Chapter 189: A List For The Beta

And just like that, Aria lost the argument.

She turned to Trisha in defeat. "Add perfume."

"Already done."

"Hand warmers," Alek suggested. "The party is possibly outdoors, and God knows how many hours we are going to be there."

That one earned immediate agreement from everyone.

"Blister plasters too," Trisha said. "Someone is going to regret her shoes before the night is over."

All three women looked at Brittney.

Brittney’s eyes narrowed. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

No one answered, but it was added to the list anyway.

Suddenly, Brittney’s countenance brightened. "Oh! And those little rhinestones people stick around their eyes."

Alek frowned at her. "Why do we need rhinestones?"

"We don’t need them."

"Then why are we asking Dimitri to buy them?"

"Because I want them."

Alek closed her eyes for a moment. "That poor man."

"Your poor man is a Beta wolf who threatened to rip out another man’s throat this morning," Aria reminded her. "I think he can survive a little shopping list."

"That was a joke," Alek said.

Nobody answered.

Alek looked around the room. "He said it was a joke."

"Of course he did, sweetheart," Brittney replied sympathetically.

Alek threw a cushion at her, but Brittney caught it against her chest with a laugh.

"Snacks," Aria said, dragging them back to the matter at hand. "If we’re really staying inside until tonight, we’re going to need food."

That opened an entirely new disaster.

"Chocolate."

"Chips."

"Cookies."

"Can’t we just get something with actual nutritional value?" Trisha interrupted.

"Chocolate has nutritional value," Brittney argued.

"No, it doesn’t."

"It provides happiness. Happiness is essential to human survival."

"Put chocolate on the list." Aria knew Brittney had won. Again.

Trisha added it.

Alek leaned over to look at the phone, and her eyes widened. "How many things are on there already?"

"Not that many. Twenty-three."

Alek’s mouth fell open. "Twenty-three?"

"We’re shopping for four women," Brittney defended. "That’s barely six things each."

Aria snorted with laughter. "Dimitri is going to hate us."

"No," Alek corrected her. "Dimitri is going to hate the three of you. I’m his mate."

Brittney scoffed. "If anything, that makes this your responsibility. Tell your man to shop faster."

"I am not telling my mate to shop faster!"

"Then I’ll tell him."

"You absolutely will not."

While Brittney and Alek argued, Trisha quietly continued typing, and Aria leaned closer to see what else she’d added. "Do we really need a mini sewing kit?"

"Yes."

"Two different kinds of hair spray?"

"One is holding spray and the other is finishing spray."

Aria regretted asking. How had she gone this long without realizing girls needed this much stuff?

Eventually, Alek managed to wrestle the phone away long enough to inspect the completed list, and the horror on her face grew with every swipe of her thumb.

"This is ridiculous."

Alek looked toward Aria for help, but Aria merely raised both hands. This was beyond her.

With a defeated sigh, Alek handed the phone back. "Fine. Send it. But when Dimitri sees this and decides he no longer wants a mate, I’m blaming all of you."

"Oh, please." Brittney settled comfortably against the couch. "That man is so enamored with you he’d rather slit his throat than let you go."

Alek tried to look annoyed, but the smile threatening the corner of her mouth ruined the effect.

Trisha gave the list one final inspection before pressing send. For several seconds, nothing happened. Then her phone chimed.

All three girls immediately leaned toward it as Trisha opened Dimitri’s reply.

Is this a shopping list or a cry for help?

Brittney burst out laughing. A second message appeared before any of them could respond.

And why the fuck do four women need this much glue?

That finished the girls. They laughed so hard they fell on one another. Alek covered her face, already regretting every decision that had led to her mate becoming the designated errand boy for the afternoon.

Trisha, completely unrepentant, began typing her response.

We’ll need everything before the day is over. Thank you.

Alek peeked through her fingers. "At least tell him I had nothing to do with this."

Trisha paused. Then she added:

Alek says thank you too.

"TRISHA!"

Alek reached for the phone, successfully snatching it from her, intent on extricating herself from the situation when another message from Dimitri came through.

Tell her anything for my baby girl.

Alek froze. She clearly hadn’t been expecting that, judging by how quickly the tips of her ears turned red.

Unfortunately for her, the other girls had already peeked at the screen.

"Oh my God," Brittney gushed. "You two are so disgustingly sweet, I’m going to need insulin before the party."

"Get off!" Alek immediately tried to hide the phone against her chest, which only made Brittney laugh harder.

Right at that moment, the doorbell rang, immediately bringing the conversation to a halt. The girls exchanged confused looks. They weren’t expecting anyone.

Aria got up and headed for the door, peeking through the peephole first. The moment she recognized the two women standing outside, however, a smile spread across her lips.

She opened the door.

Valerie and Variant stood at the entrance with a trolley piled with steaming food.

Variant winked at her. "Anyone call for room service?"

"Well, look who decided to save us from starvation." Aria chuckled, stepping aside to let them in.

"Variant! Valerie!" Brittney cried, rushing over to hug them. Alek and Trisha weren’t far behind, happily welcoming their new friends.

"You two are lifesavers!" Alek exclaimed at the sight of the food.

"With the dining hall destroyed, food is being sent directly to each House," Valerie explained as they wheeled the trolley inside. "With a little bit of Maverick’s influence, we managed to get enough for everyone. I hope you don’t mind us inviting ourselves to breakfast."

"You absolutely do not need to apologize for showing up at our door with food," Aria assured her. "If anything, you’ve just guaranteed yourselves a permanent invitation."

"The more the merrier," Trisha agreed.

Seeing how readily they’d been welcomed, Valerie smiled. "Well, on that note, please tell me you guys are already preparing for the party tonight!"

The excited look she exchanged with Variant told Aria everything she needed to know.

Apparently, what had started as four girls trying to prepare for one party had just gained two more participants, and judging by the personalities involved, their relatively peaceful day was about to become a whole lot more chaotic.

Meanwhile, a certain Beta was currently texting his boss.

Your mate and her friends have sent me on a quest.

Maverick’s response came almost immediately.

You’ll survive.

There are thirty-seven items.

Good luck, Uncle.

Dimitri stared at the message for several seconds before typing his reply.

Fuck you.