Beyond The River

5

Going back through the kitchen patio door, Grant had motioned for Evelyn to enter first. She thanked him, stepping through. She looked around the kitchen for the snacks, only to find Mila approach her quickly. "I am SO sorry for Hunter, Evelyn. I don't know what he was trying to do, but it was incredibly rude and disrespectful to you." She said with anger and haste. Evelyn waved her off with a chuckle, "Relax Mila, I'm fine. Your mate was curious. Being an alpha, I'm sure he had his reasons."

"Yea, I'm sure of that too, but he was WAY out of line with those digs. He could have done it so much better, spoken to you like you were actually a friend." Mila said with a huff.

"Who says he wasn't?" Evelyn defended. "The guy barely knows me, yet hears everything about me in the form of 'whispers'. I'd be concerned too if I were him."

"That wasn't just concern, though." Mila whined, and Evelyn held up a hand, "Do you want me to get angry all over again?" Mila shook her head no, "Then stop trying to rile me up. What's done is done. Let's not let that spoil the rest of the party." She offered Mila a hand, "Dance with me?"

"They're doing couples dances right now." Mila pouted.

"Who says you can't be my partner though?" Evelyn said, a smile lingering as she egged her friend on. "Come on. Please?"

"Oh, fine!" Mila relented and took Evelyn's hand. The two moved to the dance floor and began to do the slow dance together. My Girl was playing and the two enjoyed leading each other, twirling each other, and singing the lines to each other in a pretend lover fashion.

When that song ended, Grant tapped on Evelyn's shoulder. Mila turned her to face him and snuck away, allowing the two to dance together while she snuck into the kitchen for snacks. "Would you like to dance with me, Evelyn?" His voice low and rumbled, beckoned her to follow his lead. She placed her hands on his shoulders, and he let his own hands fall onto her waist. The two swayed to the music together, embracing each other's company.

Three songs later, the DJ changed the music and brought back the rest of the crowd. Evelyn laughed as another male bumped into Grant, which annoyed him. Another body bumped into Evelyn, knocking her off balance. She stumbled forward, her head lowering near the floor, only for her wrist to be caught in a large hand, and her waist to be caught in two more large hands.

Evelyn was pulled back and felt her back land onto the chest of a male, only she didn't notice that because all she could focus on were the electric tingles shooting up her arm from the hand on her wrist. Her entire body was frozen to the spot, her wolf forcefully coming to the surface of her mind to enhance her senses. The scent finally hit her, one that blocked out the scents of the sweaty bodies and alcohol in the space.

Pine trees and mint. It brought her back outside, to the forest where she felt the most at home. The scent of whoever was next to her had to be the one. The one thing she had been dreading was actually happening, and she didn't know how to handle it.

A growl sounded from the male next to her, only for another growl to radiate from the male still holding onto her waist. Feeling the vibrations, Evelyn looked up to see Grant as the one holding her waist. She relaxed slightly, but then stiffened when she felt a tug from the hand still gripping her wrist.

She finally turned her head to see Hunter, or what appeared to be Hunter, holding her wrist, and making direct eye contact with her. "Mate" he growled, and Evelyn's knees nearly buckled at the sound alone. She was incredibly confused, how was Hunter her mate? He was mates with her friend, there was no way she was also mated to the Alpha of the Joplin Territories.

Grant maintained one hand on her waist, and lifted one hand to warn the Hunter duplicate, "Easy there, man. Let's take this off the dance floor, and you two can get acquainted, alright?" he offered, but the male growled again at him. Grant didn't seem to take any offense by the growls, just started moving Evelyn off the dance floor so that she could have more space and feel safer with Grant by her side.