Page 32 of The Alpha Wolf's Pregnant Bride

“I—I’m sorry,” I apologize to the bartender when her face returns to normal—a face I can’t stand anymore. One that reminds me that Cassandra is the only one who isn’t as easy as the rest.

She’s a challenge that I must conquer. I'm the Alpha, and I can't stand for loss of any kind.

Without waiting for the woman’s reply, I run out of the bar, and find the closest alley to shift. Once in wolf form, I run through the woods, the hooting owls encouraging every step until I find myself back in Mysthaven.

I make a beeline for the isolated cottage on the edge of the woods, behind the main house, where only a small flicker of orange light through the back window signals that Cassandra is home.

Shifting back to human form, I take a deep breath to fill my lungs and chest with conviction before raising a hand to knock on her front door.

Of course, I’d want to protect Cassandra. I am the Alpha, after all. That's all this is, me checking up on her to make sure that her patrols went well tonight.

Chapter 9 - Cassandra

Staring blankly through the kitchen window, the moonlit horizon is a navy blue blur that appears like a pencil sketch of beauty I can hardly appreciate right now. A forlorn sigh escapes my lips, but I have to compose myself. Cyrus’s blunt disappearance tonight is none of my business.

Yet, it plagues me to the point of discomfort, a shiver traveling up my spine and settling in the base of my throat like the first stirrings of bile.

I shouldn’t be feeling sick to the core with the suspicions that run rampant in my head. The moment we knew that Cyrus had left the vicinity, I couldn’t help but suspect that he had clocked out from patrol duty early just to visit the bed of his delightful arm candy from the other night.

I snort when I recall how Emily had been throwing herself at him the other night. Of course, Cyrus is Cyrus, best known for his oozing charm and wandering eye. I’d witnessed it that night I was supposed to meet him for the hacking job. He’s the type of man to revel between the thighs of anything on two legs.

Emily is fair game as far as he’s concerned.

“Urgh!” I groan, smacking my thighs with defeated hands. Why does it bother me, anyway?

It’s not like Cyrus Rudolph means anything to me. I shouldn’t be concerned about what he does in his free time. Except, he’s the sole reason I have no personal life myself. I had sworn off men because of Cyrus’s antics.

It’s not fair that he holds so much power over me and my life. Being back in Mysthaven, I was supposed to be making hislife miserable. Yet, somehow, he’s managed to flip things on me, and now I’m the one who feels miserable.

All because he disappeared without saying a word. For a fleeting moment, I thought his insistence on having us on the same patrol rotation was because he actually cared about me.

Silly me!

Why would Cyrus care about little old me, who he would never dream of being mated to? The Cassie who was always chastised by the man for being behind a desk instead of working out to lose a few pounds.

If only he knew that all those times I’d spent burning my eyes behind the computer, I was honing my skills to become the most successful covert hacker in the world.

A hacker whose help he apparently needs.

Perhaps that will be my greatest revenge—not giving him the help he needs from Asuka.

I sigh. The vengeful idea of withholding my services not sitting well with me.

Just because he’s proven to be the same brute he was nine years ago, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing by not helping him.

Kenji’s been on my case about taking the job, informing me that the client has offered to pay double.

I need to understand better why Cyrus needs Asuka’s help. What is he hiding? What is he up to? And why is he so desperate to hack a government system?

When there’s a knock on the back door, my heart skips a beat and swells with a sense of anticipation and relief. I rush forward, reaching for the handle and throwing the door open.

“Cy—” I’m about to whisper his name when it’s Dakota I find outside. “Oh, D.…” I step aside. “Come in.”

“You don’t have to be so disappointed,” Dakota sniffs. “I’m only here ‘cause you called me over.”

No, no,” I quickly babbled, grabbing Dakota’s arm and pulling her into the living room. The last thing I need is for her to suspect that deep down, I was hoping to see Cyrus outside.

Perhaps I’d been expecting some explanation for his sudden disappearance the moment I followed Jarrod and the others out of the woods to hunt. Silly me again. Why would he come over at this time of the night? It’s not like he owed me an explanation, even if it was his idea to share patrol rotations.

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