CH 15 - Aaron
1144 Words
AARON POV
The Alpha Suite was warm and inviting, filled with the soft glow of the fireplace crackling in the corner. It was a cozy contrast to the cold bite of the late winter evening outside. The room smelled faintly of cedarwood and leather, a scent I found oddly calming. It was our sanctuary, a space shared by my brothers and me, designed for us to unwind, strategize, and occasionally argue .
The three of us—Alan, Alek, and I—were spread out in various states of readiness, though none of us looked particularly happy about the night ahead.
I adjusted my black tuxedo jacket for what felt like the hundredth time, eyeing the bow tie that Alek was still struggling to get right. Alan stood by the mirror, running a comb through his dark hair, looking as composed as ever. The matching tuxedos and bow ties made us look every bit the future alphas we were supposed to be, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling twisting in my gut.
Night, my wolf, was restless, pacing back and forth in my mind like a caged animal. *Remind me again why we agreed to go with Rose and her two minions,* I asked Alan, my tone laced with annoyance.
Alan turned to face me, his expression unreadable as usual. "Because, Aaron, if we didn’t, she’d make our lives a living hell. Imagine the tantrum she’d throw if we went with someone else. And imagine how our dear stepmother would react."
Did i stay it out loud or was it written on my face? Probably the latter.
I huffed in response, crossing my arms. "I still don’t get why we care what Jennifer thinks. She's not even our real mom."
Alek, who had just managed to wrestle his bow tie into submission, let out an exasperated sigh. "You both know why. If Jennifer’s upset, she makes Dad miserable, and if Dad’s miserable, guess who gets the brunt of it? Us. So yeah, we deal with Rose to keep the peace. End of story."
Alan nodded in agreement, his tone as calm and measured as always. "Exactly. I chose the lesser evil, and you both know it. Our dear stepmother has a talent for making sure Dad’s in the worst mood possible whenever we don’t comply with her suggestions."
Alek and I grumbled in unison, but we didn’t argue further. Alan was right, as usual. Rose was insufferable, but Jennifer was worse. It wasn’t worth the drama, not tonight. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of irritation at the situation. We were alphas-in-training, and yet we were constantly bending over backward to placate others.
"When are the girls going to be ready, then?" Alek asked, his frustration evident as he fiddled with his cufflinks.
"I hope soon," I muttered, glancing at the clock. "I’m starving, and I don’t want to get there late."
Alan raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about being punctual?"
I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. The truth was, it wasn’t the timing that was bothering me. It was what—or rather, who—I might see at the prom. My little nerd.
It had been a stupid, impulsive decision to call Rett earlier, but I couldn’t help myself. The moment he let it slip that Amber was going to prom, alone, a mix of relief and anger washed over me. Relief, because she wasn’t going with another guy —no jackass deserve to breathe the same air as her, let alone stand next to her. Anger, because she’d even given Christiass the time of day in the first place.
He was nothing but a two-faced coward, and Amber had discovered that in the worst way possible. If she hadn’t stopped us we would have ripped his head off, he f*****g attached her! And she stopped us, letting him have merci. He didn’t deserve her. No body did. My wolf growled in agreement, and I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check. The thought of Christiass being in the same room as her made my blood boil. If he so much as looked at her, I’d rip his head off. I was certain Alan and Alek felt the same. We might have been assholes to her at times, but that was our way of keeping her safe.
The only way.
High school was a battlefield, and we’d done what we had to do to protect her—even if she didn’t see it that way and probably hate us.
"Why are you pacing?" Alan’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I glanced down, realizing that I had been pacing back and forth across the plush carpet. "Just... thinking."
Alek snorted. "That’s dangerous."
I shot him a glare, but he just smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "If you’re worried about Christian, don’t be. We’ve got it handled. He pissed himself last time… One wrong move, and he won’t know what hit him."
"That’s not the point," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "She shouldn’t have to deal with this crap. She should’ve just stayed home."
Alan’s expression softened slightly. "She’s stronger than you think, Aaron."
"Yeah, well, she shouldn’t have to be," I shot back. "And what about Rose? If she starts something—"
"She won’t," Alan interrupted, his tone firm. "We won’t let her."
I wanted to believe him, but I couldn’t shake the unease creeping through me. Rose had always been suspicious of Amber, and if her suspicions were ever confirmed... I shuddered at the thought. Rose wasn’t just a spoiled brat; she was cruel. The kind of cruel that didn’t stop at petty pranks or nasty rumors. And her mother was worse.
If she ever found out the truth about Amber, the consequences would be devastating.
My sweet, sassy nerd. The thought of her brought a small smile to my lips, but it was quickly replaced by a frown. She didn’t deserve any of this. Not Christian, not Rose, not the constant scrutiny and judgment. And yet, she faced it all with a quiet strength that I couldn’t help but admire.
"Ready?" Alek’s voice broke through my thoughts.
I nodded, adjusting my bow tie one last time. The three of us stood side by side in front of the mirror, identical tuxedos, identical expressions of grim determination.
"Let’s get this over with," Alan said, his voice steady.
The door to the suite opened, and Rose stepped in, followed by Violet and Daisy. They were all dressed to kill, their gowns sleek and sparkling.
“Well?” Rose said, striking a pose. “How do we look?”
“Stunning, as always,” Alan said smoothly, offering her his arm.
Alek and I exchanged a glance, both of us stifling groans. Tonight was going to be a long night.
- Writer
