We finished baking all the cupcakes and took a break to eat the pizza Josie ordered. Her other two alphas—Cam and Theo—came downstairs to check on us and grab some food. Their offices were upstairs and they made sure we were never alone after closing. Theo went back upstairs to work until we were done, and Cam headed home after scolding Josie for working too hard, kissing her like the world was ending, and smacking her on the ass. I pushed down my jealousy and continued working.
An hour later, we were almost done, and I was struggling.
“I’m so tired,” Josie said, putting down a bag of frosting. “Let’s take a break.”
Thank fuck.I was so tired and dizzy I could barely see the cupcakes I was frosting.
“Deal.” I lowered myself to the floor, lying down on the ground before I collapsed completely.
Josie giggled. “I guess I’ll join you down there.” Her nose wrinkled as she lay down beside me. “At least we cleaned the floor this morning.”
I closed my eyes and the room finally stopped spinning. I sighed. “Should I cut myself some bangs?” Everything that happened lately made me feel trapped, and the more trapped I felt, the more I craved something new.
“Never decide to give yourself bangs while lying on the floor,” Josie said.
“What?” I snorted.
“You have to be standing up before you decide to get bangs. And it can’t be in the middle of the night, either.”
“You have a lot of rules for bangs.”
“Learn from my experience.”
“You had bangs?” I asked, cracking an eye open.
“I wasn’t in the best place mentally when I left the Designation Academy and needed a change. I’d moved into my own apartment, and one night, I was having a hard time and took my kitchen scissors and cut bangs.”
“I bet you looked cute.”
Josie grinned at me. “No, it was absolutely horrible. But every time I looked in the mirror, I was reminded that it was something I chose, and that made me feel a bit more powerful. And my mother screamed when she first saw me, which was fun.”
“I mean, this sounds like an endorsement of bangs,” I said.
Josie groaned. “You’re an actual supermodel, so I’m sure you’d look stunning even with the worst bangs.”
I snorted, closing my eyes again. “Not sure about that.”
The radio continued playing in the background, and I felt some of my stress and fear melt away.
“How’re you doing?” Josie studied my face. “I meant to ask earlier. You seemed a bit frazzled this morning.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry.” I’d barely arrived on time after a sleepless night worrying about Pack Cross. I chewed my lip. I really wanted to tell Josie everything that’d been going on, but thatwould mean letting her in. I forced myself to take a deep breath and remind myself that Josie was my friend. “Yesterday, my uncles brought two alphas to the house. Two old, terrible alphas they want me to bond with.”
Josie gasped softly. “What?”
“My uncles want me out of their house and out of their life, and honestly, I want that, too. But there’s no way I can bond with Don and Clarence. Well, not even bond. They want me to… I don’t know, be their plaything.”
“What the fuck?” Josie sat up, keeping her horrified gaze on me. “What do you need? You can always move in with us.”
Warmth fluttered in my heart with the reminder that I wasn’t alone anymore. But I wouldn’t burden Josie and her pack.
“I’m fine at the house for now,” I said. “I just… I just wish I could have a pack.” The words poured from me without my permission as I spoke out loud the dream I’d given up years ago.
“Are you going to sign up for the new interview process?” Josie asked gently.
“I don’t qualify. I feel so stupid for getting my hopes up, but of course I’m still not good enough. And that’s why nothing more will happen between me and Henry. He wants a pack, and I can never give that to him.”
Josie grabbed my hand with both of hers. “Why don’t you qualify?” she almost whispered.
