Chapter 27

Stacy’s POV

How could he do this to me? Now I had to make sure Mason was my mate; what would I do if I’m unmated and boyfriend-less at my party! Things couldn’t get any worse right now.

“Stacy! There you are,” Miranda called, waving at me from across the street.

“I spoke too soon”, I inwardly cry. “Hi, Miranda, where to next” I moan.

“Oh, well, I think I’m okay now. If you want to go do your own thing, you can; I’m heading to the pack house; is there anywhere you need to go I could drop you there” she offered; she was borrowing my dad’s car today, so really, she had to drive me wherever I wanted to go.

“I’m going there too, thanks; a lift would be great” I climb into the passenger seat and let my mind drift.

“How on earth had he found out about Mason and me?” I wrack my brain. “Jaxon!” it didn’t take long for me to work out. It must have been my brother.

“I’m going to kill him”, I swear.

The drive to the pack house with Miranda dragged; I needed to get there faster than she was willing to drive. I needed to see Mason; I was sure seeing my soon-to-be mate would make me feel better. As soon as the car came to a stop, I threw the door open and jumped out of my seat.

“Bye Miranda, thanks for the lift. I remembered to shout back at the last second.

Mini skirt riding up and looking a bit flustered, I tottered on my stupidly high heels, tugging my skirt down as I went. The door was open like it always was; everyone was rushing around again, doing this and that. No doubt something to do with our guests. I had to keep dodging the staff dashing around through the main entrance and the function room. Finally, I found Luna Laura.

“Hello my Luna,” I say politely.

“Oh, hello Stacy, how lovely to see you. Is there something you need? No doubt you can see we are a tad busy here” she smiles at me but looks way too stressed for her own good?

“Have you seen Mason?” I ask in my sweetest voice.

“Not since this morning, dear; he might be in his room, though, if you want to go check”, she waved me off absentmindedly.

Excitement coursed through me; I hadn’t ever been in Mason’s room. The opportunity had never arisen for me to warrant being in there, but this time his mother suggested I go and see if he was around. I all but skipped up the stairs.

“Calm down; soon, this will be normal to you, an everyday thing, nothing new”, I squeal. I slowed my walk to a more regular speed as I walked along the corridor to Mason’s room. The hallways were quiet, but I was sure I could hear soft music floating down the passages somewhere.

Mason’s door came into view; the music was coming from there. One last tug on my skirt and a push-up on my bra, making sure my girls look their best. I quietly knock and open the door without waiting for an invite.

“Hi Mason, I thought I ….” I suddenly stopped.

The scene in front of me was something I hadn’t expected to see. Mason lounged on an oversized armchair with a brown-haired girl draped all over him, they were kissing, and he had his hands all over her. Lucas was on the other chair with a black-haired girl.

“Stacy! What are you doing here? What do you want” he spoke to me like a kid, like a girl he didn’t want around? I couldn’t understand it; we were destined to be together; I was sure of it.

I turned and left without saying a word. I felt he had cheated on me, but we weren’t together yet. It hurt so bad to see him with that other girl. Right now, I felt like I had been dumped twice. Picking up the pace, I ran out of there as fast as possible. I had to get home before I let the tears fall. I couldn’t let anyone see me cry. My reputation depended on it.

Ayla’s POV

Head spinning, I sat on the wet cave floor, holding the hand with which I had touched the image. It burned slightly. I had bashed into Aiden as I was propelled away from the wall.

“Ahh, Aiden, are you okay” I groan from my place on the floor.

“I’m fine, a bit bruised but nothing major”, he answered. He sounded just as dazed as I was.

“What the hell happened” Axel panicked; he had rushed over to me and was trying to check every inch of my body to ensure I was alright.

“I don’t know, I just felt like I needed to touch it, and then when I did, I could read the words, and well, you saw the rest,” I tell them.

Aiden was now back on his feet, and Archer and Axel were helping me up too. Deciding it was best to start heading back now, we headed towards the cave mouth.

“I think we need to find the Alpha and Aleena as soon as we get back.” Archer sounded worried.

“Yes, I think your right, Brother. Let’s hurry up and get out of here,” Axel agreed. “Ayla, you’re with me this time, Beautiful!”

Archer helps me up onto Axel’s back, I hated that I needed to be aided so much right now, but I know it wasn’t because I couldn’t do it; usually, it was only because of my attack.

“Hold on tight, okay? I’m doing to be going down as fast as possible; we do need to get back and find out what the hell is going on here,” he tells me.

I had no problem holding on to him; it felt wonderful to wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his back. I was exhausted from all the walking we had done today; that fall, or whatever you wanted to call it, had done me in.

It hadn’t taken the others long to scale the rock wall back down to the river bed. They were so fast, even Aiden with his newly acquired bruises. I felt awful about being the one to give them to him.

“Stop beating yourself up about it, babe! I’m fine; I’m just glad I was there. Otherwise, it would have been you smashing into the wall,” he points out; I was so grateful for him right then. He would put himself in harm’s way to protect me. It blew my mind. I had never had anyone care for me like this, and now I had three of them.

We made it back to the car in under an hour; Axel carried me most of the way; I was just totally exhausted. I did try to walk some of it, but they saw I was struggling and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Before I knew it, I was hoisted onto Axel’s back; he seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.

Archer drove us home again; this time, his driving was surprisingly calm, not a single kangaroo hop insight. Axel had handed me over to Aiden in the back seat once we reached the car. I had barely noticed either; I was almost asleep. It wasn’t until Aiden gathered me up and held me close that I realised who I was cuddled into. The scent of pine needles and mint filled my nostrils.

“Mmm, I missed you”, I murmured.

“I missed you too, but I hadn’t gone anywhere” he kissed my head as he spoke.

“I know; I miss all of you when I’m not right next to you.” Usually, I wouldn’t be so forthcoming with how I felt, but apparently, tiredness made my lips loose.

“Ah, crap, we got that representative meal tonight, haven’t we,” Archer said to his brothers. I kind of caught the conversation.

“If she’s not present, then neither am I”, Aiden stated. “There is no way I’m leaving her alone, even in her room, not with that asshole in the same house, let alone whoever it was who attacked her”

“One of us will be with her at all times; that’s easy enough to do; there are three of us, after all”, Archer said.

“Do you remember the way back” Axel chimed in.

“Of course, my photographic memory has its uses”, he replies.

Tristan’s POV

Spending the afternoon with the River Stone reps had been a great time waster. They were easy to talk to and fun to be around. I had plenty of time to work out what I would do next—this time without my mother’s input. I would get full credit, and I would revel in it. I just had to get close to Ayla to pull it off.

Before I had left my new friends, we had all agreed to meet by the stairs of the pack house before the meal tonight. I liked Melody. She’s so clever and witty. She was my kind of girl. The kind I hope my mate will be like when I eventually find her. Melody isn’t mated either, so a bit of fun wouldn’t hurt either of us if she likes me too.

The time was seven-fifteen, and we were meeting at seven-thirty. Looking myself over in the mirror, I was ready. Nervous butterflies danced around my belly. I wasn’t sure if it was due to Melody or having to get close to Ayla, or I was more worried about pissing the Chase brothers off. They seemed to have a thing with her right now.

“Time to go,” I tell myself out loud; I picked up my glasses, having given myself a killer headache thanks to the drama my mother caused. It was easier to wear them than to poke myself repeatedly in the eye trying to get my contacts in.

Ayla passed me on the stairs as I made my way to meet my new friends; her new cronies flanked her. They were pushing it a bit late, just to get ready. The meal starts at eight!

“Tristan, hi”, Harrison calls my name, Melody Waves at me whilst tucking her hair behind her ear; she looks nervous. I felt it too.

“HI TRISTAN”, Tanya excitably calls, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She had so much energy. I couldn’t help but beam at her. She just brings joy out of everyone.

My eyes kept wandering back to Melody. she wore a pretty little knee-length black cocktail dress with simple, classy black heels. Her hair was loose and laid over one shoulder. She looked divine. Never had I seen a woman prettier than her.

“Hey, how are you all” I politely greeted them. “You look stunning, by the way,” I leaned in closer to her and let her know how amazing she looked.

“Thank you, you scrub up well, too” she winked at me; that was it. I was hooked. She was now my new pursuit.

“Do you want a drink?” I ask them, “They have set up a temporary bar out the back” I point to the double doors behind us.

“Sure, lead the way”, Harrison answered for the group.

Giving my arm to Melody, and thankfully she took it. I would have felt like a complete idiot if she had blown me off.

“No, I don’t know why she was in my room; it’s not like I ask kids round to my room for a past time Lucas, is it” Mason snapped at his friend.

“Jacob isn’t answering right now, so it’s not like I can ask him why his brat of a girlfriend was barging in on us”, Lucas replied.

“Well, you better help me find out; if my dad finds out we’ve been fooling around with the guests before they even settled in, he will kill me”, Mason huffed like a stroppy teenager.

“Wonder what he’s so wound up about. “Tanya frowned, watching them enter the kitchen.

“Don’t even think about it, Tan; stay out of their business, you hear me”, Harrison warned his sister.

“Alright, alright, don’t get your knickers in a twist”, She mocked him.

“What do you mean,” I ask them; they both look back and forth; Melody wouldn’t even make eye contact with us. “Now you have to tell me; you’re all acting shifty.

“Okay, but you have not to say anything; we don’t want people to know”, Tanya sighed; Harrison just looked uneasy.

“Okay, go on then”, I urge them.

“Well, one of my gifts is rare, and I’m not meant to use it willy nilly,” Tanya tells me, shifting from foot to foot. She was itching to say but was scared at the same time. “I can read people’s minds, well not read them as in reading them, but I can replay the last few things they saw, said and did. As if I’m watching a movie,” she said in one long breath.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that”, I admit. I was starting to panic. Worried she would tell what was going on.

“Don’t look so scared; I have to tap into it for it to work”, she laughed, looking at my face. “And don’t worry, I already know you like Melody. You don’t need to read minds to see that,” she giggled.

Melody looked up at me; she was blushing like I knew she would be. Thank the Goddess Ayla and her guard appeared on the stairs to save me from total embarrassment. What was I meant to say to Melody now, thanks to Tanya blabbing my feelings before I knew them myself?

“Time to get your game face on,” I tell myself, now was not the time to get distracted by lust. I had a job to do.