Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

4

While the others place their individual orders, I ask for a bottle of Everclear.

A redhead in a bold dress catches Phil’s eye from across the bar. He winks, but she simply rolls her eyes and turns away. We all crack up, remembering the time he made an ass of himself at a camp while trying to impress a different redhead—the poor man has no luck whatsoever.

My amusement is short-lived. Just as two gorgeous blonde women approach our table, I hear my father’s mind-link cutting through our laughter, summoning me to the VIP room. I groan internally. Why can’t I catch a break?

Slipping my card to the bartender, I head for my father.

Pushing open the heavy door, I feel like I’ve stepped back in time. A crystal chandelier casts a warm glow over dark leather armchairs and a traditional fireplace. The soundproofing is so superb that the music outside is completely drowned out.

I sigh, spotting two glasses of beer on the table in front of my father, who lounges on one of the couches with a cigar in hand.

“It’s been a good year for skiing,” his gravelly voice rumbles as I sit on the couch opposite him.

“Yeah.” I avoid his gaze as I take a sip of the beer. I almost regurgitate it before quickly putting the glass back down.

A tense silence stretches between us, but I make no move to break it. He called me here, so I won’t waste my breath trying to direct this conversation. Finally, he speaks again.

“You have less than a month, Theron.” He looks at me, holding my gaze. The smoke from his cigar blows straight into my face.

“I’m aware, Father.”

“You can’t say I haven’t given you time. You’ve always had whatever you desired. I’ve never once questioned your decisions. But now people need to see you as their alpha.” He waits a beat before adding, “You need to make them respect you.”

My jaw clenches. I grit my teeth to hold back my frustration. “I’m having a drink with my friends. How would that make anyone disrespect me?”

His gaze flicks to the barely visible forest through the window. “It’s about optics, son. You’re not just Theron, a rich man’s son in a big city. At Mammoth—and everywhere else from here on out—you represent the pack and the Blackwood brand.”

I bristle. “I’m well aware, Father. I’ve prepared for this for the past decade. No one can say I haven’t worked hard.”

A hint of a smile tugs at his lips. “I’m not questioning your preparedness or work ethic. But being a leader isn’t just about fighting enemies or increasing profits. The pack needs to believe that you can guide them through tough times.”

My fist clenches under the table and I swallow the retort forming on my tongue. There’s no point giving in to the frustration of being lectured so soon after returning home. “What are you suggesting?”

He remains silent for a moment, then places a surprisingly gentle hand on my knee. “Starting tomorrow, I’ve scheduled meetings for you with all the alphas within our alliance. I’m also setting up engagements with alphas we are on good terms with, but who haven’t signed treaties or work contracts with us.”

I exhale slowly. “Is there anything else?”

He takes his hand away, but I know he’s not done. “I haven’t questioned your choice of beta, even though I don’t agree with you choosing someone with alpha blood, even if that blood comes from his mother’s side. You’ve made your decision, and I hope your instincts are right.”

“Well, thank you for your approval.” I grab the armrests, ready to get up and leave.

“However,” he adds, and I force a smile, placing my hands back on my thighs. “Since you still haven’t found your mate, I hope you remember what we discussed before you left.”

My smile vanishes.

“And I hope you aren’t keeping any secrets from me, son, because secrets have a way of coming out.”

CHAPTER 3

SEREN

S

hoving another bite of Ella’s famous blueberry Danish into my mouth, I force a smile as I add a few heart emojis to my comment on Jane’s post about her new home. Glancing out the window, I look down at the road, squinting at the harsh afternoon sunlight. The iron gates of the estate remain stubbornly closed, with no sign of Theron’s car. He didn’t come home last night, just like he’d said.

Where has he been? Or rather, who with? A bitter taste coats my mouth. Suddenly I’m not hungry at all. I push the breakfast tray away, grab my bag, and head for the service entrance, determined to find some professional clothes for my upcoming interviews.

As I round the corner, I collide with a solid wall of muscle. The familiar, warm scent of pine seeps into my skin, momentarily easing the knot in my stomach. But then reality sets in—he hasn’t made a single effort to see me on purpose.

I try to slink past him, but he’s faster than me. His arm snakes around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. His touch sends a shiver down my spine and makes my head feel fuzzy.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this, don’t you think?” His voice is a low rumble as he holds me tightly against him. Despite myself, I giggle as he rubs his thumbs on my bare waist, a spot he knows always tickles.

“Wait. N-not here,” I stammer, my breath hitching under his intense gaze.

He leans in, his lips brushing my ear. “No one’s around,” he teases, sending a delicious heat through my body. Suddenly, something in his expression darkens.

“So,” he asks, his voice clipped, “where are you rushing off to?”

The question catches me off guard. “I was thinking...maybe I should get some new clothes for my job interviews.”

His eyes narrow and I see the muscles in his jaw clench. “Have you already applied somewhere?”

“Yeah,” I whisper, feeling a flicker of defiance. Why does this feel like an interrogation? I haven’t done anything wrong.

“And?”

“I’m hoping to have a job by next week.”

He takes a deep breath, his gaze searing into me. “You’re not working somewhere far from the house. I don’t want that.”

My brows furrow, a mix of surprise and uncertainty swirling in my stomach. “I can’t just sit at home, Ron.”

“Come to Blackwood,” he says, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “I can have a job for you by tonight. What do you think?”

My heart thumps a frantic rhythm against my ribs. How will everyone else see this? His parents, especially.

“Any objections?” he asks, his eyes holding mine.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I whisper, more to myself than him, hoping a good answer will spring to mind.

He leans in close, his voice a husky murmur. “I need you near me, Seren-hen,” he says before brushing his lips against mine. “There’s no two ways about it.”

A flicker of something dark crosses his eyes, but it’s gone as quickly as it appears.

His kisses me hungrily before I can raise any more objections.

He pushes me back against the window, momentarily blocking the sunlight and keeping me tight in his hold. “You taste like blueberries,” he says between kisses. I love the moan that tears through him. I can feel his excitement through his pants.

Just as he deepens the kiss, his phone vibrates against his thigh. He pulls away from me abruptly, a frown creasing his forehead. Exhaling a deep breath, he grabs the back of my neck and places a string of hurried kisses on my lips and forehead before taking a step back.

“You’re not working anywhere else, alright? Meet me in my office, first thing Monday morning,” he says as he walks away, leaving me breathless and reeling.

I stand there staring at the empty hallway long after he’s gone, until a practical concern drifts across my mind. It’s Friday afternoon, and if I have to start a new job on Monday, I will need clothes, footwear, and a nice bag. God! I need to get moving.

I spend the afternoon going through a blur of overpriced, impractical clothes. I peruse countless boutiques crammed with sequined skirts, low-cut tops, and dresses that cling like a second skin—nothing appropriate for the office, especially at Blackwood. I wish we had a Zara—or at least a Target—in town.

My arms ache from pulling clothes on and off hangers, but I keep at it, remembering how difficult it was to find something to wear last night. The voicemail from one of the local corporates offering me an interview replays over and over in my mind.

In a perfect world, I’d never step through Blackwood’s doors. I want to give back to the family that raised me, not take more from them. But Theron’s insistence is difficult to argue with. Saying yes felt right with his kisses offering silent reassurance.

Three hundred dollars, four outfits, and five tense hours later, I trudge home, more unsure than celebratory about getting my first proper job.

“I think New York has spoiled you.”

Ella launches that statement at me the moment I enter the kitchen and pull a bottle of Blackwood vitamin water from the pantry. I down half the bottle before turning to her.

“Maybe,” I reply with a playful smile as I slump into the chair opposite her, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. “But you still love me.”

She continues writing on her paper calendar, tendrils of hair escaping her messy bun, a smile on her lips. Ella makes daily menus and writes them on the chalkboard for her kitchen team. The rest of the board is covered with lists of how many people will be around for each meal, dietary preferences, allergies, and every other possible detail.

“Yes, which is why I’m concerned that you refuse to eat a proper meal here. You left your breakfast mostly untouched and skipped lunch.” She glances at the shopping bags near the door. “And now I have a feeling you won’t be eating dinner either.”

“I’m so sorry. I meant to text you about lunch, but…” I suck in a breath, steadying myself. “I went out shopping. Theron found out I was looking for a job and he suggested I join Blackwood.”

I look away, worried about what her reaction will be, then cautiously glance back at her. She doesn’t take her eyes off the calendar.

“What kind of job? Is it something you want in the long run?” Her voice is flat, with zero judgment. Her concern is only for me.

“We haven’t discussed specifics. I was thinking I could ask him about it after dinner.”

This catches her attention. She places her pencil down and looks at me earnestly. “No one is here tonight for dinner, sweetheart. The alpha king is hosting a gala at his mansion. Everyone left an hour ago.”