Cravings: Alpha City 2 (9 page)

Jamie walked around Zoey’s place making sure nothing was out of place. Zoey usually left the lamp on before she went to bed, but tonight the light was off. Something didn’t feel right to him as he walked up onto her front porch. Testing the knob, he cursed as the knob turned, allowing him to open the door.

Allowing his wolf to the surface, Jamie slowly walked inside. What he found scared the shit out of him. Zoey was on the floor. Her body was covered by a blanket. He went to her side and felt for a pulse. It was strong, and she didn’t appear to be hurt, but why in the hell was she lying on the floor freezing?

“Zoey.” Jamie shook Zoey softly, trying not to scare her, but she didn’t wake up. “Zoey, wake up.” This time Jamie gave her a little harder shake. Her eyes fluttered open, but closed again. He reached over and turned on the lamp, so he could see her better. Her make-up had run down her cheeks from where she had been crying.

Jamie scooped Zoey up into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. She hadn’t even pulled her shoes off before lying on the floor.

He was confused now. What was wrong with Zoey? She was always the one who made you laugh and loved everyone. She was the sweetest person he knew, and whoever made her cry like this was going to get his ass kicked.

Jamie pulled the covers back, laid her down, took off her shoes, and then covered her up. She snuggled in the bed and then stopped moving again. He was worried now and picked up the phone to call Ryder. He explained how he found her and told him he was staying with her until she woke up in the morning and could tell him what was going on. Ryder explained what had happened in Vegas. Now it was all coming together.

He knew that Zoey was in love with Kayden, and the way he looked at her, she wasn’t alone in the love department. But why wouldn’t the man let her explain? It was almost like he was looking for an excuse. He couldn’t believe that Kayden wouldn’t fight for Zoey. He looked down at her face, and it startled him how much he cared about her. She was a beautiful woman. Her personality was what drew a person to Zoey. He needed to have a little talk with Kayden. Alpha or not, he couldn’t just not say anything after seeing her like this.

Jamie made sure all her doors and windows were locked before he left. He checked the area one more time and went back up to the big house to go to sleep. He was going to stay, but he didn’t think she would appreciate it if she woke up to find him sleeping on her couch come morning. Tomorrow, he needed to take a trip into town and speak to a particular Alpha.

****

Kayden walked through his door to find Rose Bailey cooking in his kitchen. He looked over at Thorn wondering why the woman was in his house cooking. Before he could explain, Rose turned around and saw him.

“Hello, Alpha. I heard you were coming back today and thought you might like a home-cooked meal.” Her eyes were down cast as she waited for him to respond.

“Kayden, at the moment, Rose’s cabin isn’t ready, and I thought you would be in Vegas for a few more days, so I allowed her to stay in one of the guest bedrooms until tomorrow when the workers should be done with the renovations,” Thorn explained.

“Okay,” Kayden said, sarcastically. He needed to get with Thorn tomorrow and find out why he didn’t tell him she was in his house. He didn’t need this right now. His temperament wasn’t good, and he didn’t want to take it out on her. Rose was a beautiful woman, but all he could think about was a blue-eyed blond who had his heart and had broken it into a million pieces.

Kayden walked away without another word, went straight into his office, and poured himself a drink. He didn’t want to talk about Zoey or even think about her. He needed a way to forget her. Sitting down at his desk, he lowered his head, feeling the tension in his neck. It was a wonder he wasn’t cramping up all over with the events that occurred this week. He needed a break, and his panther wanted to run. Tomorrow he would take the day off from work and go to Pier’s Point and relax.

“Alpha, I don’t mean to disturb you, but diner is ready,” Rose said softly. Kayden looked up into the eyes of a beautiful woman. She had green eyes and black hair. Her body wasn’t bad either, but as soon as he looked her up and down, all he could think of was Zoey, and it was pissing him off.
Damn that woman
.

“I’m starving, Rose. I think I will join you.” Kayden decided that he no longer wanted to think about Zoey Malone. He needed a break, and eating dinner with a beautiful woman was a good start.

Kayden followed Rose back to the kitchen and sat down. There was all kinds of food sitting on the table. The smell was heavenly as he inhaled deeply.

“Smells great, Rose,” Kayden responded kindly.

Thorn walked into the room and sat down beside Kayden. They both watched as Rose continued to bring out different dishes, and they looked mouthwatering.

“Rose, did you think more people were eating?” Kayden and Thorn laughed as they teased her. Apparently, Rose had to cook for a lot of people at her home in Africa because there had to be at least ten different dishes laying on the table.

He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable and needed to put her at ease. “This looks wonderful, Rose. Please sit down and tell us about yourself. I have read your file, and I know you were a secretary at an insurance company, and you have four siblings. Your mother died when you were fifteen years old, and you take care of them and your father. What does he do, because it doesn’t say?” Kayden asked. He saw how her who body flinched when her father was brought up.

“My father isn’t worth talking about. He is the devil who sold his daughter to the Alpha, so she could mate with his son.” She said it casually, like it was common knowledge.

Kayden’s head jerked up as Rose sat down in her seat. She acted like it was nothing. She continued to put food on her plate and then proceeded to eat. Kayden looked over at his second who looked equally shocked at what Rose had said. He couldn’t believe it. His father bought her like she was a slave.

“Rose. What do you mean he sold you to my father?” Kayden demanded. He didn’t want to assume anything. He needed the facts before he pounded his father’s head into the ground.

“My father has a gambling problem, along with other things. He got himself into some trouble with a group of tigers and owed them more money than I could make at my job. Your father said he would pay off his debt if I would come here to America and mate with you.”

Kayden wanted to throw the table, but he couldn’t and wouldn’t scare Rose. She had been through enough. He would make sure his father never set foot in his city again. This was it for him. The man had gone too far.

“Rose.” Kayden waited for her to look at him. He reached out his hand to her. “I would never make you mate with me. I’m not my father, and what he did was wrong on so many levels. I don’t even know where to begin.” Kayden put his fork down and blew out his breath. “I’m sorry you were torn away from your home. I will pay for you to go back and give you money to get back on your feet, if that is what you want. You are not a prisoner here. I’m so sorry he did that. I’m nothing like my father.” Kayden hoped she didn’t want to go back. He would only sell her again to someone else, and he shuddered thinking what they would do to her. One of his kind and this was the way his father treated Rose This would be her choice.

“Alpha, please don’t send me back. Please. I will do anything for you, please, just don’t send me back.” Rose got up and got on her knees in front of him pleading with him.

Kayden was so shocked that this woman was treated so badly that he knew he would do whatever it took to keep her safe. He reached down and petted her hair trying to calm her down. She was sobbing and holding on to his feet.

“Rose. I would never send you back. You are welcome to stay here forever. You are not a prisoner here. I would never make you do anything. You are in my pride if you choose, and I will take care of you and help you get a job so you can make your own money. I would never tell you who you have to mate with and that includes me.” Rose looked up at Kayden. Her eyes were swollen from crying.

“You are a good man, Alpha, and I thank you for your kindness. My only regret is leaving my three brothers and sister alone with that-- man. It scares me to think what he will do to Carina. She’s only eight years old, and I’ve seen the way my father and his friends have been looking at her.” Kayden looked over at Thorn who was raging mad at what was going on in Africa.

“Take three men with you, get with our contacts over there, get Rose’s siblings out, and bring them here to Alpha City. And Thorn, don’t allow my father to know you are there.” Kayden looked back at Rose. “Can you call your brothers and tell them we are coming for them? They would need to leave everything behind, and I will buy them everything they will need, but they have to be at a certain location for Thorn to get them out. Do you think they could do that, Rose, or would they even want to come here?”

“Oh Alpha, yes, yes they want to come here. I wanted to bring them here, but my father wouldn’t allow it. He said they needed to continue to work because they are his kids. I will call Titan, and he will get them to the location without my father finding out. Titan is seventeen years old. He’s very smart and will do the right thing.” Rose informed Kayden and Thorn all about her siblings. By the time they finished dinner, Rose was smiling. He only hoped that Thorn could get to them in time. His father needed to pay for what he was doing.

Kayden sat down at his desk and looked over at the picture that was taken when he was twelve years old. He was standing next to his father at his desk. He hated him more today than he did then. Now, he knew what lengths his father would go to get his way. It was all about control and not about the happiness of the pride. No, his father allowed a member of his own pride to sell his daughter and would probably do the same thing with Rose’s little sister. He wasn’t an honorable Alpha. He was nothing more than a slave trader in Africa and a disgrace to his kind. Kayden felt shame for not seeing this before. He needed to talk to the other women his father sent to him who wanted to stay in his pride. They had all mated with other members, but he never thought to ask what they thought or took the time to get more information.

“Well, it stops today, you bastard. It stops today.” Kayden hit the desk with his fist trying to release the sick pain he was feeling in his gut. Thorn peeked around the door waiting before he entered.

“Get in here,” Kayden replied. His voice was heavy with shame knowing he missed it. All this time he missed what his father was doing.

“You didn’t know, Kayden,” Thorn said with a sigh.

“I should have known, Thorn. I should have. I have to talk to Mattie and the others who he sent here for me to mate. I know he bought them. God only knows what is going on over there, and my mother how-how could she stay with him knowing he was doing that? My life has been a lie. I can’t believe I missed what he was doing.” Kayden leaned back in his chair closing his eyes.

“He has to be reported to the sentinels, but first we need to get those kids out of there before something happens. I will leave now, Alpha, and get back with you when I have them. We will meet like before at the Hub,” Thorn explained.

“Be careful, Thorn. My father is sneaky. If he even thinks that we are taking from his pride, he will set a trap for you and the others. I can’t even think what he would do to you if he caught you. Maybe I need to go,” Kayden suggested.

“No. I will not risk you, Alpha. You are our future. You are the one who will lead the panthers to a better life. I remember how to do this. I had a life before I met you, and getting in and out of countries is what I do best. Let me do this. I can get them out without your father knowing, before it’s too late,” Thorn assured him.

Kayden clasped hands with Thorn. He knew about Thorn’s life before he came to Alpha City. He worked for the government. Thorn would never tell him all of his duties, but he knew the man was a jack-of-all-trades.

“Be careful, my friend. You are just as important to this pride and to me. God be with you.” Kayden hugged his second in command then watched as he left the house.

Zoey woke up and stretched her arms above her head. Then it hit her that she was in her bed. She remembered lying on the floor and pulling the blanket over her, but nothing else after that.

Slowly she got up, opened her bedroom door, and looked out. Nobody was in her cabin. The blanket she used to cover herself up was neatly folded and laying back on the sofa. She looked back and saw that her shoes were sitting in front of her closet, but who did this? she thought.

She didn’t panic since nothing appeared to be missing as she looked around the room. Her suitcase was sitting in front of her dresser. She didn’t remember bringing that in when she jumped out of the SUV.

She pulled her wolf closer and inhaled deeply, letting her senses take over.

Jamie. He was the one who picked her up from the floor and put her in bed. She smiled knowing that she loved her pack. They did things like this to help each other out. He didn’t ask her any questions but allowed her to get it out of her system, and he was there to help her pick up the pieces. That is why she would never leave Alpha City. Even if she never mated, she would always stay with her pack. They were her family.

Knock, knock, knock. Zoey smelled Brody before she opened the door.

“Hello beautiful. Get your bathing suit on, and let’s head out to Pier’s Point. I’ve got us a picnic ready in the truck, and I’m ready to have some fun.”

Zoey didn’t think twice. She ran back into her bedroom and put on her bathing suit and grabbed her bag with her towel in it. She grabbed her keys and locked her door. Brody was standing at the bottom steps as Zoey jumped on his back. They laughed as Brody gave Zoey a piggyback ride to his truck. It felt like old times as the big bear drove off.

****

Kayden watched Rose knit as they waited for Thorn to call. He knew it would be hours before he heard anything. She continued to look up at the clock as they waited. He couldn’t just sit here and wait. They needed something to do to take away the worrying.

“Hey, let’s pack a picnic and go to Pier’s Point to go swimming. It will be a couple of hours before Thorn calls. I’m going crazy watching you knit, so let’s go swimming and eat some of the leftover food you prepared last night.” Kayden was already up holding his hand down to her.

Rose hesitated before she took his hand. “I need to go and put my bathing suit on.”

“Okay, you go do that. I’ll change and put some food in the basket,” Kayden replied. Rose smiled then went to her bedroom to change.

****

Kayden rolled down the windows as they drove to Pier’s Point. His thoughts always came back to Zoey when he was driving.

“Why are you not mated?” Rose asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He glanced over at her before he spoke. Should he be honest with Rose and tell her about Zoe?
.
No, you dumb ass, just make something up. The fewer people who know about them the better.

Glancing back at the road, Kayden decided he would just keep it simple. “It just hasn’t happened yet.” And that was all he said. She didn’t need to know about Zoey.

“What about you? Was there someone in Africa that you cared about?” Kayden asked, as he glanced over at her expression. She had turned pale in the face. He pulled over on the side of the road to make sure she was okay.

“Hey, don’t cry. I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Kayden’s voice was soft. He didn’t know what all had happened to Rose in Africa, but he knew something terrible had happened.

Rose only shook her head and stopped talking. She let out a deep breath and looked out her window. Kayden knew he needed to get her some help, maybe even have her talk to a psychologist, someone who could help her deal with the past. Brody had a lady in his family who was a psychologist. Maybe he could talk to her. He needed to call Brody today and ask.

Kayden pulled back onto the roadway and started telling her about Pier’s Point. They pulled up at his cabin and started walking toward the falls when Kayden heard people laughing.

“Shit,” Kayden whispered under his breath. He inhaled and could smell her scent. She smelled wonderful. Only Zoey smelled like that to him. Rose glanced over at him with a worried expression on her face. She could feel the tension in the air as they got closer to the falls.

“It’s alright. Just some friends,” Kayden said when they stepped up to the falls to see Zoey jump from the ridge into the water. Brody was already looking at them when they came out of the clearing. He had a smile on his face as Kayden and Rose came closer.

Kayden introduced Rose to Brody as Zoey swam to the side of the falls. She didn’t get out as she stared at Kayden and Rose. Then she saw the picnic basket in his hands. Her expression showed hurt then the shutters came down masking her thoughts.

“Zoey, come meet Rose,” Brody insisted. Kayden could see the battle Zoey was fighting with herself as she got out of the water and walked toward him. All he could see was pain etched on her face, but that was crazy. She was with Johnny now, so seeing him with Rose shouldn’t hurt her at all.

“Zoey, this is Rose Bailey. She is joining Kayden’s pride!” exclaimed Brody.

“Hello, Rose,” Zoey muttered and stuck her hand out for her to shake. Rose released the breath she was holding and shook her hand. As soon as they shook hands, Zoey walked over to the blankets and started drying off like she was getting ready to leave.

“Come join us for lunch,” Brody insisted. He knew what Brody was up to, but she was done and didn’t want to be around Kayden and his new mate. They would see each other often enough, but right now she needed time to get her heart right and control her emotions.

“Sure, why not,” Kayden answered, then pulled out the blanket and laid it on the ground beside their blanket. He wanted to hurt her like she did him in Vegas with Johnny. He smiled at Rose then took off his shirt and jumped in the water.