Page 59 of Captivated By Alphas 1, Fated (The Blood Moon Chronicle #4)

“Everything’s fake,” Paul finished helpfully. “Face, hair, personality. Though she’s an improvement over the last one, who kept trying to get me to invest in her ‘revolutionary’ skin care line that was basically just Vaseline with glitter.”

“The mansion’s turning into a three-ring circus.” Sheena sighed. “Aunt Josephine’s already three martinis deep, and it’s not even six. And Cousin Melissa brought her demon spawn who keep trying to ride Titan like he’s a horse.”

“Poor Titan.” I winced, thinking of the gentle Newfoundland who was probably hiding somewhere right about now. “No wonder he’s been avoiding the main areas.”

“Lucky you, escaping the family invasion for a night out,” Paul said, waggling his eyebrows in a way that should probably be illegal. “Though I’m surprised Mom let you off serving duty. She usually drafts every available body when the relatives descend.”

“Jace intervened,” Sheena explained with a knowing smile. “Said he’d made ‘prior arrangements’ that couldn’t be changed.”

My stomach did a complicated flip at that because the idea of Jace Carmichael—A-list actor, alpha panther shifter, and all-around intimidating presence—making special arrangements for me was both thrilling and terrifying.

It also brought back the memory of exactly how I’d ended up agreeing to this date in the first place, which was definitely not something I wanted to think about right now.

Two nights ago, he’d cornered me after dinner service, appearing just as I was trying to escape with a stack of dirty glasses.

“You never answered my question,” he’d said, somehow managing to pin me against the wall without actually touching me, his eyes practically burning holes through my flimsy excuse of professionalism.

“About dinner. I’m still waiting, Eli.” The way he said my name should be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.

And there I was, trapped between Jace Carmichael and mahogany paneling, my brain cells committing mass suicide one by one as I stared at his lips. “Yes,” I’d squeaked—actually squeaked. “Dinner would be… nice.”

Nice. As if having dinner with Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor was on par with receiving a thank-you note or finding an extra fry at the bottom of the bag. My dignity had officially packed its bags and left town without even leaving a forwarding address.

“You’re blushing again,” Paul observed. “It’s adorable. Like a kitten.”

“I am not a kitten,” I protested. “It’s just… warm in here with all the hair products creating their own microclimate.”

“Uh-huh.” Sheena smirked with the satisfaction of someone who’d just won a particularly entertaining game. “And I’m just a casual social media user with a small following.”

“I should probably head down.” I sighed, because prolonging this torture session wasn’t going to make it any less mortifying. “Jace is waiting, and being late to my first date with a Carmichael seems like tempting fate in ways that could end badly for everyone involved.”

“Go knock ’em dead.” Sheena beamed with the enthusiasm of someone sending their favorite gladiator into the arena. “And remember—don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“That leaves a disturbingly wide range of options open,” I retorted, heading for the door before she could subject me to any more beauty torture.

The walk from Sheena’s wing to the main foyer felt like the longest journey of my life, possibly because I was walking like someone who’d forgotten how legs were supposed to work.

I could hear the sounds of the Carmichael family gathering—laughter, arguments, the clink of glasses, someone’s phone ringing with what sounded like the Jaws theme—growing louder as I approached.

The mansion was in full swing tonight, with at least thirty relatives who have already arrived and more expected tomorrow for the family reunion.

I paused at the top of the grand staircase, taking a deep breath to steady myself because fainting and tumbling down the stairs seemed like exactly the kind of thing I’d do to make this evening even more memorable for all the wrong reasons.

From this vantage point, I could see the entire foyer below, and what I saw made my heart stutter.

Oh. Holy. Shit.

Not one, but three Carmichael cousins stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

Jace stood in the center, radiating that movie-star presence that made everyone else look like they were acting in a community theater production.

Adrian lounged against the banister with his indie-film-star ease, wearing a charcoal blazer over a burgundy shirt that somehow managed to look both rebellious and sophisticated.

And then there was Cole, standing slightly apart with his phone until he sensed my presence.

His sleek black suit with subtle tech details perfectly matched his Silicon Valley success story.

All three turned to look at me simultaneously, their expressions shifting from casual conversation to something predatory in the space of a heartbeat. The weight of their combined attention hit me hard, making me grip the banister because suddenly my legs had forgotten their primary function.

“There he is.” Adrian’s voice carried up the stairs, and the way his eyes traveled over me made me feel half-naked despite being fully clothed in Sheena’s torture devices.

I forced my legs to move down the stairs, trying for casual confidence instead of the nervous trembling that was currently threatening to make me face-plant in front of three of the most gorgeous men I’d ever seen in person.

“Hi,” I managed when I reached the bottom step, which put me closer to eye level with the three giants, though I still felt like I needed a stepladder. “I didn’t realize this was going to be a group outing.”

Jace’s expression darkened as he shot a look at his cousins that could have melted steel. “It wasn’t the original plan.”

“Let me guess,” I said, finding my voice despite feeling like I’d just walked into the middle of some kind of alpha male territorial dispute. “These two invited themselves along?”

“When I heard where Jace was taking you, I couldn’t resist joining,” Adrian admitted, stepping closer than was probably necessary for normal conversation.

His eyes lingered on my mouth before rising to meet my gaze in a way that made my stomach do interpretive dance.

“Some experiences are too… stimulating to miss.”

“And I happened to be free,” Cole added smoothly, though his eyes held something that suggested his presence was about as coincidental as a solar eclipse. “Plus, someone needs to keep these two in line.”

“So…” I looked between them, trying to ignore how my heart was practically trying to punch its way out of my chest. “Where exactly are we going that’s caused such a stir?”

“Ravenswood Heights,” Jace confirmed, his hand settling on the small of my back in a way that sent tingles up my spine. “The resort on the cliffs. I thought you might enjoy something better than the local options.”

“Ravenswood Heights?” My eyes widened. “That place is seriously fancy. Multiple-forks-and-I-don’t-know-which-one-to-use fancy.”

“The view is incredible,” Adrian added with a smile that made my stomach flip.

“Not to mention privacy.” Cole’s voice dropped slightly in a way that sent shivers down my spine. “Something in short supply tonight.”

Right on cue, a crash echoed from the great room, followed by cackling and what sounded like Aunt Josephine demanding another drink while someone tried to convince her that standing on tables wasn’t appropriate behavior for family gatherings.

“Good point.” I winced because the chaos was only going to get worse as the evening progressed. “Though I feel bad abandoning my parents to this circus.”

“They practically pushed you out the door,” Jace said, his hand still warm against my back. “Your mom specifically said, and I quote, ‘Get him out of here before he strangles Bradley with a napkin.’”

I couldn’t help laughing because that sounded exactly like something Mom would say. “Well, Bradley keeps snapping his fingers at me like I’m his personal servant instead of, you know, a human being with feelings and possibly homicidal tendencies.”

“All the more reason to escape.” Adrian offered his arm with theatrical flair that belonged on a stage. “Shall we?”

I hesitated for a second because this whole situation felt like I’d stumbled onto a movie set where I definitely wasn’t the lead character.

More like the confused extra who’d wandered into the wrong scene and was about to get escorted off by security.

But something in their expressions—a hungry look that made my stomach do weird flips—pushed me to take a chance.

“Lead the way,” I said, taking Adrian’s arm before I could chicken out. “Before Aunt Jo starts her annual striptease. Some things you can’t unsee, and that’s definitely one of them.”

The look that passed between the cousins was unreadable, but Adrian looked suspiciously triumphant as he led me toward the door while I tried not to think about how I’d just agreed to dinner with three of the most intimidating men I’d ever met.

I didn’t miss how Jace’s eyes narrowed or how Cole’s jaw tightened at Adrian’s small victory.

Outside, a sleek black luxury car waited in the circular drive.

“So,” I asked as we approached the automotive equivalent of a small country’s GDP, “who’s driving this beast?”

The temperature seemed to drop about ten degrees as all three cousins froze mid-step. The casual mood vanished instantly, replaced by something that felt like the moment before a thunderstorm hits.

“I’ll drive,” Cole offered, dangling the keys with the casual confidence of someone who owned several small nations. “Eli can ride up front with me.”

“Not happening,” Jace countered immediately, his hand landing possessively on my lower back. “I asked Eli to dinner, which means he sits with me.”