Congratulations, Elijah!" they both shout in unison, making me smirk.

"I got the texts, thanks. It's just training. It was a piece of cake," I answer, taking a gulp of my whiskey.

"Well, it's a big deal when you were one of the top ones in your class, Elijah," Dad disagrees with me, clearly proud, and Indigo nods, her black hair bouncing.

"Yeah, and I don't really care even if you came last. I'm just happy that you're going to be back. I'm bored with having to tolerate her all alone." She scrunches her nose as she pokes her big blue eyes towards someone out of sight.

Red.

"I'll be home in three days, Pixie. You know I'm always on your team," I reply with a cocky smirk.

"Elijah, congratulations," Jessica says as the camera zooms out, showing the black-haired woman who is now my stepmother. She's not a bad woman, but I somehow can't get over the fact Dad moved on only a year after my mother's death. One year after losing his fated mate he moved on with ease…

"Thanks," I say, trying to squash those bitter thoughts. Tonight is mine. I'm not going to let doubts cloud my mind.

"Scarlett, congratulate your brother," Jessica orders firmly as Indigo makes a gagging face as Dad turns the camera to the girl – no woman, cosied up in the armchair.

My breath catches at the sight of her side profile. Her red hair covers her face as she reads the book in her hand. She's in some tiny leather shorts and again with those fishnets… Fuck.

Her legs are tucked up on the chair, crossed as she bounces her foot that hangs in the air lightly, only giving me an even better view of that sexy ass.

"Congrats," she says in her sexy, melodious voice. Damn, even her voice has changed but... her tone is anything but happy for me.

"Love you too," I shoot back, making her stick her middle finger up at me. I smirk as Jessica frowns and the camera swings back on Dad and Indigo. Both are already planning some big family trip for us to go on when I get back, but I'm unable to focus, my mind lingering on those sexy thighs.

Yeah, I need to get laid and stop thinking about my sexy-as-hell stepsister.

"Well, I'll let you guys go. I'm partying with the boys. They're waiting." I smirk.

"Oh, and where are you partying?" Dad asks.

Really?

"Probably at a whorehouse or a strip club. Right, Elijah?" her know-it-all voice comes.

Well, she ain't wrong.

"Jealous, Red?" I taunt her mockingly.

"Of you? Please, I'd be jealous of a piece of turd before I'm jealous of you," she scoffs.

"Scarlett!" Jessica scolds.

"They're just messing around, Jess. It's fine," Dad consoles his woman.

"Yeah, well, I'm heading inside. See you guys in a couple of days." I hang up and slip the phone into my pocket before I head back inside, downing the rest of my glass.

Entering the VIP area again, I smirk as I spot that sexy blond step off the stage, and I walk over to her. "Hey beautiful, how much for a private show?"

"Everything's paid for…" she whispers seductively, placing her hand on my arm as her eyes trail over me appreciatively.

I curl my finger under her chin and lean in.

"Perfect then… how about you go grab a few of your girls and we head to the back?"

"Sounds like a plan, handsome," she says, biting her glossy lip.

"Make sure they're petite and curvy. I like my girls with an ass." I wink at her, watching her saunter off, my dick throbbing in my pants.

Oh yeah… this is the life.