Sold To My Fated Alpha

Chapter 5: Welcome to Riot Reach

Sheena

I took a few deep breaths, staring out the big glass window as the planes rolled past on the runway. Every time one took off, the whole floor shook under my feet.

“Are you ready?”

Aiden was standing right next to me, holding a sweating iced coffee in one hand and carrying my suitcase in the other like it was nothing.

I looked down at my shoes. “Am I really the only one who can do this?”

The truth was, I’d never lied to someone's face in my life, let alone an Alpha from another pack. The only part of this I actually knew how to do was the housekeeping. Cleaning up after people was second nature to me.

“Yes,” Aiden said, looking right at me. “Neil and his people are extremely cautious. You can’t just walk up and sneak past his guards. But you’re different. You’re quiet, you’re obedient, and you don't look like a threat to them.”

I reached into my sweater pocket, my fingers brushing the hard plastic edge of the fake ID card he’d handed me earlier. He told me he pulled a few strings with the house manager at the Faustino place. It was a blind hire. The caretaker didn't know what Iris Maine looked like, only that her paperwork cleared and she was supposed to report for work on time.

That Iris Maine was supposed to be me now.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a nod. “I can do this.” I balled my hands into fists in front of me, trying to build up whatever fake courage I had left.

Aiden set his coffee down on a bench and reached out, catching my chin with his fingers to lift my head up. “I know you can.”

My heart gave a sudden, hard flutter. His eyes lingered on my lips for a second before he pulled his hand back. His scent drifted over me, so rich and comforting it made my knees feel a little weak.

In that moment, if he’d asked me to walk straight into danger, I probably would have said yes.

“That’s your flight,” he said, giving the top of my head a quick pat. “Good luck, Sheena.”

I didn't want to let him down. I grabbed my bag, gave him one last look, and headed down the tunnel toward the plane.

The ride itself was a blur. I was terrified at first because I’d never been on a plane before, but I was so exhausted that I ended up sleeping through almost the whole thing. I only woke up when the flight attendant tapped my shoulder to ask if I wanted fish or chicken.

Six hours later, the plane finally landed.

I dragged my feet off the gate, stretching my legs as I followed the crowd toward the main exit. The second I walked through the glass doors, the smell of the place hit me square in the face.

Salt water, wet sand, and hot pavement.

I stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, my mouth popping open. Aiden hadn't said a single word about Alpha Neil Faustino’s pack living on an island. The air here was warm and thick, completely different from the cold streets back home. The sun beat down hot, and everyone around me was walking slow, wearing shorts and sandals instead of heavy jackets.

For a second, a stupid smile spread across my face.

Then I bit the inside of my cheek and caught myself. Focus, Sheena.

I turned toward the pickup curb, scanning the signs. Over on the far right, a guy in black sunglasses was leaning back against the metal railing, holding a piece of cardboard that had ‘Welcome to Riot Reach, Iris Maine’ written across it in marker.

I dragged my bag over to him. Up close, he was tall, with dark tan skin and broad shoulders.

“Hi,” I said, stopping a few feet back. “I’m Iris Maine. Did you wait long?”

He went still for a second, looking me up and down. Then a slow grin broke across his face. He hooked a finger over his sunglasses, pulling them down to look at me with clear caramel eyes.

“Well,” he said, letting the glasses hang from his hand. “Now I’m glad Neil picked me to drive.”

A couple of women walking past us turned their heads to look at him, but he didn't even notice.

“Um... what’s your name?” I asked, holding my bag a little tighter.

“Right, sorry,” he said, sliding his glasses back up over his eyes. “Calvin Knight. Cal works.”

Before I could say anything else, he placed one broad palm against the top of the metal barricade, leaned his weight into it, and hopped over the railing like it was nothing. He landed lightly on his feet right in front of me and reached for the handle of my heavy suitcase. “Let me take that.”

I stared at the high railing, then down at my own legs. “I can’t jump over that.”

Cal let out a dry laugh. “Nah, don't worry about it. That was just me showing off.” He pointed down the sidewalk with his thumb. “There’s an opening right around the corner.”

He led me toward a black SUV parked by the curb, threw my bag into the back like it weighed nothing, and opened the passenger door for me.

“After you.”

“Thank you,” I said, sitting down inside the leather seats.

He jogged around the front, got into the driver’s seat, and turned the key. “First time in Riot Reach?” he asked, pulling out into traffic.

“Yeah,” I said, looking out the window as we hit the main road. “It’s really pretty.”

The highway ran right along the water, lined with tall coconut trees. The ocean was so clear it looked bright blue, and you could see the dark shapes of other islands sitting way out on the water.

“It’s the main thing we’ve got going for us,” Cal said, keeping one hand on the wheel. “A thousand islands, endless coastlines, and every spot has its own vibe. Trust me, you’re going to want to see them all before you leave.”

I looked over at him. “There’s no way anybody can visit a thousand islands.”

He shrugged, a small smirk on his face. “Well, guys like me don't have much else to do.”

He turned the SUV around a long curve, and the road opened up into a wide wooden pier packed with boats and shipping crates. He pulled into a spot near the water and shut off the engine.

“Alright, we’re here,” Cal said, unbuckling his belt and looking over at me. “Heads up, Iris. It’s a thirty-minute boat ride from here to the Alpha’s island.”