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“Hi. I’m Kayden Johnson.”
She smiled widely. “I know. You’ll be seated at table four.”
I turned, noting that each table had a placard with a number. There were already two women seated at table four. A short, curvy golden blonde, and a taller, thin blonde. Both of their eyes locked on me as I approached, curious.
I offered them a friendly smile and sat. “Hello.”
“Oh, hi,” the taller one said. “I’m Brooklyn. This is Jessica.”
Jessica gave me a shy smile and wiggled her fingers. “Hi,” she said, so quietly I almost didn’t hear her.
“So,” Brooklyn said, resting her palms in her hands and looking at me with wide green eyes. “What do you think about all of this?” She gestured around, and I assumed she meant the Contention as a whole.
I shrugged, unsure how much I wanted to share with practical strangers. “I was a last-minute choice, so I’m still adjusting to the idea of it.” That was putting it mildly. I wasn’t sure I’d ever adjust to the idea of competing for the heart of my brother’s killer. “What about you?”
Jessica opened her mouth to speak, but Brooklyn charged ahead. “Oh, I think it’s just amazing. I’ve been hoping for this my entire life.”
I lifted my brows. Some girls in my pack had talked over the years about the idea of marrying the future alpha, so I knew some women were all about it. Apparently, I was the oddball here. “What about you?”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “Oh, um. I don’t know about my whole life… But it’s an exciting opportunity.”
I smiled at her. She seemed more down-to-earth, though I couldn’t find fault with Brooklyn. She was friendly, just a bit more enthusiastic.
“So exciting,” Brooklyn agreed. “I’m from the PNW pack. It’s the first time I’ve been across the country.” She looked around the room. “Isn’t everything just beautiful? I can’t wait to actually meet Holden. I didn’t get much chance to talk with him last night, though I was hoping we’d be able to after dinner. He just slipped out so quickly. But today, I’ll make up for it.”
I peeked at Jessica, whose lips pressed together, though her eyes danced in amusement. I shared a small smile with her. Brooklyn was quite the chatterbox. I was certain she’d make up for it.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” the woman who’d been talking when I walked in late last night said; Willow, I thought her name was. She beamed and clapped her hands, and the chatter in the room died down. “Today is very exciting. As your assistants should have told you, you’ll be dining in groups of four with one table being only three due to one contender having left. Holden will be coming by each table to spend fifteen minutes with each group.” She glanced toward the doorway, then smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well, here he is now.”
Holden walked through the doors, and the very air in the room seemed to shift. Every woman’s eyes were on him as he stood next to Willow and scanned the tables, a pleasant smile on his full lips. It might have been my imagination, but I thought his gaze lingered on our table for a few seconds longer than the others.
I hated that he looked so handsome in a sports coat and khakis, though honestly, I preferred his look from yesterday morning.Wait, what? You don’t prefer him at all.
Shaking my head, I focused on my empty plate. I had to keep my wits about me. Brooklyn’s excited chatter must have rattled my brain.
“He was looking over here,” Brooklyn whispered excitedly. “Maybe he’ll come here first.” As she said it, he moved to a table on the far end. She jutted out her lower lip but then shrugged. “Oh, well, maybe he’s just saving the best for last. So, everyone’s talking about it, but I want to hear it from you. Did you get challenged before the Contention even officially began?”
I stared, surprised everyone was talking about it. “What are they saying?”
“Just that you were attacked from behind and you fought like a champ. So, it’s true?”
I smiled at that. Maybe some of the others would think twice before challenging me. “Yes, it’s true.”
I gave them a quick rundown of what happened while servers brought out a salad course. Was this lunch really going to be an hour and a half? Ugh.
“Honestly,” I finished, “I didn’t even know that was possible. My assistant told me to watch my back at all times, but as you said, the dinner was supposed to be the formal opening of the competition. But do the rules say challenges are allowed at any time?” I glanced between them and shrugged, hoping they were more informed than I was. “I don’t know—I haven’t had time to read my welcome packet.”
Jessica ducked her head. “I haven’t read all of mine either,” she said softly, her porcelain cheeks turning pink.
“Same.” Brooklyn stabbed the last of her salad, her eyes glued on Holden, who was now only one table away. She set her fork down, then turned back to us and leaned in. “So, look. I strongly believe in forming alliances. Working together is the best option for us to make it to the end. I like you ladies, and who knows? We may end up working together one day. I think we should stick together.”
“Well,” I said carefully, not sure I wanted to ally with someone I’d only just met, but not wanting to alienate her either. “I agree that I’d rather make friends than enemies.”
Jessica nodded, looking back and forth between Brooklyn and me.
“Great. It’s settled.” Brooklyn looked toward Holden once more and sighed, a dreamy expression in her green eyes. “Did you see how adorable the alpha and his wife were last night? Such a power couple. I hope that one day Holden and I can be just like them.”
Jessica ducked her head again, but not before I saw her amused grin. I managed to catch her eye and gave her a wink. Brooklyn was nice, but she sure did talk a lot. Jessica, though, I could see us becoming friends. She seemed sweet.
