Page 24 of The Alpha's Chosen Outcast

After a snack and a new cup of coffee, I return to my task in the workroom. The fabric for the main dress pieces is pinned ontoa dress form, and I’m working on sketches for the final floral patterns for each section.

Violet said she’d stop by tonight to get them. She likes to see things in person, and she says the pencil marks don’t show up right on the screen.

I’m in the zone, and I sense him before I see him. Trey darkens the doorway to the work room, and something smells delicious in the bags in his hands. Regardless, I’m startled, and I jump and squeal in a seriously embarrassing way.

In response, he drops the bags on the table and some of the food falls out of the cartons, right near my sketches. I scramble to get them off the table, scowling at him without thinking.

Then I notice what I’m doing and remember who he is. The feeling of terror he evokes is growing familiar. It sets in when I look up at him.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

He says nothing but goes to the break room and returns with some wet paper towels. He wipes up the sauce and sets the bags on the floor.

“I’m just here to get the sketches for Violet. I knew I’d be passing by on my way home.”

“Oh.”

I feel like a complete idiot. I gather up the sketches and put them into a folder.

“Please tell her she can message me with any changes. These are the updated colors for the floral sections we discussed. She’ll know what it means.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

I look down at the bags now on the floor. “Did you bring me food? I’m actually starting to run low on supplies. That’s from Sun Li, right? I love that place.”

He looks at the bags, too. “No. This is for me and Violet. It’s our favorite spot, too.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to presume. I just really miss Chinese food from the city. Nowhere else can make lo mein or egg rolls right.”

“I’ll pick up some things for you tomorrow and drop them off on my way to work. This place isn’t far from the meeting I have in the afternoon.”

“You don’t have to do that. Whenever you’re able to is fine. I can stretch what I have for a few more days.”

“I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He turns to leave, and he’s a few steps out of the workroom when he stops. He lets out a huge breath and turns around.

“Come with me,” he says.

I obey without a word. I don’t care if it’s an order I’m being given when I’m not part of his pack. He can kill me in seconds.

If he says to go with him, I’ll go. He heads to the break room and puts his bags down on the table, then goes over to the cabinets above the counter where the coffee station is and pulls out some paper plates.

“How did you…never mind.”

“The owner showed me around before you got here to make sure the place would be adequate for accommodations.”

“I see.”

He takes out the cartons and loads up the plates with a little of everything. There’s sesame chicken, shrimp lo mein, egg rolls, spring rolls, scallion pancakes, boneless ribs, some wonton soup, and he even adds a couple of those cream cheese-filled crab rangoons.

I’m speechless. My mouth is moving, and I’m trying hard not to drool. I haven’t had a normal hot meal since the night before I left.

He packs the rest of the food back into the bags and turns to walk away again. I try to call after him, but it comes out in a soft voice like I lack the breath to be louder.

“Thank you.”

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