Chapter 9

I felt pretty out of place here. It wasn’t until Oliver called my name that I snapped out of it and turned to look at him, dazed. "Uh, yeah, okay." Nervously, I hooked my arm through his and followed him into the house. Oliver seemed to have a thing for black, white, and gray. The whole place had a minimalist vibe. It was eerily quiet, almost like no one lived here—so not what I imagined his place would be like. I sat down carefully on the couch, my eyes scanning the room, taking in every little detail. Oliver walked into the kitchen and quickly came back with two bottles of grape soda. My favorite kind! I'd been drinking it since I was a kid! I stared at him, kinda stunned. He handed me one. "This is all we’ve got right now," he said. He gave me a look, paused for a second, then furrowed his brows. "Is this okay? Or should I get you something else?" The bottle was straight from the fridge, still dripping with cold beads of water as he held it out. I quickly shook my head. "No, this is perfect." He gave a small nod, serious for a moment, then just gently shoved the bottle into my hands. The icy bottle sent a chill through my skin, and I quietly sat back down. "Is there anything else?" I asked, keeping my voice low. "Nope," Oliver answered. "Ella, I’m heading upstairs to change. Feel free to look around." He grabbed the other soda and started walking up the stairs, his pace easy and relaxed. Halfway up, he turned his head and said, "Logan’s bringing over a bunch of dresses. He’ll be here soon. Once you’ve picked one, bring it upstairs to change. I can’t wait to see your look, darling." He gave me a playful wink and turned away. I took a sip of the soda—the chilly sweetness slid over my tongue—and nodded slowly. Once Oliver got changed, we were supposed to head over to the Gru Pack to collect my things. My dress from last night was super wrinkled. It wasn’t dirty or anything, just not right for the ceremony. Looking down at the crumpled white gown, I couldn’t stop the flood of memories from crashing over me... Jackson’s mocking smile kept replaying in my head. I’d sat alone, drowning in champagne, glass after glass. And when the alcohol finally gave me some fake courage... I swore I’d get back at him. Get with some random Alpha to make Jackson eat his words. So I went and did something dumb. Real dumb. I could barely walk straight. Oliver had been standing right in front of me, about to catch me before I totally collapsed. Then I threw myself at him, clung onto him like he was my last lifeline, and practically tore his clothes open in a frenzy. I drunkenly kissed his chest, dragging his hand to undo my dress, begging him to touch me, to hold me. Stop. Just stop. I slapped my cheeks and frowned, annoyed with myself. I looked at my soda—surprised to see it was already gone. Sweet soda really is better... at least it won’t drive me crazy. As I stood up to toss the empty bottle, my phone suddenly blared with a sharp ringtone. I picked it up and glanced at the name: John. John, Jackson’s right-hand man. He never called me first. Ever.Jackson had always been distant with me, so of course John walked around like he was above everyone too. Sure, I used to like Jackson, but I’m way too proud to bow down to anyone else for that. Annoyed, I tossed the soda bottle aside and hit decline without hesitation. I had zero patience for John—he was just a Beta from the Claw Pack, nothing to do with me. When Oliver and I left the hotel this morning, I’d already texted Jackson. Told him I wasn’t coming back to the Claw Pack. That being the case, I had no reason to answer his calls. As I walked over to the trash bin and opened it, I froze. It was crammed full of grape soda bottles. Yep, only grape soda, neatly stacked like they’d been arranged on purpose. How the heck did Oliver know I liked this flavor? Weird. Couldn’t help it—I started laughing. I wasn’t laughing long before I heard something behind me. Startled, I spun around to see Oliver leaning casually on the staircase railing. Who knows how long he’d been standing there, watching me with that teasing look. “Ella, are you secretly a fan of trash bins now?” he joked. “Oh, no, not at all,” I mumbled awkwardly. “Did you already get changed?” That was a dumb question—obviously he had. He looked completely different in a sharp black suit, way more formal than the tux from last night. The fit was perfect, showing off that killer physique—like, runway-model perfect. And don’t get me started on the scent—light florals layered with this cold crisp note. Just... wow. He walked over, took the bottle from my hand, and tossed it into the bin. With a soft smile, he said, “I was just coming down when your phone started ringing.” Then he stepped closer, that confident energy of his oozing off him. I backed up, suddenly tense. Without warning, he tilted up my chin and kissed me hard. My whole body jolted like someone hit a switch, legs going weak. Embarrassed, I gently pushed him away before I completely melted. I fumbled to put away my phone, took a breath and explained, “That call? Just some random number. I didn’t recognize it, so I hung up.” Oliver raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. “Is that so? But you don’t need to explain—it’s your business.” Biting my lip, I went quiet. I was about to ask when we were leaving when I heard footsteps behind us. Turning around, I saw a few unfamiliar staff walk in, arms full of clothes. They rolled over a clothing rack stocked with all the latest designer stuff—dresses, shoes, accessories. “See anything you like? Feel free to pick whatever you want. They’re all new arrivals,” Oliver said, now standing casually behind me. I didn’t know whether to look at him or the ridiculously gorgeous clothes. Then someone said politely, “Miss Miller, I’m Logan Davis, Beta of the Claw Pack and a loyal follower of Alpha Oliver.” Logan continued, “There’s a stylist and hairdresser waiting outside. Should I bring them in if you need them?” I was totally caught off guard, hands stiff like I didn’t know where to put them. To be treated with such respect by a strong werewolf... it felt kind of surreal. All of this, clearly for me—Oliver even got someone from the Claw Pack to help, just to make me comfortable.I was a little scared, but still managed a small nod and said with a shaky voice, "Okay, Mr. Davis."