Alpha Dearest

Chapter 8

Thursday night was my first training session with the rest of the pack. Well, most of the pack. Some of the lucky ones got to go run patrol. I, however, was not so lucky.

Standing back in the forest where I first started my training, I was dressed in my shorts and work out bra. It was cold, but dull considering I was a werewolf and all. I looked around at some of the other wolves; most of them wearing close to nothing. Great, I thought, we were probably shifting today.

Now, today was not my best day. At home, I had to deal with Alice stressing about her Healing course, as well as the guilt I had from keeping her mate secret from her. On the way to school, Kellan was stressed because her mother was becoming ill again, and she had to constantly be on call with her mom's nurse. Madelyn and Mackenzie have been trying to make me feel left out or something at school, by showing me I don't belong in Ravenswood, but she hasn't tried to take me away from Casey again. Shanie has been pressuring me to show her up, but drama is not what I needed; I was Casey's mate. I belonged here more than Madelyn did. And on top of that, Katarina has been dodging me all week- which, for the record, didn't help her look better after her creepy hunter voodoo information.

...I didn't want to shift today.

I didn't even want to be here.

"Oh, cheer up!" Shanie appeared at my side, her gorgeous self barely clad in her white werewolf dress that showed her pure Alpha blood. It was unlike most of the girls who could only conjure underwear. Honestly, Alpha bloods needed to stop being so good looking. It would be so much easier to ignore them.

"No", I thought, crossing my arms and staring off into the distance. Through the trees, I could see Casey and Alpha Damien walking towards us, ready to start the training session. Casey caught my eye, and he winked at me before giving me a wide eyed once over. I just gave me a smirk back, satisfied with myself for getting his attention. He really didn't seem to have eyes for anyone else and wasn't planning on letting him forget that.

Shanie followed my gaze, making a smirking sound next to my ear. "I know what can cheer you up."

I blushed, seriously hoping she didn't know anything about mine and Casey's love life. Or, lack of. Despite the fact she knew we were mates, Shanie was just as clueless as everyone else about what did or didn't happen.

When Casey and Alpha Damien stopped at the top of the hill, while the werewolves stood all down the long grassy strip, we all turned to look at them and went quiet. Finally, I took my eyes from Casey and elbowed Shanie in the ribs for her comment, causing her to let out a loud laugh. Suddenly, every eye was towards us. Alpha Damien stopped whatever he was saying and gave us a raised eyebrow. Casey took a deep breath and rolled his eyes at his sister, but at least smirked in my general direction.

I patted Shanie on the back as she gave a thumbs up to her father. "All good," she yelled across the clearing, and her dad continued talking.

"Way to go," I whispered to her, but keeping my eyes on the Alpha. With her shoulder flush up against mine, I felt her shrug.

"It was your fault." Was all she replied.

I gave her a quick glare. "You made me!"

Shanie just shook her head, and pointed one long, manicured finger to a guy a few rows up from us. "Mmmm... Nathan White sure is looking tasty these days. I'd run my claws down that."

"You are even worse than Alice." I told her with a short laugh. "And she once stopped the car in the middle of an undivided highway during rush hour to tell this guy on the side of the road that he had good abdominals."