Page 148 of Dream Mates
Grace
Just hearing a sad story. Love you.
Me
Okay. Love you, too.
Huh. I went back to work but kept getting panic and anxiety from my bond with her.
Carly came in. “Are you okay? You don’t look okay.”
I rubbed the center of my chest. “I think something is wrong with Grace.”
Did Wes feel it? Their bond was stronger, but still kind of fucked. My bond with her wasn’t super strong but was more nuanced.
“You can leave. I’ll cover you.” She opened her lunch box.
“She’s away at a conference.” A huge burst of sorrow and anguish rolled over me enough to make my eyes tear.
Yeah. Something was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, I called her. “You’re not okay. What’s wrong, Peaches?”
She sobbed. “I was having coffee with Creed when his dad walked in. The chemistry professor that people think I look like. It wasn't planned. I had zero interest in meeting him. But it was… intense.”
Oh. Shit. I looked at her location.Briar University.I looked up the professor. Who worked atBriar University.
“Yeah, I could see how that can get weird. I checked him out and he doesn’t seem like a bad person, but you absolutely have no obligation to meet him. This Creed guy wasn’t pushing you to meet him, right?” Maybe I should have Jett run background checks on that entire family.
Yeah. I should. I texted Jett.
Me
Can you background check that Nate Thorne guy’s entire pack, please? Mates and adult children, especially that Creed guy who befriended Grace. Things are getting weird.
Jett
Of course. Love you.
Me
Thank you. Love you, too.
“His alpha yelled at me, grabbed me, and threw me to the ground. But I’m going to find the front of campus and catch a ride to meet Spence and go try bourbon and have a picnic on a farm,” she added while I was texting.
“Did you just say some alphagrabbedyou?” Fuck.
“I’m okay. Apparently Creed might actually have a sister my age out there somewhere because his parents were colossal assholes when they formed their pack. Anyhow, I’m okay. Because they’re not my parents. Though Creed is really nice. I’ll call you later?” Her voice still shook, though the panic I’d been getting through the bond had subsided.
“Grace, it’s not okay for someone’s alpha to push you. Where’s Spencer?” I frowned at my phone. Of course, she probably didn’t realize the huge issues at hand here.
“I’m going to go to him now, and I’ll tell him what happened,” she told me.
“Good. Text Wes, too. Please? Hey, Creed might have a sister your age?” I went back into Nate Thorne’s record. Creed was listed as the oldest.
“So, they say. This is a lot.” Her voice broke.
“I know. Go find Spence. Call Wes if you need him. This is what alphas are for, Peaches. I love you.”
