Chapter 10: The Invitation
Della stared at the invitation her mother had brought with her, tapping her foot nervously. She took a fussy Jax from her mother, holding him close, kissing his cute little nose. She sat down and lifted her shirt to feed him, knowing he was hungry. He latched on, startling Della with his ferocity. "Sheesh, little guy, I can always make more, you know," she said, smiling despite the fact that her nipple felt like it had been caught in a vice.
"He is just the cutest pup I have ever seen," her mother was gushing over him, despite the circumstances it was clear Jax could add his grandmother's heart to his collection. "He looks just like you did when you were a pup," she added, hoping to comfort Della. She didn't seem to realize that Della wouldn't have cared what he looked like. In her mind, Jax was HER pup. How she would explain his lack of a father to him when he was older was something that troubled her, but she had some time to figure it out. She didn't look at Jax and see anything but perfection, the cutest pup ever born, she loved him more than words could ever express.
"Why is attendance mandatory?" Della groaned, "I just had a pup! I don't want to go to some stupid gala!" Although werewolf healing made pregnancy less traumatic on her body that on a human's, she still had wild hormones, sore nipples, and a pup to take care of! One that no one could know existed. "My boobs won't fit in to any of my formal dresses!"
"Well, at least that means we can go shopping, I mean seriously, some of THE most famous shopping in the world is practically around the corner from here!" Cori said enthusiastically. "Wait a minute, did I get an invitation?"
"If I go, you're going." Della said, "but these stupid parties are usually just Alphas and their relatives, Betas, and other wealthy families. It's a total snobfest."
"I see," Cori said, shrugging. "Sounds like I am lucky not to be invited." Cori came from an average, working class family, but it didn't bother her. They had disowned her anyway.
"Cori, my family pretty much adopted you so if anyone says anything, I will take care of it," Jared said, "no one is going to argue with an Alpha who vouches for someone."
"I will call my stupid brother personally and make him send you a handwritten invitation," Eva said.
"You don't have to do that," Cori protested, but Eva was already pulling out her phone and stepping outside to make the call.
"I guess I don't have a choice," Della huffed. "But who is going to watch Jax?"
Sherry, who was sitting on the couch with her nose in a medical textbook, looked up and raised her hand. "I would be happy to take care of Jax for a while. You should go, Della. Have some fun."