Page 18 of The Alpha and His Enemy Wolf
His cabin soon came to view, and her familiar anxiety rose. Since she was young, she’d been vying to get his attention and make him proud. He didn’t show affection, so she didn’t expect that, but even the smallest acknowledgment would go a long way.
Her muscles tensed. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves before knocking on the door.
He opened it seconds later, his formidable physique filling the entryway. He stared down at her from under his heavy brows with his hawk-like gaze. “How did it go?”
His tone didn’t show any concern for her wellbeing. What did he think—that she was out as a wolf all night?
Or, had he not even noticed that she hadn’t returned? Sure, he didn’t keep tabs on her, but he was her father. Didn’t parents worry endlessly about their children? And she’d been on a mission in dangerous enemy land, no less. Did she mean no more to him than any of the other shifters in the pack who had also volunteered to infiltrate the ski resort? Since he didn’t show any distress at not seeing her until now, it appeared unlikely.
“Better than expected.” She stifled the shame at being captured.
He scrutinized her. “Is that new clothing?”
She bit her lip and her cheeks burned. “Um, yes.”
He sniffed her. “You stink like them.”
She hunched her shoulders and gestured with palms up. “I was in their territory.”
He pinned a steely gaze on her “All night?”
Time to divert the conversation. “Papa, I have some good news. I managed to accomplish something big, something that will provide critical information.”
He nodded inside the cabin and said, “Come in.” Once she’d entered, he narrowed his gaze. “Tell me.”
She’d have to omit many of the details, especially the part about her wolf recognizing the Franconia pack’s alpha as their mate. Her father would lose his mind. He definitely wouldn’t agree with her mad plan then.
“While talking with shifters over there, I found a weakness. I came up with a new plan, a better one that will not only help us destroy their operations, but may even give us an opportunity to overthrow their pack.”
Her father crossed his arms. “I’m listening.”
“They were foolish enough to make an offer for me to go there and stay for a week to—”
“What?” he boomed. “Stay with the Franconia pack. Absolutely not!”
“Papa, listen, please. There’s a reason for it.”
His nostrils flared as he breathed through them. “Continue.”
“Their reasoning is that I can go there and spend time with them. During that time, we can try to come to some sort of agreement to avoid war.”
Her father snorted. “We attempted that twice. First, with our betas, and then with that deceiving witch they’d sent over. You can’t trust them, Mila, no matter what they offer.”
“I don’t and I won’t,” she replied. “I have no intention of trying to work with them. My plan is to gain firsthand knowledge on exactly how they operate. With that kind of insider access, think of all the information I could bring back to you—information that could help us destroy them.”
Her heart thudded with excitement as she finished revealing her strategy and awaited his reaction.
“What makes you think that you can provide more information than Victoria? After all, she lived and worked in the business.”
Mila scowled. She wasn’t going to let that two-timing shifter ruin this. “How do we know we can trust her? She betrayed her pack. Who’s to say she isn’t doing the same to us? With me, you know I’m loyal.”
Her father nodded and made a sound of acknowledgment, but then his stare turned hard. “Something is off. Why would they have you stay there when you could just come and go for any discussion, just like that witch?”
She hadn’t expected that question and had to wing an answer. “Perhaps they think it will be more beneficial with us spending more time together. Providing hospitality and such.”
It’s because you’re mates with their alpha,her wolf sang. Mila intended to keep that complication a secret even after she figured out a way to squash the disturbing urges from her body in reaction to Rafe.
Her father scanned her from the head down. “Is that why you have new clothing?”
