Liquid Courage

Alexandra

The black SUV pulled up to a tall building with a footman outside. Mia and Layla were quick to get out of the vehicle, walking side by side through the glass door as the man in a crisp black suit held it open for them. I struggled to reach for the bags when I felt a large hand on mine, “No worries Miss Lexi, I’d be glad to bring these up for you,” the footman stated.

I looked at him curiously but nodded and followed Mia and Layla inside, who were waiting by an elevator for me. My stomach churned, uneasiness flooding my core as the doors opened to reveal a small space illuminated by a panel of numbers on the wall. Layla pushed the number 30, and I felt my stomach flip as the elevator ascended. I tried to stifle my fear until I finally heard a small bell chime and the doors opened to a massive modern home.

“Welcome to my home!” Layla called out, her arms extending over her head as her body fell onto the blue couch. “Wow, this is-,” I began.

“Gorgeous! Right?” Mia shrieked, “you’re so lucky your brother lets you stay in the penthouse!”

“Go ahead, make yourself at home. Dinner should be here soon, and then I have a special surprise for you, Lexi! Call it… the best night of your life,” Layla called out.

Mia quickly joined Layla in the stunning living room, the two of them sipping on champagne and exchanging general girl talk. I roamed the small house, finally entering a bedroom that had large windows. As I moved closer to the window, my eyes went wide. I had never been so high up before. I imagined what it would feel like falling from such a height. I was sure even birds didn’t go this far. Free, I said to myself. Free from the shackles of other people’s demands. Free to just be alive.

I heard Mia call out my name and pull me back from my thoughts. My stomach grumbled as a delicious smell wafted through the air, telling me dinner was already here. By the time I found the kitchen, Mia and Layla were already eating some sort of noodles. “Chinese! It’s the very best,” Mia explained, passing me a plate loaded with different foods.

I hesitantly took the plate, not wanting to be rude, and took a seat beside Layla on the white marble kitchen island. “Some of the pack are headed to Marla’s tonight. Let’s just say I’m kind of seeing the bartender,” Layla explained, giving me a wink as if she was insinuating something. “I’m game, Marcus is going. Pack business or something,” Mia says, excitement beaming from her lilac eyes to see her mate. “It’ll be fun Lexi, have you ever gone dancing in your old pack?” Layla questions innocently.

I shake my head, my gaze shooting downwards and burning into the plate of food at the mention of my old life. Something buried deep down told me that part of my life wasn’t over. It was like a bad recurring dream.

“Great, you’re going to have the best time. I’ll get us on the VIP list,” Layla cries out and struts out of the kitchen, her cellphone pressed against her ear. Mia and I continue to exchange pleasantries about how great today was when loud clicking against the hardwood floor catches my attention. “Pink or black?” She questions, holding up two mini dresses and wearing nothing but a sleek beige lingerie set.

“Black. For sure, the black dress! Your red hair against the black? Chef’s kiss!” Mia excitedly calls out, kissing the tips of her fingers and then turns to me. “What are you going to wear?” She asks, arching a brow. “Um, I bought new jeans. Maybe those would be nice?” I answer.

“No way. Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control,” Mia insists, her hand gripping against my wrist and pulling me out of the kitchen.

“Sit,” Mia demands with a mysterious glint in her eyes, and starts applying make-up onto my face. A look of accomplishment spread over her face, telling me she was satisfied with the final result. “You know you have gorgeous eyes.”

A smirk tugs from the corner of my mouth, remembering how much Luna Fraya loved them. “Thanks, I have my dad’s eyes,” I explained, feeling pride shoot from my chest.

“Really? You know it’s funny because Marcus was saying something about that there was only one pack who ever bore green eyes. They were sadly overthrown because, as legend had it, the daughter had a rare white wolf and that’s who they were after. She was the only living survivor, but they never found her. Poor thing was probably ravaged by rogues. Any relation? A distant cousin or something, maybe from that pack?”

I shake my head, feeling my palms get sweaty. It isn’t a legend. I am the missing daughter; I am the white wolf, I want to scream out. “Cool story though,” I tell her as she then reaches for a straightening iron and begins running down my long raven hair.

“Yeah, it’s probably not even true. Marcus sometimes hears the most bizarre stories from the other enforcers during patrol,” she explains, and I instantly feel like I can breathe again.

“And now for an outfit,” she says, searching from the sea of shopping bags. “Perfect!” She says, laying out a tightly fitted white dress with a deep low cut V in the front and beige stilettos. “I-I can’t wear this” I stutter out.

Mia crosses her arms over her chest, “you can, and you will,” she says in an unimpressed tone.

I swallowed the lump in the back of her throat and smiled, “Okay, I’ll try it on.”

It takes me a minute to pull my body over, but once I do, I barely recognize myself in the full length mirror on the wall in the washroom. The dress feels like it’s made for me, hugging my curves and even showcasing my bigger than I’d like breasts. The length is short, barely covering my ass, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel incredible wearing it. I really didn’t want to take it off.

I knocked on the back of the washroom room and carefully walked out. Mia and Layla are sitting on the edge of the bed but when their gazes lock onto me, I watch as their mouths drop open. “Holy fucking shit,” Mia mutters. “Oh my Moon Goddess… yes. Yes. A hundred times yes!” Layla called out.

My face becomes heated at all the attention that I’m not used to receiving. I feel Anna, my wolf, wince inside though. She wishes we could show off our new look to Alpha Liam. I scold her at the thought he’s the Alpha, and we need to remain under the radar anyway. We aren’t here to win anyone’s heart, we’re here to hopefully make some new friends and, by the looks of it, I think we already have.

The bright neon lights flickered above the large door. The line up to get inside is nearly wrapped around the building and suddenly, I feel sad that I might not get this chance to go dancing with my friends again. I move to get into the line up when Layla grasps my hand in hers and marches up to the very large bouncer with a scowl on his face. “Watch and learn Lexi,” she says confidently in my ear. “V.I.P sir,” she announces to him, batting her long eyelashes in his direction. He takes one look, his eyes traveling down her body and unclips the velvet rope, granting us access.

The three of us squeal once we’re no longer in earshot, exhilarated that we got inside with no questions asked.

The club is loud, the bass making my chest vibrate while strobe lights dance throughout this place. Bodies are rubbing up against each other on the dance floor and the entire place smells like cheap booze and sex. Arriving at the bar, Layla calls out to the bartender, “three tequilas!” and he nods. She hoists her body up slightly, pressing her lips against the bartender’s. “Hey baby,” he says to her before rushing off to get our drinks.

Layla slid the shots down the bar, the three of us drinking our tequila with ease. The liquid burns as it runs down my throat and I nearly throw up.

My eyes linger on the stage and off to the side where I see two men, leaning over a small bar table. Business men, I quickly place them as. One is smoking a cigar while the other is nursing a clear drink. Vodka, probably. A blonde with long legs has her hands all over him, she’s dancing on him from what I can see. She drops her body low then seductively moves back up, rubbing her body against him.

It’s only when he turns that our gazes lock and I immediately place the man as Alpha Liam. I can hear my heart shatter and I feel my eyes go glassy, my vision blurring.

“Whoa, slow down,” Layla says, gripping my shoulders as I try to make a run for it. I’m not sure why, but seeing him with another she-wolf feels like my heart has been ripped from my chest. It’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt. “It’s not worth it. We don’t get mad, we get even. Show him what he’s missing,” she says, her eyes pointing at the tall attractive man behind me. She passes me a fizzy pink drink and winks, “liquid courage.”