Chapter 32

Third Person POV

“We got you the first class suite.” Alec says contentedly, watching the driver toss the keys to the valet. He throws his arm round Evelyn’s neck and pulls her close.

Evelyn rolls her eyes. “Aren't they supposed to have a penthouse suite? For all the money we’re paying simply for the suite, the least they could offer was the penthouse suite.” Alec sees Xavier fold his arms and look away from his peripheral vision.

“I asked for it, darling. It's already occupied. The Alpha had a special guest staying over.” Alec says calmly.

“You're the Alpha of the Black Crest pack.” Evelyn says like it is a no brainer "What could be more important than that?”

Xavier coughs and Alec scowls at him. “He has his…um—for want of a nice word for it—female friend staying here.”

Evelyn’s eyes nearly pop out but she remains quiet as Alec walks to the front desk to ask after the reservations.

“I have a reservation for three first class suites under the name of Alec Kade.” Alec says, flashing the receptionist his most charming smile. She returns his smile, her cheeks taking on a slightly red hue. He smiles. She hands them their keys.

“This is Miles.” She says, pointing to a butler. “He will show you your rooms.”

“He had his mistress staying at his hotel?” Evelyn asks when the butler, satisfactorily tipped, houses the door behind him.

“Has.” Alec corrects. “Why don’t you go rest in your room, darling?” He says, sitting at the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. She waves his concerned time away.

“I'm not done fragile flower, you know.” She says. He nods.

“Yes, darling.”

“Isn't it a bit tacky, having your mistress here where everyone can see her? I mean, for goodness's sakes.” Evelyn says, exasperated.

“I hear she's quite beautiful.” Alec murmurs.

Evelyn's nose wrinkles in distaste. She did not like females. Of course, nobody was as beautiful as Evelyn, no doubt. He told her as much.

“You haven’t seen her before?” Evelyn says, picking up a gold ornament from the nightstand and observing it closely. “Not even a picture?”

“No. I don't want to see her. I am doing business with Blackthorn, not his mistress, no matter how beautiful she might be.”

Evelyn seems content with this. She puts the ornament down and walks out. “I’ll be by the pool, Alec. Miss me while you're here.”

Alex looks out the window, the sun is disappearing beneath the sky in clashes of red and yellow. It is almost dusk.

“The pool?” he queries curiously. “at night?”

She rolls her eyes and takes him by the shoulders, shaking him fondly. He hardly even budges. “It’s not dark, Alec.”

He heaves a huge breath. “Don’t stay in the pool too long.” He says. She smirks.

“So I don’t get eaten by a huge monster?”

“I’m serious.” He says. She sobs.

“I’m not little anymore, Alec. I can care for myself.”

He nods fondly, watching her leave.

Evelyn Kade lounges by the pool alone, her lithe, toned body stretched out gracefully and attracting more than just a little attention. She is scanning the few swimmers and tourists. She takes a deep breath, taking in with it the scents of various creatures. Shifters, wolves, nymphs…

She lets out her breath. She would find a little fun on this trip, no doubt. In the form of a wolf or maybe a vampire. She has been with a vampire once, but she had snapped his neck when he had tried to turn her. The extra abilities of being a hybrid would have been desirable, but that is not allowed.

She looks down at the ancient bikini she is wearing. Such a bore. It was pretty, but she had worn it three times before. Like, tell me you’re wretched without telling me you’re wretched.

She does not put on her shades because the sun is going down. She closes her eyes, wondering about Lucien Blackthorn, the supposedly young Alpha who had won his reign by way of conquest.

Who was audacious enough to have his mistress in the Hotel with him. She arches her back, soaking in the dying rays of the sun.

“Having a nice time?.” Her eyes slide open and slant towards the voice coming from the person beside her. He is passably handsome and—she sniffs the air—a shifter. She lets her eyes roam his figure seductively. Now this, she wouldn’t mind.

“An alliance?” Niles asks, his voice deceptively soft. Rhys nods.

Niles lets his head fall back, clenching his jaw. He was damned if he had ever imagined that Blackthorn and Alec Kade would form an alliance, for whatever reason. He looks at Anneliese’s picture where it rests on his desk, poisonous anger filling him.

He would kill Lucien Blackthorn, no matter what it took. Even if he had to kill Alex Kade first.

Corrigan’s POV

I walk out of the mall, holding my shopping bags in my hands. I know I will be late for my number if I don’t hurry up with the dress. I wonder why I had given in to the temptation to get myself a new dress to perform in. Or why I had refused to let a driver or another wolf accompany me. Or why I am walking on the sidewalk alone at night.

I know why I was angry, however.

I want to hit Lucien. And kick him. And toss a mirror at him.

But he would probably dodge it, anyway.

The bastard.

I don’t want to think about Lucien. About how he had so quickly cheapened what we had shared to nothing. Made it seem like it had been just down to lust and hormones. I want him back at the pack house.

I feel lonely when he is there—I would never tell him that—but right now I don’t want his attempts at a reconciliation, or his very poor attempts to swallow his pride. He will do it again.

And again.

I hear a car horn that snaps me out of my reverie and for a second I think I may have stepped off the sidewalk. Beside me there is a car with its windows wound down. It is slowing its speed down to match mine.

“Hello.” I say politely, maintaining my pace and trying to remember where exactly I had kept my phone this time.

“It’s about to rain.” He says.

The driver of the car is a young male. I sniff the air. Werewolf. He has a nice, friendly face. It is a bit unremarkable, like the kind that is easily forgotten. I smile, parting my lips to refuse when I hear thunder in the distance.

My little—to say the very least—encounter with a doppler had taught me a few things about trusting strangers and the hotel was a few blocks away so I could walk. I remember the Doppler’s rows of teeth and I shudder. Yeah, I can definitely walk.

I feel a drop of water trickle down my forehead and unto my nose and I shudder, holding my shopping bags closer to me. What good would the dress be if I got it wet? I continue the walk. I would dry off at the hotel.

“You’re not getting in?” he asks. “you’ll get wet.”

“Don’t bother.” I say, struggling not to shiver. “I’m on my way home. It’s just a few blocks away.”

“You’re going to the Hotel, right?” he says, keeping up with my pace. I feel a bit embarrassed.

There are people watching us with growing interest, many of whom know who I am. I look away so my hair falls over my face. It is not a full downpour yet, but the rain has gotten thicker, dampening my hair.

“No.” I lie, turning on the block to the hotel. I don’t have an umbrella, but that won’t deter me.

“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?” He says teasingly and I sneeze, shivering. It is a full blown rainfall now, complete with the wind and the dirt splattering into my shoes and skirt, but I keep on walking. I am sure my new dress must be soaked through now so I walk on.

“Well for what it’s worth, I’m Alec Kade.” He says.

That name rings a bell but I’m too tired and cold and wet to find out which bell it is so I walk on, ignoring him.

“You have the scent of a werewolf. What’s your pack?” he asks. I can tell he is worried by the tone of his voice. I get to the hotel through the gates and I walk to the front desk. I do not wait for him to get out of his car before entering. I hope I don’t see him again.

The first person I see is Lucien, looking like he’s about to breathe fire from his nostrils. I swallow, letting the valet take my coat. He walks to me, his long strides eating up the space between us.

“Shit.” The soft expletive leaves my lips before I can stop it.