“With all due respect, I don’t-“
“Furthermore,” Henry interrupts my protest firmly, “I don’t think it’s a secret that my pack is not quite as robust as yours. We are older, and severely lacking in younglings. We’re not in the same position as the Greenbriar Pack, which is to say that we can’t afford to strike first and ask questions later.”
What he’s saying is that, for now, he intends to do nothing. This man, who is at least thirty years my senior and has therefore fought Samson Blackburn firsthand, would rather sit back and wait to see what will happen instead of taking action.
In any other situation, I’d call him a fool. But I’m in his territory, here to smooth over a misunderstanding during which one of my pack injured one of his rare younglings.
I have no choice but to nod diplomatically and say, “I understand.”
“We would, however, greatly appreciate the Greenbriar Pack’s allegiance and support if it becomes essential in the near future.”
Again, if it wouldn’t be the wrong move, I’d roll my eyes. Henry Whiterose is saying that he wants us Greenbriars to stay out of it up until the moment when they’re desperate for our warriors to sweep in and save the day for them. If I was the official Greenbriar Alpha, I’d have a few things to say about that sentiment, but my father is still in charge, and I’m here as a princely diplomat.
“Of course,” I tell Henry, doing my best to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “The Greenbriars and the Whiteroses are longtime friends.”
Henry isn’t even looking at me, though. He’s once again shooting a furtive glance toward the back corner of The Diner. His wrinkled brow is knit in confusion, and when he looks back at me, something sparks in his gaze that I can’t figure out.
Suspicion creeps down my spine. As subtly as I can manage, I sweep my eyes over the room once again. I don’t see anything odd, but I do smell that faint Greenbriar aroma mingling at the very fringes of the Whiterose scent that hangs heavy in the air.
Except, the longer I focus on it, the more I’m able to determine that it’s two separate Greenbriar scents. One is tinged with youth and the other is
…
The other one is impossibly familiar. It has something special about it-just a hint of springtime lilacs and a touch of spiced cloves.
I would know that scent anywhere, even if it’s been a decade since the last time I was close to it.
But, again, it’s impossible. My Mate is long gone.
There’s no way in hell she’s been here in Whiterose territory this whole time.
Alina
“Now press your tongue to the roof of your mouth-“
“Wha…?” Noah blinks up at me in confusion.
I try not to laugh at his expression, knowing he’s in pain. It’s just a brain freeze, but still. The primal creature within me roars whenever my child is uncomfortable. As far as I’m concerned, nobody else in the world exists right now.
“Like this,” I tell him, demonstrating with my own mouth.
Noah follows my example and, just for good measure, I place my warm palm against his forehead.
“Mmf,” he says, lips clamped shut, but frowning deeply enough to tell me the pain isn’t subsiding.
“Press a little harder.”
A few seconds pass, and then Noah sighs in relief. Still, when I peel my hand off his forehead, he wrinkles his nose at me.
“Your hand is really sweaty, Mom.”
I snort. “You’re welcome, by the way. I just saved your life.”
“Except you can’t die from a brain freeze.” Then, because nine-year-olds aren’t very good at learning their lessons, he immediately reaches for the rest of his strawberry milkshake.
I let out a long-suffering sigh, and turn away from him, only to find Caitlyn hovering just a few feet away, wringing her hands and staring at me like she’s just seen the Grim Reaper.
Zahra is still at the bar, and I’m pretty sure she’s trying to communicate something to me with her eyes, but I’m too feverish and antsy to decode the wordless message. I turn my attention back to the trembling waitress in front of me.
“What’s wrong, Cait?”
Her eyes grow even bigger as she steps toward me. “I-I’m t-too nervous. M-m-my hands are sh-shaking. Two Alphas, Alina…”
I fight the urge to sigh again. Poor thing. It’s not her fault she’s an Omega. And even though the last thing I want to do is serve Henry and this mysterious visiting diplomat, it’s best I take care of it instead of forcing Caitlyn to endure a nervous breakdown.
I’m off in ten minutes, anyway. Just one last task and I can head home. Zahra is right. I need to shift tonight.
“Don’t worry about it, honey,” I tell Caitlyn. “Why don’t you go bring some refills to table five?”
She looks like she’s about to melt from relief, but she manages to remain steady on her two feet.
My head spins a little as another wave of sickening dizziness races through me. I swallow hard, smoothing down the front of my apron, and head back to the bar. Henry will want black coffee, so I grab the pot that just finished brewing and two clean mugs just in case the visitor needs an afternoon caffeine boost, too.
“Alina, wait,” Zahra hisses.
I pause, halfway around the corner of the bar on my way toward table one at the front of the restaurant.
My friend’s eyes are as wide as saucers. She almost looks like Caitlyn, which is weird, because not a whole lot can spook Zahra. But whatever it is needs to wait, because even if I’m not a member of the Whiterose pack, it’s not in my best interest to keep the Alpha waiting for much longer.
“I need to take care of this,” I reply, stepping past her.
“No, Alina, you don’t-“
Zahra’s fingertips brush against my arm as she reaches out, almost as if to stop me, but whatever the end of her sentence is, it fades into a dull roar in the back of my mind.
There’s a Greenbriar scent in the air.
Not mine. Not Noah’s.
It’s fresh and strong, tinged with the pleasant bitterness of autumn leaves and a cool breath of forest air. I would know that particular scent anywhere, even if it’s been ten years since I was so close to it. It’s overpowering, calling to me like a siren song.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.