Untamed (Rejected Mate Academy #1) - E. M. Moore Page 0,70

I’ll have a headache by the end of the night. I guess it’ll be worth it if I can get the alpha to approve. How the hell I’m supposed to do that, I have no idea. Mrs. Graves’ calm voice halts my spiral. “Kinsey.” I glance up at her, and her unwavering stare helps keeps me grounded. “You can do this. Your strength pours out of you. Lean on your wolf. Look to her for how to act if you get unsettled. Her nature will be the best guide. Remember, pack life is already inside of you. I promise.”

“Thank you,” I tell her, getting choked up for some ridiculous reason.

She pats me on the shoulder and squeals when a knock on the door reverberates through the room. She quickly throws the two bags she came here with under the bed before maneuvering in front of me to answer the door. She mouths Ready? and I nod.

I’d already warned Jonah that my etiquette instructor would most likely be in the room with me when he came to pick me up, so he greets her warmly. “Mrs. Graves.”

The woman blushes. “Do come in, Mr. Livestrong. I believe I have someone here who’s yours.”

Her words make his gaze lock to mine. A tension starts deep in my belly, tensing up my muscles, and for a moment, I forget my teacher is in the room. His possessive eyes yellow before returning to normal when Mrs. Graves tactfully clears her throat.

She stares at me expectantly, and I realize I’ve already messed up. I give Jonah a slight bow. “Hello,” I greet him in the sweetest voice I can. “You look handsome.”

My lip quirks as I try not to laugh. He does the same, inclining his head. “Miss Walker, you’re beautiful.”

Mrs. Graves approves. She beams from ear-to-ear, and is so excited, it looks like she could pee through her Depends.

Jonah offers me his hand, and I take it while my instructor holds out my purse. “I’ll lock the room up for you, dear.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Graves. I’ll see you next class.”

She winks when Jonah isn’t looking, and when I turn to face the hall, I have the biggest smile on my face. Out of all my teachers, she’s my favorite.

Jonah wraps my arm around his, leading me down the hallway. When we get to the stairs, he lets his lips finally slip into a smile. Now that we don’t have an audience, I take him in fully. Jonah is wearing a polished black suit, and suddenly, I freak out about the correct silverware to use even though Mrs. Graves practically drilled it into my head.

Jonah squeezes my hand. “I’ll be beside you the whole time, Little Mate.”

“I’m pretty sure you said that last time,” I chide.

Instead of taking it as the joke I meant it as, his face falls. “Nothing like what happened at the lake will happen here. I can promise you that.”

More promises.

We take it easy on the stairs so I don’t kill myself, then walk out the grand front entrance to Jonah’s truck that’s parked in the curved driveway. At least that makes this more normal. I half expected to see a limo waiting for us.

He helps me into the truck and then starts the engine. Everyone is convinced that this night at the alpha’s house is über-important. I’ve been over every different scenario in my head, telling myself I can’t fail. Jonah reaches over and places his palm on my knee. “Try to relax. We don’t want them smelling blood in the water.”

“I’m trying,” I tell him. “It’s not as if I’ve ever been to a dinner party before, especially not one at the alpha’s house.”

“Remember, you are an invited guest like everyone else.” He sneaks his touch up my thigh. “And if you need me to take your mind off—”

I slap his hand, pressing down on it so his fingers can’t make it any further up my leg. He chuckles, and I moan. “You’re so not right.”

I’m lost in my own thoughts after that, and I don’t realize we’re pulling up to a house that isn’t the alpha’s until I gaze at a brick façade that’s still beautiful but about half the size of the current leader of Lunar’s house. “Mom and Dad wanted to meet you before you officially met at the party.”

I gulp, glaring at him. “Does something about me say I like surprises?”

He picks up my hand and kisses it. “You were going to officially meet them later,