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Emotional exhaustion did wonders for insomnia. Giselle hit the pillow hard, and when she awoke to blaring light streaming in through her hotel window, she was shocked to find the day had passed her by – the clock on the nightstand read 1PM.
Even in the middle of summer, without a plan for the day, she’d never been allowed to sleep that late. It was a true testament to Martina’s sorrow for her abandonment. She sank her head back into the pillow and tried to let sleep take her a little longer, while she could still play on her mother’s guilt.
But as always managed to happen once the seal had been broken on her sleepy eyes, the moment they glimpsed daylight, her mind started running, and sleep declined the invitation to return.
Refusing to acknowledge defeat, she shuffled around in bed and found the remote for the television. If she couldn’t rest her body, she’d rest her thoughts with mind-numbing TV.
In the adjoining room, sounds of her family returning caught her attention, but she wasn’t ready to deal with them just yet.
Taylor was there; she could tell by the tap-tap of her horribly uncomfortable but no doubt fashionable shoes. Then came a sound she did not immediately recognize– wheels rolling over soft carpet with a little hint of a squeak.
“Go and check on Giselle.” Gavin’s voice boomed with the order. “We’ll be five minutes tops. I need to see to the nurse.”
So much for peace and quiet now, Giselle sighed. But on a positive note, based on what she’d just heard, her father had arrived. That perked her up enough to rise and start hunting for clothes.
Her back was turned when the door to her room opened.
“You can’t stay in here forever,” Taylor said softly. “I heard what happened. It’s not the end of the world.”
“I know that. And I didn’t even want the stupid role anyway.” Giselle rifled through her luggage, not wanting to rehash her failure from the previous evening.
“You can’t lie to me. I’ve known you too long.”
When she looked up, Taylor was giving her the full I don’t think so stare, complete with hands on her hips. Surprisingly for a teenager, she had the angry mother look down pat. Giselle feared for any future children her sister had. They’d never get away with shit.
The silence between them was like a challenge. Who would speak first? Giselle turned away, hoping that would be enough, but her sister pressed the matter. “Admit that you wanted it. Admit that you’re bummed. It’s okay to fail. Don’t you dare bottle that up inside.”
She was right. Damn it! “If it hadn’t been for that Vivian lady, it would have all been cool.”
Taylor’s hands fell from her hips and she came in for a sisterly hug Giselle hadn’t been expecting. “She’s probably trying to get the role for herself.”
Thank the gods for sisters. You could always count on them to go defense for you in any situation.
Giselle pushed away from her sister’s bear-like grip. “She’s not qualified though. Her son is, though... Ace.”
A little glimmer of excitement flashed in Taylor’s eyes, and despite all the negative emotions Giselle felt at that moment, the thought of her sister being happy smoothed things over. Both Taylor and Di had been flirty with the guys. If she couldn’t be Alpha, maybe they had a shot. Assuming Ace fought well. The moment that sobering realization hit her, the hope was gone again. It would come down to brawn if the Alphas had their way.
Taylor busied herself in Giselle’s luggage, picking out a new outfit for her instead of the one Giselle was holding. “As much as I want to hate her for it, moms will do anything they can to help their kids.”
“I get that. And I’m cool with that. But does she have to be such a bitch about it?” Giselle scoffed, remembering how nasty Vivian had been, trying to discredit her at every turn as if she had a personal vendetta.
Di sauntered into the room with a bag smelling suspiciously of chocolate in her hand. “Who are we calling a bitch? Not me, I hope, because I brought medicine!”
Giselle laughed. “Not you... this time.” She winked evilly at her sister.
Di set down the bag and pulled out a custard-filled chocolate iced donut. “It’s good for what ails you,” she announced, handing it to Giselle.
“And this is why I love you so much.” Giselle snatched the donut and nearly inhaled the entire thing in one shot. “Any coffee?”
“Not this time.” Di sat down on the bed with an overfilled crème delight. “Now, dish!”
“All right. Word is there will be a challenge for Alpha.”
“Right. Martina told me they are having it back home in Vegas at the end of the month,” Di said between bites of her donut.
“Wait... what?” Giselle stuttered. “You’re asking me to dish when you clearly have all the juicy gossip.”
“That’s all I know.” Di shrugged. “Mom’s been pretty tight-lipped. But she was talking to Dad about it like she was really scared.”
“Why would she be scared?” Giselle asked.
Taylor butted in. “Because it puts us all on display.”
Giselle sighed, feeling like she’d be strung along on this Alpha bullshit forever. “So. I guess I’m not out of the woods yet. Apparently I’m allowed to choose a champion to fight for me. And they, if they win, will be my regent until I turn 21.”
Di sucked in a deep breath. “Not the end of the world, I guess. You’re still in the running.”
“How can you say that?” Giselle shot back at her sister. “I’m not asking Martina or Gavin to fight for me. These battles are to the death.”
“Oh. Right.” Di’s shoulders slumped. “So what are you going to do?”
Giselle flopped back onto the bed. “I dunno. Crying like a little baby seems like a fun option.”
“Right. Because that’s exactly what you’d do in this situation. Give up and lick your wounds. I know you way better than that. What’s your plan?” Di waved another donut in front of Giselle’s face.
“I got nothing. Seriously.” If only they’d just let it go. All of them. She had been denied once, and as much of a kick to the nuts as that had been, dragging it out and making a spectacle of it was infinitely worse.
“Liar.”
Giselle shot up from the bed, annoyed at the situation more than her sister’s insistence, but her words came out angry all the same. “This is a world I know nothing about, and I’m not arrogant enough to say I could fight the big boys for the role. I’ve got nothing here.”
“What about Richard?” Taylor’s voice seemed almost a whisper against Giselle’s outburst. “He seemed eager to help you.”
“As a bodyguard, remember? He had no desire for the leadership role. And I can see why.” Giselle exhaled loudly. “Bunch of assholes, if you ask me. All of them. Well, except the one chick.”
Di’s eyebrows shot up. She handed over another donut for Giselle and took a spot on the bed next to her. “You made a friend?”
She certainly had a good way of changing the subject. Who could resist chocolate and custard? No one, that’s who. Laughter replaced Giselle’s annoyance, and she took a bite before dishing on the new wolf she’d met. “Yeah, she’s the mate to the Alpha of the Boston pack. Fallon. She was a human once.”
“Oh, that’s rare. Hardly anyone survives turning wolf.” Di looked horrorstruck.
“She had a vampire help her or something,” Giselle said casually.
“Damn!” Di shook her head in disbelief. “She must be connected. Friends with vamps, too.”
“You think she’d be willing to stick up for you?” Taylor asked.
“I talked to her for like five seconds, you guys,” Giselle snorted, nearly choking on her donut. “I doubt that’s enough to inspire her to defend my right to rule...to the death.”
“Couldn’t hurt to talk to her before we go home.” Di shrugged as if the question were as simple as that. “You have to do everything you can to keep your place as Alpha!”
“No.” Giselle shook her head as she stuffed the last bit of donut in her mouth. “Not happening.”
“This is so not like you!”
Di sounded disappointed. And for what reason? It wasn’t like she was up for the title. She wasn’t being paraded around in front of all the other Alphas. She wasn’t being degraded and sniped at by Vivian. She knew better, but her mood got the best of her, and Giselle snapped. “And how would you know? You’ve known me all of what? A year! Don’t proceed to tell me what is like me to do.” Giselle stormed out of the room and into the empty living room of the suite.
At least, she’d thought it was empty.