Page 4 of The Alpha's Runaway Bride

He looked up when Abner knocked on his door. “I’m very sorry for my granddaughter’s behavior, Alpha. I’ll go get her and bring her back.”

“No,” Noah said. “I would like to know why you never bothered telling her about the arrangement, though.”

Wringing his hands, Abner said, “I guess I never got around to it.”

“Did you tell her parents?” Keith asked, fixing the old man with a hard stare.

“No, I was planning on it soon, but he was killed before I could. I knew he wouldn’t approve and there would be a fight, although I think he would have seen the benefits and honor.”

Noah pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. “Get out,” he ordered harshly.

Abner bowed his head and shuffled away, humiliated.

“I’m going to talk to her,” Noah said. “I am curious as to why she refused me and see if we can’t rectify the situation.”

“Do you want me to make a list of all the women who would be a good replacement?” Keith asked with a smirk.

“Make one for yourself,” Noah replied. “You two hold down the fort. I’m going to Angel’s Creek.”

A couple of hours later, Noah walked up the stairs from the Howlers’ basement, wiping a cobweb off his face.

“Hello, Alpha,” Sean greeted, nodding at Noah.

“You need to take a broom to those cobwebs down there,” Noah said.

“It usually doesn’t get this much traffic, although lately, it seems that the portal is Grand Central Station,” Sean said.

“I suppose with the Dewitts’ deaths it would appear that way,” Noah said. “It should slow down now that the funeral is over.”

Nodding, Sean asked, “What brings you here?”

“I’m here for answers. Angie’s grandfather made arrangements with my father for her and me to go through the mating ceremony. The arrangements were made when she was born. I have a sneaking suspicion that my father gave Abner some money to make the arrangements, but I never asked.”

“I guess that has happened throughout history.”

“I suppose. However, it seems that Abner never told Angie or her parents about the arrangement. So today, when I had her brought to our pack’s ceremonial hall to let her know that I was making arrangements for our mating ceremony, she was shocked. Then, she told me that while it was an honor to be considered for the position, she declined and left. I am curious to know why,” Noah explained.

“Good luck,” Sean said.

“I don’t suppose you have any intel since she and her family have been closer to the Nightshade Wolf Shifter Pack than ours,” Noah asked.

“Her business is just that,” Sean said.

Noah figured that even if Sean or anyone else knew, they wouldn’t tell him. They would be very protective of Angie since she had grown up among them.

“Benny owns Angel’s Creek Hotel. It’s a nice place,” Sean said.

“Thanks.” Noah called a local car rental agency and had one delivered.

He knew where Angie lived, because as the alpha, he had all pack members’ information. Her house wasn’t too far, so he drove by. She was out in the yard playing ball with her dog. Her reddish-blond hair was pulled back in a braid that went down to her butt. A huge smile lit up her face as the dog brought the ball back to her and she threw it again. Everything he had heard about her was great. According to his sources, she was smart and had a good heart. She would make the ideal mate.

I won’t force her, but I would like to know why she turned me down. I’m pretty sure that trying to force her wouldn’t work anyway.

Noah didn’t want to get put into the stalker category, but he wanted to learn as much as he possibly could about Angie before he talked to her again. He noticed that she spent a lot of time at a large white house. At first, it looked like every other house, except that a code was needed to get in. Whenever the door opened, he saw two security guards up front.

A couple of nights later, he asked Sean about the house.

“It is a shelter for domestic violence victims. She has hired security guards to make sure no one can get in who isn’t authorized. The shelter is one of her passions,” Sean explained.

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