"You really think this is going to work?" Jane covertly whispered to Elle trying to conceal the fact that she was trembling with nerves. Looking around she was greeted with the familiar sight of the foyer of the Alpha's house, so incredible in its design that she was normally gawking every time she entered into it – but not today. Today she was trying not to run out shrieking and panicking afraid that her nerves were going to consume her. Stuck in the middle of the relatively fast moving queue for those waiting to sign off their names, Jane swallowed back her nerves and begged her trembling hands to stop shaking as she stepped forward.
Nothing about this scene was particularly threatening, it was something she'd been doing her whole life, but as she anticipated Levi was there manning the entrance table. Any other pack member would just assume he was being polite and greeting the pack members as they signed their names off but she knew better. She knew that he was waiting for her to reach him so that he can see who she is and no doubt rejects her on the spot.
"Relax," Elle assured her in a hushed tone, "He hasn't even noticed you're here yet and besides, this plan is full proof."
"Like the last one?" She argued referring to Elle's oh so grand idea of ignoring Levi – because that had gone perfectly well.
Elle growled under her breath causing the boy who'd tagged alongside behind them to chuckle.
Nate had been close friends with Elle and Jane when they were younger and naturally, over time the three of them drifted apart. But luckily for the two of them, Elle had still kept in pretty good contact with Nate and as an aspiring actor, he was more than happy to help them out with their plan. Considering it involved a lot of theatricalities, something that was right up Nate's alley.
"I for one think it's a genius plan," Nate muttered flashing the girls his dimples and nudging Elle in the shoulder, "You're an evil mastermind, I have faith that your wicked ways will come through."
Elle frowned, not sure whether to take Nate's words as a good thing or a bad thing, "Thank you, I think?"
"You're welcome." Nate teased as the three moved up another space in line and Jane could see the second person she'd been dreading to see here besides Levi. Her mother. As far as embarrassing, humiliating parents went, her mother was up there with the best of them. There'd been too many moments ruined by her mother's mortifying ways and today would be another one to add to the list if Elle's plan failed.
Her mother sat at the entrance table, offering people chocolate chip cookies that she'd forced Jane and Peter to help make once all that insufferable dough had been rolled out. Her mother's blonde, bob cut was pulled back by a cute floral headband and her face was taken over by her gigantic smile. She looked like a pixie sitting there and making idle chat with the pack members her cute, welcoming charisma made Jane feel all the more nervous.
"You know she may look sweet, but underneath that whole Betty Crocker thing she's a demon. Where do you think my sister got her evil personality from?" Jane whispered harshly as her mother continued to laugh at smile like she was being paid to do it.
Nate looked over at her mom, "But your mom is like the cutest person I know."
She shuddered, "You see only what she wants you to see."
The conversation was dropped and Elle pulled out her phone with a mischievous grin, "Okay team, plan is ago. Mike is right on time."
Jane's hands began to shake and her breathing became shorter almost as though she was beginning to hyperventilate making her feel dizzy. She watched Elle slip away the phone as they moved up another step in line and her eyes met with Levi's. He seemed surprised for only a moment before that stupid smirk came back over his face and she could see how pleased he was thinking he'd got her.
She couldn't resist giving the jerk a knowing smile of her own, trying to hide how jittery she really felt. As long as her mother hadn't spotted her yet the plan was still going to work, but Mike needed to hurry up and get his ass out here otherwise they were going to run out of time. There were only two people left in front of them in line and the window of opportunity was closing fast.
Keeping her eyes glued to the doorway, another person left the line just as Mike finally made an appearance. To which Jane slumped a little in relief. Of course, Mike had no idea about the plan that was about to be put into action, but he did play a very important part although he was very unaware of this fact.
Mike got stopped by Levi as anticipated and Jane heard Elle whisper close into her ear, "It's show time." Before her, two friends put their acting skills to the test.
Like they practiced, Elle 'tripped' over her shoelace and landed sprawled on the ground. Nate was quick to get down beside her and made a show of touching her arms and her face a little too much. Being completely overdramatically handsy in the way that he assessed her injuries. By the time Mike was with his mate he was angrily glaring at Nate and forcefully pushed Nate's hands away from Elle.
"Mine!" Mike growled threateningly at Elle and Nate gave him an amused look, "Alright, but you should let me look at her I'm quite qualified when it comes to injuries. Being that I am a doctor."
Nate reached for Elle again and Mike pushed him away, "I don't care how qualified you are, don't touch what is mine!"
"Whoa there Tarzan," Nate pushed Mike away from Elle, "Why don't you just go back over there and let the professional deal with this."
Good thing Nate anticipated getting hit in the face, because the next thing Jane knew she was witnessing an all-out brawl between Mike and Nate- well, Nate was mainly protecting his face whilst Mike was beating him to a pulp. There would've been no way that Jane had agreed to this plan if Nate hadn't confessed he was looking forward to trying out his martial arts moves... or at least, his defence work seeing as though he wasn't getting past Mike anytime soon.
Not wanting to mess up the plan, Jane waited for Levi to run over and break up the fight, becoming distracted by trying to hold off the two aggressive males she had her chance. Jane cut in front of the one person ahead of her and ran straight to her mother.
"Oh hi sweetie! Is Elle going to be okay?"
She nodded, "Yes. But could you just sign the three of us in? Elle, Nate and I- I have a feeling I'm going to be playing nurse for today."
My mother nodded, "Sure thing honey, just make sure everything's okay and I'll sign the three of you in."
Jane ran over to the boys and helped Levi out, by removing Nate away who gave her a lopsided grin asking, "It's done?"
She nodded and Elle jumped right off the floor dusting herself off as Mike and Levi looked at her confused.
"Whoops I am just so clumsy," She linked her arm through Mike's, "Did you save me a seat?"
She steered her mate back towards the meeting and Jane helped steer Levi to the direction of the restroom where she could help clean him up. After all, he did just get his ass handed to him, although that self-defence he learnt really seemed to pay off as he wasn't too busted up.
As she looked back, she saw Levi standing there with a confused glare on his face and she tried her hardest not to laugh at how cute he was. He shouldn't be cute! She was supposed to think of him as this horrible jerk, not a cute jerk!
"Thanks so much Nate," She said applying an icepack on the right side of his face, where he'd first been hit. Nate just shrugged in response, "It's cool Janie, what're friends for. Besides, I think I just proved that not only am I a fantastic actor but I'm also pretty good and coming out of a fight without looking too bad. Especially I don't know if you took notice of the size difference between Mike and me, but clearly I'm the real winner her today."
She couldn't help but chuckle at him as he shot her a wink.
"Still," Jane said, "You willingly got yourself beat up for me, if ever you need a favour I'll be there."
"I might just have to take you up on that one day."
She giggled at the mock seriousness in his somewhat playful tone, "I'm sure you will."
***
Jane hadn't heard from Elle since the pack meeting that she and Nate had managed to ditch. It wouldn't be such a big deal to not have seen her best friend in so long because school was getting more demanding, but Elle was religiously avoiding her. To the point where it was extremely and very noticeably obvious.
Jane didn't know why, but this had been going on for five days straight now and that was a long time to not hear from her best friend.
Dialling Elle's number, Jane held her cell closer to her ear as she casually peeked out from behind the tree spying on her best friend who was currently seated outside on the quad with Mike. Jane watched as Elle picked up the ringing phone on the grass next to her and showed the call display to Mike with a worried look on her face.
Why would Elle be worried that Jane was calling her? She knew that she was being avoided! But why? What was going on? Couldn't Elle, at least, talk to her and tell her what's happening.
"Hey, Janie what's up?" Elle asked with too much sweetness in her voice. And Jane watched on as she saw Mike sit up and lean in closer to the phone clutched next to Elle's ear. It looked like he wanted to hear what was going on.
"Oh you know, just trying to call you because I haven't seen, spoken, or heard from you in five days."
Jane saw Elle's eyes widen before she tried to downplay it, "Has it really been that long?"
Elle's laugh wasn't humourless and reminded Jane of a dying cat. Jane rolled her eyes at the pathetic attempt, "Cut the crap, Elle, why are you avoiding me?"
"I'm not avoiding you! I'm just... busy."
"Doing what?"
Elle stuttered a moment trying to think of an excuse, she turned to Mike who shrugged and Elle quickly fired the first thing that popped into her mind, "Well, my grandma's been really sick lately."
"Which grandma? The one that died nine years ago or three years before you were born?"
Elle scoffed, "Uh... obviously, Mike's grandma."
"I thought she hated you?"
"His other grandma!"
"Sure. Fourth time lucky. Are you with her right now?"
Elle gave Mike a panicked look as he leaned closer to try to overhear the conversation with his fine-tuned werewolf hearing.
"As a matter of fact, I am Janie! Now if you'll excuse me her sponge bath isn't going to happen by itself."
"Oh okay, no worries. Isn't it just so funny though how Mike's grandma looks exactly like... well, Mike. Yeah, they even have the same manly features and masculine build! And isn't it just the weirdest thing that she'd want to take a sponge bath out in the open like that."
Elle sat up and looked around and as soon as she found Jane she hung up the phone. Jane rounded the tree and marched over to her best friend and sat right next to Elle and accidentally kicking a book at Mike in the process. She didn't bother to pretend she wasn't angry, she just feigned cheerfulness as she excitedly shot them a false smile, "Hey guys! How's the sponge bath going?"
Elle sighed, "Jane-"
She shook her head and cut her off, "The truth Elle. Why've you been avoiding me?"
Elle looked at Mike pleadingly but he just shrugged, "She wants to know, you should tell her."
"Okay fine!" Elle looked away from Jane, as she heaved in a deep breath, "Janie. At the pack meeting, the Alpha announced that he was stepping down and handing the title over to Levi."
Jane laughed confused, "Doesn't he need a mate to become the Alpha, though?"
"That's the thing," Elle answered not looking her in the eye, "He has found a mate. He's actually going to get married and mate bonded to Anouchka."
~*~
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Authors Note
It's been so awesome to see all you guys voting on my story and I'd really loved it if you commented as well! Reading comments makes me happy and makes me want to update faster :)
Jasmine
Early Update: 200 Votes