Alpha Asher By Jane Doe

Judging from the small building the wedding was being held at, it was initially meant to be an intimate event. As grandma mentioned earlier, the couple in question had high hopes that a wedding was just what people needed to lift spirits. As it turns out, they were right.

There were cars spilling out of the little parking lot, parked alongside curbs and even up on the flat, grassy areas. Dainty paper lanterns suspended on thin fishing wire were what led guests to the front doors, though many just walked around the building to where the party was overflowing into the grass. A hastily thrown together dance floor had been constructed out back, along with a dozen or so tiki torches and streamers in various shades of violet.

The sign out front read, ‘Chatham Recreational Center.’ The music pouring from within was loud and upbeat, matching the laughter that drifted throughout the air. Children darted in and out, weaving between adults who were either drinking, eating, or dancing.

There was no order to any of it, but the chaos gave it a homey feel that reminded me more of a family reunion rather than a wedding.

“So many children…” Holly said thoughtfully, nervously fidgeting with the hem of the dress I loaned her. She twisted the lace around her fingers only to release it and repeat the motion.

She was lodged in between Tristan and I, sticking close to our shoulders as we maneuvered throughout the crowd. I noted the way her eyes scanned everything with both hesitation and a budding sense of curiosity. It seemed to shake her whenever someone would look her way for too long. They’d hold her gaze until they noticed me standing at her side, then their attention would flit between the two of us until the similarities between Holly and I answered their unvoiced questions.

zoomed by, one covered from head to navel in bright splotches of sugary frosting, her look of discomfort faltered. Her lips twitched and

were propped wide open so that people could run in and out, in search of Cassidy. Further inside I spotted my grandma, who was chatting with Claire and a woman in a sparkling white dress. The veil she wore was

Holly and Tristan but was giggling and very clearly flirting with a guy almost three times her

Cassidy said smoothly, tossing her blonde mane of curls over her shoulder. She sauntered over to me and looped her arm through my own, paying no attention to

to relay the details of what it was I did that night. I was still

shimmering as it caught the torchlight. She lowered her voice as the thunderous pop music melted into something soft and slow. “This is the guy I’ve been telling you about. He wanted to meet the

Lars considering she’d been more than interested in him up until the events of last night. Emilia’s warning came to mind, and rather than

in search of food, I managed to give Cassidy a quick run-down of tonight’s plan. I hadn’t been sure of how she’d react when telling her why I had to come up with a plan in the first place. She’d been Asher’s best-friend since childhood, and I wasn’t sure if pissing him off were something she’d feel comfortable doing. Turns out, Cassidy had no qualms over angering my mate. That fact made me like

ease my anger but to no avail. Here and there I let a few details slip, little things

and Cassidy ventured inside the Recreational center while I hovered near the doors and waited. A few minutes passed, turning giddiness into budding anxiety, when I began to grow impatient and decided to peek my head inside. Rather than look in the direction of the restrooms, which is where Cassidy and

and there, most of the guests had wandered outside to continue partying under the light of the moon. There were a few people perched on bleachers, paper plates on their laps piled with food, but that was it. The lack of people made it all too easy to spot his head of salt and pepper hair, which he seemed to have brushed and styled specifically for tonight. Judging