Page 37 of The Alpha and the Baker
“Professional? I’m just a baker.” The pink on her cheeks was visible even in the dark, and that bolstered my confidence.
“More qualified than I am.”
“I… All right. Yeah, I’d like that. You wanna try for this Friday? Saturday is usually my slowest day, so I have the least prep that afternoon.”
Friday? That was four full days away. It seemed like an eternity. But I would go along with her schedule.
“I’ll pick you up around five?” It was a touch early for a dinner date, but Felicia probably got up real early even on a slow day.
“See you then.” She bent and petted Arietty one last time. “Anyway, I gotta finish up the last bit of my run, then get to bed. I’m up way too late, but like you, got a bit behind today.”
“Have a good night, Felicia.”
“You too, Cas.”
I swore there was the tiniest pause, like she wanted to linger, but then she nodded and jogged off. And maybe… maybe I watched a little more intently than I should, but it wasn’t my fault she was stunningly gorgeous with an ass that wouldn’t quit.
However, I didn’t wanna be a creep, so I pulled my gaze away after a somewhat appropriate hesitation—appreciation?—and turned to the three.
“Don’t. You. Move.” I said before heading over to the same bushes I used to transform. I smelled a couple of other humans and their own dogs approaching, so I waited. I acted as naturally as I could, and apparently, I did a halfway decent job because they walked by with only a wave to me and my trio.
Once they were far enough away, I shifted.
“Back home. Now. I’m very disappointed in how the three of you have conducted yourselves. You selfishly derailed this run for everyone else and put yourselves in danger!”
I didn’t like to play hardball, but I did tell it how it was. I went on quite a bit of a diatribe, going into personal responsibility and thinking of others, as well as the threats of navigating a human space when still so young and not in control of their instincts. And to the young ones’ credit, they let me go on as we placidly plodded along, not interrupting until we nearly reached where I’d left the other wolves.
Of course, it was Arietty who spoke right before we met up with the others, her voice quiet, shaky and hesitant like someone who couldn’t get all the words out—shifter-speak was difficult when you were new to it.
“Got date.”
I sighed, something strange to do in my wolf form. The whole thing had indeed been planned. That was incredible, and I was torn between being flabbergasted, impressed, and a little concerned.
“How did you even know where to find her?”
“Googled name I saw on van. Planned to go all the way there. Lucky seeing her at park.”
I shook my head, still in wonderment at just how together these kids were compared to when I was their age. The kids may have been all right, but they were also diabolical.
“Just… don’t do it again. I don’t need y’all trying to wingman for me.”
“Don’t mess up an’ won’t have to.”
Did I just get told off by a teenager? I was pretty sure I had.
Once they were all together, I would see just how long they could run for. Maybe if everyone was utterly exhausted, they wouldn’t have the energy for more shenanigans.
Unlikely, but an alpha had to try.
Felicia
When it Rains, it Pours
I had a date.
I had a date!
I couldn’t believe it when I went to bed, and I woke up still not believing it. What were the chances that I happened to literally run into the same oversized young dog that I’d met at the McCallister reunion? I’d expected its frazzled owner to run up apologetically, but no, it had been Cas himself.
