I've always loved the packs bonfire parties. The crackles of the wood, the swirls of the flames and the warmth it leaves against my skin always makes me smile. The sparks near the top look like dancing fireflies in the dark night sky, I could literally sit all night watching them.

Tonight, the pack are holding the annual bonfire and BBQ in honour of the Alpha's birthday. Unlike many events my father never allowed me to go to, the Alphas Birthday was a mandatory event that all pack members had to attend. However, my father always stuck to me like glue the entire time, so we never stayed long. Tonight though, as I'm eighteen, I'm finally free to be here as long as I wish, and I plan to actually have my first alcoholic drink!

The path from the Grad school's dorms to the bonfire party is a twenty-minute walk through the forest. I don't have a lot of girly clothes as they were never needed on the farm. However, I did sneak out a few items of my mums when I packed for grad school just in case events like this cropped up.

As the evening is hot and balmy, I've dressed in a plain black Cami top with lace trim and denim shorts that luckily are so old they've actually come back into fashion. I've arrived later than most as I couldn't decide what to wear, so most of the pups have now gone home. Usually, I'd of also been pulled away by now my dad by this time and I can see why he'd freak, everyone is drinking heavily and dancing hard to the loud music around the fire. People are making out with each other, and some are even stumbling away in to the dark treeline to do god knows what.

Taking a deep breath, I scan around to try and spot Beta Jay, feeling disappointed when I can't see him anywhere. Well, I can't just stand here! Raising my chin to muster my courage and walk over to the drinks table and look over what's on offer. I've never socialised much before let alone drank before so this is well out of my comfort zone!

Chewing on my lip, I reach down and go to grab a beer when a large hand wraps around my wrist stopping me. I look up to see prick face Theo Clark smirking at me. I try to yank my hand back, but he holds it tighter making me wince with pain, dragging me closer to him so I can smell the booze on his breath. He's drunk, everything about him disgusts me.

"Let go." I seethe.

"Don't drink that. I've got something that I think you'd like. It's back in my dorm." Clark flicks his head towards the darkened forest path, then wets his lips making me cringe. "Come on Alice. Let's have some fun together. I bet you taste so-fucking-good." He groans out as his fingertips play with my lace strap with his free hand.

"She said let go. If you don't, I'll break your fucking wrists clean off." Growls a voice from behind us.

I look back and see Beta Jay stepping out from the darkness. The flickers of the bonfire creating shadows across his face that make him look truly terrifying and dangerous. Shortly afterwards Gamma Cole appears also to stand at his side. If I thought Beta looked scary there's no doubt in my mind that the Gamma is a total barbarian in battle. The auras from both the Beta and the Gamma mix in the air making my skin prickle from the power that radiates from them both.

Looking pissed, Clark drops his hand from my wrist before he hastily darts away to a big group of rowdy wolves not sparing me another glance.

"Asshole." I mutter as I see him slump down on a log then slap the ass off a nearby she wolf who curses at him before she storms off.

"Hey, are you OK?" Beta Jay frowns at me, he picks up my wrist that's now slightly bruised and kisses it tenderly making me gasp with surprise.

"Oh...umm...yeah that guys always been a pain in the ass. Thank you, hopefully he's got the message now."

My eyes dart to Gamma Cole who's coldly looking at Clark away in the corner with his friends before his eyes flick back to mine. I give him a small smile, and for a moment I swear it looks like he wants to say something to me, before his jaw clenches up tight, he grabs up a beer and walks away without saying a word.

"Well let's forget about that 'Asshole', shall we? What would you like to drink?" Jay says, as he flicks his hair out of his eye.

"Umm, I've never actually drunk before." I whisper to him, and he starts to chuckle, his green eyes looking down at me mischievously

"Let's start you on Vodka than baby. I think that would be a good drink for you." Jay states as he starts to throw a large slosh of vodka into a plastic cup and adds a splash of lemonade on top.

"Is that not a little strong? I was thinking a beer?" I suggest looking nervously at the cup he's just handed to me.

"Come on Alice. Live a little" Jay smiles at me as he knocks his cup against mine as if we're toasting and takes a big sip of his own Vodka drink.

Not wanting to look boring, I take a sip. Jesus it's disgusting. Like sweetened nail varnish remover. I hold back a grimace and smile at him.

Is this really happening? Does Jay actually like me? The number of times I've dreamed of coming to one of these parties with him I could not even tell you, and now I'm stood here with the Beta of the pack whilst he's looking at me like he likes what he sees.

Before I can say anything else, Jay throws an arm around my shoulders and walks me over to a log away from the crowds and we sink down close together to drink our drinks.

-------------------

I reign down punch after punch until Clark stops moving. I put two fingers to his neck to check his pulse, and I'm a little disappointed to find he still has one. I deliver one more kick to his torso hearing a rib crunch, before I step over him and start to make my way back to the Bonfire.

What a piece of shit.

I unroll my shirt sleeves down, it's a hot night, but I know I've splatters of blood on my arms. I clean my hands down my jeans before I step back into the clearing where the party is still in full swing.

It's not the first time I've caught Clark acting inappropriately towards a she wolf, but tonight will be his fucking last. No one touches Alice.

I head back to the drinks table to pick up another cold beer, when the birthday boy himself comes sauntering over and slaps a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey man, you seen Jay?" Drake says, scanning over the crowds.

My eyes shoot straight to where I've been watching Alice and Jay for the last two and half hours as he's plied her with drink. I sigh with relief to see that they're still sat chatting and laughing on the log near the bonfire and not wandered off into the woods together whilst I was away.

Watching Jay tonight has made my blood fucking boil. Alice is shit faced, she's probably never even drunk before and all I've seen him do is keep topping up her glass again and again where as I know for a fact that alcohol has little to no effect on him. I got so fucked off, I put Clark into a headlock and dragged him into the forest to teach him some manners on how to treat women.

But it's no good, my wolf is still not sated.

I flick my head to where the couple are sat. "Over there." I grumble as I throw some ice water over my hands from out of the beer cooler to clear off the rest of the blood spatters.

"Come on will ya." Drake says as he walks over to them. Not even once questioning why I'm cleaning off blood, proving his trust in me as his third in command.

It's literally the last place I wanna go to, until as we approach, Alice instantly stops talking to Jay and throws me a huge sexy smile like I'm her favourite person in this whole wide damn world as her big doe eyes lock onto mine. To say Jay looks a little salty is an understatement, I pretend not to notice but inside I'm literally giving myself a high five, especially when she doesn't even glance up at the Alpha. Her fucking leader on his birthday of all days. Fuck this girl is something.

"Jay, I've got the Red River pack on the phone back in the office, apparently they're wanting to pull out of a treaty deal you've just set up. You're across all this politics bollocks. I need you in the office ASAP." Drake says firmly.

"For Fuck sake." Jay hisses, I see him pull at his hair with agitation as he looks at Alice longingly then back up to Drake. "Can this not wait man? I'm sure I can get this resolved first thing in the morning..." Starts Jay.

"No." Growls Drake. "This deal is important for my brothers pack, which means it's important to me. I don't want things going south with Lucas again. So, get your ass up to the office now Beta."

The Alpha leaves no room for negotiate. It's getting real hard not to smile at how quickly Jays' nights going down the toilet.

Jay gets to his feet and leans into Drake. "Hey, listen. Alice has gotten herself a bit wasted. I told her to slow down, but you know what Cadets are like. Do you mind if I just walk her back to her dorm first?"

"No problem, I'll take her back." I say shutting him right down. Fuck am I raging with Jay right now, he knew exactly what he was doing all night giving her those Vodkas. "You best get on up to the office Beta, these negotiations won't resolve themselves." I say to him seriously.

I see Jay's wolf eyes flash with rage, they're an unmistakable 'tell' he has when he's mad. He looks down at Alice one more time to say something to her, but she's currently looking at the bonfire through her glass tumbler like a pup looks at a kaleidoscope she's that fucked. So, Jay doesn't even bother saying goodbye and storms off into the night. Drake snickers at Alice, gives me a nod before he walks back over to enjoy his party.

Leaving me alone with Alice.