Chapter 2
Mic Check, Please
JESSICA
Present Day
My skin feels like it’s been scrubbed raw.
My scalp tingles and not in a good way. I smell like chemicals from the polish on my fingernails and toes, not to mention the amount of makeup lathered on my face you could scrape off and fill in rust spots on an old car.
I have been sitting in this chair for what seems like several hours, which makes me wonder how much of a hot mess I must look like on a daily basis.
Auntie gently places her fingers under my chin and tilts my face up toward her for one last inspection.
“Gorgeous!” she sings. “Girl, those men will fall all over themselves once they look at you!” Auntie stands at over six feet tall, with thick platform shoes and long blond hair piled high on the top of her head in a beehive updo.
She always wears a lot of makeup in a dramatic fashion.
Tonight, her brows are drawn into high arches, and her lids are painted with rainbow-colored eyeshadow with eyeliner that fans out in a ferocious cat-eye look.
Her fake eyelashes are so long I worry she might poke my eye out when she leans in close to inspect my face.
I tilt my head back, clench my teeth, and jokingly ask, “Can I smile, or will it crack?”
She throws her head back and emits a loud laugh. “Woo! You’re fiery tonight.” She growls and makes a playful clawing gesture with her hand.
A hearty laugh escapes me. Auntie always makes me laugh.
I met Auntie on my first trip into the Emerald Pack’s town beauty shop eight years ago, when my mother took me to get my hair done.
Auntie is the pack’s resident transgender woman and everyone’s aunt.
I quickly became enamored by her theatrics, and we remained friends over the years.
When I first committed to be on A Game of Hearts Desire, I requested that the production team hire locals. It was important to me that they employ the hardworking people of the LS territory, instead of recruiting more outsiders.
Once dressed, Carmen, the show’s behind-screen manager, greets me in the entrance hall. “Ready to meet your future mate?”
I offer a tentative nod.
“Wow! You clean up real nice,” Jeremy claims before he envelops me in a hug.
Justin steps to his side. “You’re going to wrinkle her dress and mess up her hair.” He smiles and pulls me into a hug next.
My brothers and our parents insisted they be present for the introductions and the meet-and-greet of each contestant.
Initially, I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave my father out in the open, vulnerable to an attack, but Anders reassured me guards were positioned everywhere.
Anders and I are slowly rebuilding the trust behind us after I found out he's my biological father.
Justin nudges me. “We’re all safe. Don’t think about it. Just focus on tonight.”
I nod. The only one not here is Luke, not that I thought he would come. During our last fight, he made it very clear that I was not his family, and he never wanted to see me again. Despite Luke’s recent feelings about me, my parents and the twins still want to be a part of my life.
I follow Carmen to the main entrance of the castle. Bright lights stand tall on their poles, illuminating the driveway and emanating so much heat I feel like I might melt. Cameramen stand everywhere, and additional men stand at their sides holding boom mics.
I’m shocked by the chaotic mess. On TV, this part of the show always looks serene and romantic. I guess I never gave much thought to all the work behind the scenes.
So many people are running around that I can’t fathom that this is only half of the normal crew.
But I don’t mind because the local shifters of the LS have an opportunity to work with an international production company, and maybe for some it’s the foot in the door they need for something permanent down the line.
Jeremy catches my eye and winks before he feigns interest in Carmen’s instructions.
My parents—all three of them—and brothers pay attention to the markers for where to stand.
I look over to Joe, who slowly scans our surroundings, probably memorizing every one of the filming crew’s faces.
At his insistence, Joe will remain at my side as I meet each Alpha for the first time, posing as my butler.
Carmen points to a marker on the ground. “Alright, Jessica, now you stand here. I want you to give the viewers one last insight before we film you meeting the men for the first time.”
I close my eyes briefly, take a deep breath, and turn on my pink bubbly Princess persona, as Gary, my PR guy, likes to call it.
On the inside, though, I dread meeting all of these men.
“I have been anticipating this moment for a couple of weeks now, and I am so excited that this moment is finally here.” I place a hand over my heart.
“My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s going to leap out of my chest.” I widen my smile.
“And cut!” Carmen calls out. “I need someone from the sound crew here, stat. Jessica, I’m sorry. We need to do that again. I think something is wrong with your mic.”
A young man wearing a black t-shirt with the show’s logo suddenly bounds forward with a device in his hand. Joe eyes him cautiously before allowing the man some space to do his job.
He gives me a shy smile and averts his eyes. “I’m sorry, Alpha Princess. I need to check the battery pack on your wireless mic.”
“Oh, uh, okay.” Crap. I’m wearing a flattering maxi dress with a square neckline, long sleeves, and a floor-length skirt, courtesy of Akiyo.
Because she knows me so well, every part of the dress, including the back, covers my skin to the base of my neck, hiding all of my hideous scars.
The battery is tucked into a special pocket on the inside of the dress.
Taking in a slow deep breath, I pull my hair over one shoulder and slowly spin around, offering my back to the sound man.
“You have to unzip my dress to reach it,” I press a hand to the front of my dress and dip my chin in slight mortification. I brace myself for his reaction.
Shaky hands fumble with the zipper. To my surprise, there is no intake of sharp breath or throat clearing as he reveals the inner pocket sewn into the material made specifically for the wireless microphone’s transmitter.
He simply tugs and pulls at the material and removes the pack.
I feel a cool hard object against my bare skin followed by sharp pain, and a burning sensation spreads toward my shoulder blade.
I stiffen my spine, grip my full skirt with my free hand, and press my lips together to hide my whimper. Ouch! What the hell is that?
“What the hell?” Jeremy roars from his position.
Jerking my chin up, I see Justin and Jeremy rush over.
Joe moves in, grabbing the sound crew man and pushing him off to the side.
Before I can I utter a sound, Joe reaches down and removes the cool object from my skin The twins stand over the poor man, who is now on his knees.
His skin is clammy and pale, eyes round in shock, and mouth agape in horror.
Guards abandon their posts in haste to crowd around the cowering crew member and myself.
Bewildered and confused, I look over my shoulder. Joe retrieves a handkerchief from his inner pocket and dabs at my back.
I search the crowd forming around the guards. Odyssey, my guard and close friend, fists his hands at his sides and joins Jeremy to tower over the man.
Odyssey, back everyone off. What the hell are you doing?
I glance over toward my parents to ensure they are okay. Anders stands before them, one arm extended in a protective stance.
Jeremy grasps the man by the front of his shirt and snarls, “What the fuck did you just do to my sister?”
“I... I... was just changing out her battery pack. The battery pack is dead,” the man stammers, holding up his hands in surrender.
Jeremy, stop it! Everyone, back the fuck off right now!!
Odyssey furrows his brow.
Joe clears his throat. “It’s just a scratch, already starting to heal. She’s fine.”
Odyssey! We literally just compromised our security. If this was a devised plan to study the guards, we just gave them a firsthand blueprint of all their positions. Not to mention it also looks suspect that the twins lost their minds without a word from me.
Odyssey makes a slight nod in acknowledgement to our mind-link communication and motions for the guards to return to their posts.
I glare daggers at Jeremy, who slowly releases the poor man’s shirt.
“Sorry, sorry, I overreacted. I smelled blood and freaked out,” Jeremy announces to the gathering crowd.
Jeremy glares in my direction. That was more than just a scratch, he grumbles in my head.
The man crawls over to me on his hands and knees and bows his head. “Alpha Princess, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear it was an accident.”
I attempt a smile. “It’s okay. My brothers and guards are just a little protective.
” Lifting the heavy skirt of my gown, I walk over to him and offer my hand to help him stand up.
He turns to the twins first, both of whom send him menacing looks.
He wavers and manages to pick himself off the ground without assistance.
“Again, I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a scratch. I’ll live.”
He nods feverishly and bows, backing away from me and disappearing into the crowd of production crew staff.
Joe puts his handkerchief back in his inner jacket pocket. “Test your mic to see if it works,” he instructs.
“Mic check, one, two. Mic check, one, two.”
Carmen gives me a thumbs up.
Doesn’t seem like anything was wrong with the original battery pack after all. Joe grimaces and shakes his head. He presses against my back a few more times before he zips up my dress. “You’re all healed up,” he says out loud, so everyone can hear.
Odyssey positions himself on the opposite side of the driveway and quirks a brow in my direction before he swivels his head toward the tent where the production team sits.
And so the games begin, he mumbles over our mind link.