Page 35 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

Layla raises an eyebrow before giggling. “And here I thought you liked your bosses.”

“Well, I do, but if it means we get to leave early, then I’m all for it.” I laugh along, but my mind is racing. Both big bosses golfing mid-afternoon only means one thing: a new account signed up. It’s how they always bring new clients into the fold. I just wonder who it could be.

The conference room is half-full when I step in. At the back is a large setup for breakfast from one of the local café chains: pastries, lox bagels with cream cheese, cut fruits, cheese platters, fresh juices, and coffee boxes.

“What’s going on?” I ask, sitting beside one of the other new recruits, Ben. He’s focused on a cookie he snagged. He breaks it in two and offers me half.

“You didn’t hear?” he mumbles around a mouthful. “Big news about Adler.”

My heart skips a beat. Could this be my moment?

Before I can dig deeper, the door bursts open. William Dade strides in, his presence commanding. He has an athletic build, thick hair despite nearing fifty, and an impeccable sense of style. His jackets always have beautifully contrasting pocket squares and matching ties.

“Morning, team,” William greets us with a grin, and everyone sits up straighter. Ben drops the half-eaten cookie in my lap.

“Adler Electrics, as you all know, has been our top priority,” he announces, leaning against the back of the door.

A few murmurs start up from the back of the room. “After months of chasing them, as of 9 a.m. today, we are now on their retainer.”

The room erupts in applause. My heart pounds with excitement, yet I notice William doesn’t even glance in my direction.

“Jason,” William continues, gesturing to one of the lead attorneys sitting across from me, “will be the single point of contact for this account, supported by Tina and Mark.”

A pang of disappointment stabs through me. I keep clapping, though my heart isn’t in it anymore.

William glances around the room, his gaze landing on me. “I also want to acknowledge Seren Smith for her efforts. Her persistence in pursuing this account has not gone unnoticed.”

I continue clapping and nodding in acknowledgment, but my cheeks ache from the forced smile as my stomach twists with disappointment.

When the meeting concludes, everyone moves toward the breakfast spread. I grab a glass of fresh orange juice, trying to focus on the positives. Too bad I can’t think of any right now.

“Hey, Seren.” William approaches me with a side hug. “Excellent job. Even Theodore mentioned your relentless pursuit was crucial in the win.”

I place the orange juice down with a little more force than I intended, the liquid sloshing slightly. “Thanks, William. But I’ve got to ask—why didn’t I get put on the account?”

He avoids my gaze, focusing on his cup of fruit as he asks, “Do you think you’re ready?”

“Even the interns have a fixed account each.” I hate pointing out the obvious.

William’s eyes linger on me for a moment longer than necessary, and I catch the faintest flicker of doubt in his gaze. “You need time, Seren, and you need to find your niche,” he says, his tone gentle, but I sense his unspoken doubts.

My hands clench into fists at my sides as I force a nod, hating that I might not ever fit in here, either.

We both stay quiet for a moment until he pulls out his phone and the next second, my phone buzzes.

“There’s a high-profile networking event next week,” William says, putting his phone away. “I just sent you the invite. You should come. It’s an excellent opportunity to mingle with a diverse set of industry people.”

I nod, staring at the screen. Will this help find my niche, or just introduce me to more people who don’t believe in me?

I spend half my day supporting Tina and Mark as they set up the Adler account in our system, sorting through and keeping track of all previous case documents for them. At exactly five o’clock, I’m out of the office.

Since I generally take the 6:15 train back, I’m shocked at how much less crowded the train is an hour before that. The lack of people makes the twenty-minute ride back feel even faster than usual. The sun is still bright in the sky and despite the depressing day in the office, I feel the heaviness lifting a little.

Instead of going straight back home, I stop by a flower shop on the way. I need a pick-me-up. I frown at the roses and keep my eyes away from lilacs, a word I now only hear in Theron’s voice. Calla lilies are expensive. There’s a beautiful selection of wildflowers at the back—fifteen dollars for the whole bunch. I’m about to pick it up when I notice a daintybunch of lavender at the back. It’s a thin arrangement and feels a couple of days old, if not more. It looks sad and abandoned, shoved in a corner like this. It’s only five dollars for the whole thing, like a throwaway.

“Aww, I’m glad they’re getting a home.” The florist smiles at me as I hand the cash to her.

“Not very popular around here?” I ask while she carefully trims the bottom of the stems.

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