Really?

~Alexander~

"We just left yesterday, mum. What do you mean by when will you see us again?" Alexander huffs, pulling up at his mate's company parking lot. They agreed yesterday to go on a date this evening since she won't be going to work too early tomorrow because of the launch. Apparently she has something to tell him tonight and he has been dying to take her to this event since he found out she shared his love for art.

"What can I say? I like the girl. She reminds me why you're my son," Sabrina teases over the phone.

Not in the mood for her shenanigans, he huffs. "I'm hanging up, mum."

"Wait, son. I have something important to tell you."

Frowning at how frantic she sounds, he turns off the ignition. "What is it, mum?" There's a drawn out moment of silence for a while but it allows Alexander to focus on the background noise. He can hear multiple footsteps and laughter. Where the hell has this woman gone now? "Mum?"

"I booked a spa appointment for us tomorrow. You promised to come," she blurts out, her voice unnecessarily loud.

He groans, shaking his head in exasperation. Important my ass. If that's all she had to say, what's with the needless suspense? He really needs to stop being overly worried. "And this is why I never take you seriously."

The woman scoffs, having the audacity to be offended. "You should be thanking me for making you irresistible to your mate. If I didn't force you into skincare, do you really think any girl would die for you as much as they do? Not to mention my damn good genes. A thank you would be nice, you ungrateful child."

He rolls his eyes, pausing when he sights his mate a few paces ahead going the wrong way. "Yeah, yeah. I gotta go mum. Talk to you later."

"I-"

Alexander cuts the call, opening his car to get the blonde's attention. "Daisy!" He waves at her, smiling when she turns to look at him. He notices some people staring at her but he thinks nothing of it as he runs around his car to open the car door for her.

Chuckling at his antics, she smiles at him. "Hey."

"Hi," he grins, shutting her door when she gets into the car. He returns to the driver's seat and shuts his door.

"Did you wait long?" She asks, seeming distracted with a disturbed frown on her face as she checks her phone.

"No, I didn't. Are you okay?" He queries, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lies instantly, nodding her head. "Splendid actually," she gives a tight smile, switching off her phone in mild frustration.

He glances at her with an amused smile before keeping his eyes on the road. "Bad day at work?"

Sighing, she covers her face with her hands. "That obvious?"

"When it's not about business matters, you're a terrible liar, darling," he says easily.

She scoffs, leaning back into her chair and adjusting her seat belt. "That's because I don't lie in my business proposals."

"Well, that explains things," he chuckles. "What happened?"

"I made a big mistake and my boss pissed me off."

He hums. "You wanna talk about it over tea?"

She raises a brow at him. "And miss this mysterious event you want to take me to? Never," she grins.

"It doesn't matter." Happy as he is about her willingness to go, he can sense from her aura that she's not as upbeat as she's trying so hard to act. Sure the event is today but he can get his friend to let him have access to his art gallery tomorrow night after the launch. "If you're not okay, we can reschedule this date for tomorrow-"

"No. I'm not putting off you wearing what I printed for you. Besides, I'll be very tired after having to talk to more people with their heads up their asses than I can count on ten pairs of hands," she says offhandedly but the Alpha can detect the teasing tone in her voice.

"My, my," Alexander starts, parking outside her apartment building, "is that a jab at me, Rose?" He smirks, leaning towards her.

"Hmm, I don't know, Xandria. We did meet at a high end social function like that," she shrugs, blinking up at him innocently.

"You really need to stop it with the nickname." His mate has been calling him that ever since they got back from the family dinner. Unsurprisingly, he hates it.

"I needed you to stop calling me Rose when we first met but you insisted on it as you are now."

"That's not fair."

Curling her fingers under his chin, she gets closer to his face. "All is fair in love and war, my love," she whispers.

Alexander's jaw drops as she chuckles and gets out of the car. Oh this little shit. "Using my own words against me," he scoffs, getting out of his car. Taking his mate's shirt from the back seat, he locks the car doors with his key.

Daisy pushes open the entrance door and turns around to grin at him. "Can you really say you're surprised?"

He huffs, following her into the building. "Can you really say you want to turn this into a game between us?" He asks as the elevator doors close.

"Why? Scared you'd lose?" She doesn't let him speak before she continues. "I'm kinda worried about Gabriel."

Alexander tenses up, trying not to growl in frustration at the sudden mention of that infuriating wolf.

He's her mate too, Alexander. You can be nice. You can be nice.

"Why?" He asks forcefully, the annoyance in his voice clear as day.

If Daisy notices it, she doesn't say anything. Instead, she answers his question. "Gabriel said he had something urgent to talk to me about and I haven't seen him or heard from him since Saturday. I'm surprised he hasn't reached out. He's usually persistent until he gets what he wants. It's kinda weird that he's been quiet for three days now," she says, biting her bottom lips with a thoughtful frown on her face.

"Is that such a bad thing?" He blurts out again. Well, so much for being nice.

"Alexander," she scolds as the elevator opens and walks out.

"What?" He huffs, walking behind her. "You know I don't like him," he stops right in front of her door with her and blows out a breath when she turns to give him a look. "I'm trying here," he whines.

"I know," she steps forward to run her hands down his arms in a comforting manner, "and I appreciate it." Biting her lips, she opens and closes her mouth more than three times.

Alexander bends his head to catch her eyes. Tapping her lips playfully, he smiles at her softly. "Do you want to tell me something, beautiful?"

"I-" she stares up at him, pondering over something for a while before shaking her head with a smile. "Nothing. I'll tell you later tonight." She opens her door and swipes the bag containing her t-shirt from his hands before walking into her apartment.

Blinking thrice in confusion, Alexander shakes his head. That's odd. First his mother was acting weird earlier and now his mate.

It's probably nothing.

Ignoring the rising dread in his gut, he shuts his mate's apartment door behind him.

"Here's your shirt," Daisy says, throwing a white t-shirt at him. Breezing into her room with her own shirt, she doesn't come out until ten minutes later.

By then, Alexander has already worn his shirt and a jean jacket over it. The moment she rushes out trying to wear her earrings, he's waiting for her on one of the kitchen counter stools with an unamused frown on his face.

Glancing briefly at him, she intentionally asks him, "What's wrong?", knowing fully well exactly what's wrong.

"Really?" He seethes, pointing at the words 'asshole number one' printed in bold all caps on his shirt.

The subtle smile on her face gives way to a broad grin as she stares at the shirt. "Yes."

"That's unfair. I gave you a sweet name."

She hums, gripping the seams of the material to showcase her own shirt. "Yes, because Roses and Dreams isn't embarrassing at all."

"I should have put Roses and Thorns," he grumbles, crossing his arms.

"Oh boohoo," she mocks, putting on her sneakers.

Despite himself, Alexander can't help but admire how good she looks in denim jeans. Especially with how she's bending over in front of him.

"Unfortunately, there won't be a next time. There's no way I'm letting you customise a shirt for me again."

The only thing unfortunate about this situation is the fact that she stood up straight after she finished wearing her shoes. Clearing his throat and pushing those horny thoughts to the back of his mind, he stands up. "When's your birthday?"

"What, your minion you had follow me around before didn't tell you that?" She smirks, pulling him closer by his jacket.

Trying not to fall for her obvious seduction attempt, he pulls up the hood of her jean jacket and walks towards her door nonchalantly. "Forget it, I'll check your Facebook."

She huffs, pushing back the hood in annoyance. "I still won't accept customised shirts as a birthday gift."

"Challenge accepted.”