Too Beautiful for the Alpha

I walk on ahead through the trees as Theodore follows behind me. "How could she do that in front of everyone? How can anyone take me seriously after seeing her pour a drink all over me? No one is going to respect me as their Luna now. I'm a joke! I mean, look at me," I grab my dress and frown at the giant red stain. "I knew going to that stupid gathering was going to be a mistake. It always is. It was when I met James, too." I peer back at Theodore. "How could you take me out and not her? She attacked me."

"You're drunk, Rae. If you actually got hurt I would be as good as dead."

I roll my eyes and stumble along the path, tripping over rocks. "I'm never going to another gathering again. Never. Can we—can we even go back? Or is his father still there?"

"We were at the gathering for, I don't know, three hours. He should be gone."

I stop and look back at him again. "Three hours? How?"

"You were busy drinking."

I groan. "Stop acting like I'm the only one who made a fool out of myself."

Theodore catches up and I walk along beside him. "No, I know I made a fool of myself. I just need to sober up before bringing you back or Alpha Grant is going to kill me. It would be best if he didn't know that I drank as well."

Once we're at the front steps, Theodore lightly slaps his cheeks a few times before walking up and ringing the doorbell. He stands straight while I tiredly heave myself up each step. James is quick to answer. "You're back later than expected," he says right off the bat and looks down to me. "Is she drunk?"

Theodore clears his throat. "She had a few drinks at the gathering."

I give him a look before moving past James and going into the house. I hear James mutter a few words to Theodore before shutting the door and turning to me. "What's all over your dress? Wine?"

I look down at my dress and thumb the fabric, the wine already dry. "Yes. Claire threw her drink at me in front of everyone... I'm going to shower now."

James follows me up the steps, asking a million questions. "What do you mean she threw her drink at you? Why did she do that? What did you do? Did she try to hurt you?"

I walk into my bedroom, my head spinning, and I try to unzip my dress. James cuts my struggling short and unzips it for me, and I shrug it off right in front of him before locking myself in the bathroom. I hear him say something in a hushed tone as I avoid the mirror and head straight into the shower. With my underwear on, I lift up the handle and drench myself in freezing water, my skin turning blue. Lazily, I pull off my remaining clothes and toss them into the bathtub before shutting the door and bringing myself to the shower floor.

Stray tears roll down my cheeks and I curse before turning the water temperature up, not able to take the cold any longer. As I settle back down in the corner of the shower, I bump my head on the wall as I look up, triggering more tears to fall. I nurse the spot as the wine from my skin washes off and drains away. Never have I felt so stupid. So embarrassed. I was an idiot in front of everyone, everyone who's supposed to respect me.

I reach up and grab my razor from the soap holder, thinking about Julianna. I remember her talking about being too afraid to do it in the bath, I remember finding her razor under the sink. Did she die in the bath? Did she do it? James told me that she killed herself, but not how. The blade was missing, so I can only assume.

I sigh and move to set my razor down, my thumb accidentally running over the blade. I drop the razor and scrunch my hand into a fist, locking my thumb inside. While biting down, I open my hand and examine the cut. Blood runs down my finger and it feels as if the skin is open in a flap. I run it under the water and study my wrinkled skin, getting a better look at it. It makes me uneasy, so I turn off the water and step out, drying myself off with my thumb wrapped in tissues.

James is still in the

"Yes?" He answers.

you grab me clothes?" I ask, leaning against the door, wrapped in a towel. He doesn't respond, but I hear shuffling. I peak out and take the clothes from him, my face red and puffy-eyed. I quickly close the door before he can

shoot up when he sees me walk out, and I want to shrink and disappear. Dodging a conversation about my stained dress, I lift up my sliced finger. "I think I

near him and show him the wound, removing the bloody tissue. "How did

on my razor," I explain, holding my thumb close to my

up the medicine cabinet and takes out a small box of band-aids. He grabs one and tears open the paper

tight enough to hopefully seal the cut. "Why

and his face is drinking it up. "I didn't mean

we are the only ones in the house. "I told you that I am nothing like your mother, not

and closes the cabinet. "Okay,

don't want you to think

his hand up to my face, brushing my wet hair out of

you not needing

couldn't believe him even if he did,

at him, my

to swell and fill the room and James asks,

be starting something that I won't be coming back from. Do I want to engulf myself in him? Do I want to drown

I don't want it to end. I want to feel the depths and visit over and over again. The kiss only becomes more intense, and I rely on my natural instinct as we cross our last boundary. His hand on my back simply brings up my shirt a bit, giving me the pleasure of his skin on mine. His hand presses against

of what I am leading to, but I want it all to go away. I beg it all to go away. I have a gorgeous, intimidating, intense, and changed man for a Mate who I need and who needs me, and that's all I want. That's all I want to think about. I don't need Old

and he begins to leave soft kisses down my jaw and onto my neck which makes my heart race.

know," he mumbles against my skin, but I need

James. I want

away, leaving me cold.

just thinking about it and I reach out

"No, Rae. Not tonight."

deep, encumbering panic suffocates me. I can't breathe. I can't think. My throat seems to swell shut and I pray

my worst nightmare come to life. All I can hear is my heart beating in my ears. My chest hurts, it feels as

"Rae—"

fine. Um, I'm going to—I'm