I’m lost in his deep blue eyes. They’re so clear, so pure, without a single speck or flaw.
A bouquet of wilting roses sits on the table in front of me, wrapped in purple cellophane and tied with a ribbon. The heat is already making them droop over my fingers as I gently touch the petals. It’s a sweet gesture.
“Thank you, they’re beautiful,” I tell Cyrus, looking up at him. He smiles, clearly pleased that I like his surprise. A pang of guilt hits me.
He’s trying so hard to make me happy, and I’m still struggling to believe that I could be worth his effort.
We’re sitting by the window in a small café, sipping iced coffees. The place is decorated with floral patterns and quirky decor. Besides us, there’s only an elderly couple and a businessman chatting on his phone. It feels private, almost romantic.
“I’m sorry about the other day,” I say, thinking about how Landon’s unexpected visit had scared Cyrus away. He must have been worried, especially since I hadn’t spoken to him for three days.
I mean, how would you feel if the person you wanted to mate with was having dinner with an unmated male, who also happened to be an Alpha?
I’d been too caught up in my own emotions and dealing with my overbearing parents to meet with Landon. I hope he hadn’t been waiting for us in our field, expecting us to show up.
But then again, a taste of his own medicine wouldn’t hurt the Alpha.
“What exactly happened?” Cyrus asks, playing with the gold ring on his index finger. I don’t know what it signifies, but it has some kind of pattern etched into it.
“Nothing much, just a big argument,” I tell him. I’m not really complaining. I was annoyed, but Landon stood up for me, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Cyrus looks curious, but I can see a hint of jealousy in his eyes. He doesn’t need to be jealous, not until he knows the whole story.
“About what?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. I fiddle with the edge of the tablecloth.
“You, actually.”
He blinks.
“He doesn’t agree with this whole arranged mating thing,” I explain. At least, that’s what I think his issue is.
Landon often has a different way of interpreting things. Like when I told him I had a crush on someone and he got mad at me for being too young. I was fifteen, he was sixteen.
“What’s it to him?”
He’s getting agitated now. He’s fiddling with his ring and wringing his hands. I watch him clench his jaw nervously. I hope this doesn’t ruin everything for us.
“He’s my friend, and he cares about me. I’m sorry if he doesn’t agree. I mean, I didn’t for a while,” I say, crossing my fingers under the table and hoping he won’t get mad.
“So, you regret this?” he asks, his voice so flat it scares me.
I shake my head, feeling strands of hair slip from my braid. I reach across the table and grab his hand, which is clenched around a spoon. I hold his hand until he lets the spoon drop onto the table.
He lets out a long sigh.
“We should just enjoy each other’s company,” I say, leaning across the table. I don’t care if anyone in the café is watching.
I’m about to kiss Cyrus and put an end to all this pointless arguing when the bell over the front door rings. I jump, knocking my forehead against Cyrus’s. He groans and I sit back, rubbing the spot where our heads collided.
It doesn’t really hurt, it just startled me.
I look up to see who came in. A woman in a grey suit is walking towards us. She could almost pass for a man, with her short, slicked-back blonde hair and stern expression. But her eyebrows are impressive.
She walks over with a confidence that fills the room, drawing the attention of the elderly couple who were just complaining about the service. The clicking of her black stilettos stops when she reaches our table. She glares at me.
“Althea Francess Duvey. I have been assigned to give you this,” she says, her accent strong. She’s not from this Pack. Is she from the Discipline Pack?
The thought of that Pack sends a shiver down my spine. Even Landon said their Alpha, Dallas, is not someone to mess with.
I’m brought back to the present by a throat-clearing sound. Cyrus looks uncomfortable as the woman turns her gaze to him.
“Who, what?” I stammer, not able to form a proper sentence. She snaps her head back to me.
“A handwritten letter from Alpha Landon,” she says, slamming an envelope onto the table. It has the royal wax seal.
Bright red, with a picture of a closed fist stamped on it, signifying the Power Pack. I reach out and touch the paper, feeling the glossy, almost shimmery finish.
“Our Alpha wants an immediate response, and I’m supposed to stick around until you give one,” she hisses in my ear, suddenly too close for comfort at my side of the table.
So, she’s just another one of Landon’s lackeys. The way she says our Alpha sends a chill down my spine.
“Okay, then,” I murmur. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me as I carefully open the envelope. I have a sinking feeling that whatever’s inside is going to land me in hot water with Cyrus.
Without a word, I pull out the letter and unfold it. Five simple words stare back at me, followed by a name...
Landon
He even signed it.
“What am I supposed to say?” I ask, not even needing to think about it. It’s exactly what I was going to say anyway. Cyrus stays quiet, probably stewing in his own frustration.
“He clearly wants to know if you’ll go with him,” she says, like I’m the biggest idiot she’s ever met.
Without thinking, I crumple the paper in my hand, and I have to admit, it feels good. I watch her swallow her annoyance.
“I’m on a date, tell him that,” I retort, and I can see Cyrus visibly relax. Poor guy, he doesn’t want any part of this.
But still, part of me aches to see Landon again. I should, I need to. But not now...
“Go, please. Tell him I don’t want to see him,” I say, dismissing her. She looks surprised for a moment, but quickly hides it behind a mask of indifference. I watch her spin on her heel and leave the way she came.
I let out a sigh of relief and drop my head onto the table. She’s definitely not someone I’d want to deal with on a regular basis.
With my coat on and boots laced up, I crunch across the gravel. I’m trying to stay under the radar, so the moon is my only source of light.
This is the sixth branch I’ve tripped over. I’m lucky I haven’t broken my neck.
After successfully sneaking out of my bedroom window with a little help from a sleepy Missy, I set out on my nighttime mission.
Landon has no idea I’m coming. He’s probably fast asleep by now. Or maybe he’s out partying.
I doubt it, though. He can’t have changed that much from the sweet, innocent guy I used to know.
I need to talk to him, clear the air. I don’t care if I’m not welcome in his home, especially by his father. I need to see him.
I can see the gates to Landon’s estate in the distance. He wanted to see me, well, here I am.
Suddenly, I hear a click beside me. I’m surrounded by forest, which only adds to the eeriness. I turn my head, peering into the dark trees.
If I’m not mistaken, that sounded like a gun being cocked.
And I was right.
Suddenly, there’s a flurry of movement from the trees. A group of people dressed in black are rushing toward me from all directions.
“Put your hands up and surrender!”
