Page 61 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

Feeling restless, I lace up my running shoes and head out into the night. The streets are quiet as I jog, my mind consumed with thoughts of Selene and the forbidden attraction that tugs at my heart.

Before I realize it, I’ve veered off my usual route and find myself standing in front of my brother Colt’s house. He’s always been the laid-back one, the one who never lets anything faze him.

His lights are still on, so I knock on the door. Colt greets me with a lazy grin. “Hey, Liam. What brings you here at this hour?”

I shrug, feeling awkward. “Just needed to clear my head, I guess.”

Colt chuckles, stepping aside to let me in. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Grab a seat and spill.”

I take a seat on the couch, running a hand through my hair. “It’s about Selene,” I confess.

“And who is Selene?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. I can’t lie to him. I need at least one person to help me with this. “Someone I am attracted to. The last person I should be attracted to.”

“Hey, Big Bro. I mean no disrespect, but you better start talking, or I'm going to bed.”

Fuck! Here goes nothing…

“A vampire. I am attracted to a fucking vampire.”

Colt’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “What the fuck?”

I nod, feeling a pang of guilt at his response. “Yeah. I can’t stop thinking about her, Colt. It’s driving me crazy.”

He leans back in his chair thoughtfully. “You know, Mariya is the only person who would’ve been able to help you with this.”

My heart clenches at the mention of her name; the pain of her loss never goes away. “Yeah, I miss her. I wish she were here.”

“I know you do, Liam. We all do. But hey, I might have a solution for you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah? What is it?”

He grins mischievously. “Well, it’s a bit unconventional, but it could work. You just have to promise not to tell Mom and Dad. They’d kill me if they found out.”

I feel a flicker of excitement in my chest. “I’m listening.”

“You better get someone to open Mariya’s for you because you and I are going on a little trip.

Colt pulls out his phone and dials a number. He walks into the other room.

I decide to call Rosa. “Hello?” she says groggily.

“Hey, Rosa. Sorry to call so late. Would you mind opening up the restaurant for me tomorrow? Something came up, and I’m going to be late.”

I listen in as Rosa responds on the other end, her voice soft and soothing. “Sure thing, boss.”

“Ok, great! Thank you so much!”

“It’s no problem. Oh. And I went to Marco’s place earlier, but he wasn’t there.”

My stomach churns, remembering Marco’s absence. I’d almost forgotten, I still need to deal with his no show yesterday. As I finish my call, I make a mental note to check on him in the morning.

After finishing his call, Colt comes back into the room with a grin. “All set. Let’s go.”

I follow him out to his car, buzzing with anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll find the answers I’m looking for.

We pull up outside a quaint flower shop in the next town, and I shoot Colt a questioning look as we step out of the car. The shop is small but cozy, with colorful blooms spilling out onto the sidewalk.

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