ry'

d was some decent rest. No clue

one yanked me out

rudgingly. The phone lay right beside

n?" I grumble

eep calling till I picked up. I took a deep breath, gave myself two seconds of

y and frustration-definitely more worried I'd hang up than about

all night. It wasn't like he had to deal with waking up in a stranger'

my face. "Tell me where you are. I'll come get you and we'll grab something to eat. Once you've rested up, we'll go see Alpha Richar

you do it yourself?" I snappe

. I'm your father. If Alpha Richard

gry, greasy-haired alpha with zer

xactly have much choice right now. I let the silence hang for a while.

ven though things hadn't gone as planned las

at the Crown

be there soon!" he chi

-he h

lopping back on th

woke up again,

pack business again. She'd included a long list of hotel tips, classic Gin

to help investigate," s

ending back, "It's fi

just me a

m for a quick shower. Ditching the pajamas, I took the elev

alpha I remembered-more like a regular werewolf. His grey hair was al

d him, express

out, all cheer. "Hey,

. Yeah, seemed like he really h

sure, but I never bothered with makeup. Taking care of animals i

I had custom made for you," Francis said with a practiced warmth. "Once

ing I'm not attractive enough

I meant," Francis quickly

n forget it. I'll head straight back t

if you don't want it. You're already very b

ving him any wiggle room. "Let's be rea

st play along. He was being surprisingly tolerant today. "Alright,

the car, giving him the c

ack territory and parked outside a

he got out and opened my d

wkwardly retracted his hand and smoothed his jacket before leadi

eal. In my mind, Francis was alwa

ious, trying to trade me for B

op floor. At the door, we wer

reeted politely. "Please wait he

Francis and I sat dow

ron came back with a fri

led but cautious, took my hand and walked in ahead of me. I followed in silence, sta

Perry Lake. She just came in from the countryside and was too a

. The way he lied so sm

e, head down, zoning out. It wasn't until he nudged me th

'm Perry," I said eve

you could feel the dominance radiating off him. His sharp features made it easy to see why people bent to his wi

essure, and yet it was obvious who held all the power in the room

e that. But he seemed to be u

edge of the table behind him and scanning my face like h

voice cut through the moment, eyes narrowing

to-please look on his face made my sto

her back to the Ashen Pack to get some pr

liar pressure behind it

ng, looking a bit suspicious. "So she

looked at him, he had a frown on his face, clearly a bit confused. Bu

f in that hotel room, and neither of us could see the other clearly. Even if he wanted to stir up

all," Francis said, wiping sweat fr

last, voice cold as ice. "Byron can take you back to the

with a fawning grin, quick

t me and Richa

We stared each other down for a few seco

l, I pushed on. "We've never met before. This is literally the first time I've seen you.

skin, but he kept that frosty expression. I trie

n't want that either," Richard replied

into a small grin on my face. "That's honestly the best news. I already have a mate too. Fran

t th

icially cancel whateve

through the room. Ri

f stunned. His crimson eyes lock

So, Miss Lake, is the

ce. And after what happened last night, the

the alpha from last night-the one who c

e had expected him to be offended by how blunt I was. But

im for help with the Ashen

ctly what Franci

Richard, if you've got nothing els

ace. I had no rea

I'd actually consider it," Richard said slowly, lift

irm. "The Ashen Pack's got nothin

e he couldn't wrap his head around someone t

ll of an offer. B