I had no idea where I was supposed to meet Alarik or where we were even going for that matter. I was out walking around the streets with Cassie telling her about what had happened. How Alarik had made me sign the contract and what would happen if I broke the agreement. 

"Then just give him his two months. I'm sure you can do that. How horrible could it be to spend time with your mate?"

I just rolled my eyes. I couldn't wait for her to come of age and discover her mate and find out that this whole thing wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. Unless she somehow managed to get a really good mate. For her sake, I hoped she did. 

"I can do two months. I mean it's not that long. I don't think."

Just then a black car pulled up, driving along side us. The back window rolled down and I saw Alarik smirking on the other side. 

"Trying to avoid me and our date, Allison?"

I mentally groaned. "No, not avoiding."

"Good, because we have a deal, remember?"

"How could I possibly forget?" I said with as much snark as I could muster. 

"Hop on in," Alarik said with a wide grin. 

I looked back at Cassie and saw her try to hide a smile. "Go on, what are you waiting for?"

Oh, I don't know, for you to save me somehow, I thought. But I just turned and got in on the other side in the back of the car and the driver sped away. 

Alarik's eyes raked over me and I suddenly felt exposed. 

"So where are we going?" I asked trying to get him to focus on anything but my body. With that heated stare it was causing me to think of all sorts of things I shouldn't. 

"You'll see when we get there."

I looked out of the heavily tinted window, barely seeing the sign as we left our borders. So we were going outside of our pack boundaries and into human civilization. I watched curiously as the woods faded away, replaced by homes and farms and then quickly turning into a city. 

We drove past tall buildings, and many businesses. All of them blurring past until we were stuck in heavy traffic. 

"You're going to want to put this on," Alarik said, handing me a medium sized box. 

I took the lid off, and pulled the tissue paper to the side looking at the top of a red dress. I pulled it out of the box. It looked like a long, form fitting dress, a really form fitting dress. There were no straps to it, I wasn't going to be able to wear my bra. Luckily the inside was padded. 

It looked simple for the most part, just some light addition of rhinestones to the bodice. The fabric was smooth to the touch, the silkiness sliding right past my fingertips.

"Why am I putting this on?" I asked. 

"Because where we're going, they expect their customers to look classy. Coming off the street won't really cut it here."

I glared at him. I knew what he meant, but he could have just said it a little nicer. 

He motioned for me to put the dress on, and I gave him a pointed look. I was so not going to change with him right there watching me. 

Alarik smirked before turning his head and closing his eyes. 

I still turned away from him, looking back to make sure he wasn't staring before I slid my shirt off. I fumbled with my bra clasp for a moment, not having the space necessary to get to it. 

"Would you like some help?" Alarik asked with a smile in his voice. 

I wanted to smack that grin right off his face. Did I want him to help me take my bra off? My body did. It ached for him to do it. 

"No, I can change myself thank you. Now turn away." I said, glaring at him. 

I heard a quiet chuckle as he turned his head away again and I finally got the bra unhooked. I slid the dress over, waiting until it was in place before I slid my jeans off. 

Of course, I thought to myself. Why wouldn't he pick a dress that had a slit all the way up the thigh? 

I threw my clothes into a pile at my feet. Well, I was in a dress, but the boots I had so did not go with it at all. 

As if reading my mind, Alarik handed me another box, when I opened it, I found a pair of strapped black high heels, with heels so sharp they could poke someone's eye out. I swallowed as I looked down at them. I was really no good at walking in heels, I'd barely managed with the ones Cassie had made me wear. I was so going to trip and fall on my face. 

"That's alright, I'll just wear these," I said nervously. 

"Nonsense, I got these to go with the dress."

I slumped in my seat slightly defeated and put heels on. They felt like death on my feet. The car stopped and Alarik got out, walking around to my side and opening the door with his hand outstretched. 

I hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, sparks flying as he helped me out of the car. When I was standing, I adjusted my dress now that I wasn't sitting in a small space. I rolled my eyes as I saw how truly high that slit went in the dress. 

He held his arm out and led me across the street and into a fancy restaurant. He was right, as soon as I stepped in I was glad he had provided me with a change of clothes. Large crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and the elegant black and white walls made the room seem vast. Men were in tuxes and women in fancy dresses, all dining at very elegantly set up tables. The wait staff was just as nice as the customers. 

 "Two for Trenton," Alarik said giving the hostess a dashing grin. I felt slightly jealous that he was giving her one of those smiles. 

The woman smiled and blushed before leading us into the dining area, showing us to a table in the back corner. We were out of ear shot of any of the humans. 

"Your server will be right with you," she said lingering a moment longer than necessary. 

"You look absolutely stunning in that dress," Alarik said, his voice low. 

It sent shivers through me. 

"Thank you." I had no idea what else to say to him. He had been uncharacteristically charming since his black carriage had strolled up. "Why are we here?" I asked.

"So we can have some time together. I figured the best way to get to know each other would be to spend some time together."

"But I already know you," I said looking down at the table.

"Correction, you know the old me."

"And what makes you right now different from the old you?" I took a sip of water.

"I've changed. I don't do those things anymore."

"What don't you do anymore? Sleep around with girls, or ruin people's lives?" I snapped at him.

"Both," he whispered.

I knew why he had taken me to a fancy place like this now. He thought I wouldn't make a scene. He was mostly right, but I had never been anywhere near wherever we were, and I really had no problems with being kicked out.

"How do I know this?"

"I guess you're just going to have to take my word for it," he said with a slight smirk.

"You don't really hate me as much as you claim to," he said changing the subject all of a sudden.

My eyes widened, had he caught my glimpses of him? had he actually been able to read my mind? Was it a power that the Alphas had?

Of course they don't you fool, no werewolf has the ability to read minds. 

"What makes you say that?"

"I can feel your body reacting to me, Allison."

"My body and my mind are not the same thing, Alarik." I said raising a brow and taking a sip of water.

"They may not be, but they do work together at times, I know your wolf is attracted to me. So I have your body and your wolf, I just need to capture your mind as well. You're already two thirds mine."

I wanted to smack that cocky smile right off his face. This was part of the problem. He was in line to be Alpha and he didn't take no for answer. But I wasn't even close to being submissive. He needed someone who was, and I was definitely not that girl. We would constantly butt heads, hell we did that now.

There was no way this could possibly work.

"Now what can I do to capture that pretty little mind of yours?"

"Nothing," I said bluntly.

Alarik had pre-ordered our food, and somehow he had known my favorite, parmesan chicken with pasta and red sauce. Our conversation had halted momentarily until the server had delivered the food and left after making sure everything was to our satisfaction. 

"Oh now we both know that isn't true, Allison. People can always be won over." Alarik said, resuming the conversation.

"Do you have any idea what you've done Alarik? We were friends, but you turned your back on me, on everyone but the elite. You thought you were better because you were lucky enough to be born into the Alpha household. They call you the Clean Up because you sweep up all the dirty messes left behind by your father. Gods know what you actually do, but I've heard nothing but horror stories about it. You used your name, your position to get into the bed of half the female population at school. None of that impresses me, in fact most of it disgusts me. Why would I ever want that?"

Alarik seemed unphased by my words, as if he had expected them and hadn't seemed offended in the least. 

"I'm sorry, but it's going to take a lot more than a fancy dinner and some smooth words to prove that you're a different man."

I let my words hang in the air, sitting back signaling that I was both done with my food and the conversation. 

*****************

Well, he did seem a little different here, slightly more elegant. But apparently Allison isn't buying it. What do you all think?

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