JARED'S POV

"Nice one, Gia," I grumbled, shaking my head as I wheeled myself into the living room of Clara and Dylan's house, not having seen Gia since yesterday, her having quickly dropped Sophia back home and then gone out, now having a part time job.

"Not only have you invited Anna to a party that doesn't exist, but you forgot that she's not even allowed on the pack grounds. It's too dangerous."

Gia scowled at me, placing her hand on her hip as she tutted. "Do you really think I'm that stupid, Jared? There is a party happening, and I rented a place in the human village."

I ogled the keys Gia was holding up, raising my brows at her, shaking my head with a smile. "Okay, fine, who have you invited?"

"Clara is coming, but Dylan is staying here to babysit the kids," Gia said, counting on her fingers. "Dean is coming, so is Ethan. Matthew will be there, and a few others, so nothing too crazy."

I nodded, happy with the amount of people coming. Anna had explicitly told us she wasn't a party person, and Gia has assured her that it was only going to be a small gathering, although, I was unsure on what Gia meant by 'small'.

She was a bit of a party animal, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a hundred people turn up at the house she had rented for the night.

"You have to wear a nice shirt," Clara pitched in, making me chuckle, rolling my eyes.

"Don't worry, I've already ironed it," I reassured her, laughing as Sophia made her way over to us, makeup smeared all over her face, bright red lipstick coating her tanned skin, some splotched down her neck and staining the collar of her purple dress.

"Well, don't you look fabulous?" Gia snickered, attempting to wipe some of it off using her fingers. "Did you get into your Mother's makeup drawer again?"

"Can I come to the party?" Sophia begged, giving Gia her best puppy dog eyes, jutting out her bottom lip, making me roll my eyes and laugh out loud.

"This is a grown up party, Sophia," I told her, shaking my head. "No babies allowed."

"I am not a baby!" She whined, stomping off dramatically, calling out for her Father.

I couldn't believe how much personality she had for such a small and young girl, acting just like Clara had when she was a child, except Sophia was much more boisterous and opinionated.

"Right," Gia said, brushing off her knees and grabbing her rucksack that was sat next to her on the couch. "We need to head off and get the place all prepared. I dropped off a load of party decorations earlier."

"Sounds good," I said, holding up my finger to her and wheeling myself into my temporary bedroom, grabbing my duffel bag and slinging it over my shoulder, following Gia out of the house, waving a quick goodbye to the kids, telling Clara I would see her later on.

Gia and I both rushed along the grass, following the path towards the large iron gates, my mind filled with thoughts of my mate.

It was tough being away from her, especially when she didn't know what she meant to me. In her mind, she most likely just thought she had a little crush on some random guy, and I probably came across a little eager, but, I didn't mind.

She would find out what we were to each other eventually, and none of it would matter. I was just hoping she would take it well when she did find out what I was. I knew it was going to be tricky for her to adjust. 

I had text her about the party, but to my disappointment, she hadn't replied. I was unaware if she was actually going to show up, but I didn't want to bombard her with messages and scare her off, so I decided to leave it for a little while until tonight. She was probably busy and would get back to me when she could.

I followed Gia down the sidewalk, stretching my neck as I did so, cringing as pain made its way though my muscles.

I had slept terribly last night, my whole body aching from the training classes I had been partaking in with Dylan and Dean, them dedicating their time to giving one-to-one sessions of boxing, something I had got quite good at recently.

I had also spent most of the night thinking about Anna, wondering what she was doing and hoping she had got home okay from work.

I wanted to text her to ask, but I restrained myself.

"Where exactly is the house you've rented?" I called after Gia, noticing how she smirked at me, again, jingling the keys, leaving me to race after her.

She was clearly pretty excited.

I understood why. We hadn't had a party in a while, and Gia being a party animal, she was clearly deprived.

"Here it is!" exclaimed Gia as she led me down a large white gravel path, and my jaw dropped as I stared at the large modern looking home in front of me, the premises surrounded by a thick black fence, warding off trespassers and unwanted visitors.

Gia punched in the code to the gate, smiling at me as it quickly opened, and I wheeled myself in, thankful that there weren't any stairs, but a driveway leading right up to the door, giving me full access.

Gia used the keys to open the door, holding it open for me as I made my way inside, gaping up at the high tapestry style ceiling, it pained a bright white colour, looking freshly done.

The floor was boarded with dark wood, that was obviously coated with some kind of vanish or gloss, giving it an almost wet-look. Wide stairs led up to the second floor to the right, and I craned my neck to try and gaze up them, but they curved around too much, looking as if they led all the way up to heaven.

The foyer was regal looking, and although the area was big enough for more than a few guests, I realised that this wasn't where the party was going to be hosted, no decorations in sight.

I made my way into the kitchen, bunting having been stuck around the entirety of the room, the long wooden table having been covered with a white cloth, woven baskets ready for chips and snacks placed on it.

There were two fridges, both of them taller than an average standing person, and a stove that looked as if you needed a degree to work out how to use it, the metal covered in futuristic looking buttons and screens.

"Jesus Christ Gia," I stuttered, chuckling. "Do I even want to know how much this place cost to rent for just one night?"

"Nope," she replied, popping the 'p' at the end, setting down the keys on the marble countertops, beginning to pull out an array of plated cold party food from one of the fridges, setting it out on the table.

"Can you please send me the name of the address and I'll forward it to Anna?"

"Is she still coming?" Gia asked me, fiddling around on her phone and I shrugged, sighing.

I had found myself consistently glancing at my own phone, checking it far too often, wishing for a reply from my mate.

It had been many hours, and the evening was soon approaching, a part of me thinking that Anna had decided not to come, and didn't want to tell me after she had agreed at the school.

"She said she would," Gia responded, offering me a smile. "If you send the address, I'm sure she'll show up."

"I hope so," I said, quickly forwarding the address of the house to Anna, hoping she wouldn't see it as too keen. I wanted her to have the option to come if she felt up for it, but, looking at the size of the house, I had a feeling more than a few people would be showing up.

I knew that Anna would probably feel a little uncomfortable, so I gathered her visit would be short, but I was hoping she would feel more at ease with me there.

Gia and I spent the next two hours decorating the place subtly, as well as digging out the alcohol Gia had dropped off and arranging it on the table.

Gia was currently heating up the party food, and I had just pulled on my freshly ironed shirt, checking myself out in the mirror and scowling. I rubbed at my jawline, unsure whether my stubble actually suited me or not.

I wasn't used to it, but everyone had told me that they preferred the way I looked with it.

Gia had scrubbed up well too, having changed into a pair of jeans and a brown criss cross top, pulling her now short blonde hair into a slick bun, applying a little extra makeup, attempting to quiz me on the name of each item.

I obviously failed miserably.

"Ethan!" I heard Gia yell, and she flung the front door open as I rounded the corner, seeing him and Clara step into the house, both of them clutching bottles of alcohol and snacks to their chests.

Gia and Ethan had grown pretty close over the past few years, having even gone on a few dates, although not much came of it.

They remained close friends, although I had heard through the grapevine that they had been casually sleeping together, something I didn't want to ask about. It wasn't any of my business.

"Hey, how's it going, man?" Ethan asked me as he bent down and brought me in for a hug, Gia making her way into the kitchen and switching on some music, the sound causing my ears to ring as I sighed. Disappointment filled me as the doorbell rung again, and Clara opened it to reveal a couple of people I had never met before, none of them Anna.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I glanced at the empty screen, bringing up the messages I had sent to Anna, all of them unread, causing me to purse my lips.

I didn't want her to feel as if she had to come, so I refused to send her another message to ask.

I wheeled myself into the kitchen, raising my brows as a shot was thrust into my hands, Ethan raising his brows at me as he swallowed the one he was holding in his other hand, and I laughed, following suit.

The liquid tasted foul, and I took a glance at the bottle it had come from to see it was a particularly strong alcohol, causing me to furrow my brows.

I wanted to remain pretty sober tonight, needing to stay in control of myself in case Anna decided to show up. I didn't want to come across as a drunk mess.

"Another one?" Cheered Gia, and I shook my head, holding my hands up defensively.

"Not for me, thanks," I said, chuckling, wheeling over to the table and helping myself to a handful of sausage rolls and mini pizzas, chomping on them greedily as I watched more people enter the kitchen, having just arrived, the majority of them already a little tipsy.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed, and I yanked it out of my pocket, glancing at the screen, a smile making its way up onto my face.

Thank you. I'll be there- Anna

•••

Do parties ever go well?

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