Chapter 54
Chapter 34: Sutton
Tarrah showed up at our apartment early the next morning after leaving late the night before. Lucas had been called away not long after we arrived to deal with pack business. He had warned me that would likely happen and he would finish as soon as possible. But I guess our time away had gotten him farther behind with things than he had admitted because he was right back to it first thing in the morning. He didn’t seem too excited about it either.
Tarrah, on the other hand, seemed very excited to have me to herself for the day. I didn’t want to tell Lucas, but I was rather happy about it as well. It would be casier to move around and get to know the place with Tarrah than with Lucas. There would be less scrutiny.
That assumption had turned out to be correct for the most part. I didn’t get the stares I had walking through the packhouse the day before. There was still plenty of curiosity as I was meeting people though. Once Tarrah told them I just moved, everyone quickly followed up with the question about me being the woman Alpha Lucas brought with him. Luckily, we didn’t meet too many people, and we were able to keep most of the details vague. It was one thing for Lucas to tell people we were mates, but I still didn’t feel comfortable breaking that news to strangers. Not when I was so uncertain of the response it would get.
Overall, it felt like a successful day. That was in no small thanks to Tarrah’s skill at carrying the conversation. Regardless, by the time we returned to the apartment to get ready for the get–together that evening, I was feeling far more comfortable with the prospect. Looking forward to it, in fact. Spending the day with Tarrah reminded me how much I wanted to make more friends. She couldn’t stay in Thorncrest forever and I would need someone close by to help me settle in. This would be my chance to find that.
“You look perfect.” Tarrah exclaimed as I exited the bathroom in the new outfit she helped me pick out.
“So do you,” I commented. She looked beautiful in an electric blue cocktail dress that was accentuated by her dark skin tone.
“Why, thank you,” she said with a smile. She checked her watch as she finished her glass of wine. “Now that we’re going to be fashionably late, we should get going.”
“Late? I thought you said it didn’t start until seven?” I said a little panicked. “What about Lucas? He’s not home yet.”
“I said we didn’t have to be there until seven,” Tarrah replied, hooking her arm in mine. “I told everyone else, six thirty. As the guests of honor, no one is expecting us to be on time.”
“Okay…” I said nervously. “If you’re sure.”
“Of course I am.” She handed me my phone. “Now, call Lucas and see where he’s at.”
I was about to dial his number when I saw the missed call from him. It must have come in when Tarrah was doing my hair. There was also a text message saying he was stuck at work for a while longer. He said to go ahead to the restaurant without him but that he promised he would be there.
“Well, it looks like we won’t be the only ones fashionably late,” I told Tarrah, holding up the phone for her to see the message.
“Hey, that’s no big deal,” she said. “You’ve more than proven you can handle this on your own.”
“I’m not on my own,” I pointed out. “I’ve got you.”
Tarrah pushed the elevator button with a huge smile. “That you do, love.”
Tarrah drove us to the restaurant which turned out to be a pretty swanky joint. I was glad I let her pick out my outfit because if it were left to me, I would have ended up very underdressed. Thankfully, I felt far from it in the black, collared romper that she had picked for me.
She led me to the back of the restaurant to a set of stairs that led to the private room. The walls were dark chestnut wood with a bar at one end next to a set of doors that led out to a balcony. Tarrah announced her entrance as we walked in and a group of eight women turned at once. There were smiles and excited squeals and many embraces. When they were done, Tarrah turned back to me.
“Ladies, this is Sutton,” she introduced. “The wonderful new addition I told you about.”
–
well, Tarrah
We went through the individual introductions and I tried to remember everyone’s names. We kept getting caught in conversations kept getting caught in conversations- so it took us a little while to get through everyone. When we came to the last two, Tarrah seemed to balk for a second but quickly hid her response.
“Anya,” she said brightly giving one blonde woman a big hug. “You brought your cousin. Seraphina, it’s a pleasant surprise seeing you here tonight.”
I don’t think any of us believed her and I started to wonder what kind of situation I was witnessing. I could tell there was instant tension and that her unexpected presence here was part of the cause. It was clear there was some kind of history involved but I wasn’t expecting to find out what that was so quickly. Nor was I expecting that history to hit me right in the gut.
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Chapter 54
“A surprise I’m sure,” Seraphina replied with a tight grin. “A pleasure.. not so much.” She turned to me. “Forgive our rudeness, Sutton Tarrah, here, is just nervous because you must be Alpha Lucas‘ new friend and I am his ex
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