Chapter 10
TEN
TRINITY
“I’m getting married!” Josie squeals as she rips open the passenger door of my car. “Now come help me with my bags.”
I grab my to-go latte out of the cupholder and take a healthy swig before unbuckling my seatbelt. “That is way too much energy for five o’clock in the morning, but I’m still very happy for you.”
“Just come help so we don’t miss our flight, grumpy.”
I struggle with the fifth suitcase, trying to wedge it into my already overstuffed trunk.
“Jeez, Josie. Did you pack your entire apartment? Some strong alphas would come in handy right about now.” The bag refuses to fit, so I readjust the other luggage with a grunt before giving up and shoving it in the back seat.
“Remind me again why your fiancés aren’t coming early to help with all this wedding prep? ”
Josie checks her reflection in my car window, fluffing her blonde waves. “They’re very busy, Trin. They could only take so many days off between the wedding and honeymoon.” She taps a perfectly manicured nail against her lip. “Besides, someone has to stay and make money while we play in paradise.”
I bite back a sarcastic response and shove harder at the stubborn suitcase. “Right. Very considerate of them to let you handle all the stress of final preparations alone.”
“They’re not letting me handle anything alone.
That’s why you’re coming with me.” Josie beams, completely missing my point.
“And they’re paying for everything to make up for it.
The resort, the flowers, the catering, rooms for the whole family—all of it.
I can’t begrudge them not being made with extra time. ”
“Money isn’t everything.” The suitcase finally slides into place with an aggressive push. I slam the trunk shut and wipe my hands on my jeans. “Though that is a significant contribution.”
I hope she doesn’t hear the note of bitterness in my voice, remembering how they once promised me the world, too.
I have to remind myself that I don’t want a pack of workaholic alphas who think I should be happy with a black card and no actual time spent with them, while giving up on any plans I have for myself outside of their home.
“And don’t think I’m expecting you to work for free,” Josie adds, sliding into the passenger seat. “Send a bill to Egret for whatever your normal rates are. He specifically said to make sure you’re compensated properly.”
I freeze with my hand on the driver’s door. “That’s...not necessary. You’re my sister.”
“Nonsense! This is your profession. You should be paid.” She fastens her seatbelt with a decisive click. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
I slide behind the wheel, mind racing. Being paid by my ex-fiancé to plan his wedding to my sister—could this situation get any more twisted? But as I start the engine, a deliciously petty thought forms.
“Well, if you insist.” I pull away from the curb, lips curving into a smile. “I’ll send him my standard contract.”
“Perfect!” Josie fiddles with the display screen. “Egret handles all the finances. He’s so responsible.”
I nod, already calculating in my head. My standard rate, plus a rush fee for the six-week timeline, plus an international destination wedding surcharge, plus... an asshole tax. A substantial one. After all, the client specifically requested comprehensive service.
“You know what? I think that’s very fair,” I say, merging onto the highway toward the airport. “I’ll make sure he gets every penny’s worth.”
Josie squeezes my arm. “You’re the best sister ever. My wedding is going to be perfect.”
“Oh, I’m counting on it.” I take a sip of my cooling coffee and smile into the cup. Egret always used to hate overpaying for things, he would argue with servers at restaurants if the automatic tip percentage included the tax.
This invoice is going to be a masterpiece.
“How do you put the music on with this thing?” Josie asks, still poking at the screen. “Who suddenly decided that every car needs to have a tablet in it?”
I glance over to help just as a semi-truck cuts into my lane. I swerve, focusing back on the road, when suddenly?—
“— HIS ALPHA SCENT OVERWHELMED ME AS HE PUSHED ME AGAINST THE WALL, HIS HANDS ROUGH ON MY HIPS ?—”
My coffee sloshes onto my lap as I jerk the wheel. “What the?—”
“— I MOANED AS HIS TEETH GRAZED MY NECK, BEGGING HIM TO CLAIM ME ?— ”
“Oh my god!” I frantically stab at the screen, trying to silence the narrator’s husky voice detailing exactly what the alpha was about to do next. Instead, the volume cranks higher.
“— HIS GROWL VIbrATED THROUGH MY BODY AS HE RIPPED MY ?—”
“Make it stop!” Josie squeals, sounding both entertained and horrified.
My fingers slip across the screen, accidentally activating the voice command. “ PLAYING NEXT CHAPTER ,” the system announces helpfully.
“—HARDER,” I GASPED, MY LEGS WRAPPED AROUND HIS WAIST ? — ”
“Trinity Jones!” Josie’s eyes widen. “Is this what you listen to on your commute?”
I finally locate the power button and slam my palm against it. Blessed silence fills the car as my face burns hotter than the coffee soaking into my jeans.
“It helps me relax after work,” I mutter, gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.
Josie’s delighted laughter fills the car. “I knew there was an omega in there somewhere! Send me the name of the book so I can add it to my Tbr.”
“Here. Let me just unplug my phone, and you can use the satellite radio.” I reach over, but she is already staring down at the screen.
Her gasp is immediate. “Trinity Jones! Who are these men?”
My stomach drops. I forgot about the photo. After meeting with Matheo, Lucas, and Cash, we’d taken several posed shots at Amara’s suggestion. Something about needing photographic evidence of our relationship .
I’d practiced the conversation about a hundred times in my head because I’d planned to tell Josie during our flight. Ideally, when we were midway over the Atlantic Ocean without Wi-Fi service, preventing her from web searching their names, or making an announcement in the family group chat.
“They’re just the pack I started seeing,” I say casually.
“When were you planning to tell me you’re in a relationship?” Josie’s voice is tight, her smile forced as she stares at the screen. “And with a pack? This is kind of a big deal.”
The selfie shows all four of us squeezed together. Me in the center with Matheo’s arm draped casually around my shoulders, Cash leaning in from the side, and Lucas beaming behind us. We look happy. We look real.
“It’s brand new,” I say, the rehearsed explanation tumbling out. “Like, extremely new. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone yet.”
“But they’re coming to my wedding?” Hurt flashes across her face as she hands back my phone. “When Egret told me you requested plus ones, I thought he was kidding. Were you just going to spring this on everyone without warning?”
Guilt gnaws at my insides. I hate lying to Josie. We’ve always told each other everything.
“I only mentioned them to Egret because he assumed I was single.” I merge into the left lane, avoiding her eyes. “When he said he hadn’t included space for my date in the seating chart, I panicked and told him I had a pack. It wasn’t planned.”
“So these guys are actually your pack?” She studies me with narrowed eyes. “Not just dates?”
“We’re figuring things out.” At least that part isn’t entirely a lie. “It’s complicated. I didn’t want to make a big announcement until I knew where it was headed.”
Josie’s expression softens. “They’re gorgeous. Especially the one with the dark hair.”
“Matheo.” His name comes out more breathless than intended.
“Two alphas and a beta,” she murmurs, still scrutinizing the picture. “That’s wild.”
“There’s actually one more alpha,” I quickly add, searching for a way to explain why he isn’t in the picture. “He had to work that day.”
“You really like them, don’t you?” She touches my arm. “I can see it on your face.”
I focus intently on the road. “Like I said, it’s new. But yes, there’s something there.”
That isn’t precisely a lie.
“I can’t believe you kept this from me.” She’s not angry anymore, just disappointed, which is worse. “You know you would have been the first person I told.”
I can’t help but laugh at that. “You didn’t tell me about your pack until you made a wedding announcement.”
“Okay, that’s fair.” Josie winces. “But there also wasn’t much of a gap between when I met them and the proposal. I wasn’t trying to keep anything from you.”
“And you would have been my first call under normal circumstances,” I insist. “I swear. If it weren’t for Heat Island, I would have waited longer before introducing them to my family. And I didn’t want to steal any attention from your wedding preparations.”
Josie laughs. “As if that’s possible. I’m going to be the center of attention in a custom Vivienne Westwood surrounded by three smoking hot and filthy rich alphas. You couldn’t take my spotlight if you tried.”
Her smile is rueful, as if she can’t even say all that out loud without acknowledging how ridiculous it all sounds.
“Very true.” I return her smile with a genuine one of my own.
This isn’t just about saving face in front of my exes.
If Josie thinks I’m happy, then it will give her the permission she needs to be happy for herself.
“Though now I’m dreading the conversation with Mom.
You know how she’s been hounding me to settle down. ”
“Oh god.” Josie’s eyes widen. “She’s going to lose her mind. After all those years of setting you up with every eligible alpha in the state? She’s going to be insufferable.”
“She’ll probably take full credit somehow.”
“Definitely.” Josie reaches for my phone again. “Tell me more. I want to know everything about them before we get to the resort.”
I make up a story with sprinkles of truth. Matheo’s exhibition is a convenient explanation for how we met that isn’t technically a lie. Luckily, Josie seems happy with just superficial information.
As we approach the airport exit, I grip the steering wheel tighter. One week of pretending with four strangers. What could possibly go wrong?