Dinner Party Fiasco

             James couldn’t get his anger in check. He was furious with everyone. He didn’t want to be around anyone right now. He never did. Emily made these events tolerable. But now his anger didn’t have an outlet because Emily’s reasoning for leaving was so sound, he didn’t have a right to be angry with it or her. With his mother for planning this event without consulting him and then cornering him and Emily like that in front of his guests. One guest was flirting with him at the time she said this. He couldn’t be any more embarrassed than this. His feelings bordered on humiliation. Or so he thought. The mistake with the salad by Evan was over the top and he couldn’t let it go. Now Annabelle’s gone after inciting her father into a rage. James struggled with his temper. He saw red. Desperately, he tried to throttle back his words. He desperately wanted to tell Alpha Haden that his daughter was a punishment from the bowels of hell and brought to Earth as a special sort of punishment. But he suspected Alpha Haden knew that already.

He watched Annabelle practically dive into the cupcake. Emily got a small amount of revenge on Annabelle by informing her. “Jordan had several of those made just for you. They’re in the kitchen right now. If you want to thank him, he’s working out in the gym in the basement. The basement door is in the kitchens. Just ask Natalie where the door is.” With that said, Annabelle snatched up the cupcake and flounced out of the room with a glare at Emily. Emily didn’t even receive a thank you. James assumed Emily never expected one.

His mother stood there crying, Evan shook from nerves, Alpha Haden complained angrily and made poorly veiled threats. Emily took a moment to sit in her chair and took a few deep breaths. James could see how fatigued she was, but it changed nothing. It just made this even more bittersweet for him. No, James knew the word bittersweet wasn’t correct. If he could ask Emily, he would bet she could tell him the exact word that described his feeling perfectly. But now he realized after this he wouldn’t be able to ask her anything ever again. She would no longer be there.

James watched Emily stand and whisper something to Evan, who then gathered up James’ mother and took her from the room. “The Luna needs a little time. She’ll be back soon enough. Alpha Haden, I think we may have an interesting opportunity here for you. Your daughter has found her mate in one of the pack’s enforcers. Perhaps you and Alpha James can strike a beneficial arrangement?” While she said this, James could feel her hand stroke his back secretly. Like always, her touch relaxed him in the past and his anger slowly fled.

             James looked around and found Alpha Haden calming down after he understood Annabelle was happy again and gone from the dining room. He, too, followed suit and returned to his chair. Both men ate again.

             “Don’t worry, Alpha Haden Annabelle with be fine. She’s within the packhouse and with Jorden, one of our enforcers. He also holds the rank of Gamma.” James could only admire how Emily directed everyone toward a satisfactory end to an event that went sour. “Please stay seated. There’s plenty of dinner still to come. Alpha James? I think you have something you’d love to discuss with Alpha Haden. I think this is a perfect time. I’ll go check on Luna Janine and Beta Evan. If you’ll excuse me.” With that, she left the room. James couldn’t help but wonder how he went on without her expert handling of situations like this? But her reasons for leaving were sound. There was no way he could be angry about that. He should be happy for his childhood friend and Beta. No, she wasn’t a beta anymore, and she didn’t want to be. That stung a lot for James emotionally. What would he do?

             After James and Haden returned to their seats. The dinner went smoothly. Annabelle didn’t return, and his mother returned. When James asked her where Emily was, she sadly replied that she felt it better that she end her evening.

             James hated these events, Emily and his mother knew that. He didn’t like to have so many people near him in enclosed spaces like this. Well, Emily’s presence seemed to make it easier to bear. But she’s gone, and he wasn’t sure how he’d get used to that.

             Evan returned finally, and the dinner continues. Miracles never end and James comes to a deal with Haden. The visiting alpha finally ended the evening after they enjoyed a few after-dinner drinks. Papers needed signing tomorrow once they’d printed them.

             Entering his apartment, James breezed past someone, setting up for his shower. Ugh, he felt too wound up still to relax with a shower. “Emily, hold up on my shower. I need to run a perimeter check. Get my things ready for that.”

             James knew as soon as the last word left his mouth that he’d just called Evan Emily. He could feel Evan’s awkward response to these words. After the mess with the salad, James now called him by his predecessor’s name. After a pause, which James was sure Evan struggled with, whether he would mention something, or pretend it didn’t happen, he said. “Yes, sir. I’ll get your things together right now. Will you need a bag or not?”

             James wanted to tell Evan exactly what he thought of his mistake tonight, but he also wanted to apologize to him for calling him someone else. “No bag. I only plan to run the perimeter of the territory.”

             “Right away, Alpha.” Evan disappeared into James’ closet, and James gently knocked his forehead against the wall in frustrated embarrassment.