by Leia Stone
The room got eerily dark before lighting up again, and then the alpha and a woman who I assumed was Sawyer’s mother entered the room. The girls burst into applause and so did I. I didn’t know his parents would be here tonight.
Weird.
I mean, weirder than trying to date a dude with fifty other girls? Guess not.
His mother, a tall and stunningly beautiful woman with long dark brown hair, stepped up to a podium.
“Hello, ladies.” She smiled, her voice sweet and soft.
The girls all clapped again and she blushed. “Sawyer is just looking over the compatibility quizzes you all filled out and then he will join us shortly.”
My eyes widened. Sawyer was going to look those over? Yikes. Okay. That was fine. I mean, that was good actually, better than his mother.
“I know from my own experience this can all be a bit weird.” She looked at the alpha, who gave her a wink, causing heat to creep up her cheeks.
Okay, they were kind of adorable.
“But the rules are the rules and Sawyer cannot lead without a strong, loving woman by his side.”
The thunderous applause went up again and I found myself clapping along. I mean, when she put it that way…
The side door opened and then Sawyer entered, and holy hell he was wearing a three-piece suit and looked absolutely sexy as sin. The girls clapped like crazy while I just stared, trying not to drool on my dress.
“Alright, well, have fun getting to know Sawyer,” his mom said, and left the podium.
The moment the girls started clapping and hollering, Sawyer’s body language shut down. His eyes hit the floor, his shoulders drooped, and he looked majorly uncomfortable.
Eugene and some of his security guards flanked the room, standing up against the walls as Sawyer made his way to the front.
I recognized Walsh, Quan, and Brandon from my creepy kidnapper van ride. “So, are they like training to be security? Is that an academic major here?” I eyed the boys.
Sage nodded. “Advanced Techniques in Alpha Security. By the time we graduate, Walsh, Quan, Brandon and I will be the lead guards for Sawyer, his wife, and any children they have.”
Holy shit … I had been kidding.
I snort-laughed. “Advanced Techniques in Alpha Security! It’s a major?” I couldn’t get over this, it was too wild. I mean, the witches had Advanced Techniques in Potion Making, but this was somehow funnier to me.
The grin wiped off Sage’s face, and she leaned in closer to me. “When Sawyer was a child … he was kidnapped.”
My eyes widened. “By who?”
Sage looked left and right to make sure we weren’t overheard. “The Paladins, a rogue pack.”
Chills ran the length of my arms. “The who?”
She tucked a single stray lock of red hair behind her ear. “A pack that lives just outside the border of Wolf City, in the Wild Lands. They’re all feral and unsophisticated. They’ve always wanted to be alpha, and they claim to have alpha blood in their line. Their leader asserts that he should be given the chance to fight for the title.”
I gasped softly. “Fight for it? Like…?”
Sage nodded. “To the death. Barbaric, isn’t it?”
I tipped my head. “Totally.”
Before I could think more about it, all of the girls stood. One by one, they formed a line at Sawyer’s small table at the front, walking up to introduce themselves to him … shake his hand, kiss his cheek.
I stayed seated.
“Come on.” Sage pulled me up.
“I’ve already met him,” I told her, groaning.
Sage rolled her eyes. “Do you really want him to pick Meredith for his first date?”
Unrestrained jealousy bloomed in my stomach.
“He’s picking dates?” I stood and let her lead me into the herd.
Sage pointed to a printed menu I hadn’t noticed before. Underneath all the yummy food listed, it said:
Sawyer will have five, mini, ten-minute dates join him for dinner based on your compatibility quiz answers.
Ten minutes! Wow, these chicks were desperate for any time with him. The line was painfully long, and I found myself staring at the yummy steaming trays of food that had been brought in.
“What are you going to say to him so he will pick you for one of the dates?” Sage whispered as Meredith walked up to his table, leaned over so that her tits were in his face, and kissed his cheek.
I blew air through my teeth. “I dunno, I’m thinking maybe I don’t want him to pick me so I have more time to eat.”
Sage snort-laughed. “Say that. He’ll love it.”
I rolled my eyes and then it was my turn. Sage jumped in front of me and whispered something in his ear, before reaching out and messing up his hair. He grinned at her retreating back, before smoothing his hair, then his eyes fell on me and his whole face went slack.
My mouth went dry as his gaze raked over my tight red dress and he stood, stepping out from behind the table. He took two steps, closing the distance between us, and placed a hand on my lower back as he pulled me in for a hug.
Oh my shifter, he smelled so good. I swallowed hard as his arms came around me and I felt forty-nine daggers stick into my back as all of the girls were watching. When he pulled away, he gave me a devilish smile. “Do you really like video games or did my cousin tell you to say that?”
I didn’t know what he was talking about for a second, I was so enthralled in him just hugging me like we were old friends. Then I remembered the quiz.
I crossed my arms. “Name the game and I’ll smoke your ass.”
His gaze went half lidded. “I think you’re too good to be true, Wolf Girl. Quick, tell me your flaws so I can temper my excitement.”
Wolf Girl wasn’t an insult coming from him. On his lips it was an endearing pet name and I kind of loved it.
I grinned. “Is being too beautiful a flaw?”
He chuckled. “Certainly not.”
I was obviously joking.
“And I mean, I just love to cook and clean all the time, is that a bad thing?”
Another joke, I didn’t even know how to boil an egg.
His smile widened. “Oh my mother will love that one. What else?”
I was enjoying the banter until a dark thought slipped into my mind.
Rape.
It happened just like that; when I was having fun or enjoying myself, my little inner demon liked to remind me that I was tainted. What would perfect Sawyer think of me if he knew that a gang of vampires took my virginity? My face fell as I tried to think of another fake flaw, and he noticed, his eyes clouding over and brows drawing together.
“I’m food motivated, so I should probably take my seat. That chicken smells divine.”
He nodded, but there was a strain between us. He’d sensed my mood change, and now I felt stupid.
I turned to leave and then remembered something. “Oh, thanks for the camera…” I faced him. “And for changing my major to the one I wanted. That was really sweet.”
He gave me a smile, but it wasn’t as big as before. Something danced behind his eyes like I was a puzzle and he was trying to figure me out. “You’re welcome, Demi.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek, sending a warm pulse of heat down my spine as his soft skin brushed against me.
There was no denying we had sexual chemistry. It felt like we were magnets constantly being pulled toward each other. It took a lot of effort to pull myself away from his center of gravity.
Sawyer wasn’t the bad boy alpha that I stereotypically thought he would be. He was nice, so fucking nice that I wanted to fight all these bitches for him.
When I turned to walk back to my seat, every eye was on me, lips curled and scowls in place.
Oops, my bad.
My gaze flicked to Sage and she was grinning like a fool.
I had just reached my seat when Sawyer handed his mother a piece of paper. Walking over to the podium, she smiled.
“Meredith Pepper, would you please joi
n Sawyer as his first date?”
A sharp pain sliced through my heart and my face fell. Meredith made sure to look back at me with a smirk before she walked up to join Sawyer at his table, her dress tight and clinging to her perfect thin frame.
Sage leaned over. “His mom probably made him pick her first. She’s best friends with Meredith’s mom.”
I put a fake smile on and nodded. “Yeah, whatever.”
The waiter set a tray of food down before me and I forgot all about not being picked first. I served myself the smoked chicken with a honey glazed sauce and wild rice with a side of garlic potatoes while the other girls at the table ate salads.
“Is there dessert?” I looked around after eating my second bread roll. Sawyer was on his third date. Spoiler alert: I hadn’t been picked yet, but whatever, we were just friends. He brought me here to save me from Delphi hell, not to date me. I was already over it.
Sage snorted. “Menu says low-calorie gelato, but I know the chef and we can request chocolate cake if you want.”
I rolled my eyes. “As if that is even a question. I want!”
She got up and went to speak to the waiter while I watched Sawyer talk to Priya. He looked bored but she was insanely gorgeous, so how bored could he really be?
Ten minutes later, I patted my food baby as I licked the chocolate off my fork. “Holy yum.”
“You haven’t started the etiquette classes yet, have you?” Sage observed as she neatly cut a piece of chocolate cake before sticking it into her mouth.
“Hey.” I punched her arm playfully.
“Is Demi Calloway here?” Sawyer’s mother’s voice called loudly from the front of the stage.
Shit. I wiped the last vestiges of chocolate from my mouth as my attention snapped to the front and I stood, heart beating in my chest.
“You are Sawyer’s last date of the evening.” She gave me a sweet smile, but I could tell she didn’t look crazy thrilled about her son choosing me. I was regretting the “Hell no” comment on my compatibility form right about now. As I walked up to the front of the room, Sawyer’s gaze tracked me like he was stalking his prey, face void of any emotion, so I couldn’t read what he was thinking. When I reached the table, he stood and pulled out my chair like one of those fucking fancy guys in movies.
Maybe I did need the etiquette classes.
I took a seat and he slipped in next to me, moving his chair closer. “You smell like chocolate,” he whispered, causing a grin to pull at my lips.
“While you were enjoying your low-calorie gelato, Sage snagged us the good stuff.”
Another grin pulled at his lips and my entire stomach dropped out. Sawyer was one of those guys who got hotter when they smiled, like a rare gift you weren’t prepared for. And bam it came out of nowhere.
“I think I have the good stuff right here.” He winked at me.
Holy shifter babies, it took me a second to realize he was talking about me. Maybe we weren’t just friends…
I gulped and gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah, you totally pick the good stuff last,” I jived. “Makes perfect sense.”
He leaned in, bringing the heat of his body with him. “I saved the best for last. That way we can sneak out of here and no one will expect to see me anymore.”
I froze as a devilish smile played at my lips. “Sneak out?”
He nodded, calmly looking at his mother and father, who sat off to the side. He gave them a little wave. “That way we can go on a real date.”
My heart jumped wildly in my chest at his proclamation. I remembered the note he passed to me in photography class; maybe he also wanted to talk about that. “What’s your plan to escape the royal entourage, my liege?” I gestured to the crowd and he smiled.
“Well, my lady, I was thinking first you should give me a kiss on the cheek. You know, for theatrical reasons.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
“And then walk away from the table and go outside. I will say goodnight to everyone and meet you out the back entrance.” He cracked his knuckles like it was the perfect plan.
I couldn’t help the stupid boy-crazy smile that lit up my face.
“I accept this mission,” I told him.
Leaning in, I kissed his cheek, letting my lips stay there longer than was probably appropriate, and then stood from the table and gave a big fake yawn. “Good night, Sawyer. I’m tired.”
He gave me a halfcocked smirk. “Night, Demi.” Then he winked as I walked away from the table. When I got to the back of the room, I walked toward the exit doors at the left, away from Sage, who was waiting for me. She looked confused, and then grinned. She must have put together what we were doing. Pushing the doors open, I hit the fresh night air just as I heard Sawyer wish everyone a good night.
Creeping around the side of the building in my heels, I found the back entrance. Eugene was waiting there but he didn’t look confused at my approach. “Good evening, Miss Calloway.”
I swallowed. “Hi. Good evening. Er, Sawyer asked me—”
The doors opened and Sawyer walked outside, casually slipping his hand into mine, and butterflies took flight in my stomach. We started to walk down a dark moonlit corridor and headed toward a building I didn’t recognize.
“Did they buy it?” I whispered, leaning into his shoulder, loving the way it felt to touch him, to hold his hand and be close to his body.
Sawyer shook his head. “Meredith looked suspicious, and mother gave me quite the scowl.”
Laughter pealed out of me. “Oh no. Not a scowl.”
“Sawyer!” Meredith’s voice stretched into the night air and we both simultaneously burst into a run, trying to contain our laughter. Running down the hallway, escaping his ex-girlfriend and laughing about it was a highlight of my night.
After a moment, I glanced over my shoulder and I saw Eugene walking briskly behind us but not Meredith.
Whew. Crisis averted.
When we reached a stone arch doorway to what I assumed was his house, we were both panting and out of breath. One of my curls was stuck to my lip gloss, jostled from the run. Reaching out, he tenderly brushed the hair away from my lips.
“So, how are you going to win me over?” I asked. “This better be the best date of my life, because I have a lot of prospects you know.” I gestured to the empty dark night.
A slow grin pulled at his lips. “I like you, Demi. You’re not like the others.”
The others. And just like that he reminded me that I was in a race to win his heart with forty-nine Barbies of various shapes, sizes, and colors.
Gross.
“I was thinking pizza and video games.” He opened the door to the room and I took in the scene before me with a grin.
He must have had someone set this up while we were eating. The space opened up into a small but luxurious apartment, very modern and masculine. On the coffee table was a pizza takeout box, and around it were various video game cases and two controllers.
I couldn’t stop smiling; my cheeks actually hurt.
I spied a game I was exceptionally good at as I stepped into the apartment. “Is that Call of Duty?”
He winced. “Too gory for a first date?”
I chuckled. “I think I’ll be fi—”
My brag was cut off by a hissing sound, and that’s when the coppery scent of vampire stench hit my nose. Someone reached out from behind the dark hallway and grasped my shoulders, sending panic flying through me.
“Eugene!” Sawyer yelled into the courtyard and then burst forward, yanking me by the wrists and wrestling me out of my attacker’s grip. In one quick move, Sawyer tucked me behind him, and then I heard the cracking of bones. But the vampire moved blindingly fast, plowing into Sawyer’s half-shifted form while I watched in horror as they collided.
My wolf clawed at the surface of my skin as I longed to help Sawyer fight him off, but he’d told me not to shift in front of anyone but him … Eugene burst through the door, two silver stakes in hand, and that’s when four ot
her vampires stepped out from the shadows.
Shit.
They were all male, more muscular than the royalty I was accustomed to seeing around Delphi when they came for visits or threw parties. These men were warriors, hired assassins.
“Demi, run!” Eugene shouted, and then turned into a white Jackie Chan. He was a blur of motion as he attacked the oncoming horde of vampires, but I knew from experience they were just too damned fast. Sawyer was in the hallway tearing into the first vamp if those screams were any indication, while Eugene tried to fight off the others.
I backed up into the kitchen, grabbing the first knife handle out of the wooden block by the stove that I could reach.
Please don’t be that useless sharpener stick.
In a blur of motion, one of the vampires had reached me and I looked down, relief coursing through me at the giant twelve-inch blade in my hand.
The vampire inhaled through his nose, like he was smelling me. “I found her!” he shouted behind him to the others, and my stomach dropped.
What?
My wolf rattled against my ribs like a cage. I was so used to keeping her inside, but I wasn’t sure I could do that now, not in a life or death situation like this. I knew Sawyer had told me never to let anyone see me shift but maybe that weird split shift thing was a one-time freak accident?
Before I could think any more on it, the vampire lunged for me and I got stabby.
After my sexual assault, I had a hard time sleeping—being a boring old human was such a helpless feeling in a world full of magical creatures. Although I wasn’t just a boring human, with my cuffs I might as well have been. A week after the attack, I signed up for self-defense classes and slept soundly that night for the first time in days. They weren’t just any self-defense classes, the class was taught by a badass named Krev who had been with the Israeli special forces. If I was going to live my whole life without shifting, I needed to turn my body into a weapon. I still had years of training to become a total badass, but I knew enough to hopefully not stab myself with this knife in a fight.
The vampire went right for my throat and I tracked the motion, keeping my grip firm on the knife as I lashed out quickly and stabbed him right in the armpit. He hissed, kicking out, but I saw it coming and jumped up and over it. In human form I was faster than a normal human, but not as much as a vampire. I wouldn’t be able to outrun one, but I should be able to stay alive … I hoped.