34. Chapter 34 - Regina
Chapter 34 - Regina
T his week has flown by.
The triplets have been a massive help in recommending who to invite. Chayce reached out to the alphas, and we are expecting around fifty people. I am not sure who is more excited about this. Me, as it will give me a chance to meet Chayce’s friends and hopefully make some of my own. Emmalee, since she will be able to meet more of the single men in town since she is still on the hunt, so to speak. Possibly, the triplets, since they have managed to get a Saturday night off all at once.
I am thankful that my job offers me the freedom to set my own hours. If not, I would be pulling my hair out, worried about tonight. Emmalee has helped me with the shopping and other planning since she doesn’t have much to do with herself at the moment.
Chayce and the other men in town are still going out daily in search of the person breaking into the businesses. It is frustrating to them all how this person is remaining under the radar.
Wanting to look nice, I pull out a peach-colored sweater dress, matching it with a pair of brown suede boots that come up over my knee. Leaving my hair down, styled with soft curls, and keeping my makeup neutral, I am happy with the look.
The bedroom door opens, and Chayce lets out a growl when he sees me, smoke escaping from his nose.
“You need to change that outfit,” he orders, causing my brows to furrow.
Looking down at my body, my hands smooth out the material. Checking the mirror, my eyes meet his in the reflection. Not seeing what is wrong, I turn to face him, finding him right in front of me. Damn shifter speed.
“What is wrong with my outfit?” I bark. “I thought it looked nice.”
“It does,” he clips out. “Too nice. These assholes don’t need to see you like this. Put on a sack, or better yet, put on a pair of my sweatpants and a sweatshirt,” Chayce says, turning to the dresser where he starts pulling those garments out. “These will keep you covered up.” He extends the articles of clothing in my direction.
How he manages to say all of this with a straight face is beyond me. Laughing at him, I pat his chest as I pass him on my way to the door.
“You are ridiculous,” I say over my shoulder.
His grumbled reply is muted as the door closes behind me. My head shakes from side to side at his antics, and a large smile spreads across my face. Emmalee steps out of the spare room at the same time I step into the hall. She gives me a questioning look. Waving it off, we head downstairs to start putting the food out.
The party is in full swing.
There are more people here than expected, but who cares. Em has had more male attention than she knows what to do with. Several times, I have caught Jorden eying her, a scowl planted firmly on his face. One side of my mouth quirks up at that. He is the one I picked for her and is also the one who will win me the pool at the bar.
It is cold enough outside that most of the beer, bottles of water, and cans of soda are there. We didn’t have to worry about coolers or ice with all the snow around. Someone got creative and put the individual bottles directly into the snow.
Taking a moment to step outside for some fresh air, the temperature difference is extreme. With all of the higher-than-normal body temperatures in the house, multiplied by the number of people, I am starting to sweat.
The sliding glass door opens behind me, and Chayce steps out.
“Are you okay?” he questions.
“I am fine. It was getting too hot in there. I just needed a minute to cool down,” I reassure him.
Chayce wraps his arms around me, kissing me softly.
“Your party is a success,” he quips before his tone turns serious. “Are you happy, love?”
“I am,” I tell him sincerely. “Thank you for letting me do this.”
We hold each other for several minutes, just taking a moment to ourselves. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long as Adyr sticks his head out the door, calling for Chayce.
“Will you be okay out here alone?” Chayce asks, his eyes doing a quick scan of the dark backyard.
Planting a soft kiss on my lips, Chayce heads back inside, trailing after his brother.
Opening a bottle of water and staring out into the woods, my thoughts drift to how much my life has changed for the better in such a short period of time. Emmalee is happy here, but she isn’t staying.
A sound comes from behind me, but before I can turn around, a hand moves over my mouth, muffling my cries.
“It’s about time you are alone.”
That is the last thing I hear before my world goes dark.