The evening air was cool as I slipped on my coat, ready to leave for my part-time job at the pack’s gathering hall. Just as I reached the door, Kenzo appeared, his tall frame casting a shadow in the dim light. He held a roast beef sandwich in one hand, his grin wide as he handed it to me.
“Thought you might need this,” he said, his voice warm but tinged with exhaustion.
I stepped aside to let him into the house, the faint scent of pine and earth clinging to him—a reminder of his patrols as a Delta. Gabrielle looked up from her toys, her bright eyes lighting up at the sight of him.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Kenzo greeted her, crouching down to her level. “How about your mom makes you sandwiches tomorrow?”
Gabrielle accepted the sandwich with a smile, her voice clear and cheerful. “Thanks, Uncle Kenzo!”
Afterward, I followed Kenzo out to his car, the engine purring softly as I slid into the back seat. “Let’s get going,” I said, adjusting my coat. “I need to be at the hall soon.”
“Alright,” he replied, his voice steady but distant.
He leaned over me, his movements practiced but lacking their usual energy. His hands pulled down my jeans with ease, and the rhythm that followed was mechanical, almost detached. It was over in less than ten minutes, and as I straightened my clothes, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
“You seem distracted today,” I said, studying his face. “What’s going on?”
Kenzo rolled down the window and lit a cigarette, the smoke curling into the night air. “Nothing major,” he said, exhaling slowly. “Just that the Gamma reassigned me to manage a different hall. It’s clear he’s trying to push me out.”
An idea sparked in my mind, and I leaned forward. “Could you get me a job as a server there?”
He shook his head immediately, his jaw tightening. “That place is a jungle, and you’re too…” He hesitated, glancing at me. “You’re too noticeable. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself, especially after what happened to Alpha Walker.”
Walker had been the former Alpha of our pack, a man who had always looked out for me. Before his death, he had entrusted me to Kenzo’s care. Kenzo’s income was unpredictable, but he did his best to support me and Gabrielle. I knew he had feelings for me, but we had an understanding—just physical, no emotions. I didn’t want to owe anyone more than I already did.
“Gabrielle’s growing up,” I said softly, my voice firm. “She’s about to start pack school. I need to save up for her education.”
Kenzo looked at me, his dark eyes searching mine. After a long moment, he sighed. “I’ll do my best to keep you safe,” he said finally. “And I’ll be there too.”
The following evening, I headed straight to the new gathering hall. Kenzo had arranged for someone to show me around, and I started working that very night.
But I wasn’t prepared for my first client to be Alpha Marlon Parker.
Inside the private room, a chorus of voices teased, “Come on, Alpha, give her a kiss!”
I tried to open the door with minimal fuss, but my eyes locked with Marlon’s for a split second. My heart sank, and I quickly looked away.
In the next moment, someone flicked on the main light, and I instinctively glanced up. Marlon’s gaze was cold, filled with scorn as he pulled the woman straddling his lap into a deep kiss.
Their lips locked in a passionate embrace, his long fingers slipping under her skirt, drawing soft sighs from her. I was frozen, caught in the moment, until the sudden silence in the room snapped me back to reality. The eerie quiet swallowed all noise, and I felt the weight of every pair of eyes on me.
