“Surprise, lovers,” Mathew Wade cackles as he bounces out of the dark, thrusting a Polaroid photo at us.
I look at it, and I can’t help but laugh. My eyes are shut; I’m screaming. Fox is in Sebastian’s arms, looking terrified. Sebastian is clearly scared, but Katsu is impassive as ever, adjusting his collar, looking like a million dollars.
Sebastian and Fox peer over my shoulder. All three of us turn to Katsu, staring at him.
“How did you do that?” I ask and wave the photo in his face.
He grins. “Trade secrets.”
The music fades, and Mathew sets the trap up again and motions towards town. “Your next stop is the bookstore.”
“You are having too much fun, Mathew!”
He winks and waggles his fingers in a jaunty farewell.
I stomp into the bookstore, glaring. “You’re not going to get me twice!”
Nothing happens. The dim orange, cozy light flickers a little, but there’s no people, no trap to spring, no flashing lights. Fox takes my hand as we move inside.
The alphas walk down the aisles, but it’s not until we get to the counter and find another card that the disco ball, strobe lights, and music blares. A man in a beast mask jumps out and roars.
I squeal and fall back into the alphas.
Another flash, and I get yet another photo of three of us looking terrified, and a perfectly composed Katsu, his eyebrow arched in amusement. Sebastian is in Fox’s arms this time, looking like he might pass out.
“You were expecting it,” Katsu teases and strokes the hair back from my face.
He takes my hand and leads us out of the store. We’re walking along the street when I realise we have no idea where to go. I stop, ready to turn back and go and ask, but I’m caught up by Katsu, who reels me back in so I’m pressed up against his chest.
“It’s fun,” Katsu purrs. “We’ll just wander. Who needs a map?”
I glare at him, but just as I’m about to insist I need one, a masked man jumps out with a knife. Three of us scream. I climb Katsu like a tree, clinging to him and burying my face in his neck. A flash goes off, and a sheepish Liam Mosely pulls off his mask and hands me a picture to remember the night by.
“I’m really sorry. She made me do it. They have stories. I’m trying to court a girl from the next town over.”
“I’m going to kill her!” Sebastian says, but I start to giggle, and once I start, I can’t stop.
I peer at the photo and huff in amazement. I glance at Katsu and then step away from him.
“Are you human?”
He lets out this wondrous peal of laughter that has me smiling back unconsciously.
“How are you doing this!” I shout at Katsu two hours later and start laughing. I fan the Polaroids out and wave them in his direction.
Sebastian and Fox look over my shoulder at the photos. We have ten of them. In all ten, Sebastian, Fox, and I are scared, startled, or frightened. Katsu looks perfectly composed in all of them.
He looks like he’s having a great time, and his smile has grown in each photo. I giggle and shove him.
“I can’t help it,” he says and pulls me back in. “Oh, this one is my favourite.”
He snags the restaurant one and points out. Fox and Sebastian ended up on the tables, shrieking, as Danger, dressed as a giant spider, ran at them. Sofia almost wet herself laughing so hard. It’s a good thing Elijah got her hidden before Sebastian composed himself.
We get to the final spot and find a heart-shaped chair big enough for several people. It’s covered in stars and gold glitter.
Katsu takes my hand and leads me up, pulling me down onto his lap. Sebastian and Fox join us.
“Are you having fun?” Katsu asks.
