Chapter 45 You're Scaring My Mate
"Will?" Alicia called uncertainly, her voice carrying the young man's name.
"Oh, what an honor to be remembered by such a beautiful lady. Miss Alicia, nice to meet you. Will Hayden." Will introduced himself and continued, "I bet you were amazed by the Alpha's impressive driving skills. Beautiful flowers deserve to be handled with care. Oops, it seems there's a leaf in your hair," Will remarked playfully as he reached into Alicia's hair and extracted a rose from the back, showcasing his magic trick.
"Wow, thank you," Alicia exclaimed, surprise evident in her eyes as she extended her hand to accept the flower. Unexpectedly, Will's right hand suddenly broke.
Alicia let out a horrified scream, dropping both the rose and the broken hand model. In a surprising twist, a bouquet of dried lavender flowers emerged from the empty sleeve.
"I heard from the Alpha that you like lavender, so I thought I'd give present them to the extra beautiful you with a special little trick" Will spoke sweetly to Alicia, mischief dancing in his eyes.
Feeling hesitant to touch the bouquet of dried lavender flowers again, Alicia glanced at Damian by her side with a questioning gaze, barely containing her urge to ask him, "Is your Beta's hand okay?"
Damian cautioned Will, "Will, enough with your tricks. You're scaring my mate."
Will bristled slightly and extended both his hands, saying, "I was just trying to cheer up Miss Alicia. She seemed a bit uncomfortable."
"I'm just not accustomed to being in a high-speed sports car," Alicia explained with a yawn.
"Take her to the room and let her rest," Damian instructed Will.
"No problem," Will responded, leading them to the top floor of the hotel via a VIP elevator. He discreetly manipulated a few dried lavender flowers in his palm, fashioning them into the shape of a key. With deliberate flair, he closed his hand and conjured a room key.
Alicia couldn't help but express her admiration for Will's small act, saying, "You're like a magical genius!"
Will winked at Alicia and replied, "I can perform even more magic. Feel free to call me anytime if you'd like to learn. Private lessons are on the house."
"Making advances toward my mate right in front of me, Will. You're becoming bolder by the minute. Don't forget we have work to do!" Damian interjected with a displeased tone, noticing the admiration in Alicia's eyes.
Sensing that Damian had no intention of taking a break, Alicia inquired, "Aren't you planning to take a break?"
"You're inviting me to sleep with you?" Damian deliberately joked, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. There was no hint of fatigue in his eyes; if anything, he seemed more invigorated than during the drive.
Alicia stumbled over her words as she explained, "No... No, that's not what I meant... Well, it seems like you and Will have other matters to attend to. But you've been driving for over ten hours. Aren't you tired?"
Damian reached out and gently twirled a strand of Alicia's soft hair. He brought it to his nose, taking in the mingling scents of her fresh floral shampoo and the faint fragrance of the red wine she had worn, which helped soothe his nerves.
Smiling, Damian assured her, "I'm not tired now. There's nothing more exhilarating than this moment."
Alicia tucked her hair back, took a hesitant step back, and whispered, "I'll drive tomorrow. You should get some rest."
"Actually I do need you to drive tomorrow because I have to stay in Portland tomorrow. Just send me the address of your father's pack house. I'll go there later." Damian sighed, a touch of regret coloring his expression.
Alicia's drowsiness was overtaken by curiosity upon hearing Damian's words. "Is it related to the woman who is important to you? Are you going to see her? I can wait here for you." She was intrigued by the identity of the woman Damian was searching for and the reasons behind it.
"Trust me, Miss Alicia, that Omega is nowhere near as beautiful as you are. Besides, I'll keep a close eye on the Alpha for you. He wouldn't dare make a move on that middle-aged lady," Will interjected, enjoying the situation from the sidelines. Sensing the warning glare from Damian, he swiftly averted his gaze and began to whistle nonchalantly.
In a low voice, Damian told Alicia, "This is not something for you to be involved in. I will be at your father's house before tomorrow night. I promise."
"Okay," Alicia replied, her head hanging low, her olive-green eyes losing the sparkle brought on by curiosity.
Damian planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, his voice softer than a lullaby, "Goodnight. May you have pleasant dreams, my fawn."
As Alicia watched Damian and Will disappear into the elevator, she let out a sigh and stepped into the opulent suite.
Thick, plush cashmere carpeting adorned the entire room. However, Alicia found little interest in exploring the luxurious suite, with its welcoming display of fruits, exquisite chocolates, and an enticing bottle of champagne that exuded an air of luxury.
She flung herself onto the expansive king-size bed, large enough to accommodate four adults. However, the soft and plush goose-down comforter couldn't alleviate the emptiness she felt inside.
Damian remained an enigma, concealing everything about himself—his whereabouts, his appearance, and even information about his pack—never allowing the internet or mass media to divulge any details.
Since meeting Damian, he had introduced his Betas to her, let her in on his friendship with Ellis, and moved upstairs to become her neighbor. But Damian never spoke about his own personal life, including his family. Alicia couldn't help but speculate whether the Omega was somehow connected to Damian's family. She couldn't shake off the thought that the enigmatic King of Rogues was involved in something dangerously significant or harboring astonishing secrets.
Unfortunately, Alicia's fatigued mind refused to expend any more brain cells contemplating complex matters. In no time, exhaustion claimed her, and she drifted off to sleep.
At precisely 7:30 am, Alicia was jolted awake by the ringing of her cell phone. The waiter arrived promptly at eight o'clock, bearing a sumptuous breakfast.
The sight of hot croissants, an American omelet, and sizzling bacon was undeniably tempting, yet Alicia found herself devoid of any appetite. In fact, she felt a sense of queasiness creeping in.
After sipping some freshly squeezed orange juice and feeling slightly better, she ventured to uncover another sterling silver lid, half-expecting a refreshing salad or poached broccoli. Instead, she discovered a box of golden caviar and a whole lobster on the plate. Alicia muttered to herself, "Who eats caviar and lobster for breakfast?"
The aroma of the caviar made her stomach churn, prompting her to cover her mouth and nose. She hastily closed the lid and hurried to the window, gasping for a few lungfuls of fresh air until the discomfort subsided.
Just then, the doorbell chimed, and Alicia greeted Lyon, whom she hadn't seen in a while.
Lyon, sporting a pair of black-framed glasses and with his curly hair tied back, appeared somewhat old-fashioned. He offered a morning greeting to Alicia, saying, "Good morning, Miss Alicia. How are you? You look quite pale."
His plaid shirt and glasses reminded Alicia of her stepbrother Eric, and she smiled as she replied, "Perhaps it's because the motion sickness from yesterday hasn't fully dissipated."
Lyon furrowed his brow, displaying genuine concern as he inquired, "Do you want me to call a doctor for you?"
"I'm fine, really. Have you had breakfast? I haven't touched any of these dishes, especially the caviar and lobster. If you're interested, feel free to help yourself," Alicia replied with a smile, gesturing toward the food cart.
"Thank you, but I've already eaten. If the breakfast doesn't suit your taste, you can request your favorite food anytime," Lyon graciously declined while expressing gratitude for Alicia's kind offer.
"No need to trouble yourself. Croissants and orange juice will suffice for me. By the way, where is Damian? Did he return to the hotel last night?" Alicia inquired.
Lyon recollected his duty to deliver the messages, "Alpha is still attending to matters, and it might take a while. He asked me to convey a few messages."
Pushing up his glasses, Lyon cleared his throat and imitated Alpha's tone as he spoke, saying, "I will definitely pay a visit to your father's house. I have a gift for your father stowed in the back of the car. Also, during yesterday's road trip, I noticed you screamed a few times and shouted to let me watch out while sitting in the passenger seat. It made me suspect that your driving skills might not be very proficient. If you're uncertain about driving back to Seattle alone because your skills are subpar, Lyon can take care of the driving."
With that, Lyon shrugged and added, "That's everything. Not a single word omitted."