Alpha Gray by C.J. Primer
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Fallon
Between sessions on Friday, I finally have a chance to fill Brooke in on everything that has been happening lately. Being the perfect angel she is, she’s shocked to hear that I nearly swiped my v-card at Gray’s register, but she doesn’t admonish me for wanting to keep things going with him, which I appreciate. While it’s exciting that Gray and I have this little secret affair going, I’m glad I have someone I can talk things through with. I don’t think he’d care if he knew I told my sister. I trust her more than anyone in the word and I know she’ll keep our secret, too.
I’m actually relieved that Gray and I had the chance to talk and clarify things. I’m so on board with keeping things casual- the last thing I need to worry about during training camp is a relationship. I’ve never been in one, and I don’t think I’d be very good at it anyways. Not to mention the reason I’ve always avoided them- the ever-present fear of getting in deep with someone only to find out that they aren’t my mate. At least now I know that Gray and I are both checking our emotions at the door, which somehow takes the pressure off.
After Saturday’s training sessions, we all wait with bated breath for the cut list to be posted. The alphas never clue us in as to how many recruits they’re sending home, but after they cut ten of us last week, we’re all a little panicked. We wait around on the field following the afternoon session and after what feels like an eternity, Reid comes out of the squad complex, a piece of paper in hand. He slaps it onto the wall, glancing in our direction.
“You all know the drill,” he calls out, and we start to head his way. “If you’re cut, you’ll be heading home tomorrow.”
That’s it. No pomp or circumstance, no explanation. Reid heads back inside as we cross the field, crowding around the posting on the wall that could spell the end of our pursuit to make the squad.
There’s already a bunch of other trainees grouped in front of the list when I approach and I stand on my tiptoes behind them, squinting to see. The list is longer than I thought it’d be- eight names this time. I scan it quickly for my name- and breathe a huge sigh of relief when I don’t see it. I’ve survived another week.
I elbow my way closer, trying to get a better look at the list to see who got cut. I skim through the names again, and when I get to the last one, my heart drops to the pit of my stomach. Vienna.
I search for her in the crowd, spotting her wavy dark hair and making my way over to my friend as fast as I can.
“Vienna…”
She spins around to face me, her eyes wide and her bottom lip shoved out in a pout. I throw my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper into her hair.
Vienna winds her arms around me, squeezing me back tightly. After a moment, she releases, taking a step back. “It’s okay, I kinda knew it was coming,” she sighs. She’s taking the news so gracefully, which somehow makes it even more heartbreaking.
“Vee!” Boyd calls, approaching with his arms outstretched. “I’m sorry, girl.”
Vienna gives Boyd a little smile, stepping into his hug. He rocks her back and forth as he embraces her.
“We’re really gonna miss you,” Davis says as he and Connor walk over to join us.
Boyd releases his hug and Vienna steps into Davis’ arms next to embrace him, then to Connor’s. After she’s hugged them all, she takes a step back, linking her arm with mine.
“It’s okay, guys. We’ll all stay in touch,” Vienna says hopefully, patting my arm with her other hand.
“Definitely,” I breathe, squeezing her arm with mine. “I don’t even know what I’m gonna do without you here.”
I’m gutted that Vienna’s leaving. We’ve become such fast friends and she’s just such a joy to be around. I’ll miss her boundless enthusiasm most of all.
“Well… we still have tonight, right?” she says, looking around at all of us. “And I’m going to need a proper sendoff, so we’re definitely going out.”
None of us can say no to that- we all need to blow off some steam after the week we’ve had. Later on, we all get ready to go out to the bar in Goldenleaf again. Brooke and Shay are joining us, and Shay lets me borrow an adorable backless bodycon dress with a sweetheart neckline and eyelash lace cap sleeves. It’s light blue, so it totally brings out my eyes, and it’s a more respectable length than the one I borrowed from Vienna last time- still short, but not ‘gonna moon someone’ short. Good thing, too, because the light fabric would show my panty line, so I skip wearing them altogether.
I leave my hair down for a change, feeling a little wild tonight, a little sexy. There’s a good chance I’ll see Gray, and I want to look good for him, make him want to take me off somewhere to get a little naughty. Damn, I hope he does… every interaction with him leaves me wanting more.
I’m sure Hannah will show up at the bar tonight too, but she isn’t coming with us and I can avoid her easily enough. With how great things are going at training camp and with Gray since our throwdown in the dining hall, I need to avoid that girl at all costs. All week she’s been glaring at me and snickering behind my back. She’s fucking poison.
Before we take off for the bar, Casey comes to the squad barracks to join our little group. Since she and Davis discovered they were mates, he’s been spending a lot of nights in her room rather than in his own bunk. From the moment she arrives tonight, they’re all over each other, and the rest of us just laugh to ourselves and tease them all the way to the bar.
I can already hear the music pulsing from inside the bar when we hit the end of the path and Vienna takes my hand, pulling me ahead, eager to get inside. She starts to say something, but as soon as we pull the door open, the loud music and chatter of the crowd drowns out her voice.
Vienna points in the direction of the bar and I nod, following her. As I do, my gaze immediately drifts over to where Gray was sitting the last time I saw him here- and there he is, looking gorgeous as always, seated with his back to me at a high-top table with Brock, Jax, Reid, and Theo.
“Vodka cran?” Brooke asks, tugging on my arm. I spin around to face her, nodding.
“Thanks.” I sidle up to the bar beside my sister as she orders our drinks, looking over to see that Boyd’s already chatting up Vienna.
Davis comes up on the other side of me, Casey in tow. “This place is packed tonight,” Davis comments, slinging an arm around Casey’s waist and tucking her into his side.
“Long week, I guess,” I shrug. The bartender walks over to deliver drinks to Brooke and me and I immediately grab for mine and take a long sip. Once again, it’s a little heavy on the vodka.
Casey loops her arms around Davis’ neck as he orders drinks for them. “A long week for you recruits, getting your butts kicked by Davis,” Casey laughs, beaming. “I’m still so proud of you, babe. I remember that tournament when I was at training camp, it was killer.”
Davis just smiles back at Casey adoringly.
“You’re lucky I got injured, or you’d be celebrating second place right now,” I say, waggling my eyebrows and taking another sip of my drink through the little swizzle straw.
Davis smirks. “I don’t know, Fallon… you would’ve had to get past Shay, first.”
“That’s right,” Shay laughs, coming up behind me. “Though I wish you and I kicked all of the boys’ asses.”
Brooke leans in, speaking in a hushed voice. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about the tournament.” She tips her head toward Vienna.
“Nah, she doesn’t care… and she’s too busy flirting with Boyd anyways.” Shay winks, and we all turn to look at Vienna. She’s right, those two are totally lost in their own conversation.
“We’d better get a few more of these in us before she’s dragging us onto the dance floor,” I say, lifting my glass and tipping it to them. My friends laugh and mumble in agreement.
I turn around, leaning my back against the bar and surveying the dance floor while I sip my drink. It’s pretty packed already, but I’m not paying much attention to the dancers- I’m looking past them, to Gray’s table. He’s still seated with his back to me and a waitress with pink streaks in her hair is delivering beers, leaning her tits right in Gray’s face in the process. I’m immediately irritated, especially when she turns to say something to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. From her body language, she’s obviously interested.
“Ready for another?” Shay asks.
“Huh?” I turn to look at her and she holds up her empty glass, shaking the ice inside.
“Oh, yeah,” I mumble, downing the last of my drink.
I dart another glance in Gray’s direction before turning back to the bar, and the waitress is still at his table, smiling and chatting with him.
I don’t know her, but I already hate her.
Gray
“So you’re down to thirty now? How many are you going to take this year?”
I doubt Kelly’s actually interested in what we have going on over at the squad complex but being friendly and conversational is kind of part of her job. That, and she always seems to be looking for a reason to come over and flirt with me. I’ve never returned her advances, but the girl just doesn’t give up.
I shrug, reaching across the table for one of the fresh beers that Kelly just set down. “Ten to twelve, usually. Depends on how many have what it takes.”
“I see,” Kelly replies, smiling. She reaches out to touch my arm again. “Well keep up the good work, Alpha!”
I pick up my beer, tipping it to her and nodding before I bring it to my lips. Kelly picks up on my signal, smiling and shuffling away to go help another table.
“Well that was a hell of a wolf tournament this year,” Reid says, taking a swig of his beer.
Jax sits up, sliding his forearms onto the table. “No shit, I never expected that Davis kid to pull out the win.”
“Casey won’t shut up about it,” Brock sighs, rolling his eyes.
“That’s right!” Theo slaps his palm on the table. “I forgot she was his mate!”
“I didn’t, my room’s next to hers in the barracks,” Jax grumbles, wide-eyed, and we all chuckle.
Theo finishes off his beer, slams the bottle on the table, and turns to me. “It’s a shame your girl got injured, she had a real shot of taking the whole thing.”
The other guys nod in agreement, and while I also agree that Fallon could’ve won the tournament, I give a quick shake of my head in response to Theo’s insinuation, pressing my lips together in a tight line. “Not my girl.”
“She’s not?” Theo asks, arching a brow. A mischievous smirk creeps across his lips. “You won’t mind if I take a crack at her then, will you?’’
I shoot Theo a death-glare as a low growl starts in my chest.
Theo just laughs, pushing at my arm. “Oh calm down, bro, I was kidding. You sure she’s not your girl, though? Seems like your wolf has staked a claim.”
“I don’t let my wolf control me,” I mutter, bringing my beer bottle to my lips and downing half of it. I shove my wolf down, though I’m still pissed off at Theo’s comment. He’d better stay far away from Fallon if he knows what’s good for him.
“I still think she could me your mate,” Reid says, shrugging. I shoot a glare in his direction and he holds up his hands in surrender, eyes wide. “Hey, man, I’m just sayin’. A friend of mine found his mate and said he thinks he knew before the bond even snapped in on the full moon. Said he felt like the universe was pulling him to her, or some shit.”
Theo lets out a laugh. “That’s a load of bullshit, man! I’ve felt the universe pull me to a lot of females before- they weren’t my mate, I just needed to get laid.”
Jax laughs along with Theo, offering him a fist-bump.
I pick at the label on my beer bottle, my mind racing. I have such a strong magnetic attraction to Fallon- could she be my mate? I didn’t really allow myself to consider it before, but what Reid said does make some sense. The mate bond doesn’t snap into place unless you’re in proximity under a full moon, but maybe there are signs before then.
Reid rolls his eyes at Theo and Jax. “Brock, back me up here, man.”
Brock shakes his head, scowling. “I’m with Theo on this one. You can be attracted to someone… hell, you can even love someone, and it doesn’t mean they’re your mate.”
There’s so much bitterness behind Brock’s words. He got burned when he fell hard for a girl and fate gave her a different mate. He had to accept it, but he hasn’t been the same since.
“That’s the thing,” Jax says, pointing his beer bottle in Brock’s direction. “You and Annalise were so good together, and she wasn’t your mate. How the hell are any of us supposed to know what the mate bond is supposed to feel like if we’ve never experienced it?”
“Keep sniffing around on the full moon and hope we stumble upon it, I guess,” I mutter.
It seems colossally unfair that the mate bond is only able to snap together on the full moon, like fate is playing a game of roulette with our lives. I can’t allow myself to hope that Fallon’s my mate since the chances of that manifesting are so damn slim. It’s like a one in a million shot- hell, some wolves never find their fated mate. I’d all but given up on finding mine, until that leggy blonde stepped off the bus at training camp and turned my world upside down.
“Well, there’s only one way you’re gonna know for sure, Gray,” Reid says, stirring me from my thoughts. “You’ve gotta get her to stay for the next full moon.”
“And hope someone else doesn’t snake her from you first,” Theo adds.
I turn and deliver a jab to his arm, but Theo just laughs it off, shoving me back. “I wasn’t talking about me, lover boy.” He tips his head in the direction of the bar and I look over to see Fallon standing in front of it, resting one elbow on the bar top.
I already knew she was here- my wolf sensed her when she walked in, but I hadn’t seen her yet. She looks like a fucking dream in a tight, sky blue dress- the color reminds me of her little workout shorts that I’m so fond of. Her long blonde hair is down, hanging loose around her shoulders, which is a rarity. She’s stunning, as always, and I know it’s cliché, but the sight of her tonight takes my breath away.
Then I pick up on what Theo was insinuating. Judd is standing across from her, chatting her up, and judging by the smiles they’re both sporting, it must be a good conversation. My wolf snarls, pushing to the surface again, but I shove him back down, focusing on staying grounded in rational thought.
They’re just talking. We agreed to keep things casual, so I don’t have any say in what Fallon does or who she talks to.
I turn back around, trying my best to keep my cool. I shrug, picking up my beer and downing the rest of it. It takes a great deal of effort to hold myself back from looking over at her again. I’m annoyed, on edge… because I’m fucking jealous. I don’t want any other male in Fallon’s space, stealing her attention.
Guess it’s not just my wolf who wants her all to himself.
So much for casual.
