Page 46 of Lonely Alpha
She was understandably confused. Most of New Oxford’s rich people were just as confused about the rejection. My brother had met the Loranger pack at a gala, so it had been public knowledge they’d been scent matched… and subsequently never gotten together.
Rejecting a Loranger was unheard of. The family was one of those who’d helped build this city in their image, using their multiple billions of dollars.
“My mother isn’t a nice person,” I said carefully, “and being with someone like Dash would have put him too close to her for the rest of his life.”
Kiara fidgeted. The woman never stopped moving, not even when she’d been pinned beneath my gaze while I’d been making calls.
“So what’s he doing now?”
Kiara was shifty, and I had a feeling I knew why.
“He lives in the suburbs with his pack and has for years. I’m pretty sure they got a dog recently. It’s all very domestic.”
She relaxed, a smile sneaking onto her face.
She definitely wanted the Loranger pack and didn’t want anyone else to be standing in her way. That was dangerous. I didn’t want a pack. Never had. Especially not with everything going on.
With a curse, I pulled out my cell phone. No more missed calls, but my mother had done as she’d promised and texted me an address. It was across town in one of the more affluent neighbourhoods and would take some time to get there. So much for meeting him immediately. Having an omega was a bigger distraction than I’d anticipated.
Wrapping an arm around Kiara, I kissed her temple. “I’ve got to go. Work calls.”
It was a good thing Dash hadn’t left after all, as much as I despised admitting it. I wasn’t going to leave Kiara alone, not even in the relative safety of my condo. Tobias might be able to get in. Plus, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I could trust her not to leave.
“Can’t you do it tomorrow?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“Not this. It’s urgent. Dash is here, though.”
Her lips turned pouty, tempting me to kiss her, but I didn’t. I’d kissed her pussy, but not yet her lips. When I did it for the first time, I wanted to have time to savour it.
I couldn’t resist a quick squeeze of her ass, though. She gasped. “I’m going to have a quick shower, then I’ll go.”
Five minutes later I was in fresh clothes without the scent of Kiara anywhere on me. No one else deserved to catch her coconut chocolate scent, let alone whatever asshole my mother was forcing me to help. I hadn’t had the time to wash my hair, but I had a scent dampening spray to eliminate those hints of her.
Kiara waited on my bed and I avoided kissing her for real once again, going for a chaste cheek kiss this time. She’d decided a nap was in order, and I couldn’t blame her. Then I went out to tell Dash the situation, speaking as I stood in the mouth of the hallway.
“I have work. Don’t touch Kiara, but don’t leave,” I said. “If you must leave, call me first. I think it’s obvious why she shouldn’t be alone.”
He’d shaken off the anger and was back to nonchalant, a TV show playing as he made himself at home. “Demanding. This feels kinky to me.”
“Are you going to listen?”
He smirked. “Will you tell me I’m a good boy after?”
Rolling my eyes, I took that as a yes. “Save me some of that food.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
“And never call me Mistress again.”
I walked into the entryway and slid on my shoes before he could come up with a suitable response to that, letting the carpet of the hallway consume the sound of my heels meeting ground.
* * *
The house I pulled up in front of was large, but nothing like the extravagant mansion Soren lived in. There were neighbours on either side, visible if not truly close. A couple of expensive cars sat out in the driveway. They were showing off. No true car lover would leave a Bugatti exposed to the relentless mid-afternoon sun when they had a garage a hundred feet away.
I knocked on the front door after straightening myself in my car’s tiny mirror, wishing I’d taken the time to fix my makeup properly. I’d only put on concealer and foundation after I’d washed off the evidence of Kiara’s release.
