The Alpha

Chapter 5

“Where have you been?” Mel blocked the entrance to the apartment, leaving me standing in the hall. “I thought you’d be here thirty minutes ago.”

“I wish you hadn’t waited for me.”

“When we leave is no biggie. I just didn’t want to send out a search party.”

I worried my lip, not mentioning the envelope taped to our store. I’d opened it before leaving, and it left me so shaken that I’d thought long and hard about the right thing to do. This trip was important to Melody and Lakota, and they’d been planning it for a long time. Chances were the letter was nothing more than a prank.

I noticed her freshly dyed hair—a deep shade of purple. “Your hair looks good. Did Lakota help?”

She pulled a strand in front of her face. “I told him to wear gloves. Were you daydreaming again? Lakota almost went looking for you.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t.”

Then I heard people talking from inside the apartment. I tried to peer around her, but Melody eclipsed my view. “Who’s in there?”

She twirled her hair with her finger, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s a long story. He’s not staying, and Lakota’s trying to get rid of him so we can leave. Our things are already in the truck. We were just waiting on you to get home. Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine. Why?”

“You look pale.”

I smiled and held my arm next to hers. “Compared to whom, Casper?”

Mel was certainly dressed for a road trip. Sweatpants, one of Lakota’s wolf T-shirts, and a pair of fuzzy slippers.

“I hope you’re not getting out of the truck to eat tacos in Dallas,” I said.

She glanced down at her casual attire. “This is the style these days. Haven’t you seen what humans are wearing to the grocery store? Nobody cares anymore.” Melody backed away from the door to let me in.

I set my keys on the small table beside the door and swung my eyes up to Lakota, who was sitting on the pink sofa against the far left wall. But that wasn’t what held my attention. It was the stranger sitting across from him. All I could make out were his massive arms stretched along the back of the grey sofa and a braid pinned between his back and the cushion.

Lakota swung his eyes sharply over to me. “Where have you been? I thought we had an agreement.”

I dropped my purse on the floor and held out my hands. “I apologize for my tardiness, but I’m here now.”

The visitor turned his head, revealing a tattooed profile. When his smoldering eyes locked on mine, my heart slammed against my rib cage.

It’s him!The man who’d seen me naked on the side of the road. The man whose clothes were neatly folded in my bedroom. The man I thought I’d never have to see again.

The man who was giving me a wolfish grin from the back of our sofa.

“Tak, this is my sister. Hope, meet Tak. He’s leaving.”

Tak turned to Lakota. “You didn’t tell me you had a sister. In fact, you didn’t tell me a lot of things.”

Lakota stood up and glared down at him. “That’s something we’re going to have to discuss another time. We really have to leave. It’s a long drive, and people are expecting us.”

“You two have a good trip,” I said, darting toward the hall to get as far away from the stranger as possible before he decided to tell Lakota about what had happened earlier. “Unless there’s something important you want to talk to me about, I’m going to bed.”

“You’re leaving her here alone?” I heard Tak ask as I walked briskly down the hall.

Lakota jogged up behind me and captured my arm. “I wanted to talk to you before we left.”

I turned to give him my attention.

“I know we spoke about this before, but I’m asking you to close up the shop before dark. Just for the week.”

“Lakota, that’s a lot of business we’ll lose. Mel’s already given you the figures of how much we make from people who shop after work. Plus tomorrow is Saturday, and that’s our biggest sales day of the week.”

“It’s not safe for you to be out at night alone. Everyone’s heading up to Cognito with us.”

He had a point. Melody’s parents and brothers were driving up separately, and my family was heading out at first light. Mating ceremonies weren’t required among Shifters. Most just made it official by going to the local Council and signing paperwork. But it was a show of respect for both sides to celebrate afterward with a dinner or peace party. Because of the unique circumstances of Mel and Lakota’s secret ceremony, they felt it was in everyone’s best interest to bring all the families together so no one had any bad feelings about the union. Since our store was new, we couldn’t afford to shut it down for a week. So I’d volunteered to stay behind. I already knew his adoptive parents; I’d visited them many times when we were younger.

Worry flickered in Lakota’s eyes, so I decided to put his mind at ease. “If it makes you happy, I’ll close the shop at eight.”

“Seven.”

“No, we have daylight until eight.”

“By the time you finish cleaning and locking up, it’ll be dark.”

“There will still be plenty of people out shopping, and we live so close. I’ll park my car right in front of the door so I won’t have to walk far. Don’t worry, brother. Not all villains come out with the moon. Some walk in the daylight with the rest of us.”

He propped his arm against the wall and glowered. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“I could always stay with Father’s pack.”

“Hell no,” he fired back. “Look, I know you grew up with them, but you and I both know that’s not an option. There are still a lot of single wolves in the Church pack who would like nothing more than to mount my sister.”

“You’re disgusting. Nobody is going to mount me.”

“I’m serious,” he continued. “You’re a prize to them. I know how young wolves are, and a few in this town bed every Packmaster’s daughter as a competitive sport. I don’t want you sleeping there. End of discussion.”

“Who is that man?” I whispered, peering around him. I couldn’t see the guest from the hall, but I wanted to make sure he wasn’t listening.

“Tak’s an old acquaintance.”

“Friend?”

Lakota lowered his arm and scratched his forehead with his purple hand. “I’m not sure. It doesn’t matter anyhow. He’s leaving.”

“Good. He frightens me.”

Lakota smirked. “He frightens a lot of women. So we’re good on you closing the shop at seven?”

“Eight.”

He shook his head. “I’ll call you when we get there. And by the way, there’s a small canister of mace on the kitchen island. Put it on your keychain.”

I wanted to laugh, but Lakota was just being a big brother. “Have a safe drive.”

He patted my head. “Stay out of trouble.”

* * *

Hours Earlier

Shortly after Tak’s strange run-in with the stunning woman on the side of the road, he located a gas station, purchased a map, and wound up even more lost than when he’d started. Somehow, he’d left Austin, and he almost ended up in San Antonio before realizing his mistake and turning the truck around.

Cities were confusing as hell. Too much traffic, misleading signs, and so many distractions.

Tak was born and raised on tribal land in Oklahoma, far from town. Everything his people needed to survive was on their land: food, herbs, meat, and weapons. They even made their own furniture and tools. But some liked gathering in the local bar or going to the grocery store to purchase luxury items. He’d even bought his truck directly from a local Shifter instead of a dealership. Tak’s tribe owned a television, so his exposure to the outside world was primarily through the news. But nothing had prepared him for the reality. The drive down to Austin was unmemorable until he reached Dallas. Panic raced through him each time the highway branched, and the locals were batshit crazy! They weaved in and out of traffic like angry little hornets.

Tak witnessed things he’d never seen before, like sexy women on giant billboards and vagrants begging for money on street corners.

He obeyed traffic signs and drove slow since patrol cars were pulling people over. The last thing he needed was the police locking him up for doing something wrong. Like every Shifter, Tak had a fake license, but he didn’t know much about human laws or which ones landed a person in jail.

After exiting the highway, he took his time searching for Melody’s apartment. The sun had set by the time he found the damn street. When he approached the front entrance, he waited by the locked doors until a resident came out. Tak sensed the man was Breed, so he gave him a friendly nod and slipped in through the door.

The elevator closed in around him like a metal coffin, and sweat beaded on his brow as he paced back and forth until the doors finally opened on the fifth floor. Once he located apartment 509, he pounded his fist against the door.

“Did you forget your key?” a woman called. When the door swung open, Melody dragged her gaze up and stared at him with wide green eyes. “Tak? What are you doing here?”

Melody looked just as he remembered, except her hair was a darker shade of purple, and her clothes were something a man would wear. Women in his tribe certainly didn’t dress in baggy sweats and oversized T-shirts.

She gave him a guarded look and turned her head away. “Lakota?”

Tak quietly waited in the hall, his hands clasped in front of him. Poor Melody was caught in the middle. Tak had nothing against her and had even given her a ring as a peace offering. The mating ceremony on his father’s land between Lakota and Melody had been a ruse, but their affection for one another was undeniable.

After Lakota had left the state, Tak thought he could move on and forget they ever knew each other. It was hard to forgive a man he trusted as a brother—one who’d tried to pin a murder on him. But there were too many unanswered questions. When Tak later found out that Lakota was a bounty hunter, it should have put his mind at ease.

But it hadn’t. The truth burrowed in him like a thorn. Lakota had completed his job investigating a murder but deceived Tak in the process, forging a fake friendship in order to infiltrate the tribe. Tak had never bonded with another male as he had with Lakota, and the betrayal haunted his dreams.

Melody stepped back when Lakota approached the door.

“Uh… H-hey, Tak,” he stammered. Lakota’s blue eyes searched his, no doubt deciphering if this was a friendly visit or one that would end in bloodshed. He probably wondered how much Tak knew about his current living situation.

Tak put his weight on the doorjamb. “Hey, brother. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“Lakota,” Melody hissed.

Lakota looked over his shoulder at her, his voice stern. “Can you give us a minute?”

She flounced off to the left and out of sight.

Lakota stepped back and gave an imperceptible nod. “Come inside.”

Tak swaggered into the apartment and widened his eyes at the décor. “You have a pink couch,” he said, gravitating toward the kitchen, which made him feel more at ease.

Lakota strode ahead of him and reached inside the fridge. “How did you know I was here?”

“My father has Melody’s address. You know that.”

Lakota kicked the fridge shut with his heel, a bottle in each hand. “And you came all this way to see my mate?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

When Lakota set the bottle of beer on the island, Tak sputtered with laughter. Tears wetted his eyes, and he wiped them away. Lakota’s hands were purple—the same color as Melody’s hair.

“Something funny?” Lakota gave him a blank stare, which made it even funnier.

Tak snorted and grabbed his beer. “Not at all. But I hope you didn’t take a piss right after you played hairdresser. Your woman might be frightened to see an eggplant coming at her in the bedroom.”

Lakota shook his head and strode into the living room. “Still the same old ham.”

All humor erased from Tak’s expression as he followed. “Not quite the same old Lakota I remember. Is there something you want to tell me about why you’re living here?”

Lakota set his bottle on the side table and sat on the pink couch, his hands resting on his thighs.

Tak circled around the light-grey sofa across from Lakota and plopped down. He flicked a glance up to an abstract painting of grey wolves and wondered if this was typical of how all city Shifters lived.

“Don’t bullshit me,” Lakota began. “You’re not here to see if Melody and I are together. You found out I’m a bounty hunter, and that’s what this is about.”

Tak slid his beer bottle between his legs and stretched his arms over the back of the sofa. He hadn’t known for certain that Lakota was living here, but he’d had a strong feeling these two wolves had settled down for real. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were from the beginning?”

“And put my job in jeopardy? I can’t afford to trust anyone when I’m working undercover.”

“So our friendship was a lie.”

Lakota raked his hair back as if he was going to tie it up. “No. I never lied to you. Yeah, I needed to get my foot in the door with your tribe, and you were my way in, but I only lied about my job. I was never fake around you. Maybe I tweaked my accent a little bit, but I saw you as the brother I never had. Don’t you think it bothered me when all the evidence pointed at you? And don’t forget, you lied to me.”

“That was different. I couldn’t tell anyone I was feeding those people.”

Tak’s empathy for destitute rogues living between territories had been a source of pride and shame. Shifters were too proud to beg, and he couldn’t stomach watching them die of starvation. Family always came first, and Tak broke that loyalty by stealing from his own people.

Lakota stared down at his discolored hands. “That was your alibi, Tak. If you had trusted me with that information, I wouldn’t have accused you. I would have understood, even if your tribe wouldn’t have. I’m not trying to play the sympathy card, but you weren’t the only victim in this friendship.”

“Lakota, we need to go,” Mel urged from the hall. “She should be here any minute, and it’s almost ten.”

Lakota cursed under his breath and leaned forward. Before he opened his mouth, the sound of keys jingled in the outside hall.

Melody rushed to open it, and Tak heard her ask, “Where have you been? I thought you’d be here thirty minutes ago.”

The chatter quieted to an inaudible level.

“This isn’t a good time,” Lakota said quietly. “Did you drive all the way down here just to see me?”

“Why else would I come to a city where the highways are stacked on top of each other?”

Lakota rubbed his stained palms. “Bad timing. We’re going out of town for a week, and we’re already behind schedule. I want to talk this over with you, but your timing is shit. It’s going to take more than a few minutes for us to sort through what happened. I’m sorry you came all this way for nothing, but you’re gonna have to come back another time. If you have our number, call ahead, and I’ll make sure I’m here.”

“Too busy for an old friend,” Tak murmured.

“It’s family,” Lakota stressed. “You should know more than anyone that family comes first. Mel and I are mated for real. It wasn’t just a show to secure a deal with your father. Maybe that’s how it started, but it’s not how it ended. Now we’ve got to make amends with the family since we did it behind their backs. This is an important trip that we can’t postpone.”

Tak could appreciate how awkward it must have been for them to return home and confess the truth. It made him wonder why they’d bothered admitting anything at all. If they really loved each other, why not just go through a ceremony again in front of the Council and pretend as though nothing had ever happened?

Too many questions. Not enough time for answers.

“I want to settle what’s between us once and for all,” Tak said decidedly. “If not now, then another time. I’ll go and leave you to your family gathering.”

Lakota snapped his attention toward the door. “Where have you been? I thought we had an agreement.”

Tak heard the sound of keys hitting a table.

“I apologize for my tardiness, but I’m here now,” a woman replied.

Every hair on Tak’s body stood on end. He recognized that voice. It was the beautiful woman from earlier, the one who’d crouched naked behind her car on the side of the road. Tak hadn’t been able to get her out of his head all day, especially not after a gust of wind had blown away her Daffy Duck sunshade, unveiling a body that made him hungry with need.

Damn. Meeting a woman of her caliber was like glimpsing a shooting star. Her long mane looked spun from silk, an earthy brown that put his dark color to shame. He admired the way she’d confronted an alpha male, and the fire that sparked in her eyes when she spoke. Had she a stitch of clothing on, Tak’s tongue would have been hanging out of his mouth like a cartoon character. But he’d fall on a sword before making an undressed woman feel fear, even though he could do little about his looks. The situation had gone from awkward to downright hilarious when she held that damn sunshade in front of her and made him erupt with laughter. It couldn’t be helped, especially since he’d always been a man easily amused.

However, there was a moment when he’d revealed his face and she recoiled. Tak was used to that reaction from some of the townies, but they were white women. Never once had his appearance startled a woman who shared the same skin color as him, and it troubled his mind for most of the day. Women in his tribe were used to his tattoo, and they all knew who he was, even if they came from another territory and had never met him before. His reputation definitely preceded him. But this woman’s reaction reminded Tak that he was an interloper in the outside world.

He slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder at her. She didn’t give any indication that she knew him, but when he saw a startled look in her eyes, it made him grin.

“Tak, this is my sister. Hope, meet Tak. He’s leaving.”

Tak shifted in his seat. He sure as hell wasn’t about to admit to Lakota that he’d seen his sister naked. There were certain lines you didn’t cross with a man, and even though they needed to have a conversation and settle their dispute, Tak played dumb. “You didn’t tell me you had a sister. In fact, you didn’t tell me a lot of things.”

Lakota rose to his feet, and Tak could sense his annoyance. “That’s something we’re going to have to discuss another time. We really have to leave. It’s a long drive, and people are expecting us.”

Hope stood motionless, like a deer in the headlights. “You two have a good trip. Unless there’s something important you want to talk about, I’m going to bed.” As if lightning had struck her in the backside, she took off down the hallway like an arrow.

Tak couldn’t believe his ears. Did she just wish her brother a good trip? The apartment didn’t appear big enough to house any other Shifters. “You’re leaving her here alone?”

Without answering, Lakota disappeared down the hall to speak with his sister.

Melody grabbed the untouched beer from between Tak’s legs. “You probably shouldn’t drink and drive. This isn’t the country, and you might end up hitting a pedestrian. Lakota doesn’t think sometimes.” She headed into the kitchen behind him, and Tak listened to the sound of wasted beer gurgling down the sink drain.

He rubbed his eyes, exhausted after a long day on the open road. There was no way he could drive all the way home at this late hour. Tak needed to find a motel and get some shut-eye before his wolf grew any more restless at the idea of Lakota leaving his sister behind. Hope wasn’t his concern, and for all he knew, she had a mate who would be home at any moment.

Tak stood up and approached the scenic windows. They had a nice view from the fifth floor. “Are there any Breed motels around here?”

Melody dropped the empty bottle in the trash, unaware that Tak hadn’t touched a single drop. “Um, I’m sure there are. Usually they’re alongside the highway. I bet if you head back the way you came, you’ll hit a few. I don’t know anything about the rates around here.”

A door closed in the hall.

“What are you two talking about?” Lakota asked.

Tak watched his reflection in the glass. “I’ve been driving all day, and I’m beat. I thought it would just be a day trip. I didn’t bring much cash with me, so I need a cheap place to stay for the night.”

Lakota scratched his jaw. “Let me see… The cheapest Breed motel I know of around here is a couple of miles north.” He pulled open a drawer and scribbled something on a small piece of paper. “The owner doesn’t care if you shift, but you’ll pay for any damages, so it’s better if you don’t.”

Melody switched off the kitchen light. “And how exactly would you know that, husband?”

“A friend told me, wife.”

Tak chuckled to himself. He’d been around enough mated couples to know that these two were life mates—souls destined to be together.

Lakota ripped off the paper and extended his arm. “Here. Follow these directions.”

Tak turned and glanced at the paper. “I remember seeing this place.” He tucked the paper in his pants pocket and looked between them. “I guess I’ll be on my way.”

Lakota shook his head, eyes downcast. “I want to make this right between us, for better or worse. But you have a shitty sense of timing. Call me in a week. Maybe I’ll save you the drive and come up there instead.”

Tak arched an eyebrow. “You might get skinned alive. I have a few packmates who didn’t appreciate you skipping town so quickly.”

Lakota held his hands out. “I can’t make it right with the whole tribe, and my bet is you’re talking about Kaota. Your people took me under their wing, and I’ll always appreciate it. But you and I had a friendship, and now it’s fucked up.”

Tak flicked his eyes over to Melody, who was staring at the clock on the microwave. “I don’t want to hold you and your woman up. I’m guessing you have a long drive, so I’ll be on my way. Apologies for the intrusion.”

As he neared the door, Lakota called out, “Tak!”

He half turned, not making eye contact.

Lakota heaved a sigh, and Tak guessed there were a whole bunch of words that he wanted to say but wouldn’t. “Have a safe drive.”