“You want me to cook for you? Right now?” Rosalie shifted in her seat, her cheeks flaming.
“If that’s okay with you.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to.” Rosalie stood and pointed toward the door. “Would you mind if I grab my cooking tools, Mrs. Keller? They’re in the car.”
A girl that traveled with her supplies? Be still my beating heart. “Absolutely. I’ll let the staff know that I’ve asked you to meet me in the kitchen. They’ll take you through. Oh, and Rosalie? Please call me Liza.”
It was just as well that I’d let Ty cancel the rest of my interviews. Over the next hour and a half, I watched in awe and approval as Rosalie moved seamlessly from one station in the kitchen to the next. To my delight, she whipped up a delicious dish that showcased her culinary prowess. In fact, it was so good that I decided to offer her the job on the spot. Ty wanted me to hire a pack member, but I had a good feeling about Rosalie.
“Rosalie, once we clear your background check, I want you to be my assistant chef,” I announced, grinning at the shock on herface. “I’ll send over a contract for you to look over, but I think you’re perfect for this position.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs.—uh, Liza. Wow, I can’t believe this is happening.” She giggled and went in to hug me but thought better of it and extended her hand instead. “I promise I’ll be the best assistant chef ever.” Gratitude shone in her eyes. Something settled inside me, telling me I’d definitely made the right choice in hiring her.
A few minutes after Rosalie left, Ty found me in the kitchen. “Hey, babe. How are you holding up after everything?”
“Honestly, I’m still a bit shaken up over the fact that people are that fanatic over seeing an omega.” I held up a finger. “No, not just seeing me. They want to witness my magical abilities. Or, as that ass put it, a miracle. The lengths he’d gone to just see me… It’s fucking terrifying.”
Ty leaned against the kitchen counter. “I agree. How did the interview go with the redhead?”
I grinned up at him. “Actually, it was fantastic. Rosalie met every requirement I had for the position and then some. I even had her cook a meal for me, and it was delicious. Here.” I scooped up a bite of her food and shoved it into her mouth. “Isn’t that fabulous?”
Ty raised his eyebrows. “Wow. That is pretty damn good. So, what’s the next step? A second interview?”
“Actually, I already hired her. That is, of course, if her background check comes back clean.” I glanced up at Ty, bracing for his reaction over not hiring a Keller pack member.
He shrugged. “Well, at least the interview process is over, and we won’t be having strangers in our home… at least for now. We’ll get some of the staff to do the deliveries. Do you feel like you can trust Rosalie, seeing as how she’s not a member of the pack?” He crossed his arms. “I have to admit, having an outsider in our home worries me a little.”
“I got a good feeling about her.” I was ready to argue my choice, but Ty just nodded.
“I trust your judgment, babe. I’m happy you found someone so quickly. Oh, there’s something else I wanted to tell you.” Ty moved across the kitchen and lowered his voice. “I asked Isaiah to track down the surviving members of your pack.”
My jaw dropped as Ty pulled me into his arms. It was happening. Maybe I’d meet the boy who had been haunting my dreams. At the very least, I could potentially meet people who looked like me.
Ty kissed the top of my head. “I hope you find some closure in all of this, because it seems like at every turn there’s a fresh memory that haunts you. I know these latest memories aren’t traumatizing, but I still can’t help but feel terrible about the fact they trouble you at all. You haven’t had a sound night of sleep in a very long time, and I feel so helpless.”
I wrapped my arms around him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Just remember that none of this is your fault. I’ve made peace with what happened to my pack, but I still need to fill in the empty spaces of my memories. I may have been young when everything happened, but there’s clearly a lot I still need to know.”
Ty was silent for a moment, then he whispered, “My only hope is that it all gives you peace in the end, because that’s all I want for you, Liza.”
Peace. That sounded lovely, yet so far out of reach.
75
TY
Istood in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie with practiced efficiency. The knot tightened to perfection, but as I straightened my collar, a nasty feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
Gods, I hated suiting up like this, but it was all part of the game, whether it was meeting with potential clients and business partners, putting my best foot forward, or meeting with other alphas. My reflection stared back at me, the tailored suit hiding an unexplained hesitation beneath its crisp lines.
The unsettling feeling refused to leave. As an alpha, I knew all too well to trust my instincts. Something about this meeting with Maximus did not sit right with me. Unable to pinpoint the cause, I reached for my phone and dialed Isaiah’s number.
“Alpha?” His voice carried a hint of surprise. “What’s going on?”
“Isaiah, I need you to have your team ready while I’m meeting with Maximus. I’ve got a bad feeling.” My words were clipped and precise. No time for beating around the bush.
“Sure thing, boss.” Concern was evident in Isaiah’s tone. “You think there might be trouble?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel… violent, just off. I want backup, just in case.”
