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At her Jeep, Lucas climbed into the passenger’s seat. He looked a bit like a giant getting into a clown car. His long praying mantis-like legs pressed against the glove compartment as he slid out a notebook and pen from his pocket.
“I would like to keep track of all of the men we are meeting with. So when we arrive at the addresses, would you point it out to me and relay their names and statuses?”
Lucas had put on voguish Ray Bans, which Eliana was glad about. It made him look cool but also approachable. She didn’t have the courage to take in those hypnotic eyes as she drove around the island.
Eliana nodded, trying to act cool herself, and started the engine.
“First up is Jason Randal. He lives just around the corner from the cafe.”
Lucas scribbled down the name and address as Eliana kicked the Jeep into drive, riding hard and bumpy for a few minutes before turning toward a small, hut-like dwelling.
There were only a handful of men that Lucas could meet with and consider for the position. Because the island was small and because she was the daughter of an alpha, Eliana knew everyone. She went outward from the proximity of the cafe until the far reaches of the beach, where the potential for candidates appeared grimmer and grimmer.
The last man they met with was a young father who had his little cub pinned to his chest when he opened the door.
“Hello, is this the Carson Candle residence?”
Carson smiled a wide, naive one, making him look even younger than he already was. He held out his hand to Lucas with a comforting vigor.
“You must be Lucas. We heard that you were here on the island to help us with our alpha problem.”
Carson lived on the beach. Grains of sand trickled onto the deck, trailing them as they moved inside. The floor had a permanent grit texture to it that Eliana noticed, but Carson didn’t seem to mind or notice.
They sat with him at the kitchen table with his toddler. He had a bright and pleasing personality but appeared to have absolutely no interest in filling the alpha position.
“I am sorry for your loss,” Lucas said sincerely. “It must be a lot to deal with the loss of two alphas so close together.”
Carson nodded, swirling around the mixture of carrots and peas for his son.
“It’s quite something, that’s for sure. It was a lot to lose one, then with Phil …”
Carson’s eyes welled with tears as he gazed at Eliana. Hers didn’t, mostly because she had become so accustomed to the pain. She thought she had cried all of the tears left in her.
“… with Phil, it was devastating. I hope you know how thankful we are that you are here.”
Eliana kept quiet for most of the meetings, but each man regarded her, knowing she was the daughter of the alpha and the niece of the most recent one to pass. But none of that seemed to have any influence on any of their interest in taking up the position.
Lucas was respectful and careful with his words. He spoke with an admiration and eloquence that made Eliana’s breathing shallow.
“I am glad to hear that. I am seeing that your wife isn’t present with us today. Is she the main breadwinner?”
Carson’s face lit up as he slid the spoon of orange delights into his wriggling son’s mouth.
“Yes, my wife works while I am a stay-at-home dad. I never thought it would be this way, but I adore it.”
Lucas didn’t have to ask anything more. They chit-chatted for a little while before departing, thanking Carson for the tea and his hospitality. When they got back to the Jeep, Lucas took out his handy notebook and struck a large X over Carson’s name.
Eliana’s eyes wandered to see that almost every man they had met that day had the same X through their names.
“It’s that easy to see, is it?” she inquired.
Lucas stared down at the sheets of paper, flipping through them hopelessly. He sighed, then leaned an elbow on the window, looking beyond to the waves cascading in and out from the shoreline.
“It isn’t always this easy, no. But so far, every man you’ve shown me is either flat-out not interested or not worthy. That makes them a beta, not an alpha.”
Eliana knew all of the terminology, of course, but she sat there, hands on the wheel, placidly listening to his soothing voice.
“So there’s no one you think you could possibly train a bit? Polish up, make him worthy of the task at hand?”
