The Alphas’ P**n Star Mate

After hyping myself up, getting emotionally ready for the taste to be as bad as the smell, I threw back the flask and drank as fast as I could. I got it in my mind that if I did it really fast, I wouldn't have to taste it for very long. Man, was I wrong.

The liquid coated my mouth, leaving this slimy residue, like the way toothpaste feels in your mouth after brushing your teeth. I wish it tasted like toothpaste too. It tasted like moldy, sour milk and dirty. It left an earthy rotten aftertaste in my mouth that just wouldn't go away, no matter how much I swallowed, coughed or gagged. "What the hell is in this?!" I asked as I tried wiping the taste from my tongue.

"You got a little somethin' right here," Jamie pointed to his top teeth, then ran his tongue over them, so I would do the same.

"I got this shit everywhere," I groaned. "I need water."

"No water. It will dilute the blueleaf and lion's whiskers."

"Lion's whiskers?" I gaped at Driana. "How the hell did you get lion's whiskers?"

"I didn't. That little mischievous one, Riley did. My brother has acquired quite the handy bunch." Driana glanced at Cindy and Jamie.

"You know it, girl. Catty and ready to pull whiskers, at your service," Cindy boasted.

"You don't even pluck your own eyebrows," Jamie smirked at him.

"Laziness is not the same as not having the ability," Cindy said matter of factly. "I can pull, wax or tweeze any part of me, but why should I when I can pay someone to do it."

"You've waxed me before," I said, still trying to wipe out the taste of the potion from my mouth.

"Oh, really?" Jamie suddenly looked invested in the conversation. "What are we talking here? Landing strip? Brazilian? Did he do the whole starfish or just-"

"Her face, dumbass," Cindy said in exasperation. "I attacked those eyebrows of hers. Desperate times."

"Cindy took me to get the other stuff done later," I smiled crookedly. My smile began to fade a bit when I thought about that conversation I had with Cindy almost a year ago about going to get waxed. He said something about Rodger not approving of him doing anything other than my eyebrows.

Now that I think about it, there were lots of times when the others would say stuff like that. Lenny would say it the most, but the others said stuff like, Rodger wouldn't like it if Chloe did this, or Rodger wouldn't like it if he knew we were doing this with you.

My eyes fixed on Paulina randomly as Cindy and Jamie were still arguing. Her eyes were staring straight at me. The longer our gaze was fixed upon each other, the stronger that feeling in my gut got, like I was on the cusp of obtaining something that had been lost to me for so long. I didn't know how to describe this feeling building up in me. It was unnerving, and at the same time, I craved to know what it all stemmed from. I wanted to know what that yearning was, like an unreachable itch in my soul.

Paulina's eyes glistened, then glowed softly with a violet, iridescent light. "I know you have many questions, my dear, and we have the answers. I know what it is you want to know, but you should ask that person directly."

My eyes shot wide open.

She smiled, pushing her finger to her lips, then her eyes faded back to normal, looking away at Cindy, who was in the process of listing the reasons Jamie should wax his own balls before lecturing him about his beard. "Last but not least, if Nonna ever allows you to touch her, she might be able to find your dick if you don't have a jungle down there."

"My jungle is managed," Jamie said, bucking his hips. "Looks as trimmed as your glitter-caked beard."

"I highly doubt that you immature barbarian," Cindy scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Wanna see?" Jamie stood and started to unbuckle his pants.

"No one wants to see that," Driana said sternly, putting a stop to their bickering. "Quiet, both of you, or get out. Chloe needs focus now so she can learn to start pushing her mana through her body." She reached out and took my hands in her. I'm sure her smile was meant to be reassuring, but I was still reeling over what Paulina just said in my head. I didn't feel reassured about anything. I was more anxious than ever. Did she mean..... Is Rodger really.....?

"Okay, Chloe," Driana said, unaware of my inner turmoil. "I know this is new to you. Usually we begin to train our young from the time they first manifest in their early years. This may be exceptionally hard for someone so aware of themselves, but I'll talk you through it. I'll give your magic the kick it needs, then listen carefully to my every instruction afterward. Got it?"

Still feeling troubled about what her sister said, I simply nodded, trying to focus again. All that was running through my head though was that I wanted to talk to Rodger. I was scared too at the same time.

Rodger POV

"They're seriously painting the outside now?" Beau scoffed.

"Well, what's the point of painting the inside if the outside is still covered in graffiti?" Kai said jokingly, though none of us laughed.

I've come along a few times now to see what was going on, and all I know for sure is that this Luna of this pack is a few cards short of a full deck. She's the literal definition of crazy, and I've known crazy Alphas and Lunas. The foundations of Broom StiXXX was built off the fact that so many purely suck. This Luna takes the cake though.

"I heard the warriors muttering that they didn't have the budget to even get full paychecks, but the Luna is revamping an old resort they won't be at for much longer," Kai told me while using binoculars to try and peer in one of the large windows.

"Alpha Miles was able to pull of the pack's financial records using his Gamma to hack into their accountant's system. The state of their finances was atrocious. That is, until about three weeks ago. Then several millions were suddenly wired to them from a foreign account." "They should pay their fucking warriors then," Beau growled. He was huddled under a large fern, staring down at the ten or so warriors up on ladders and scaffolding with a frown fixed on his face. "What the hell is Alpha thinking? He would never have let his pack get in this state. He wasn't a bad guy before. Not like this, at least."

"Many things can change over time," I said softly. "He doesn't seem quite right."