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“We’re just looking after her,” says Hudson, stepping toward us. “She’s from our hometown. We can be a little overprotective at times.”
“If that’s what you want to call it.” Kurt turns on his heel and disappears back into the house.
Hudson shoves my shoulder, almost sending me back into the chair behind me. I’m done with his shit. I lift my fist quickly, but Jaxon grabs me from behind.
“Let’s not do this here, gentlemen,” says Hudson. “We’ll wait until we’re back at the dorm. Or better yet, at the gym. We have to think of the long plan. And Charlotte Howland is only a step on the way. Agreed?”
Jaxon releases me, and I shrug it off as if it didn’t matter. He looks at Hudson and then me. I get the hint. I hold out my hand, and Hudson shakes it. No tight grip or aggressive squeezing. We let it go and sit back down, leaving a couple of chairs between us.
“I think we have a truce on,” says Hudson. “He probably thought Charlotte was easy, but he’ll back off now. Just don’t blow our chances of getting in, Ash.”
“I’ll only be blowing my chance,” I reply.
Jaxon shakes his head. “They see us together all the time, and now we’re linked as friends; whether or not that’s true, only we know for sure. Look, I’m cool with the two of you. I’m learning to trust you both. But would we be friends if we hadn’t been thrown together? I don’t know. But we’ll make the best of it.”
I toss my empty wrapper in the trash. “Let’s head over to the gym, so I can give my bestie an ass-whooping.”
Hudson laughs and wraps his arm over my shoulder as we step off the porch. “That’s the way, my future brother. Find another place to get rid of that frustration.”
Chapter 25
Asher
The blow-up on the porch had no consequences as far as pledging, and that’s apparent when we’re invited to Alpha for the pre-game for the Halloween mixer. Jaxon is pumped up and points out that it’s a big deal to be invited when we aren’t even brothers. Hudson smiles and shoots me a look because we know what we’re both thinking. We have something that Alpha wants, but the only thing I can think of is Charlotte.
That makes no sense. There are plenty of women running around Ivymore. But then, it also makes a lot of sense. I’d be working at an auto shop if I hadn’t decided to follow Charlotte Howland to Ivymore. I want her badly enough to make a life choice based on her. The first smile she gave me hooked my curiosity. It was open and friendly. Was this girl real? It was as if she didn’t want anything but to make friends. I was too jaded back then to believe anyone could be like Charlotte. So when Kurt asked if she was damaged, I felt a pang of guilt jab me in the gut. If she’s damaged, I’m the one to blame.
We skip the Uber and walk toward High Street through the town. It’s an attempt to save money for beer, which we pick up on the way. Alpha has plenty, but we don’t want to show up looking like choosy beggars at a feast. And we also want to talk about our game plan. Whatever that might be.
“They’ll probably ask you to DJ, Ash,” Jaxon says. “So that means Hudson and I will circulate through the party. It’s time to take pledging Alpha seriously and start making friends with the other brothers. We can’t act as if we’re already in.”
“Are other non-brothers attending?” I ask.
Hudson replies, “I asked around, and there are others. So that’s another indication that it’s not a done deal. I also found out that they eliminate the undesirables early on. They basically make it known to someone that they’re wasting everyone’s time, and then the brothers focus on the prospects. So, anyone at the party is definitely on their shortlist.”
I ball my hands in my pockets, thinking of a way to phrase this. “So, sexing Charlotte doesn’t mean we’re in.”
There’s silence as they think about what I just said. The only sound we make is our feet crushing the dry leaves on the sidewalk.
“Is Charlotte still the prize?” Hudson finally asks. “Even if hooking up with her might not guarantee a space in Alpha. Are we still going to play that bet?”
Jaxon holds his bare hands up to his mouth and blows on them. “I’m still in. She is a prize for a lot of reasons I probably don’t have to state. Every girl in that dorm has hooked up at least once except her and a few die-hard virgins. I think I’ll need a girlfriend when I become an Alpha, and Charlotte’s pretty face has already made an impression on the brothers.”
“What about you, Ash?” asks Hudson.
“I’m in. I won’t ever be out,” I reply.
Jaxon replies quickly. “Good, because I have no intention of losing this wager. Not when the prize is so sweet.”
Hudson gives me a side-eye, but I keep my emotions hidden under tight lips. Going to the gym has become a daily thing. It works out a lot of fucked-up aggression, but it’s also adding to others, I soon realize, sparring off with Hudson on the mats. We’re friends on the surface, but underneath we’re competing for everything.
They may have me beat at academics, but I have him beat in other ways that drive him crazy. Not long ago, Hudson saw me at the library with Charlotte, studying for our bio class. He sat a few tables away as if he hadn’t noticed, but his eyes were on us the whole time. I wanted to mess with him, so I placed my arm on the back of her chair. Charlotte gave me a look but let me keep it there.
“No, I’m in, and I will win,” I state my resolve with emphasis. Steam blasts from my mouth like a freight train racing down the rails.
“Sure, you will,” laughs Jaxon. “You have the charm of a troll under a bridge, but your friendly nature will win her over.”
Hudson quickly changes the subject. “So, what happens when she finally sleeps with one of us? Will you guys give up trying?”
