Fated Mates: Book 1 of the True Mates Series (26 page)

“But you can’t,” he finished. “Because you’re already in love with someone else.”

His words hit her like a Mack truck. She couldn’t believe Liam figured it out before she did. But he was right. She was in love with Alex. She sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Liam gave her a sheepish smile. “No need to apologize. Do you want to talk about it?”

Her throat burned slightly, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. “No,” she shook her head. “Can we just…please talk about something else?” She turned away from him and discreetly brushed the tears from her eyes.

He cleared his throat. “Well, if you want a laugh…apparently the Lycan gossip vine has been burning all week.”

“What?” she asked, puzzled. “What about?”

He laughed. “Believe it or not, you and me.”

“You and me?” she said in an incredulous voice.

He nodded. “News even made it back to my mother. She wants to know when I’m proposing.”

Alynna was glad she wasn’t eating or drinking when he said that, as she would probably have done a spit take all over his expensive suit. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was,” he said. “I mean, if you weren’t…er…if you were available, you know I would have…not proposed tonight, but I mean, I was going to ask if you wanted to try and work it out. Maybe even invite you to visit or live in San Francisco, since you wanted to do your own thing.”

“That’s very nice of you,” she took his hand into hers. “I appreciate it, but New York is my home. My clan is here. My family is here.”

He smiled sadly. “Can’t blame a guy for trying, huh?”

“I’m-”

“Please don’t say sorry again. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Alynna felt terrible. Liam was a great guy, he really was. He just wasn’t the one for her. She gave a silent prayer, hoping he’d find a great girl someday.
 

“Can I…do anything at all?” It sound trite, but she didn’t know what else to say.

“Well, there is one thing…I mean, you must know this being single and eligible thing in the Lycan society…”

She laughed. “Yes, I know. It’s annoying. I can’t even remember their names and they want to date me.”

“Yeah, well…Since I became Alpha, it’s like I’m a piece of meat, a prize to be won.”

“Ah, I see,” Alynna said with a glint in her eye. “So, we don’t admit or deny anything for now…”

“And let the rumor mill work on its own…”

“And maybe we can both have peace for a little bit,” she finished. “Brilliant!” At least she could get some actual work done, instead of having to write replies and return all the flowers, jewelry, and other gifts she’d been getting from overeager Lycans.

“So you’ll agree? You don’t mind? What about your…”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. That’s…done. No one will mind.”

“Great!” Liam kissed her on the cheek. “It’s a little sly and cheeky. You should tell Grant, though. I don’t want him to think I’m playing around with his sister’s heart.”

“Of course,” she laughed.
 

“I’ll be visiting a couple of times a month, since I’ll be dealing with Fenrir a lot,” he mentioned. “It would be nice if…we could be friends.”

She smiled at him. “I’d like that.”

***

Liam was set to leave New York just after midnight, so after dinner, they set out to the private airstrip where his jet was waiting. Alynna insisted on bringing him there, though when she cleared it with Nick, he agreed, but only if she took one of the security guys with her.

“Ms. Chase.”

Alynna’s heart jumped into her throat when she saw who was standing outside the restaurant. Alex was dressed for work in a dark, professional suit. His face remained stoic, betraying no emotion.

“Alex,” she said. “I—“

“Ready?” Liam asked as he appeared behind her. He put a hand on her lower back and guided her to the waiting car.
 

She scooted in, leaving room for Liam. Alex got into the front passenger seat and they were on their way.

Liam seemed lively, chatting with her, talking to her about San Francisco and when she should come for a visit. She tried to keep it light, and if the Alpha noticed anything wrong with her, he didn’t betray it.

After 30 minutes, the car pulled into the airstrip, driving right up to the jet, which was waiting for its lone passenger. Liam went out of his side, walked over to Alynna’s side then opened the door. He helped Alynna out and she tucked her arm into his as they walked towards the staircase.

“Thank you for seeing me off.” He looked boyish and handsome with the wind whipping the locks of hair that normally fell over his forehead.
 

“You’re my friend, of course I’m going to see you off,” she laughed, patting him on the arm.

“Oh, we’re friends, are we?” he laughed.

“Of course!” she grinned.

“Well,” his voice turned serious. “As your friend, can I say one thing?”

Alynna nodded.

Liam took a deep breath. “It’s just that…well…if you want something, you should go for it. Whatever it is,” he gave her a warm smile, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You and I both know how short life can be. Don’t waste time living it with regret.”

A vicelike grip squeezed her heart and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks again. “Liam…”

“Is it…” he didn’t finish, but glanced over to the waiting car.

Her shoulders sank, and he knew the answer.
 

“Don’t wait. Tell him.”

“I can’t,” she stated. “He won’t…it’s not like that…he doesn’t.”

His lips tightened. “Believe me, he does,” he gripped her shoulders tighter. “Let me show you.”

“What do you—mmph!” she let out a small, surprised squeak as Liam pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. It was weird, how one man could touch her and kiss her and elicit nothing more than brotherly affection, while another, equally handsome man’s lips could set her whole body on fire.

“Liam!” she exclaimed as he pulled away. “You shouldn’t have done that!”

He gave her a smirk. “We gave quite a show, I think.” He gave her a little salute as he ascended the steps.

She waited by the stairs, not knowing what to do. The stairs were pulled away and the attendant told her she had to leave the tarmac or the plane wouldn’t be able to leave.

When she walked to the car, Alex was waiting, holding the door to the car open.

“Did you have a good evening, Ms. Chase?” There was a slight snideness in his voice.

“Yes, Mr. Westbrooke,” she sneered.
Bastard
, she added mentally as she entered the car.
 

***

That night, Alynna tossed and turned in bed, waiting for a knock on her door. But it never came and she slept by herself for the first time that week.

Despite the lack of sleep and the bags under her eyes, Alynna was determined to meet with Cady and Grant that morning. She took the files with her and met with the two of them in the redhead’s office. It wasn’t that she was intimidated by her brother’s office, but Cady’s was neutral ground and she knew that if Grant objected, Cady’s would definitely defend her. She felt slightly nauseous that morning, which she chalked up to nerves and fatigue.
 

Before heading in though, she stopped by Nick and handed him an envelope with her research. He gave her a raised brow, then a nod of acknowledgement, which she guessed was his way of saying thanks.
 

She shrugged and went into Cady’s office. After Cady’s assistant brought them coffee and pastries, they sat down on the couches in the corner.

Alynna took out the folders from her bag and put them on the coffee table. She opened the top folder. “Gardiner’s Laundromat on 1
^st
and 16
^th
. Robbed 6 times in the last year. Police have no clue or leads, despite all the footage on CCTV cameras.” The photo in front was of the Lycan man’s face, severely beaten and bleeding. She opened another folder. A picture of a young Lycan woman. “Michelle Lapicola, mother of two human children. Her piece of shit husband cheated on her, beat her up for years until she finally found the courage to leave him. Now he’s suing her for custody, claiming she cheated on him and therefore an unfit mother.”
 

Grant looked at his sister with a serious look on his face. “These are our clan members that came to us for help because the authorities won’t?”

“Uh-huh. But we should help them. I want to help them,” Alynna stated.
 

Cady and Grant looked at each other.
 

“I know, we’re supposed to let the police or lawyers handle this, but well, it’s obviously not working for them and they’re part of clan so we should protect them—“

“Alright, alright,” Grant relented. “You don’t have to make a case for this. If this is what you want, then you should do it.”

“—And if no one will help them and they can’t trust—wait, what?” Alynna’s eyes widened. “Did you just…you said I could do this?”

“Only if you’re careful and stay under the radar from police, the authorities, and the media.”

She blinked. “Yes, of course. I mean, I always do. I don’t go in with guns blazing. All I want to do is help these people, our people, the best way I know how. Like you do.”
 

Grant smiled. “Well, there are other details to be taken care of, like more Lycan rules and procedures that you should know. The High Council lets us deal with small things like this, but we are not enforcers nor do we take justice into our own hands,” Grant looked at the pictures and frowned. “I wish…I didn’t know. Or I did, but I just haven’t had the time.”

“You can’t be expected to micromanage the clan. You’re our Alpha. This is street-level stuff, Grant, my turf. You can take care of the big picture,” Alynna stated. “There’s a couple of cases like this a year and not all of them need attention. I’m not running around for every Lycan who loses his cellphone or wallet. It shouldn’t take up too much of my time, which is why I’ve also accepted Liam’s offer to be on the board of Amata. I’m also going to be investing my own money in some of the companies he’s working with.”

“I didn’t know things were that serious between the two of you,” Grant quipped.

Alynna laughed. “Yes, Grant, he’s so serious about me he wants to put me on the board of his company,” she said sarcastically. “With me having some interest in the company, he figures he doesn’t have to come to New York as often.”

“Ah, so it’s not serious then?”
 

She gave an exasperated sigh. “Can we talk about that another time?”

Grant looked at Cady. “Would you mind if we took over your office for a moment?”

“Of course,” the redhead stood up. “I have to talk to HR about something.”

When they were alone Grant turned to his sister. “I’m proud of you Alynna. If he were here, Dad would be too.”

“Thanks,” she said softly, a lump forming in her throat. “I can hardly believe everything that’s happened to me, you know. And I know I can’t go back to my old life. Too many things have happened and in a way, I wasn’t really living a life of my own. More like, going through the motions, because I thought I had no other choice,” she paused, her voice cracking a little. “It’s all overwhelming, you know? PI detective stuff, I can do. But board member stuff? Grant, I never even went to college!”

Grant pulled his sister into an embrace and kissed the top of her head. “Listen, you’ll do great. You’re talented and smart and you don’t need a fancy degree.”

“But most people who hold these positions, they have MBAs and stuff, right?”
 

“Yes. If you want to enroll in school, you should do it. But also experience will help you. If you need anything, you can always ask me.”

Alynna smiled against his shoulder and hugged him back. “Thank you, Grant”

He let go of her and gave her a serious face. “Any other surprises or major announcements? I would like to have breakfast first before you announce that you’re going to join a rock band and tour the world.”

“Oh good god, no! I don’t think
I
could take any more surprises.”
 

***

Nick Vrost liked to think he was good at what does. What that is exactly, he couldn’t say. As Beta to Grant and second-in-command in the clan, it was his job to make sure his Alpha was protected, and that included anything in the day to day running of that clan that could get their leader’s hands dirty. And today was one of those days.

Maybe he did things that were slightly illegal but he had never hurt anyone innocent nor commit ted murder. Perhaps he skirted the law a little bit, but he thought of that as part of his job. Including what he was probably about to do today.

He hated to admit it, but Alynna was good. The envelope she handed him this morning contained screenshots from Fred Allman’s social networks, which tagged him in Staten Island and the name, address and social security number of his mother. He was glad he was still in the state and that the dumbass didn’t even bother go farther than his mother’s house.

The house on the suburban area of east Staten Island looked normal enough, nothing out of the ordinary. Nick didn’t scent any Lycans nearby, nor traces of them. The neighborhood was 100% human, which hopefully should work with him rather than against.

Nick snuck around the back, and pulled the unlocked door open. This guy was either an idiot or this was a trap, Nick scoffed to himself. He walked down the basement steps quietly, stopping as he heard loud bangs and gunfire. He put his hand over his own gun in his shoulder holster and descended down slowly.

The basement was dark, except for the glow of the large HDTV. New and just unboxed, judging from the cardboard and wrapping material strewn about. A first-person shooter video game was on the screen, its player obscured by the large leather sofa, which also smelled new to Nick’s keen senses.
Definitely an idiot
, he thought.
 

Nick waited for a few seconds, watching the screen explode in blood as the player shot down a group of enemies across the screen. Just as the game was reaching its peak, Nick reached over the sofa, dragging the surprised man over the back and let him him to the floor.