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Garrett’s breath caressed my neck when he let out a rumbling laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I turned slightly so I could see his face. His eyes were glassy and smelled of whiskey, but it took my breath away how gorgeous he still was.
“Just that he’s a wolf shifter with a dog’s name.” He laughed again, and I elbowed him in the ribs.
“Shut up and go to sleep. You’re going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning.”
“Worth it,” he mumbled, tightening his grip on me.
I’d been tired when I came in, but now that I was lying here with Garrett, sleep was the last thing on my mind. The feel of his body next to mine felt perfectly natural, as if this was where he belonged.
Stupid girl, I chastised myself. As much as I might want that to be true, the reality was far from it. Garrett would belong to another woman all too soon.
The sound of a snore filled the room. He’d passed out again. I chuckled softly, shaking my head. But I still snuggled in close to him, memorizing the feel of this moment. Soon enough, it was all I’d have left.
* * *
I stoodat the front of the classroom, explaining to the four remaining contestants how the next event would go.
“We did something similar during Holden’s Contention, and it was a great event. Very memorable. I think it will be good for all of you to see what goes into running an event.”
Tonight, there would be a dinner in the grand dining hall to celebrate the arrival of spring. We did these seasonal events fairly often for the family and staff that lived on the estate, but it would be a perfect chance for the women to showcase their planning skills, as well as see how they worked together. Three of them would be joining the council, and it would be a great way to observe how they interacted.
There was another surprise element to the event that I wouldn’t be telling them about, but that was all part of the fun—even if I hadn’t enjoyed myself when I took part as a contestant.
“I’m more than happy to offer you assistance with the event planning, as that’s my area of expertise,” I told them.
Reagan immediately jumped on the offer. “That sounds great. Where do you suggest we begin?”
“Let’s go to the dining hall, where I can better show you how I go about the planning process.”
I gathered a stack of notebooks and pens, and then the five of us made our way to the large room. The sun was shining through the windows, giving the place a modern, light and airy feel.
“I really love the changes to the place,” Reagan commented.
“Oh. You’ve been here before?” I supposed it wasn’t all that strange that I’d never seen her here before the Contention began. As alpha’s daughters, we both would have accompanied our fathers here at some point, though it was rare for all the alphas and their families to come at once.
“A long time ago, but yes. I accompanied my father and sister once here several years ago. When was the hall redone?”
I smiled. “It was actually one of my first large projects as the council event coordinator. I thought the place could use some updates. I’m glad you like it.”
“You’re definitely the right woman for the position.” Reagan offered me a friendly smile, and I found it really hard to dislike her, even though the idea of her being Garrett’s mate made my stomach twist.
In fact, I’d liked her from the very beginning. The fact she was Sydnee’s sister had been some cause for concern, but she hadn’t given anyone any reason to think she wasn’t exactly who she portrayed herself to be. Sydnee had been a cutthroat bitch from day one.
Reagan had proven herself in competition after competition and had a good head on her shoulders. She recognized that Garrett wasn’t in this for love, and she’d found a way around that—a way to achieve her goals anyway. She was very intelligent. Even if she wasn’t the one Garrett chose in the end, she definitely needed to make the final three and have a position on the council.
“Okay, ladies.” I clapped my hands together. “Elizabeth and Stephanie, why don’t you two work together on decor? Melissa and Reagan, the two of you can plan the menu. Those are the first orders of business. As soon as you have a solid plan in place, I will arrange for some assistants to help you enact your vision.”
We had all day to get things taken care of, but in my experience, we’d need every last bit of time allotted. I walked around as the girls broke into the two groups and began planning, listening in on their conversations, making suggestions when asked, and just getting a feel for who would be the best additions to the council.
Elizabeth was extremely organized and a detailed planner. That was a great quality, and she impressed me with her attention to detail. Melissa had great suggestions for the menu, and Stephanie’s enthusiasm was contagious. Honestly, I thought all four of the women would be assets to the council.
Even if Garrett hadn’t taken things seriously for most of the Contention, he’d managed to end up with a good group going into the finals. Once the planning was squared away, and detailed instructions had been given to the assistants, we went back to the classroom to discuss council positions.
“Do any of you have questions about the application process?” I asked. “I’m here to help you in any way you need.”
Reagan raised her hand. “What is involved in the PR position?”
