The Cruel Alpha's Daughter's Mate

Chapter 6

Lara

Cleaning my father’s bedroom was turning into an experience I never wanted to have again.

Every time I thought we’d finally uncovered the last piece of evidence from his disastrous night, another item seemed to appear.

Clothes were everywhere. Towels had been abandoned wherever they’d landed. Empty bottles covered the furniture. The bed looked as though a tornado had decided to use it as a landing strip.

I was in the middle of picking up another pile of clothing when the bedroom door suddenly flew open.

Tiffany stormed in.

“What are you doing in the Alpha’s bedroom?”

Phoenix didn’t even hesitate.

“The cleaning fairies are on strike, so we drew the short straw.”

I nearly choked.

“Tiffany,” I said aloud, keeping my face straight, “I’m cleaning. What does it look like?”

Tiffany glanced around the room.

“Well, it looks like the Alpha had a fun night.”

Phoenix snorted.

“Fun for him. Not so much for the poor i***t who has to clean it.”

I bent down and picked up another shirt.

Tiffany’s gaze settled on me.

“Did you know anything about this?”

I straightened.

“No. Why would I? I’m not my father’s keeper.”

Phoenix scoffed.

“Does she seriously think we organise his playdates?”

Apparently my face betrayed me because Tiffany narrowed her eyes.

I turned away before she could read the amusement in my expression.

“She’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier,” Phoenix added.

I bit the inside of my cheek.

“Clearly,” I murmured.

Phoenix laughed.

Tiffany folded her arms.

“Well, it wouldn’t have mattered if you had any part in his little gathering last night.”

Her smile became smug.

“You’ll never find anyone who can please him the way I do.”

Phoenix went silent.

Then, very slowly—

“Did she really just say that?”

I kept folding clothes.

“I believe she did.”

“Wow.”

Phoenix sounded genuinely impressed.

“The confidence. The delusion. The complete absence of self-awareness. I’m almost proud of her.”

I fought back a smile.

Tiffany was still staring at me.

Phoenix continued.

“If he’s seeing other women, doesn’t that mean he’s not exactly devoted to her?”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

“Then why isn’t she upset?”

“Because she thinks she has some kind of magical hold over him.”

I glanced toward Tiffany.

“She thinks what they have is special.”

Phoenix gave a derisive snort.

“Special?”

I looked around the bedroom.

“Judging by the mess we’re cleaning up, I think our father is simply looking for a good time wherever he can find it.”

Phoenix was quiet for a moment.

Then—

“Oh.”

Another pause.

“So basically… any girl will do?”

“That seems to be the situation.”

“Someone should probably explain that to Tiffany.”

“I’m not volunteering.”

“Neither am I.”

“Good.”

“I have survival instincts.”

I smiled.

“Then we’re agreed.”

Phoenix considered it.

“Actually, I think your father should explain it to her.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the one who created the delusion.”

She paused.

“And because I would pay good money to watch that conversation.”

I laughed softly.

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.”

Phoenix whispered,

“Tell her she’s not getting the Luna position.”

I nearly dropped the shirt.

“Phoenix.”

“What? Someone needs to.”

“I’d like to live.”

“Fine. We’ll let the old man break the news.”

Tiffany stood there for another moment, watching me work.

“Well, I suppose I’ll let you get back to cleaning.”

Her tone became condescending.

“Make sure everything is completely spotless. I don’t want any nasty surprises when I come to visit Grayson later.”

Phoenix’s voice immediately cut through my thoughts.

“Oh, I’m sure the nasty surprises are already here.”

I almost laughed.

Instead, I lowered my head and continued working.

Tiffany turned and walked out.

The moment the door closed behind her, Phoenix exploded.

“Oh, I cannot stand that woman.”

“You’re not exactly subtle about it.”

“Why should I be? She walked into a disaster zone and acted like she owned the place.”

“She probably thinks she does.”

“Well, she doesn’t.”

I sighed.

“Let’s just finish this.”

I continued cleaning.

Once I’d gathered everything from the floor, including the things that had somehow been kicked underneath the bed, I made several trips downstairs.

Laundry.

Rubbish.

Kitchen.

Back upstairs.

Again.

And again.

It felt like the room was generating mess faster than I could remove it.

Finally, I reached the bed.

I grabbed the bottom sheet and began pulling it free.

Clunk.

I froze.

“What was that?”

Phoenix perked up.

“Please tell me you found treasure.”

I frowned and looked between the mattress and the bedhead.

Something was wedged in the gap.

I reached down and pulled it free.

My eyes widened.

Handcuffs.

I stared at them.

These weren’t the fuzzy kind I’d seen in movies.

They were heavy metal cuffs.

The kind that looked far more like something a police officer would carry.

Phoenix’s voice dropped.

“Why… does he have those?”

“I have absolutely no idea.”

I turned them over in my hand.

Phoenix was quiet.

Then—

“I’m suddenly much less interested in knowing.”

I placed them on the bedside table.

“Whatever he does with them is none of our business.”

“Agreed.”

A beat of silence.

“Still creepy.”

“Very.”

I stripped the rest of the sheet from the bed and carried it downstairs.

The washing machines were already running, so I started another load and then grabbed fresh linen from the cupboard.

By the time I finished making the bed, the room was finally beginning to resemble an actual bedroom again.

I stood back and looked around.

Phoenix hummed approvingly.

“Not bad.”

“Not bad?”

“Fine. It looks fantastic.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be expecting a raise.”

“You don’t get paid.”

“Then I’ll accept chocolate.”

I smiled.

“One room down.”

Phoenix’s enthusiasm disappeared.

“Unfortunately.”

I laughed.

“Now the bathroom.”

Phoenix groaned.

“I hate bathrooms.”

“You’re a wolf.”

“Exactly. We’re meant to pee outside.”

I shook my head and walked into the ensuite.

The moment I turned on the light, Phoenix went silent.

Then—

“Oh, Goddess.”

The bathroom was somehow worse than the bedroom.

Wet towels covered the floor. Empty vodka and bourbon bottles were scattered everywhere. Whipped-cream canisters sat on the vanity, while tubes of body chocolate had been left lying around.

Phoenix gagged.

“What happened in here?”

“I don’t want to know.”

“Neither do I.”

I grabbed the towels and shoved them into the laundry hamper.

It was already overflowing.

“That’s going to be another load.”

“Your father has more laundry than a family of ten.”

I hauled the hamper downstairs and returned with cleaning supplies.

Then I started collecting the bottles.

Phoenix suddenly whispered,

“Maybe we should wear gloves.”

“My father doesn’t provide gloves for the household staff.”

“Fantastic. So we’re just going to raw-dog the cleaning?”

I stopped.

“Phoenix.”

“What?”

I burst out laughing.

“You cannot say things like that.”

“Why? It’s accurate.”

“Just… stop talking.”

“Fine.”

Three seconds passed.

“But if we catch something, I’m blaming you.”

“I’m not the one who created this mess.”

“Exactly. Which is why I’m filing a formal complaint.”

“To whom?”

“The Moon Goddess.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re welcome.”

I continued cleaning.

Phoenix suddenly became serious.

“What if those women were carrying something?”

I sighed.

“Let’s just pray they weren’t.”

That was all it took.

Phoenix immediately began praying.

“Dear Moon Goddess, please protect us from diseases, infections, questionable life choices, and anything else your daughter has been forced to clean today.”

I smiled despite myself.

“That’s not exactly how prayer works.”

“I’m improvising.”

I shook my head and started scrubbing the vanity.

Then I moved on to the enormous hot tub sitting in the corner.

Phoenix’s enthusiasm vanished.

“Absolutely not.”

“We have to clean it.”

“I refuse.”

“You’re not actually cleaning it.”

“Then I refuse emotionally.”

I laughed.

I started scrubbing.

Phoenix made a horrified noise.

“I don’t even want to think about what happened in this thing.”

“Then don’t.”

“There isn’t enough bleach in the entire pack to erase the mental images I’m having.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“Trust me, my imagination is the problem.”

I shook my head.

“Whatever they were doing, I’m sure they thought they were having a good time.”

Phoenix gagged.

“Why would you say that?”

I laughed.

“I’m just saying.”

“I mean, our father doesn’t have a mate anymore. Technically, he’s free to find someone else.”

Phoenix grumbled.

“Find someone else, sure. But why Tiffany?”

“I don’t know.”

“And why does she think she’s special?”

“Because she wants to believe she is.”

Phoenix sighed.

“I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I.”

“But there’s nothing we can do.”

“No.”

Phoenix went quiet.

Then she spoke softly.

“I can’t wait until this pack isn’t our problem anymore.”

I stopped scrubbing for a moment.

I looked around the bathroom.

At the mess.

At the evidence of my father’s reckless life.

At the secret I was carrying.

At the danger waiting for me if he ever discovered I knew the truth.

“Neither can I.”

Phoenix sighed.

“Mountain cave?”

I smiled.

“Maybe.”

Her excitement returned instantly.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“It’s a maybe.”

“A very promising maybe.”

I shook my head and went back to cleaning.

But somewhere deep inside, I knew something.

The more I learned about my father…

The more the mountain stopped feeling like an escape.

And started feeling like our only chance.