1
THE MYSTERIOUS ALPHA
Aaren did not wantto go home.
He fiddled with the clean rags, looking up when his boss stopped in the kitchen doorway.
“Aaren,” Olson said with a frown. “Go home. I need to lock up.”
Aaren made a face. If only Olson would lock him up in the empty bar. “I don’t mind spending the night in here.”
It sounded better than going home. Olson had a couch in his office that Aaren could crash on; he’d seen his boss do that several times in the past.
“Hey,” Olson said gently, his crow’s feet growing deeper as he frowned. “If there’s something you need help with, all you have to do is ask.”
“I know.” Aaren slumped his round shoulders. “It’s just... You can’t do anything about it.”
Worst of all, it was Aaren’s own fault that he was in this mess.
“I’ll do everything I can to help,” Olson said fiercely.
He was speaking the truth. He was protective of all his employees, and that included Aaren. Most days, it warmed Aaren’s heart.
Except right now, Aaren didn’t have anywhere else to go that wasn’t home. Olson would not leave him alone in the bar, and Olson had already spent his entire day here. Aaren did not want to keep him from his family any longer.
With a sigh, he grabbed his ratty backpack, following Olson through the backdoor. Rex, Olson’s young alpha, was waiting by their car with their baby.
“Let me drop you off at home,” Olson said.
Suddenly, Aaren’s feet felt terribly heavy. He couldn’t bear the thought of walking home, and he didn’t want to hear Ballus’ voice again.
But what other choice did he have?
“Thanks,” he said. He got into the backseat next to the baby in the car seat, trying not to watch when Rex dropped kisses all over Olson’s face.
“Wait ‘til I’ve washed my face,” Olson said with a laugh, even as he leaned into Rex’s kisses. “I’m all grimy from today.”
“Don’t care,” Rex replied, cupping Olson’s jaw. “I like your face.”
The pathetic thing was, Ballus never did that with Aaren. He never held Aaren gently; it was only hindsight that made Aaren realize what a terrible mistake he had made, picking his alpha.
He clenched his fists, watching the quaint buildings fly by as Olson drove them through downtown Meadowfall.
Was it wrong to be envious of his happily bonded boss?
It didn’t take long for Olson to pull up in front of Ballus’ house. The house was a shabby little place with overgrown weeds in the front yard and shingles falling off the roof; Ballus had the time and money to fix it, but he never did.
Aaren sagged when Olson stopped the car in front of the driveway. Damn it. Ballus had probably noticed.
One of these days, he had to ask Olson to drop him off on the next street instead. He winced. “Thanks, Boss.”
Olson met his eyes through the rearview mirror. “I’m serious. Tell any of us if you need help. I’ve given you all our numbers.”
But what could they do? Gran’s contract was ironclad. Aaren had already signed it and he couldn’t escape.
“Okay,” Aaren said tiredly.
Olson waited until Aaren had stepped through the front door, before driving away.
