The Alpha's Human Mate

Chapter 26 'The Show Must Go On'

My heart raced like a stampede of wild horses as I stood backstage, trying to steady my trembling hands. Andrew's words echoed in my mind, a haunting reminder of the warning he had given me about Xavier and his pack.

     I watched as my classmates took their positions on the makeshift stage, their excitement filling the air. But among everything, my thoughts were a chaotic mess of doubt and fear.

     The lines I had rehearsed over and over felt like a foreign language now. I struggled to concentrate on my role as Juliet, my mind consumed by Andrew's words. Panic tightened its grip on my chest, and my breaths came in shallow gasps.

     Beside me, Ivy's voice was a gentle murmur. "You okay, Addie?"

     I mustered a shaky smile and nodded, though I knew my distress was obvious. "Yeah, just nervous, I guess."

     Ivy's gaze held a mix of concern and understanding. "It's more than just nerves, isn't it?"

     I hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I... I guess that I'm still trying to take in the whole werewolf thing."  It wasn't a complete lie, I mean, I really was still taking it all in.

     The conversation with Andre weighed down on me, as though his warning had cast a shadow over my thoughts.

     A furrow creased Ivy's brow, it was clear just she didn't fully believe me right now. "Anything else?"

     I struggled to find the right words. I couldn't bring myself to reveal the truth of what had just happened with Andrew. The secrets he had shared were too fragile, too uncertain to tell anyone else, even Ivy. So, I opted for a partial truth. "Just... some personal stuff, you know? I don't want to bring it up right now. It's not the time."

     Another thing that I've learned is that werewolves can tell when someone is lying. Cecelia explained it to me a few days ago but I stopped listening after she said, "My dad always knows when I'm lying. Since he's an Alpha he has heightened senses."

I was completely freaked out by this and changed the topic right away. But since then I've done my best to try and be truthful and tell any lies.

     Ivy nodded, her concern still evident in her expression. "Alright, but remember, you can talk to me whenever you're ready."

     I managed a small smile back. "Thanks."

"I'll be right back," Ivy said. "I need to go and find Mark. He was out late last night doing patrol at the border and I'm worried that he slept in," she rolled her eyes.

"I'll be here," I laughed.

   Our group's part of the show was in the middle, which meant that we had to wait a bit before we went on. Ivy mentioned that the boys convinced their teachers to let their classes attend this morning, claiming it would be a good learning experience. But I knew by now that that really meant that Xavier used his Alpha ways to demand it.

          "You ready for our wedding?" Andrew whispered in my ear.

          I was standing near the stage curtains trying to catch a glimpse of who was out in the audience when Andrew snuck up behind me.

          "I can't wait for it to be over," I rolled my eyes.

          "Now, my love," Andrew whispered venomously in my ear. I could feel his hot breath on the side of my neck, and a chill went down my spine. "I would be careful with what I say if I were you. We wouldn't want you impaled with a dagger."