Page 80 of Red

Do I have friends now? Sort of?

“Never have I ever got drunk.” Hudry smiles, waiting for everyone to drink.

Nikki sweeps back into the room and takes a seat on the chair, not making any comment. Lirea nudges her leg, but she doesn’t react. Maybe Stark is in a bad mood. Lirea gets up and refills her glass, bringing one back for Nikki.

“You next, Aloka,” Jocko says beside me.

“Never have I ever slept with a mate.”

Kiya and Mitus squeeze each other’s hands and take a drink. Nikki swirls her glass, and Lirea tilts her head, giving her a your-turn look.

“I’m not officially mated.” Nikki waves her bare arms in the air.

“Who would she have slept with?” Jocko asks. The alcohol is already hitting him if he can’t even remember who his Alpha is with. I wasn’t kidding when I said werewolves don’t drink often.

Nikki doesn’t answer.

“Stark, duh.” Lirea smiles at her.

“Stark hasn’t slept with another werewolf,” Mitus answers. He isn’t one to talk much, so his soft voice always shocks me.

“Sorry, but your buddy lied,” says Lirea.

“Maybe it’s your friend who’s lying. Stark would only sleep with a werewolf he’s mated with.”

“They practically are.” Lirea is out of her seat now, but Nikki sinks back into hers. “Tell them you did. No one will judge.”

Nikki looks around the room, then back at the glass in her hands. “I might have stretched it a bit. It wasn’t like actual sex.”

What the fuck? My head spins—so they haven’t slept together. Not that it should matter, but my stomach flutters.

“Wow, I didn’t see that coming. Today is full of surprises.” Lirea shakes her head on the way to the kitchen.

Jocko, not interested in the conversation, turns to me. “I thought you would’ve used turning into a wolf as one.” Lirea sits back down with her new drink and leans over to Nikki. I wonder what she’s saying. “Aloka.” He stretches out my name. Right.

“That’s too easy,” I say. It’d also be a lie.

We go around the room until everyone’s drinks are empty. I fill another while Nikki heads down the hallway to bed. Kiya takes Hudry to bed before he gets into trouble, and her mate follows. Lirea moves over and sits with us on the couch, her long legs draped over Jocko’s.

“We should do this more often.” Her smile lights up her eyes.

“I think we should dance,” I say, getting up.

“There’s no music, and we can’t wake everyone up.”

But I reach into my pocket and pull my phone out, quickly clicking a well-known song and tossing it onto the table. I spin in the space between the couches and the fireplace.

Jocko laughs from his seat. “I didn’t know you were like this. Someone should grab Stark.”

“Why?” Lirea asks, getting up to join me.

I throw my hands in the air and dance away. I might’ve been lashed by the Elders, but thankfully everyone else seems to be grateful for what I did. The reaction today was relieving. I don’t know what’s up with Stark, but that’s Nikki’s issue to deal with. Or is it? I’m trying to ignore the guilt I have for kissing him when she’s the one lying to her friend. My arms fall. I know the information doesn’t change the fact that they’re mated. It’s such a strange thing to lie about though. Either way, it’s time to move on, beat the humans, and figure out a life.

“He’d want to see it,” he says, making no sense. The drinks must be getting to him as he starts to dance harder.

The music moves through a few songs, and we keep up, sometimes singing along. I wish Gretch was here. Tripp danced with us too. I wonder if Stark even knows how to let loose and dance.

By the time the fifth song comes on, we start to slow, and Jocko collapses onto the couch. Lirea giggles and falls on top of him. I laugh along with them and back away.