The Rise-Book II

Chapter 15: Party Time Part 1

"Are you ready for tonight?"

Ethan inhaled deeply and exhale out the tension from the unknown waters we were about to find ourselves in.

He pulled me against his bare chest; his torso painted onto my back while he drew little swirly lines on my belly. "Are you?"

I turned to look at him. We had spent most of the night making up. I had to go to the pack house and spend the morning setting everything up for tonight with Lyanna.

Which was absurd.

Miranda came down twice and told us to move a few things before disappearing, leaving Lyanna and I to do it all on our own.

But we got it done a little after lunch, in time for me to devour a plate of pasta that Derek had made for us before he left, before Ethan decided to kidnap me for the rest of the afternoon and devour me. Apparently, we were still 'making up.'

The afternoon was dwindling away, rays dancing over his skin littered with scars and blemishes from his training.

I nodded. "We just need to get in then get out of your dad's office."

He kissed my shoulder. "We'll be fine. We can make it through tonight."

I sighed and nodded. "I hope so." 

"We just have to keep our heads down and sneak into my dad's office when everyone is drunk, we can do that Sunshine."

"Ok," I breathed out, letting my nerves that were building at the thought of tonight go with the exhale of my breath. "Are the other's coming over?"

"Mhmm," he murmured against my skin, his nose was trailing the line of my shoulder up towards my neck.

"We should get up then," I thought out loud. A rumble vibrated through me, causing me to shiver a little. "Ethan..."

"Fine, have it your way," Ethan whined. I rolled my eyes and moved to scoot out of bed when a strong arm pulled me back and pinned me down to the soft mattress. "Kidding," he whispered against my neck before he kissed it.

"I thought you said I could have it my way?" I teased while he nipped at my earlobe, his hands reaching under me to playfully squeeze my ass.

"You can have it multiple ways," he replied with a coy smile. "But they have to be in this bed."

Lifting up to kiss him, I let him distract me–us, for a while longer until finally I convinced Ethan that we really did need to get up. We had to get up and get going, we had that damn party tonight, and I was hellbent on getting into Chris' office.

"Well, nice to see you up little sister," Evan said with a knowing smile as I trotted down the stairs. My hair was still wet and dripping onto the back of my shirt and slightly onto the sweatpants I had stolen from Ethan.

"Hey Ev," I replied before kissing his cheek.

"Char, want some coffee?" Elliot asked.

"That would be great," I said before rubbing my cheek against Lyanna's. She hugged me tight and let out a shaky breath. "You ok?"

"I don't know Char," she sighed out.

I searched her eyes and hugged her to me. "What's wrong Lyanna?"

"She doesn't recognize Thomas as her alpha, I don't know if she'll let me make the pack bond," she whispered to me.

Shit.

I didn't think of that. I blinked hard and tugged at Ethan from our bond. He needed to come down here and help me figure this out.

"Do you think it's just you?"