“You’re getting Bonded, Si. That means alphas, and babies, and a whole new life for you. And I am so freaking pleased for you – but it means that our lives are going to change. You’re my best friend, and I want us to have one night of celebration before I have to hand you over to a bunch of Neanderthals and watch you go all googly-eyed for them.”
Her voice wobbles at the end, and she glances away. Shame curls in my stomach. I’ve been so caught up in my own anxiety, I haven’t even thought about how this’ll affect Jess.
“You’ll always be my best friend, Jess. Always.”
“I know,” she mumbles, but her face is still turned away as her breath hitches.
“The PB to my jelly.”
A small huff of laughter.
“The cheese to my macaroni.”
A snort slips out.
“The verruca to my foot.”
“Ew!” Jess wrinkles her nose, but she’s grinning.
“Come on.” Threading her arm through mine, I sigh dramatically. “Let’s get this over with. He’s probably a troll.”
Jess pinches the underside of my arm gently. “He is not a troll. You’re going to eat your words and I can’t wait.”
We push into the swarming, sweating crowd, clasping each other’s hand tightly as Jess tows us to the bar, ordering two sodas with a flick of her fingers to the bartender. He looks her over as he slides the drinks over, a clear invitation in his eyes that fades in disappointment as Jess turns away from him to hand over my lemonade.
I sip at the cool drink, letting the coldness slide down my throat as I turn to look around.
This place ispacked.
Heads bounce up and down on a dancefloor just ahead of us, already full despite the early hour. A pulsing beat sounds underneath my foot and I tap my feet in response, a melody weaving itself in my mind despite the bass pounding from the speakers attached to every wall.
This… isn’t so bad.
Jess leans in to bellow in my ear over the music. “See?”
I nod, a smile lifting the corners of my lips as the music trails off, replaced by a low swell of chanting and stomping feet. Frowning, I lean in to try to pick it up.
Is that—
Oh my god. Itis.
Co-hen.
Co-hen.
Co-hen.
A pulse of noise draws my attention to the stage, still cloaked in darkness. A burst of static sounds from a microphone and I wince, but the crowd goeswild.
Co-hen!
Co-hen!
Co-hen!
Jess tugs at my sleeve, but something is tugging me towards the stage. I take a step away from her. My heartbeat pulses in my ear, the beat quickening above the sound of the screaming chant.
A spotlight appears, a silhouette framed against the lights as everyone screams in unison. I suck in a breath as Jax Cohen raises impossibly violet eyes to the crowd, a cocky smirk pulling at his full lips.
