It gave us cause to revel in the sensations without overthinking them.
We remained in each other’s arms until the water started to cool, merely kissing and touching and holding one another. It was intimate and warm and exactly what I needed. By the end, I felt so at peace that I nearly forgot what lay ahead of us.
The alpha meeting.
Alaric would represent Silver Lake as the temporary alpha, and his father would attend as well. I’d probably spend the time continuing to review all the files.
“Okay, so there’s one thing I don’t understand,” Alaric said as we wrapped ourselves up in two oversized towels.
“Only one thing?”
He grunted. “Well, several. But specifically, I’m wondering how payments work. Like, do you only accept cash? And is our cash good in your realm?”
“Ah.” I followed him into his bedroom, where he started going through the drawers for clothes. I’d have to go down the hall to find some that fit me. “So, when Marc and I originally popped into this world, he helped me establish an identity. It just made things easier. I actually have a bank account here, a name, even an address.” I frowned. “Assuming my landlord received my rent money.”
“In New York City?” he guessed.
“Yep. I have a place in the same building here as I do back home. Both are rentals since I don’t like to put down roots.”
He nodded. “I’d be the same way in your position. I only bought my condo in the city because of working for E.V.I.E. It made sense.”
I also suspected he’d done that to have an excuse to remain close to his pack, but I didn’t voice that assumption out loud. Mostly because I suspected he’d probably deny it, and I preferred not to ruin our bonding moment. He probably heard it floating around my head anyway.
Damn link.
He cleared his throat, giving me a look. “None of that.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Uh-huh.” He pulled on a pair of jeans, leaving me a little disappointed. I rather enjoyed admiring his gorgeous, naked body. “Okay, so you have an account here. And that’s how you’re paid? Like, by clients in this realm?”
I shook my head. “No. Not exactly. I… take my payment via other means.”
“Elaborate.” He phrased it as a demand, but I caught the curiosity in his gaze, so I decided to let it slide.
“Well, sometimes there’s a finder’s fee related to the victims, and in that case, yeah I receive direct payment. Other times, I take some of the excess cash lying around before I turn over the scene to the authorities.” I shrugged. “I usually donate a lot of that back to shelters, though. Or I give it to the girls. But there’s never a lack of wealth in these situations. And I don’t require a lot to live on.”
“So you’re like a common-day Robin Hood.”
“Yeah, with claws,” I deadpanned.
He grinned. “I like it. But I think I’m still going to require Jude to pay me directly. It’s much easier to manage.”
I laughed. “Where do you think he gets his funding?”
He considered that. “Probably via similar means to you, or from private benefactors.” Then his gaze lifted upward, his expression turning thoughtful. “You know, I wonder if my father is one of those benefactors. That would explain how they know each other.” His focus returned to me. “Assuming that’s the whole connection with your alpha, and him knowing about KBO, and all that.”
“It’s a good guess.”
He nodded, then sighed. “Well, whatever the connection, my dad won’t just straight up define it for me. He’ll want me to discover it for myself. Just like he thinks I’ll magically take over the alpha mantle on my own.” He flinched with the words, his expression darkening.
I studied him, curious. “Why don’t you want to be an alpha? Because of your job?” Seemed fair to ask that since he’d wanted to know about my desires regarding a mate.
He fell silent as he disappeared into his closet. When he returned, he had on a tight gray shirt, and his hair looked freshly combed by his fingers.
“Yes. And no.” He led me to the door, then started down the hallway toward the guest room, clearly guiding me along so I could get dressed, too.
Once we were inside, he continued, “I became a slayer because I wanted a physical outlet, and killing vampires definitely provided that. It’s not easy turning eighteen, becoming a wolf, and realizing you can’t lead the life you anticipated. Yes, I could have stayed and taken over as alpha, but where would that have put Tyler?”
