His words made me soften. It would take a bit of getting used to having two men following my every move. “All right.”
He pulled me back into his arms. “Thank you,” he said, his voice muffled in my hair.
I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and watched as he headed upstairs to gather his thoughts in his office.
Driving through town, I only half-focused on navigating the familiar streets. My security detail, following close on my tail, was yet another symbol of my new rank. I refused to be chauffeured about, though. I was more than capable of driving to the office or my parents’ home.
As I got closer to the center of town, I noticed a peculiar buzz in the air. It seemed busier than usual. A long line of people snaked out the door of the local diner. The parking lot was full, forcing other cars to park haphazardly along the side of the road,filling every available space. It wasn’t exactly cause for panic, but it struck me as odd. Had I forgotten some special holiday or event?
At a red light, I pulled out my phone and checked the calendar to see if there had been a celebration I’d forgotten about, or a seasonal event downtown. There was nothing marked for today’s date.
“What the hell?”
I watched as a large group of people, all strangers, crossed in front of me from one side of the street to the other. Some of them wore crimson T-shirts with an Alabama team name emblazoned across the front. Who were these people and why had they chosen to visit the small town of Presley Acres, Texas?
My mind whirled, trying to find an explanation for the increased activity. However, nothing came to me, so I decided to push my unease aside for the time being and focus on visiting my parents. The light turned green, and I ventured on. Glancing at my dashboard, I realized I’d arrive around dinner time. My parents never got upset about me showing up unannounced, but I hated interrupting their meal.
I decided I’d let my parents finish their meal in peace. I’d been meaning to swing by my office to pick up some blank recipe cards, and this seemed like the perfect time to do so. Although I typed my recipes for my personal files, if my clients asked for them, I gifted them with a handwritten copy. Yes, it was more time consuming, but it was a personal touch, and a more authentic way of passing the recipe on from my kitchen to theirs. I only had a few cards left at the estate and didn’t see any reason to purchase more when I had a supply at the office.
No matter how much money I had at my disposal, it felt disrespectful to the pack, to the environment to be wasteful, so I tried to do my part. Not that a few recipe cards would save even one tree, but I’d always felt a connection to the earth and natureas a whole. Maybe it was my personality, or perhaps it had something to do with me being an omega. Either way, I wanted to be respectful of what I’d been given.
It took me a minute to open the stiff door to my office, but once I did, I stepped into a dusty, stale room that needed some care. I hadn’t been in here in quite some time. Weeks of neglect had made the once-tidy space seem completely abandoned. The office at home would be great for doing the paperwork without having to drive into town, but I didn’t want to sell the building. I needed to have a physical location where I could meet prospective clients and suppliers. Ty and I both agreed that it wasn’t a great idea to have strangers traipsing in and out of the house. It also helped to have an address in town where all my extra supplies could be delivered.
I pulled out my phone and made a note to ask the estate staff if they could recommend a commercial cleaning service. A few months ago, I would have hired someone without a second thought. Now, though, because I was the alpha’s mate, I had to be mindful of the people I conducted business with. Any potential contractor or employee would have to be questioned exhaustively, and would need to undergo an extensive background check. Gods, I hated all the extra steps I had to take now.
I sat down at my old metal desk and rummaged through the drawers. Man, the chair was really uncomfortable. I couldn’t help but compare it to my new ergonomic chair and beautiful desk.
“Shit.” I slammed another drawer shut as I struggled to find the elusive recipe cards. Minutes dragged on without any luck, and my frustration grew with each passing second. I started to doubt whether I even had a stack here. I must have used them already.
Just as I was about to give up, a sudden flash caught my eye. Looking up, I noticed two people standing outside the front window, their phones pressed against the glass, aimed at me. It seemed like they were snapping pictures, but that made no sense. They wore baseball caps and sunglasses, almost like they didn’t want to be recognized. An uneasy feeling crept into my gut. Something about the situation didn’t sit right.
My security detail, who’d been stationed outside the office, sprang into action without me having to ask. They approached the people at the window, their expressions stern and intimidating. After exchanging a few terse words, it looked like the guards persuaded the people to stop photographing me and move along. I had no clue what they’d said to them, but I was fully aware that they didn’t fuck around with potential threats to the alpha or his mate.
While I appreciated their efficiency, that nagging sense of unease lingered. I had half a mind to chase them down and ask what the hell their problem was, but Jamie and Robin wouldn’t have any of that. They’d tackle me to the ground if I tried to approach a potential threat, and I wasn’t in the mood to get grass stains on my jeans.
Pushing my concerns aside for the moment, I gave up on my quest for the missing recipe cards and quickly used my phone to order more online—the wonders of modern technology—then headed outside to let my entourage know I was heading to my parents’ house.
Robin remained close to the door while Jamie had moved over to the opposite side of the road, watching to make sure the photographers didn’t return. Both shifters were tall. Robin had dark hair and a swarthy look about him. His golden eyes scanned the area with a predatory gaze, always on the lookout for any potential danger. His companion Jamie had a lighter complexion, with sandy blond hair that seemed to catchthe sunlight. He stood in what seemed to be their preferred position with his arms crossed over his chest, but his expression was more relaxed and casual. Despite their differences in appearance, both men gave off an undeniable sense of strength and confidence. It was clear that they were not to be messed with.
“Robin.”
He turned his gaze to me. “Yes?” He had a deep voice. I felt intimidated, and they were there to help me.
“What did the people at the window want?”
He looked across at Jamie, who shrugged. “Sorry, didn’t ask, just made them delete the photos they took and got them to leave.”
Still none the wiser but with a gnawing sense of unease in my gut, I let both men know my plans, locked up the office, and continued on to my parents’ house, determined to enjoy a brief reprieve from the mounting stress.
When I arrived at their house, I was surprised to find the door unlocked. I walked right. The door should have been locked. Even if they were home, the door should be locked. Since Castro had come on the scene and made our shared history known as well as his deep displeasure about Ty and me, we’d all had to increase our security—my parents included.
My stomach clenched.
This could be a trap. I could walk into the kitchen and find Castro holding them at gunpoint. Luckily, before I turned tail and ran to get Robin and Jamie, I found my parents sitting down to dinner, their expressions lighting up when they caught sight of me.
“Hey, sweetheart. I didn’t know you were coming to visit today.” Mom pushed her chair back and rushed over to envelop me in a warm hug. “It’s been too long,” she chastised gently, her eyes twinkling with affection.
“Mom, why the hell is the door unlocked? You are fully aware that Castro is still at large, right?” I crossed my arms, making her pull away from me.
