Page 37 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha

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“You know, there’s a bonfire tonight,” Tavi began. She and I were outside in the garden. Tavi was helping me get rid of the last of the stubborn weeds that had continued to grow along the perimeter of the garden.

I paused my weeding to run the back of my forearm across my sweaty forehead. “So?”

Though the Kings’ pack lived for any opportunity to celebrate, get drunk, and light large piles of sticks on fire, I had never been invited to attend.

It was the same with other wolf ceremonies.

I wasn’t pack, so I’d never known what it was like.

If I was being honest, I would love to go for the first time, but Tavi and I both knew that the Wargs’ brooding Alpha would have something to say about it.

“I know you’re kind of bound to Violet’s cabin and the mess hall, but I did us both a favor.”

I raised a brow. “Tavi, you’re speaking in riddles.”

Tavi laughed. “Okay, I’m sorry for keeping you in suspense. I went to Night, and I asked him if you could go with me, and you know what he said?” She didn’t wait for me to guess. “He said yes!”

My jaw dropped. Are we talking about the same Night? “No, he didn’t.”

“He did! You’re coming with me and my friends, and you’re having some fun.”

I was happy, of course, but at the same time, so confused. “But why did he say yes?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. I think if I pressed him on it, he would’ve changed his mind.”

“Oh.” I still had questions, but I wouldn’t find any answers without going to the source, and I doubted Night would tell me what he was thinking. Besides, I was excited about the bonfire. “We should tell Violet.”

“Agreed!”

We placed the weeding tools back in the tool crate and went inside. Violet, who was drinking a spiced chai in the kitchen, didn’t look up from the journal she was writing in. “You want to talk to me about the bonfire, right?” she asked.

Tavi put her hands on her hips. “Violet, are you psychic or something?”

Violet tapped her ear with the end of her pen. “My hearing might not be what it used to be, but you don’t exactly whisper, Tavi.”

Tavi covered her mouth with her hands. “Oops.”

Violet chuckled. She finished writing her sentence and tucked the pen behind her ear, looking up at me. “I’m glad you’re getting out, girlie. It’s about time you did something fun.”

“Yeah, and I’ll give you some of my clothes to wear,” Tavi said. “I think we’re about the same size.”

I nodded, and the excitement that I hadn’t allowed myself to feel when Tavi first brought up the bonfire began to bubble within me. “Okay.” I shared my smile with Violet and Tavi. “I’m starting to get really excited.”

“Me too!” Tavi gently hip-checked me. “I’ll be right back. I’ve gotta go look through my things for an outfit for you.”

I saw Tavi off, and then I went to the garden to finish up the weeding, growing more excited with each beat of my heart.

Technically, I was still under strict instructions not to leave Violet’s cabin, but those restrictions had eased off quite a bit.

In fact, Tavi, myself, and a few of the wolves I’d met in the mess hall often met up at Violet’s cabin since I wasn’t allowed to leave.

Night had, to my surprise, been okay with me working in the kitchens with Mabel and other wolves.

And now, to my even greater surprise, he was letting me go to my first bonfire.

The last couple of days had been nice—I was able to live my life, work, and not have to hide who I really was. I hadn’t even thought about an escape plan, though that was in large part due to Tavi’s company.

It felt so good to have friends and to be in a place where I could relax just a little bit.

True, I was still a prisoner, but having friends like Tavi around lessened the strain.

Actually, I was happier than I could remember ever being, and it was starting to mess with my mind.

Objectively, I knew I ought to try to use tonight to get back to my mom, but the thought of attempting such a thing saddened me.

I was so excited about experiencing something new that I couldn’t find the will to ruin the evening with any escape plans.

I let my hair out of its bun and washed up for the bonfire.

Tavi returned with the clothes, and I pulled them on without question.

The outfit turned out to be a pair of thigh-high black stockings and a long, heather-gray sweater dress.

Other than my hands and face, several inches of my thighs were on display.

Tavi wore something similar, only her stockings stopped above her knees, and her sweater was a pale peach color.

“Are you sure it’s warm enough for this, Tavi?” I asked.

“Of course I’m sure! Now get your boots on,. The bonfire might have already started!”

We set out into the chilly spring night. I held Tavi’s hand tightly to make sure that I didn’t get lost in the darkness. Without a moon to guide me, it was hard to tell where I was going. Eventually, our pace slowed, and I began to smell lighter fluid.

“Let’s get the fire going as soon as we can,” Tavi announced to the group of shadowy silhouettes we were approaching. “We got a cold human with us tonight. But keep that a secret.”

“Right. Jasper, you got the matches?” asked one of the silhouettes.

Moments later, the fire flickered to life in the center of a pile of logs. I watched the fire lick across the wood until the entire setup was alight. Beginning to relax, I held my fingers out toward the flames, looking around at the group that had collected around the fire.

It was the same group from Tavi’s birthday lunch, plus a handful of other young wolves that I hadn’t yet met.

There were large logs assembled in a circle around the fire that some people were already sitting and chatting on.

Hallie had brought beer and soda, and Preston had a Styrofoam cooler full of meat.

Lora had brought a large cast-iron pot, which she carried under her arm as if it weighed nothing.

She started to set it up as another wolf with dark brown hair started playing pop music.

Tavi whooped and began to twirl and dance around the fire in time with the music.

Hallie laughed and set down the drinks so she could join her.

The wolves that weren’t busy with setting up the grill or prepping the meat clapped or danced with them.

I laughed. The night air was cool and invigorating against my exposed skin.

I started to clap along with everyone else.

“Hey, Bryn,” a voice came from behind me. “It’s nice to see you could make it.”

I turned and found Jasper walking up to me. He had dark blue eyes and tight, curly hair the color of copper. He was tall, lithely muscled, and had a bright, easy smile.

“It is nice, isn’t it?” I smiled.

His grin widened. “I’m glad that you remember me. I was actually among the group that brought you back to our compound.” He had a couple of cans of soda in hand, and he offered one to me. “Thirsty?”

I hesitated for half a second while I confirmed that the can was unopened. I might not have a plan for escape that night, but I didn’t want to risk another scenario like the one with Troy on the night of the challenge ceremony.

“Thanks, Jasper,” I said, accepting the soda and popping it open.

“I’m sorry if you wanted something stronger.” He walked closer to the fire so he could stand next to me. “I’m on call tonight, so I’m not allowed to drink.”

“Oh yeah?” My eyebrows rose. I remembered how lackadaisical the wolves in the Kings’ pack could be about their duties. There was so rarely a cause for alarm that even those actively on duty, not just on call, could be seen getting drunk with others. “You seem really responsible,” I said.

“Ahh, I don’t know about that,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “I just take my position seriously.”

I sipped the drink. Though the drink was cold, the fizzy, sweet, vaguely citrusy soda was really refreshing. “What is your position?”

“I’m a hunter—well,” he amended with a slight blush, “I’m a junior hunter.”

“That’s a really important role in the pack. You must be trustworthy if you’re training to become one of them.”

“Gosh, Bryn, if you keep on like this, you’ll make me blush,” he chuckled. “Wanna sit down while we wait for the food? I feel like I have so many things I’d like to ask you.”

“You do?” I followed him to one of the logs and sat beside him. “You seemed quiet at Tavi’s birthday lunch, Jasper.”

He rubbed the back of his head, a slight color touching his cheeks. “Yeah, I was a little intimidated.”

“Intimidated? By what?”

“Well, by you.”

“Me?” I had never in my life been told that I was intimidating. If anything, I’d believed my entire life that wolves would never see me as anything other than prey. “Did I do something that offended you?”

“No, no! Nothing like that. It’s just that you just kinda give off this reliable, kind vibe, you know? And the way you jumped up that day to help Mabel clean up just confirmed that for me. You’re just sorta…different from anyone else I’ve met.”

“Well, what’s so intimidating about that?”

He chuckled again, though his cheeks were bright pink. “You know, now that I’m saying it out loud, I don’t know what I’m talking about either. You can ignore me.”

“I don’t think I want to do that.” I smiled. “You’re too nice.”

His blush deepened. “Ah—well, I think I’m going to check on Hallie and Vince to make sure they don’t need help with setting up the grill. I’ll be back with some food, okay?”

“Sure.” I watched him hop to his feet and jog over to where Hallie and a male wolf with short blond hair were setting up the pot.