Chapter 14

I thought we were going out to meet Beta Lucas but halfway down the hall she started dragging me a different direction.

“Where are we going.” I asked.

“The Alpha’s office.” She said in a sing song voice.

“Why?” I stopped and she jolted to a stop with me.

“You are the most exciting thing to happen to this pack in years. Since Gwen died Alpha Colton hasn’t done anything that resembles having a pulse until you. I don’t think I’ve seen him smile in years unless he’s playing with Emily. We put in all this work. Let’s show the Alpha his prize.” She beamed.

Laila was all too excited to show off. While I on the other hand was hoping the floor would open up and swallow me whole. I begrudgingly let Willow push me down the hall.

The office doors were open as we walked in. Alpha Colton had a stack of papers on his desk he was focused on. I stood there awkwardly for a minute before Willow cleared her throat loudly.

Alpha Colton looked up, when his eyes fell on me, he leaned back in his chair. I was not prepared for how handsome he is when he smiles.

I rolled the outer seams of the shorts in between my fingers.

Willow quickly grabbed my hand and drug me back into the hall.

Turning the corner Willow ran right into Beta Lucas almost knocking her to the ground and me along with her.

Beta Lucas caught Willow just in time, so she didn’t fall pulling her in tightly to his chest. He held on to her for a little to long.

Laila bounced around in my mind. “Did you see that.” She said excitedly.

“See what? Him stopping her from landing ass first on the ground.” I rolled my eyes at her.

“No! That was something.” She cooed.

Willow blushed before squeezing past him to retrieve the rest of her things from my room.

“Guess it’s just you and me.” I said trying to break the awkward silence.

“Yep. Ready for an adventure?” He asked, before grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

I followed closely behind him with Laila nagging me the whole way.

“Ask him.” She pressured.

“Asked him what?” I replied.

“Ask him what’s going on with him and Willow.”

“I didn’t notice anything and it’s not our business anyway.” I told her.

“Fine! So, we will ride all the way into town in silence then.” She exclaimed.

“Maybe we will.” I replied with a humf.

We rode for miles in silence before she finally won.

“So, is there something between you and Willow? Are you mates or something?” I asked him.

“What?” Beta Lucas sounded taken back by my question.

“Sorry.” I said quickly. “Laila wanted me to ask.”

He sighed heavily before responding. “Willow and I dated all through high school.” With a little laugh he said. “That’s actually how we all meet Alpha Colton. He was just Colton Graham back then.”

“You two seem so close I assumed you grew up together.” I told him.

“Not exactly. Willow and Gwen were best friends for as long as they could remember. The grew up in houses next to each other. I meet Willow our freshman year of high school.” He stopped and smiled deeply.

“Before the sophomore dance Willow and I were given Gwen a hard time. Telling her she would probably end up going with Blaine. He had a huge crush on her and being a star athlete just assumed he could have any girl he wanted, and he wanted Gwen bad.”

“So Alpha Colton and Blaine played sports together?” I asked.

Beta Lucas burst out laughing. “No! Colton was a shy skinny kid. Hardly anyone knew he existed.”

“Wait what? So, he was some skinny nerd? I find that hard to believe.” I said, also laughing now. Trying to picture him as anything but the big solid man I had seen.

“I wouldn’t say nerd per say. Alpha Colton has always been very smart but until he got his wolf no one would have mistaken him for the next Alpha.” He told me.

“Gwen asked Alpha Colton to be her date for the dance.” Beta Lucas continued.

“Aww that’s sweet.” I told him.

Once again, he laughed loudly until his eyes started to water. “He said no!” He managed to get out between labored breaths.

“I thought you said they were madly in love?” I asked.

“They were, they were mates. Gwen was so mad he shot her down she followed him for days. Trying to get him to change his mind or at least give her a good reason why he didn’t want to go with her.”

“She pursued him?”

“Relentlessly! Gwen was beautiful, fun and popular. I don’t think anyone had told her no in her entire life. Finally, Colton came up when the three of us were hanging out. Told her he would go with her on one condition. She had to go on a real date with him first.”

“Wow, that is not at all how I would have guessed it happened. Alpha Colton is so confident and demanding.” I said thinking back to the first time I meet him in his office.

“He was then too. Some families allow dating, and some are insistent that you wait for your mate. Alpha Colton was waiting for his.”

“Ok but we got sidetracked here. What about you and Willow?” I asked.

“We got our wolves and found out we aren’t mates.” He said dryly.

“But you still love her?” Laila pushed forward to ask.

He sighed deeply before responding. “Yes, I do but she has a mate out there somewhere and so do I. It would hurt more staying together to have her one day just leave than to try to just be friends.” He told me.

Beta Lucas pulled the car off the highway and into the parking lot at Tommy’s.

“I’d like to know more about Colton and Gwen.” I told him with some embarrassment.

“We have all day. I’ll tell you anything you want to know but first we have to go talk to Tommy and CeCe. They are driving the Alpha crazy.” He got out and opened my door for me.

I hadn’t thought about my appearance since we left until I caught my reflection in the big glass doors.