"You ready?" I ask, shoving my head into his room without knocking. Seems fairly pointless, seeing as I've almost seen him naked more than I have myself in the past week.
"Yes, let's go."
We blow through the dorm, earning us more than a few curious looks. Alex still looks like hell, and I didn't bother looking in the mirror. I just ran some wax through my hair and hoped for the best.
"What the fuck is Channing playing at?" Alex asks when we step into the night to find his headlights illuminating the parking lot.
"I don't know, but something tells me he's helping."
"Really? You think he'd go against Cade like that?"
"Fuck knows. I feel like I don't know which way is up right now. You still tripping?" I ask.
"I thought I was showering in snakes."
"I'll take that as a yes," I laugh.
"That shit was brutal. I lost count of the number of people I killed."
"Tell me Cade was one of them," I mutter, stepping up to Channing's car.
"Sadly not. He's fucking invincible, that cunt."
"Yeah, I got that sense too."
We pull out of campus in silence, tension rippling around the small space.
"What can we expect tonight?" I ask, needing to get out of my own head.
"It's a formal meal with Q to welcome you to the fold."
"We're in?"
"You'll have to wait to find out. It's not over yet."
"Fucking great." I scrub my hand down my face.
"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're both okay. I had nothing to do with the DOM."
"The what?" Alex asks, poking his head between the front seats.
"DOM. It's what you took. A hallucinogen. A fucking strong one."
"You don't say," I mutter, staring out of the window as the town passes us by.
"Just… just watch your backs tonight. Cade is planning shit, but he hasn’t even told us what it is. But historically, the after party gets a little… wild."
"More than the last event we were forced to attend?"
"You have no fucking idea. Prepare yourselves for the worst," he says, pulling into a full parking lot. It's like a showroom for the rich and famous. "Let me go in. Give it five minutes, then follow. If he finds out…" Channing trails off. He doesn't need to say the next words. We all know.
We climb out of his car and I nod at him before he takes off across the lot and toward the entrance.
"Something tells me tonight is going to be anything but fun."
"You got that message as well, huh?"
"I fucking hate this. I much preferred life when I was just Alex Shaw," he says sadly.
I want to agree with him, but I soon realize that I never really liked the man I was before being Bexley Easton either.
After our five minutes are up, we head toward the entrance.
We're welcomed by name by a couple of young men I've never seen before and directed through to the bar while everyone else seems to already be in the main ballroom.
Pushing the door open, I square my shoulders and jut out my chin when we find it occupied by only the Electi and Quinctus.
"Ah look, our initium are finally here," one of the elders says—Tim's father, I think—before every other set of eyes, including Marcus', turn on us.
"We didn't think you were going to make it," Cade pipes up.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Kingsley, but we wouldn't have missed it for the world."
He smiles at me, but it's full of venom.
They chat briefly, exchanging pleasantries with us about how our initiation is going like they don't already know what twisted games Cade is playing before someone comes to tell us that we need to make our entrance.
Yeah, our entrance.
The ten of us walk into a silent reception room that's laid out much like a wedding reception complete with a top table. It’s empty bar one person waiting for us.
Mia.
Everyone in the room stands as we enter, and I barely contain a snort. It's fucking ridiculous.
We take our seats, and at Cargill's instruction, everyone in the room takes their seats once more.
The whole sight is really something to behold.
I look around the room, wondering where their wives are, and find a table at the back of the room full of females. Chauvinistic assholes.
They have every right to be up here with their husbands.
34
Mia
Nervous energy zips around my stomach as I watch the Electi and their fathers enter the room. Bexley immediately catches my eye, his widening with surprise.
I know what he’s thinking. It’s probably the same thing I’m thinking.
Why am I seated at their table?
The men.
When I’d arrived with Sasha earlier, I followed her to what was clearly the female’s table, only to be steered away by a server and directed to the other table.
I knew immediately this was all part of Cade’s game… but to what end, I still don’t know.
Sasha and Channing have been warning me to be on my guard tonight, but it’s not easy when I’m about to be thrown into the lion’s den with Cade, the Electi, and Quinctus.
They all take their seats. Bexley and Alex at the end of the table, with the Electi in the middle and their fathers at the head of the table. Channing looks awkward as he glances between his uncle and Alex. Cade waits for everyone else to be seated before sitting down.
“You look stunning,” he drawls, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
There’s no denying the black bodycon layered in sequins is beautiful, but it does little to soothe the knot in my stomach. I don’t want to be here.
Phillip Cargill stands and clinks his glass, ushering the room into silence. “Friends, family, our future,” his eyes rake over each and every one of us, “tonight we welcome two of our heirs into the fold. Initium Easton and initium Rexford, you have demonstrated the strength, integrity, grit, and determination to take up your rightful place as Electi. To the initiates,” his eyes find mine, flickering with something I can’t quite decipher, “and to Miss Thompson. Welcome.”
Everyone lifts their glasses
