The Possessive Alpha
Chapter 43

DAMON POV

Standing in my bedroom window, I watch Elle load her bags into her jeep with the others already piled within. My mother and father are off to the side, talking to Jonah and his men, Eli, Brad, and another warrior whose name I don’t know.

Elle and her friends are standing off to the side, talking and chatting, when I notice Theo glancing at Jonah warily like there is distrust there; why haven’t I noticed that before? Hmmm. I’ll have to talk to him when I meet them in the city.

Theo has slowly become a friend in the last few days, and my trust for him is growing the more I realize he has the same interests. I have also noticed the close bond he and Andrew are forming. Matt is starting to feel left out, but maybe it’s a beta thing.

Opening the mindlink, I send Theo a message, ‘Look after Elle. I don’t trust Jonah,’ I tell him through the link feeling no need to make it a command; Theo would look after her with his life. ‘With my life, Alpha,’ was his response, as I expected.

‘I should arrive in the city a half hour after you do,’ I tell him, ‘I managed to get tickets to the play in the shittiest section possible, but we are there if anything happens.’ I inform him of the plan even though we have already been over it fifteen times.

‘Understood, Alpha,’ he responds, but I cut the link as I watch him get into the jeep with the rest of Elle’s male friends. Slade and I are grateful that she is riding with the other females. I wait until I can no longer see them before hurrying around the room to throw different items in my suitcase for the weekend.

‘Ready to go?’ Andrew asks in my mind, ‘Theo told me they were leaving the territory.’ Of course, he did. If Andrew was gay, I’d swear those two are mates for as much as they’ve been talking recently. While Andrew is old enough, I think Theo still has a few months. But Andrew isn’t gay, and I don’t think Theo is either.

‘Yes, meet me in the driveway,’ I reply, throwing the last of my items into the bag, and zipping it shut before exiting to meet Matt and Andrew in the driveway, hoping I can exit before being seen by either of my parents. Especially mom. She can always see right through my bullshit.

I make it downstairs and have my hand on the doorknob about to exit to my freedom when I hear a velvety voice from behind, “where are you going?” s**t. Mom.

ELLE POV

I didn’t realize it at first because we were in different cars in the city, but now that we are at dinner, I notice how weird Jonah is acting. He seems anxious, like he has somewhere more important to be. Even his cousins notice it because they keep looking at each other.

None of us say anything; we continue eating dinner in relative silence until the Beta from Diamond Claw speaks up, breaking the awkward silence that seemed to overcome the entire dinner table. “Have you seen the show before?” Eli asks before taking a bite of his steak and mashed potatoes.

“No, it’s impossible to get tickets,” I say to him after I wipe my mouth, careful not to mess up the makeup the girls and I put on earlier. “I am very grateful to Alpha Jonah for getting my friends and me box seats. It was very kind of him,” I say, sending Jonah a smile, but he nods, looking at his watch for the tenth time in the last five minutes.

“Yes, my Alpha is very kind,” Eli says, shooting a glare at his Alpha as if in a silent warning to behave himself. Poor beta’s always playing babysitter to a temperamental Alpha. How Andrew deals with Damon’s mood swings is beyond me.

“Do you enjoy Lin Manuel Miranda’s other work?” I ask Eli, trying to converse politely with him, but honestly, I want this dinner to end as quickly as Jonah. “To be honest, I had never heard of him until Alpha Jonah told me about the tickets. Musicals aren’t my thing, but I googled the show and read the reviews, which piqued my interest,” Eli replied, buttering his roll and shoving it in his mouth.

Of course, he doesn’t; I shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I can use their obvious lack of interest to my advantage. “You gentlemen don’t need to sit with me throughout the show,” I say, taking a large bite of mashers while giving them my most innocent look. My words got Jonah’s attention for the first time since sitting down.

“What do you mean?” He asks, sitting at the edge of his seat, leaning towards me, eager to hear the next thing that comes out of my mouth. “Well, I know most gentlemen don’t want to sit through this musical. You can always sit at the bar on the same level as our

box seats.”

“Really?” Jonah asks, the excitement practically dripping from his mouth like drool confusing me as to why he brought me here this weekend. “Because that would be great. We won’t be far from you in case anything.” Alpha Jonah continues eating, completely oblivious to the stares of shock he is receiving from those around the table.

“Alpha?” Eli asks, the skepticism thick in his voice. I can tell he disagrees with his Alpha, but I doubt he will go against his Alpha’s wishes. “Are you sure that’s a wise idea?”

“Of course, it was Elle’s idea, and it’s her birthday,” he continues shoveling food into his face, not taking a break between bites like he is trying to get a world record in being the fastest eater known to man. “Plus, I am positive Elle, and my cousins can handle themselves until we can reach them. Isn’t the right girls?” he questions his cousins, who look conflicted on how to answer.

While he is their cousin, he is not their Alpha, and I can tell how conflicted they are between letting him go and making him stay as the Alpha and Luna of New Moon intended. My loyal friend Theo, who knows me well enough to know what I am doing, chimes into the conversation.

“Don’t worry, Alpha Jonah. I will stay back with the ladies as well,” He says, looking at the Alpha, who has checked out of this conversation as soon as he found out he could skip the play.

“Well, I am glad that we reached a compromise,” Jonah says, settling into his chair with a smile as he watches the rest of the party finish their meals. This is turning out to be the strangest birthday weekend, and we have barely made it through the first night.