Page 10 of The Alpha's Mates

“The house isn’t up to par,” Bell huffed.

She lowered her hand. “Do it outside.”

Hayden gave her a smug grin. “See, we’re in agreement.”

“We don’t have time to plan it.” She didn’t want to be such a fuddy-duddy, but she wouldn’t risk the reputation of her sorority by throwing some half-assed party. “If we want to do it properly, we won’t have time.”

“Well, the flyer says Friday for the other mixers.” Hayden nibbled on her bottom lip. “We have eight days. We can put a party together in eight days.” Hayden glanced at Zoe. “Right?”

“Sure. We can. We’ll do a co-sponsored party. Sigma Epsilon Xi and Xi Beta Xi.” She tapped her chin. “You should really have Dad come in here and fix the place up.”

Bell groaned. “No! I am not calling Daddy. I can do this myself.” She didn’t want her father to do anything for her. She wanted to stand on her own two feet. Some people had the tendency to treat her differently because of her being the alpha’s daughter, even without her saying as much. Then there were times, like now, when she wanted to call and ask for help, but she held off. “Why don’t we do this at your place, Zoe?”

“That’s a negative.” Zoe shook her head. “We’re over capacity as it is and we’re having some girls look for housing in dorms and off campus.”

“Dammit!” Bell sighed.

“Wait. Did you just cuss?” Zoe’s eyes went wide before she blinked.

“She’s gotten into the habit.” Hayden chuckled. “I blame all those late nights with Jackson. She came home with a hickey the other evening.”

Bell rolled her eyes, but the heat filling her cheeks gave them more ammunition. It was true. She and Jackson had been spending more time together since the gala. The attraction was growing, yet there was an element missing—Christoph. “Don’t think I didn’t hear you and Nico last night. Miss I-have-a-mate-now.”

She shrugged. “He’s irresistible. What can I say? Plus, I waited a long time for him.”

“You’d also get lucky if you’d give it to your mates.” Zoe grinned. “I’ll bet my left boob, Dad and Mom freak the fuck out when they see who your mates are.”

That’s not all they’d freak out about. If any of them knew the truth.

“Shut up aboutthem.” She didn’t enjoy talking about Christoph or Jackson. It made her uncomfortable. She’d never been the one to put herself out there except for that one time. Now, being the “bitch in heat” had been inconceivable to her. Of all her siblings, she’d been the cautious one.

“Lighten up. They’re yours. There’s nothing wrong with having sex.” Zoe glanced at Hayden. “Tell her.”

“I don’t think she wants to hear the sex talk.” Hayden shrugged. “Although, there is this thing Nico does with his ton—”

“La-la-la. No, I really don’t want to hear the sex talk. I mean it’s not like...you know...I haven’t done it before.”

Zoe gave her a dull stare. “Really?”

“In a roundabout way.” She gave a nonchalant lift of her shoulder. It was too hard to explain, plus she worried about what would happen if she told anyone the truth.

“The only way sex happens is when tab A goes into slot B,” Zoe prodded.

Bell groaned. “You are so crude.” She wasn’t lying to them. The one and only time she’d had sex was a few days before she left for college. She’d asked the guy if he would be her first. She’d thought he’d have said no. Thankfully, being with him was one of the sweetest moments of her life. It was also very taboo. If anyone found out about them being together, she worried he’d get into trouble.

Something neither of them ever wanted.

“Would you prefer visual aids?” Her sister grinned, pulling Bell from her thoughts. “I bet I could find some of your old Barbie and Ken dolls.”

Nico stopped on the bottom step. “What the fuck have I walked in on?”

“Sex 101.”

He changed the direction he was heading in and crossed to the couch to sit beside Hayden. After placing a kiss on the mark on her neck, he picked up the flyer. “We’re doing it with Omega Pi Delta. You guys thinking of joining in?” Nico had quickly and efficiently slipped into school life after spending years apart from Hayden. He’d never struck Bell as being a fraternity guy, but with Bodhi by his side, he’d fit right with everyone else.

Bell nodded, realizing there was no way of getting out of it. “We just have to throw it all together and see what happens.”

“Well,” he replied. “What can the guys and I do to help?”

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