Chapter 3
The First Five
JESSICA
“Okay, everyone, remain in your places. The first limo is pulling up,” Carmen shouts.
On the show, it’s carefully edited to make it look like the men step out of a different limousine each time, but in reality, five or six of them ride in a single car. I was warned that the process can take hours. My feet are already killing me, and we’ve barely started.
Cameras surround the limousine as it crawls along the drive. I wait for at least one man to immediately depart. But nothing happens. The production team shouts directions, and everyone appears busy moving around—well, except for me and whoever sits in the car.
“What’s happening right now?” I whisper to Joe, but he doesn’t answer me. He slowly looks around. I glance toward my parents, assessing their surroundings, making sure there is no threat. Anders is doing the same.
I shift on my feet and take a step back for a better angle.
Maybe it’s my paranoia, but I can’t help it, especially with all the commotion that took place just moments before.
I need to calm down. The cameras are on, and I’m sure they are zoomed in on the nervous, worried look on my face.
I close my eyes, shake out my hands, and slowly let out a long breath.
When I open my eyes, I drop my shoulders and paste on a smile.
Holden announces the first man, “Alpha Marshall Marquez, Marquez Pack, Luna Solar Territory.”
The Marquez pack is from one of the lesser territories in the LS.
The Marquez family made quite a business for themselves as bakers and own a cute bakery in the city.
In fact, in the short time I lived in the city, it was one of my favorite places to grab a coffee and whatever delectable treat they served that day.
A short man—well, shorter than the six-foot guards I usually stand next to—emerges from the limo. He has dark-tanned skin and a wide forehead. His faded suit looks like it has seen better days. He reaches back, retrieving two large paper bags.
I try to stifle a laugh. What in the world did he bring with him? I glance sideways at Joe, who stays in his stiff posture, eyeing the man and his packages. The Alpha finally approaches me, and I smile. I’m unsure if I should hug him. I can’t shake his hand. He simply stands there, smiling at me.
I laugh nervously. “What did you bring?” I ask him.
His smile widens. “Well, I assumed that the rest of the Alphas would bring you a gift or flowers. I brought you flour—two different kinds—because I didn’t know what kind of flowers you liked.”
My eyes widen in surprise. This time, I let out a genuine laugh. “Flour, like the kind I can bake with?”
He chuckles. “Yes. I heard that you like to cook and bake. So, I thought I would bring you something you would enjoy and be able to share.” He hands me one bag.
I peek into it. “Rice flour?”
He nods.
“I don’t think I’ve baked with rice flour before.”
A blush colors his cheeks. “Most don’t. I could teach you some recipes to make with it.”
“I would like that very much. Thank you.” Joe takes the first bag from me as Alpha Marquez offers the second one. “Bread flour?”
“I thought I could show you how to make our pack’s traditional Marquez bread.”
“Isn’t that a pack secret recipe? I mean, that’s what it says on the sign at your bakery.”
His deep brown eyes sparkle with mischief. “Yes, a pack secret that I hope to share with you if given a chance to be your mate.”
Smooth, real smooth. I glance at Joe, who takes the other bag from me, and I shake my head. “Wow. Did you plan on saying that, or are you just a natural smooth talker?”
He blushes again. “I guess you’ll have to get to know me and find out.”
Nodding, I lean in to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “It is really nice to meet you, Alpha Marshall Marquez. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
He issues a curt bow, proceeds to greet my parents and my brothers, and then takes his leave through the main entrance, where he will be escorted to the ballroom.
“Jessica, please keep the introductions short. None of us want to continue filming past midnight,” Carmen reminds me before the next Alpha emerges.
I refrain from rolling my eyes and simply nod like an obedient puppet. I should have asked Auntie to tape my lips to hold up my smile. My cheeks already burn, and I have only met the first contestant.
The next Alpha, Patrick Bukowski, is from the Northern A, Boston Territory.
He is tall and thin, with light brown hair and brown eyes, and looks to be in his late twenties or early thirties.
He didn’t bring anything with him. He barely smiles.
I can’t tell if he's nervous or just dull. After our short introduction, he shakes my hand and simply proceeds straight inside. He doesn’t even acknowledge my parents.
I shrug at my brothers as they watch him enter through the main entrance.
I lean into Joe and whisper, “I think he forgot to pack his personality for this trip.”
Joe snorts. “He also forgot to pack his manners,” he murmurs in disdain.
Alpha Roger Grimm, from the Northern A, New York Territory, is the next man out of the car.
He is nice, polite, and soft-spoken, and he brought a bouquet of dark red, almost black, roses.
He demonstrates some personality, but he is—oh, I don’t know, for lack of a better description—creepy.
He has fair, almost translucent skin, like he never sees the sun.
His brown hair is styled in spikes, and his blue eyes widen to the point where he looks as if he was electrocuted.
Next is Alpha Richard Smith. Northern A Territory, California.
Now this guy looks like he grooms regularly.
Eyebrows are waxed and brushed into place.
Even his nails are shiny from a recent manicure.
He gifts me a single red rose and keeps his introduction brief.
I sense an arrogance about him, like he doesn’t need to try too hard because he already won.
When he turns to greet my family, I roll my eyes and glance sideways over at Joe. He offers me a crooked smile. “His hands were softer than mine,” I whisper. Joe clears his throat, to stifle a laugh. When I look over to my brothers, Justin wiggles his fingers at me in a feminine way.
The last man to exit the limo is Alpha Samuel Forrester of the Forrester Pack.
The Forrester pack is a lesser pack in the LS Territory.
When we first acquired Langhlan hotel, I continued to use his pack’s business to fill the hotel with flowers and decorative plants.
I mostly communicated with the Luna of the pack, Samuel’s mother.
She’s sweet but a force to be reckoned with.
She continuously tried to set me up on a date with her son every time we talked on the phone.
I’m not surprised she managed to get him on the show.
Samuel approaches me, holding a flowerpot.
The leaves tremble in his shaking hands.
His shoulders slightly hunch inward, and his eyes avoid looking in my direction.
He’s very good-looking, with light brown hair, hazel eyes, and tanned skin from spending most of his time outdoors. When he finally reaches me, he blushes, dipping his head in greeting, and he offers a shy smile.
“Hello, Alpha Samuel Forrester. It’s very nice to finally meet you. I have heard so much about you from your mother.”
His face turns a shade redder. “It’s nice to meet you as well.
My mother has spoken very highly of you, too.
Oh, uh, this is for you.” He hands me the potted plant.
“This is a vanilla panifolia, also known as the vanilla orchid or flat-leaved vanilla. It’s a vine, so if you decide to throw it out in your yard, it can overtake other plants and trees.
It’s a little high maintenance, which in hindsight, I should have brought something that required less, especially with your busy schedule.
This particular plant will not give you the vanilla pods, but if that’s something you would like, I can pollinate it, and uh.
.. my mother thought you might like it.” He briefly closes his eyes, and when he reopens them, he looks the other way.
“It’s lovely. Thank you.” Joe removes the pot from my hands. I start to lean in to hug Samuel and kiss him on the cheek, but he takes a step back and runs his hands through his hair.
“Sorry. I, uh, get carried away when I talk about plants.”
His shyness is endearing, different from what I’m accustomed to, and I want him to feel comfortable around me. I reach for his hand and give it a light squeeze. “I don’t mind. I mean, you just drove through a tea plantation. Speaking of your mother, how is she?”
“She’s doing well, bossing the pack around and continuously trying to set me up on dates.” His blush deepens.
I lean forward. “It’s okay. My parents chose most of the men here tonight, so I understand.”
He emits a soft laugh, and his shoulders relax. “Oh, I don’t think you want me to start in on the things my mother says and does. We would be standing out here all night.”
I laugh. “I have two dads and a mother, so yes, I agree. We can compare notes all night.”
He glances down at his feet. “Uh, my mother didn’t make me come here, just so we’re clear about that.
” I study him for a few seconds. Before I can respond, he adds, “I’m just not good at this whole dating thing, and I didn’t have the guts to make an excuse to meet you face-to-face and ask you out on a date myself. ”
His confession says a lot about his true intentions.
“Well, I’m glad you did. Again, It is nice to finally meet you, Alpha Samuel.
I look forward to getting to know you.” This time, when I step in to give him a hug, he doesn’t retreat.
I watch him interact with my parents and brothers before he disappears through the main entrance.
Jeremy’s voice sounds in my head, He’s a mama’s boy.
I narrow my eyes. Leave the mama’s boy alone. He’s sweet.
Jeremy shrugs. Just saying, I think you’re his type because you’re more dominant than he is. Like. His. Mother.
I scoff at Jeremy and face Justin, who simply grins and nods in agreement.