Alphas prefer fiesty Lunas

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*Freya*

I feel like I am about to explode, bristling at the nerve of this arrogant, overbearing Alpha. I take deep breaths, trying to contain the temper that has already made me famous in two households, on two continents. I lose the battle.

“I really don’t think that you should be speaking to me in such a scandalous fashion. It is quite unfair of you to take advantage of my weakened condition in such a lewd way, especially when one considers that the only reason I’m sitting here with a throbbing lump on my head... not to mention in the company of quite the rudest man I have ever had the bad fortune to meet... is because I was watching your nephew when you and your sister were too careless to look after him properly.”

I sit back, pleased with my own speech, and give him my fiercest glare.

He looks stunned by my tirade but is careful not to show his surprise. “You have got quite a vocabulary, Meg,” he says slowly. “Where did you learn to speak so well?”

“That’s none of your business,” I spit out, trying desperately to come up with a believable story.

“But I’m terribly interested. Surely you could share with me one little tidbit about your past?” He inquires.

“If you must know, my mother worked as a nurse to three young children. Their parents were very kind and allowed me to share their education.” There, that sounded good.

He nods slowly, “I see. How generous of them.”

I sigh and roll my eyes at his sarcasm.

“Zac!” A shrill voice calls out. “I’m back! And we got twelve dozen eggs. I hope that’s enough.”

Twelve dozen! My heart sinks. There is no way I will be able to balance all those eggs. Now I will have to let the Alpha take me back home in the carriage.

The door swings open and Summer’s face appears. “Oh, you’re awake!” she exclaims, looking at me. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you.” Summer grabs one of my hands and clutches it in her own. “If there is any way I can help you, please let me know. My name is Summer, and I’m the Luna of Wilding, and I will be forever in your debt. Here...” she says, thrusting a card in my hand. “...Take this. It’s my address, and you can call me day or night if you’re ever in need of anything.”

I can only stare at Summer as the green-eyed woman pauses for breath.

“Oh, my,” Summer continues. “Where are my manners? What is your name?”

“Her name is Meg,” Zac answers smoothly. “And she hasn’t seen fit to share more info with us.”

I fume. He hasn’t even asked for my surname.

“Never you mind, my dear,” Summer rambles. “You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to...”

I look at Zac triumphantly.

“...as long as you remember that I will be your friend for life and you can count on me for anything.”

“Thank you very much, my Luna,” I say quietly. “I will remember that, indeed. But I really would like to be getting back. I have been gone a long while, and the cook will be wondering about me.”

“Perhaps you could tell us where you work?” Zac inquires.

I look at him blankly.

“You do have a job somewhere? You weren’t planning to eat all those eggs yourself?”

Oh, blast, I had forgotten my masquerade again. “Um, I work for the Alpha and Luna of Crows River.”

Zac seems to know the address and instructs his coachman. Summer keeps up a steady stream of chatter during the short time it takes the carriage to reach the Morningstar mansion.

I nearly run out of the carriage.

“Wait!” Zac and Summer call out in unison.

Summer reaches me first. "I must thank you properly. I'll have nightmares for weeks if I don't." She reaches up to her ears, quickly takes off her diamond and emerald earrings, and thrusts them into my hands. "Please take these. It's just a small token, I know, but perhaps they will help you if youare ever in need."

I am dumbfounded. I can't very well tell this she-wolf that I am the only heir to a giant shipping business, but at the same time, I can see that Summer desperately needs to give something to me to show her thanks.

"The Goddess bless you," Summer kisses me on the cheek and climbs back into the coach.

I turn to the coachman and take the eggs from him. I smile at Summer and head toward the mansion's side entrance.

"Not so fast, love," Zac suddenly appears at my side. "I'll carry these in for you."

"No!" I say, a little too sharply. "I mean, I would really rather you didn't. Nobody will mind that I'm late once I explain about Charlie, but they won't like me bringing a strange man into the kitchen."

"Nonsense," Zac says, reaching for the eggs with the supreme assurance of one who expects his orders to be obeyed.

I back away from him. All hell would break loose if he escorts me into the house, and Angel... to whom he has most likely already been introduced… starts calling me by my true name. "Please," I plead. "Please just go away. There will be trouble if you don't."

Zac looks as if he wonders if I am being mistreated. But then seems to decide that he doesn't want me to get into any trouble on his account. "Very well," he bows curtly. "It has been a pleasure knowing you, my dear Meg."

I turn and scurry into the service entrance of the mansion, feeling Zac’s hot gaze on my back the whole way. When I am finally bursting through the door into the kitchen, I feel as if I have been delivered from purgatory.

"Freya!" everyone cries out in unison.

"Where have you been?" Angel demands, hands on hips. "We’ve been worried sick about you."

I sigh as I place the bag of eggs on the counter. "Angel, couldn't we discuss this later?" I glance pointedly at the servants, whose mouths are visibly agape as they stare at me unashamedly.

"All right, then," Angel agrees. "Let's go upstairs right now."

I groan. I am suddenly exhausted, my head is pounding once again, and I don’t know what to do about those cursed earrings, and...

"Oh my heavens!" Angel shrieks, as I blink and faint dead away.