He is Number 4

9

Ashley

Georgia and I rush back to my house to get ready for the dance. We have 2 hours to get ready and I feel like that is not enough time. Once we get inside, I run to my bathroom and Georgia runs to the hallway bathroom to shower. I have never felt excited and nervous before. Is this a date? Does he like me? Will he possibly be my second chance mate? There are so many thoughts running through my head.

"What do you think about this?" I asked my wolf as I started to condition my hair.

"I don't know his aura is off to me, I think he's up to no good." She answers.

"You're just saying that because you want me to stop the rejection process. How do you not get a bad vibe from Cai? He's been suspended, held back, arrested, and in more fights than we can count." I probably sounded a little angrier than intended when I asked that because there was no response.

I finished washing my hair and body and came out in my towel. Georgia was already in my room in her towel. She usually takes the longest to shower, so I'm very surprised to see her out so quickly.

"Ok so I figured you can grab the hair drier and makeup and then I'll get our dresses laid out and our shoes?" she asked.

I nod and grab all the cosmetics we need, as well as the hair drier and also a curling iron. I set everything on my desk in my room and put on my matching bra and panty set I bought for today so I don't have to worry about my towel anymore. I sat down at my desk and began to blow dry and brush my hair.

"Are you ok babe?" Georgia asks asked, worried.

I sigh "I think so? I don't really know," I admitted. "I'm excited to go to the dance with Jacoby. s**t I've had a crush on him for a long time. Something my wolf said threw me off though and I think I pissed her off."

She sat next to me and I turned off the blow drier. "What did she say? I'm sure shes not that mad at you," she said as she put a hand on my shoulder.

"She said something about Jacoby was off to her, like he had bad intentions or something. I said how could you feel that way about Jacoby, someone we've known since we were kids, and not say that about Cai. Every time Cai is near us she wants to jump him." I said.

"hmmm," she started, "I mean that could mean anything really. Maybe she really wants you and Cai to take this somewhere, or maybe she's right. Usually our wolves are right, and with you being a silver wolf you should be able to pick up on peoples' auras, or at least your wolf should." She said softly. It's almost like she's afraid to say the wrong thing and send me spiraling.

"I don't know dude, I really want to try this out with Jacoby and see where it goes." I paused for a second. "Does that make me a bad person?" I asked after a few seconds.

"Of course not babe!" she reassured me as she stood up and started drying my hair again. "You have the right to do what you want to. If you and Cai are going through the rejection process, you have the right to start seeing people."

She's right, I have the right to do what I want because both of us know this won't work. " Your right. Also, I was thinking about doing curls tonight."

~~

What feels like an eternity later, my hair and make-up are done. My hair is styled half up and half down with it curled, my make-up is a smokey eye with shades of purple to match my dress. I feel and look beautiful. I hope when I find my new mate she finds a mate within my new pack. It's hard to picture my life without her in it every day. We have been best friends since we were pups and she keeps me sane.

I got up so she could do her hair and make-up and walk over to the dresses and look at the time, 5:30. "Oh crap dude, I didn't realize what time it was. Are you going to have time to do your hair and make-up? How can I help you? I'm no good at make-up but maybe I can help with your hair?" I turned around, still rambling, and noticed she was pulling out hair rollers. When did she put those in?

She giggles at my panic and shakes her head. "I planned ahead of time so it's only going to take me 20 minutes."

I breathed a sigh of relief and still decided to help her pull out rollers from her hair. "You know what would honestly look so cute with your platinum blond hair?" I asked. She c***s her head to the side and looks at me.

"Space buns, I honestly think you should do them, but like keep half of your hair down and do like messy space buns." I played with her hair as I tried to explain.

"Hmmm, that's actually a good idea. Ok, I will need your help then. You want to do that while I do my make-up?" She asked.

I began working on her hair when I realized I didn't even know who she was going to the dance with.

"Oh my goddess dude, I feel like such a bad friend. I don't even know who your going to the dance with. Tell me, tell me." I looked at her in the mirror.

"Oh don't even start with me, you're going through some major s**t. It is not a big deal that you didn't ask." She shook her head at me. "Not to mention I didn't even know till today." She said, trailing off.

"So then who is it?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at her. I finished her hair and she was finishing her make-up. The silence was unbearable. Once she was done, she got up and walked towards her dress and started to put it on. Her dress was amazing. It was black, the top was corset-like. While the skirt was tapered, the back was long and the front went to just above her knee and had a fairy-like cut to it. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Whoever is going with her tonight is so lucky. She finally spoke after putting on her black flats. "It's Jax. He asked me after the game." She said so softly I almost didn't hear her.

If I had water in my mouth I would have spit it out. Jax wanted to go with Georgia? I'm not mad at it, but I honestly didn't think he was straight. I have never seen him with a girl and I think the only girls he has ever hit on were me and his first year English teacher.

"You're mad aren't you?" She asked worried.

"Oh goddess no!" I exclaimed. "I'm just shocked he asked you to the dance, I have never seen that man with a woman." I laughed a little.

She blushed so hard her entire face turned red through her make-up. I've only ever seen her blush like that one time and that is when she tried to hide something from me. I c****d my head to the side and squinted my eyes at her. "What are you not telling me?" I questioned.

She looked at the clock and then back to me, "Oh crap we only have 5 minutes until the boys get here. You have to get dressed, Ash!" She started running around the room like a chicken with her head cut off. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my dress to put it on. My dress is lavender. The top is also corset- like and the skirt has a layered lace that is tapered as well, making the back longer and the front goes to mid thigh.

"There I'm ready, now tell me what you're hiding from me." I said sadly.

She sighs, "But the guys-"

I cut her off, "The guys can wait Georgia, what are you hiding from me? We're supposed to be best friends."

She looks down at the floor. "Remember how I went MIA over the summer?"

"Yes, something was going on with your family, you said." I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"Well, I was out on the day after my birthday trying to get rid of the hangover I had. I ran down the path behind your house because it's peaceful and I was going to go for a swim in the lake. When I got to the lake, Jax was there drawing and well...." She trailed off.

"And well what? Did y'all hook up? Is he actually straight?" I began questioning.

"He's my mate." She said, her face turning red again.

"What?" I must not have heard her correctly.

She wiped her neck, exposing her mark. They went through the mating process. How have I not realized this? Am I that much of a bad friend?

"No you are not a bad friend, stop thinking about that, Ash. Honestly, him and I wanted to keep it a secret because, well, you know your brother and his friends." She said putting her hands on my shoulders.

"Wait no, that sucks," I whined, "that means when I find my new mate I'll almost never see you anymore because Cai wants Jax to be his beta."

"I'm sure everything will work out babe." She said, hugging me. Just as she pulled away, my mom called up the stairs saying the boys were there.

Georgia grabbed my arm, "wait, please don't tell anyone. The only people that know are our parents, and we would like to keep it that way for now."

I put my hand on hers and gave it a small squeeze, "of course I would never do that to you."