I Stole the Alpha's Car (18+)|✔️

Chapter 49

As we settled into the last remaining pair of seats at the gate, I found myself questioning my decision for the hundredth time that morning.

Flying out to Evan's birthday party was only going to end in one of two ways: It was either going to be a pleasant visit or a complete disaster. The closer we got, the more I became convinced that it was going to be the latter.

When I noticed my leg shaking with nervous energy, I knew it was time to go take a walk.

Turning, to Dwayne, I asked, "Hey, I'm going to go get a water – do you want anything?"

And then I got a good look at him.

"Dwayne?"

Beads of sweat were building up on skin that had a sudden, sickly cast, and his hands gripped the armrests of his seat like he was trying to bend the metal underneath.

"Babe? What's wrong?"

Squeezing his eyes shut, Dwayne muttered. "I fucking hate flying."

"What?"

"I don't mind cars – I trust my driving skill, and I know I stand a good chance of surviving a crash." He sucked in a breath and continued his rapid-fire monologue. "Not planes. I have no control when it comes to planes, and if this thing crashes, we're just as likely to die as anybody else."

"Babe? Honey – just slow down and breathe."

Dwayne nodded, exhaling shakily.

"Now, tell me what I can do to help."

"You said you were going to get water?"

"It can wait-"

"No, could you get me one too? I have meds for this, but I don't like dry swallowing pills."

"Of course; I'll be right back – just take deep breaths. Alright?"

He nodded, and I hurried to the newsstand a short way down the terminal.

Returning as fast as I could, I found Dwayne doubled over with his head in his hands.

Giving him one of the bottled waters, I took my seat next to him and began to rub his back.

Placing a pill on his tongue, Dwayne screwed off the top and took a long, bracing drink.

"How long until it takes effect?"

Twisting the lid back on, he answered, "About fifteen, twenty minutes?"

"Is it going to make you pass out?"

Dwayne shook his head, "I mean, I might get a little drowsy on the flight, but it mostly just numbs the anxiety for a while."

I placed my other hand on his knee and squeezed. "Why didn't you tell me that flying bothers you this much?"

His voice was ragged. "I'm sorry – it's been a while since I've been on a plane, and I thought I would handle it better than this."

"Hey, you don't need to apologize, I'm not mad. I mean, I'm confused if anything."

"Confused?"

"Why did you want to fly out if planes make you feel like this?"

"Driving would have taken too long."

"No, I mean-" I paused, licking my lips, "You're putting yourself through all of this for me?"

"Of course." He looked at me like I'd asked the most obvious question in the world.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

What did I do to deserve this man?

Continuing to rub his back, I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Dwayne chuckled. "It's been at least an hour."

I shook my head. "Unacceptable. Can you possibly forgive me?"

He smiled, eyes soft. "You're forgiven."

After a short layover in Chicago, we finally landed at Jackson Hole Airport in the early afternoon. With Dwayne still a little loopy from the medication, I got behind the wheel of our rental car and began the hour-long drive out to Evan's pack.

"So, Howard's putting us up in his guest house?"

Dwayne nodded, lucid but extremely mellow. "It's an Alpha-to-Alpha courtesy – you always provide accommodations to visiting leaders. If he were to come out to our territory, we'd put him up in one of the suites at the resort."

"That's a nice perk."

"Considering the alternative would be staying in their town's Motel 6, 'nice' is an understatement."

I smiled, eyes darting down to my phone to check our ETA. "So, we head straight for Howard's, maybe take a nap and a shower, and then drive out to Rob and Melissa's for the party?"

Dwayne nodded sedately, "Sounds like a plan."

Biting my lip, I asked, "Does Evan know that we're coming? I mean, do you think Howard told him?"

He shrugged. "I asked him to keep it quiet, but it's a small pack and people talk, so who knows?"

"I guess we'll find out."

Dwayne turned his head toward me. "Are you nervous?"

"You want honesty?"

"I'd like the truth, yeah."

"I'm nervous," I admitted. "I keep thinking about the possible outcomes, and there's so many ways that this could backfire."

"You want an alternative take?"

"Let's hear it."

"You could get face to face with Evan and realize that your feelings have changed more than you expected."

"You think so?"

"It's possible. The mate bond's supposed to do some weird stuff to our brains, right?"

Glancing over, I grinned, "Right."

"What's he like, anyway?"

"Evan?" I asked.

"Yeah. I know he's got a mouth on him, and you said he's kind of a nerd – anything else I should know?"

"Um... he's really smart? He's planning on going to med school once he's done with undergrad."

"Good for him."

"He's also pretty competitive – like, Uno games always got very cutthroat very quickly."

"Why does he live with his aunt and uncle? Are his parents..." His voice trailed off, the actual question left unsaid.

I shook my head. "No; they just weren't really interested in raising their kid."

Dwayne looked over at me. "What?"

"His parents weren't mates. Then, when they did find their mates, neither of them wanted an extra kid hanging around their shiny new families – so Evan got passed around by his relatives until Rob and Melissa decided to actually give a damn about him."

"Jesus."

"Yep. His dad lives somewhere out near Spokane with two new kids, and his mom's living in Taos with six."

"And they just threw him away?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck."

I sighed, "Yeah."

We drove in silence for a while, letting the landscape whip past the windows.

"Hey..." I started.

"Yes?"

"Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Don't let on that I told you all that? I'm not sure Evan would be okay with me giving you the dirt on his family."

Dwayne took my hand and laced our fingers together. "I'll be the soul of discretion – promise."