I WOKE UP AS MY HOCKEY ALPHA'S GIRLFRIEND

Chapter 16

Emily

"Period!"

The word exploded out of my mouth because that was the only reasonable thing I could think of. I practically launched myself off the bed, rolled frantically onto the floor, and scrambled back to my feet like Ethan had suddenly transformed into a rabid wolf.

"I'm having my period," I announced frantically.

Ethan stared at me and the silence stretched while I tried to convince myself that my excuse made sense. The expression on his face was the exact same expression my chemistry teacher wore whenever someone asked whether chemicals was optional during a lab practical.

Concerned…and deeply confused.

Ethan slowly nodded. "Okay."

Okay?

That was really it?

He simply sat back down on the edge of the bed and looked at me carefully. "Do you want to tell me something?"

Absolutely not.

The answer nearly flew out of my mouth. nstead, I swallowed and tried to come up with something remotely believable.

"I've got cramps," I said quickly. "Really bad cramps. And I want to really want to sleep."

That sounded reasonable. People slept when they had cramps. People definitely slept instead of kissing Ethan Sparrow. And people thought sleeping was a better solution to cramps than kissing.

I hoped.

Because the longer Ethan stayed in this room, the higher the chances of him figuring everything out. Because pretending to be Mary was exhausting. And pretending to love Ethan was worse.

He watched me quietly, like he was trying to uncover something buried. Then he sighed. "It must be the cramps then."

I tilted my head, mildly surprised by his response.

"What?"

"Joye told me what happened today."

Oh.

"You replaced her front-row position with Emily,” he continued.

I mentally rolled my eyes.

“The Omega.”

Of course that was the crime of the century. Why would an omega get front row when there were better breeds? Why was an Omega even in the school to begin with?

"What's wrong with giving people a fair chance?" I asked, trying to hide my offence.

Ethan looked at me like I had just started speaking an ancient language.

"What happened to you? You've been acting strange…but this…it's too much."

I folded my arms and sighed exhaustedly. "I had a freaking fall!"

His eyes remained fixed on mine. "You never cared about chemistry before. Now you're asking Emily Carter for help. You don't talk to your friends the same way anymore. You barely talk to me…even the kiss felt different."

Even the kiss?

So, there was apparently a right and wrong way to kiss Ethan Sparrow and I had somehow failed an exam I didn't know existed.

I rubbed my forehead. "I had a fall, Ethan,” I repeated, just in case he missed it the first time. My voice softened. "I'm tired. My head feels weird half the time. Everybody keeps watching me and judging every little thing I do."

I gestured vaguely.

"If I breathe differently, somebody notices. If I talk differently, somebody notices. If I rearrange a cheerleading formation, everybody acts like the world is ending."

Ethan looked slightly guilty. But I was not done.

I continued. "I don't need people constantly telling me how I should act."

The room went quiet. Then Ethan stood up. I felt immediate relief because I knew he was leaving and peace was returning to my life.

Or so I thought.

Because instead of heading for the door, he looked at me and said, "I hope you're feeling better by the weekend."

My relief vanished instantly.

The weekend meant dinner with the Alpha King and his Luna. I wasn't looking forward to that and it was becoming glaringly clear that I would be the one attending.

"The dinner is in a few days,” he continued. "And I need you to stop acting like you're trying to start a scandal every twenty-four hours."

I pointed at him. "If you think I'm going to embarrass you, we can always cancel."

My response shocked him. I was sure he was used to Mary answering to all of his demands like he was someone important.

But hey, no way was I going to stoop low to that.

Ethan's expression didn't change for a few seconds. Then he smiled—the annoying kind.

"Nice try."

My heart sank.

"No?"

"See you at the dinner, Mary."

Just like that, he turned and walked toward the door. I didn't even bother responding. The moment he left, I collapsed backward onto the mattress. The entire bed bounced under my weight.

I stared at the ceiling, my mind spinning. The dinner was still happening. That meant my impending public humiliation was still happening.

***

The weekend arrived. And I was still Mary Saint Laurent. Nothing had changed. No magical swap.

No effing divine intervention.

And no moon goddess descending from the heavens to fix my problems.

I was still trapped. And from seven o'clock that morning, Vivienne had transformed into a military commander preparing for battle. The battle happened to be dinner. A dinner that wasn't scheduled until eight o'clock in the evening.

Which realistically meant nine. Maybe ten. That was the silent golden rule, wasn't it?

But apparently, in the Saint Laurent’s household, preparation needed to begin at sunrise. By eight o'clock, I had already endured an hour-long lecture on proper etiquette. Every sentence carried the same hidden message.

Do not embarrass me.

Do not embarrass me.

Do not f*****g embarrass this family.

Then came exercise for reasons nobody adequately explained. Clearly, dinner required cardio. We did yoga, then stretching, then more stretching when I thought it was over, then a spa appointment, and then another appointment.

The entire day became one endless parade of activities designed to transform me into whatever version of Mary Saint Laurent Vivienne considered acceptable. By lunchtime I had forgotten what freedom felt like.

Then she took me shopping.

"I already have the dress," I protested, indirectly declaring that I needed to be back to my room and in my bed.

"Quiet,” she said.

That was the end of the conversation. Several stores later, I realized what she was actually buying.

Lingerie. For me. Or technically, for Mary. The pieces became increasingly alarming with each one I saw. I stared at one set and wondered whether the designers had accidentally forgotten half the fabric.

And Vivienne loved it.

At that point, I understood she was expecting a romantic evening with Ethan, and she was setting the mood with the right clothes. An expensive, almost naked gown to tease Ethan all evening. And a set of sexier lingerie for the night.

I wanted to crawl into a hole.

Eventually we returned home and the makeup team arrived before I could spare a minute to myself. The hairstylist arrived later. And they all descended upon me like highly trained predators.

Hours later, I finally stood in front of the mirror. The dress looked even better than the first time I wore it. Vivienne's yoga and spa treatment had to have something to do with how I looked even more beautiful. The blue fabric shimmered beneath the lights so perfectly and my hair fell perfectly around my shoulders. The makeup somehow made Mary look softer in a way I hadn't seen before.

For a second, I barely recognized the girl staring back at me. Then the reality of the evening crashed into me. I was meeting the Alpha King and his Luna.

The fear finally arrived, and the anger that had followed me all day disappeared, leaving me with a racing heart. Because no matter how hard I tried, I always messed something up.

And tonight?

Tonight felt far too important to mess up.