“Doesn’t it take focus away from the wedding?” I asked.
Colton shrugged. “I think it’s supposed to be like a tribute to the happy couple. But in reality, it’s just a bit of fun. The games, of course, are optional. Anyway, you don’t have to worry about it, Chase. You need a partner to participate and you didn’t bring a date. So, you’re in the clear. Unless you want me to pair you up with someone.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I think Zoe’s sister came solo.”
I choked on my beer when he offered to fix me up with Holly. “No,” I pounded my chest, coughing. “That’s not necessary.” So, I was right, she didn’t have a date. I wouldn’t have to watch her get all schmoozy with another man.
“Well,” Noah leaned back and stretched, a half-grin spreading across his face. “I’m looking forward to winning an event of my own. It’s called: how many bridesmaids’ numbers can I score this week?”
Colton groaned. “Keep it in your pants, lover boy. The last thing I need is a bunch of your jilted lovers causing a scene at the wedding ceremony.”
Noah put on an innocent expression. “Hey, don’t blame me. When they see how fierce I am in the games, the ladies will be throwing themselves at my feet. It would be rude to turn them away.”
I couldn’t help but grin at Noah’s cheesiness. “Yeah, you’re the victim here, right?”
“Exactly! Thank you. See? He gets it.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Colton said.
Noah laughed. “Whatever. I just want to have some fun. I’m not ready to settle down like you.”
“Seriously,” I said. “You don’t waste any time, Colton. This wedding happened pretty fast.”
“What can I say? When you find the one, you just know. What’s there to wait for?”
“Well, good for you,” I said. “Congrats man.”
“Thanks.”
Noah snorted. “Yes, good for you. Personally, I can’t imagine ever settling down.”
“Famous last words,” I said.
“No, sir. No marriage for me.”
“Come on,” Colton said. “You’re Alpha of your pack, too. Your pack’s gotta be expecting you to take a mate.”
“Well, I get pressured from time to time, sure, but I tell them the same thing every time. That they best not hold their breath,” Noah replied.
“What about you, Chase?” Colton asked. “Are you committed to bachelorhood, too?”
“Well, I’m not an Alpha like the two of you. Hell, I’m not even pledged to a pack anymore. So, there’s nobody who gives a crap what I do.”
“That’s right,” Noah said. “I forgot you live all by yourself in the middle of nowhere. Pretty wild.”
This conversation was hitting too close to a raw nerve for me. I lived by myself for a reason. A reason I didn’t care to share.
“I like my privacy.”
Noah nodded. “Kind of a lone wolf. I can respect that. I mean, I couldn’t live that way, personally. I need people around or I’d go crazy. Plus, you know. I like a little sweetness to warm my bed from time to time.”
Colton rolled his eyes. “We get it already. You’re a man-whore.”
“Ouch, that hurts,” Noah said. But the humor twinkling in his eyes said just the opposite.
Noah and Colton traded insults, all in the name of male bonding. But, it was obvious by the way they broke each other’s balls they were good friends.
I sat back and pretended to watch them, but mentally, I retreated into my own head. My mind swirled with the thoughts buzzing around it like a hive of bees. Seeing Holly again had left me shaken to the core. The world felt out of balance and I couldn’t regain my footing.
Even having a few beers with Colton and Noah hadn’t helped calm me much. All their chatter about marriage and women only made me ache for Holly even more. There was a time in my life I’d been sure that Holly was my future. Yet, destiny had ripped her from me and left me powerless, with no control over my own future.
Seeing her again, I couldn’t shake the certainty that fate was a cruel mistress. If only things had turned out differently. My head and my heart battled one another. My head told me to stay away. I was too dangerous, not just for her, but to everyone around me. My heart didn’t care. It wanted Holly, consequences be damned.
It was impossible to reconcile these two warring factions that tore me up inside. Coming here had been a mistake. I had no idea how I was going to make it through the next few days being so near her.
I knew one thing with certainty, however. No woman would ever capture my heart, mind, and soul the way Holly had.
3
Holly
“I can’t believe this,” I said, for what felt like the hundredth time. “Chase goddamn Stone.”
Zoe and I were in her suite of rooms in one of the pack houses that were situated around the estate. The main house would be her home soon, but we were staying here until after the wedding ceremony. She was unpacking her suitcases and hanging dresses up in the closet, all the while listening to me rant and rave.
“I thought you didn’t care about him,” Zoe said with the ghost of a smile on her face.
I snorted. “I don’t, but come on. Did you see the way he acted? Like I was a stranger. Like there had never been anything between us. The nerve of him.”
“See, when you say things like that, it makes me think you do care about him,” Zoe said.
“I do not care about him. Well, not like I still have feelings for him.”
“Of course not,” Zoe said, grinning.
I chose to ignore her. “I care about him in the sense that it bothers me how he behaved just now. After the vanishing act he pulled on me? The least he could do is apologize. Or show some shred of remorse. That man should kiss my ass, not just speak to me like…like a…”
“Like a normal, mature adult?” Zoe chimed in.
“Like a bastard,” I finished. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”
Zoe stopped unpacking and turned to me. “Are there sides here? Because it seems like whatever happened between the two of you, Chase doesn’t want to fight with you about it. Which means there aren’t really opposing sides here. It’s just you, battling the past.”
“So, I should just forgive him?” I asked tightly.
“I don’t know, but I do think you need to come to terms with what happened and move on.”
I was about to say something but she held up a hand to stop me.
“Look, I understand getting past this is easier said than done, and I see how much he hurt you. Apparently, badly. But, Chase has clearly moved on. You need to find a way to do that, too.”
“I don’t know if I can,” I said softly.
Zoe pulled me into a hug. “You can and you will. My big sis is one of the strongest women I know. You’re strong enough to get through the next few days. If nothing else, at least pretend like you’ve moved on. Pretend you don’t give a damn about him. Don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing you this way.”
Zoe’s arms slipped away and she pulled back to look at me. I smiled and nodded. “You’re right. I can at least pretend I don’t give a crap about him. I just hope I can avoid him for the rest of the week.”
Zoe grimaced. “Well, about that…”
My stomach lurched. “Out with it.”
“The wedding party is getting together in an hour to take pictures. So, he’ll probably be there.”
“Zoe, no. He’s in the wedding party? Are you serious? I can’t see him again. Not now. Not so soon.”
Zoe shook her head. “Sorry to pull rank on you, but I’m the bride and you’re my maid of honor. You’re going. Be strong. Pretend.”
Zoe and I arrived at the spot for the photo shoot. Like everything at the Sky Valley Estate, the place looked like something out of a fairy tale. The forest glade at the foot of the mountain was lush and verdant. Melted snow from the mountaintop gushed down in a magnificent waterfall, two stories high. The afternoon sun sent golden rays of light filtering through
the trees, giving the air an enchanted quality.
Too bad I was too miserable to enjoy it.
I did my best to not let my emotions show. This was Zoe’s extravaganza. It was a once in a lifetime thing for my little sister, getting married to an amazing man in a magical place. I’d never forgive myself if I ruined her wedding because of old drama dredged up from my past.
Speaking of which, I could scent Chase’s rich, spicy, masculine scent the moment we drew near. He was already there. I tried not to look, but my eyes couldn’t help themselves. He stood beside Colton and few other men I didn’t know. They all wore the same thing. Crisp white button down shirts and black trousers.
Even though they were all dressed the same, Chase stood out to me like a wolf among sheep. His broad shoulders strained the seams of his shirt every time he moved, like it could barely contain him. His emerald eyes shown greener than the surrounding trees, and his dark hair stirred slightly in the breeze. Just the sight of him upped my heart rate.
Clearly, I’ve moved on, I thought, wryly.
I tried not to make it too obvious that I couldn’t take my eyes off him, but it didn’t matter anyway. He never so much as glanced my way. In fact, he looked everywhere but in my direction. Either he cared so little about me he didn’t even notice me, or he was more successful at avoiding looking at me than I was at avoiding looking at him.
Before I could figure out which, I heard a voice that sent an icy chill through my veins.
“Good lord, Holly Winters, as I live and breathe.”
I turned, hoping to find someone else. Anyone else. Someone who just sounded like her. But, nope. No, it was her. Persephone Caldwell, Sefi to her friends, although I wasn’t sure she had any friends. She stood smiling at me, although the smile didn’t reach her ice blue eyes. Blonde curls hung in rivulets around her perfect face, and her breasts practically bubbled out of her low-cut blue dress. I wore the same dress. Everyone in the bridal party did. Mine didn’t look like that.
Was every horror from my past going to show up at this wedding? Who was next? Mean old Mrs. Finney from third grade who made me stand in front of the class and recite multiplication facts when I told her the dog ate my homework? Was she here, too?
I forced a smile. “Hello, Sefi. Nice to see you.” It was a bold-faced lie and we both knew it.
“Goddamn, would you look at that,” Noah let out a low whistle beside me.
When I turned in the direction he indicated, my gut twisted. Holly was standing there, more gorgeous than ever, and next to her was Persephone Caldwell. Holly and Persephone had always been a volatile combination, and for good reason. Sefi was a grade A bitch. Or, she had been. Probably still was unless she’d undergone a full personality transplant in the past decade.
“Which one?” I tried to sound casual. If he was eyeing Holly, there was no telling if I’d be able to hold back my anger.
“Busty Barbie over there. Holy smokes. The things I could do with those pillows.”
I shook my head. “You might want to watch out for that one.”
“You know her?”
“Unfortunately. That’s Colton’s cousin, Persephone.”
“Dayum. How is it I haven’t met her before?”
I frowned. “Count yourself lucky. The woman is certifiable.”
“Certifiably hot,” Noah mumbled, his eyes travelling her figure.
“No, I’m serious man. She used to have a thing for me a long time ago.”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me you hit that.”
“Oh, hell no! I was in a pretty serious relationship back then. She was a total stalker. She did everything she could to fuck it up. And when I turned her down, she went nuts.”
“Nuts? What does that mean?” Noah’s forehead creased.
“Just flipped out. Started yelling things. Swearing up and down that she’d get back at me. Make me regret ever saying no to her.”
Noah whistled through his teeth. “Yikes. So, did she get back at you?”
“She spread a few ridiculous rumors that, thankfully, no one that mattered to me believed. I always felt as though she had something else up her sleeve, but some other things went south and I left the pack not long after that. She never got the chance to enact any further vengeance.”
“Tell me you didn’t leave because of her.” Noah asked.
I shook my head. “Nah, had nothing to do with her. But I definitely dodged a bullet with that one. If you’re smart, you’ll stay away from her.”
Noah paused and considered it for a moment. Then he grinned. “You know, they say crazy girls are also crazy in the sack.”
I snorted a laugh and shook my head again. “Bad news. I’m warning you, bad news.”
Noah chuckled. “I don’t know. She might be a few hours of fun.”
“Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“How ‘bout the classy beauty, there? Zoe’s sister, right? What’s her name… Holly. I wouldn’t mind—”
I could no more contain my growl than I could stop the blood from pumping through my veins. It emanated from my chest like rolling thunder, a fierce and menacing warning, unmistakable to any shifter.
Noah’s eyes widened in surprise. “Hey, relax, I was just—sorry, man. I didn’t know you two had a thing.” Noah held his hands in front of him in surrender.
I exhaled heavily, trying to slow my breathing. Fuck. So much for playing it cool. “We don’t. Not anymore. You know that serious relationship I mentioned? The one Persephone tried to fuck up? That was with Holly. We were together for years, all through high school.”
“So, the crazy stalker chick who once tried to steal you away is now conversing with the woman you were in the serious relationship with at the time. Interesting.”
“Sefi, I didn’t know you were a bridesmaid,” I tried to sound like I didn’t care.
Persephone used a perfectly manicured finger to toss a strand of her perfectly highlighted hair over her shoulder and laughed. “Colton insisted that his favorite cousin be in the wedding. I suppose he wanted to add some class to the whole affair. Considering that most of the bridesmaids are form the Winters Landing Pack.”
She made a sour face when she said the name of my pack—like the word Winters itself was distasteful. Sefi had always been that way, looking down on us for being one of the smaller packs in the Pacific Northwest. Although, that wasn’t the reason I hated her.
Persephone had always been jealous of me and Chase back in the day. She thought I wasn’t good enough for a guy like him, and she let me know it every chance she got. She’d even tried stealing him away from me on several occasions, but to his credit, Chase turned her down every time. This, of course, infuriated her, and she turned that fury on me.
“Yeah,” I said. “You look really classy in that dress. The blue really brings out the veins in your tits.”
Her eyes narrowed at me for the briefest of moments. Then she went back to pretending like we were long lost best friends.
“Yes, the twins can be such a bother sometimes. You’re lucky you don’t have that problem, A-cup.”
I clenched my jaw to bite back the retort burning in my throat. I was not an A cup, but I wasn’t about to get in a screaming match about the size of my chest. I took a deep breath to calm down. Best not to engage with her any more.
“I’m such a bitch, I know,” Sefi said, followed by high-pitched laughter. As if by admitting she was a bitch, it somehow absolved her of her insulting behavior.
I nodded. “Can’t argue with that.”
She leaned in close to me, like she was going to tell me a juicy secret. “So, a little birdie told me that you’re here alone. That can’t be true, can it? How mortifying for you.”
White hot anger flared through my veins. After the stress of seeing Chase again, I couldn’t deal with this uppity bitch and her phony concern. She’d given me grief my entire life, since grade school, and I couldn’t stand to let her get one over on me again. I wanted to wi
pe that look of smug superiority off her face.
I spoke without thinking. “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but you’re misinformed. I…do have a date.”
Sefi pulled back, eyebrows raised. “Oh, really?” The twitch at the corner of her mouth told me she wasn’t convinced. “Where is the mystery man? I’d love to meet him.”
“He’s around.”
I could barely believe the words coming out of my mouth. Persephone would find out eventually that I’d been lying to her. It was inevitable. And when she did, it would only further my humiliation. It was bad enough that I was here alone. But the fact that I lied about it made me look like even more pitiful. And, of course, Persephone would make sure everyone knew about my lie.
It would serve me right. That’s what I got for speaking without thinking. I thought about taking it back. Like, just kidding, it was all a joke. Ha ha. But, it was too late for that. The damage had already been done.
“Well, I look forward to meeting your date,” she grinned. “I hope his looks are better than his punctuality. In the meantime, let me introduce you to my date. Tyler, honey, come meet my old friend.”
A large, well-groomed man turned around from the group of people he was talking to. Please be ugly, I thought. Please be ugly. Come on, have a scar. A lazy eye. A weak chin. Something.
But, no, he was drop-dead gorgeous.
Damn it.
4
Chase
I made my way towards Persephone and Holly as soon as I noticed that a man joined them.
He had the generic good looks of a model. Not like a runway model or a high fashion model. Like a catalogue model. And, not even a good catalogue. An old Sears catalogue. He basically looked like a clothes hanger with a heartbeat.
Rogue Wolf Page 2