Page 37 of Baby for the Alpha
“Boardroom. Now,” he spits out, grabbing Lucas’ wrist and dragging him away.
Confused, I stand from the table, abandoning my meal. The urgency in Marco’s voice is something I haven’t heard in a long time. It sends shivers down my spine as I follow them up the stairs.
“Kaylee, you could have stayed and finished breakfast,” Marco calls over his shoulder as we reach the second-floor landing, making me roll my eyes.
“You took my mate without any explanation. There’s no way in hell I’m staying back to worry about what’s going on,” I retort.
By now, Lucas had managed to free himself from Marco’s grasp. He grabs my hand and brings me closer to him. Marco sighs reluctantly before leading the way to the boardroom, where the sounds of hushed, angry whispers reach my ears. Marco reaches the doors first and knocks.
The whispers end before a quick “enter” is called from the other side. Marco pushes the door open, stepping aside for Lucas and me to enter first. Inside, a flustered Amelia sits at a desk while an angry Kurt paces.
“Oh, good. You brought Kaylee, too,” Amelia sighs with relief, her tired eyes taking me in. Kurt stops pacing, his body turning to face us as anger stews around him.
“What happened this time?” I ask, unease settling inside me.
“David is on his way to explain, but long story short, our tech team managed to hack into Oak Fur’s internet service, and they found something disturbing,” Amelia answers, motioning for the three of us to join her at the desk.
It isn’t long until David comes bursting through the door, a laptop tucked under his arm and a scowl on his face. He marches to the desk, places his laptop on the surface, and fiddles with it briefly before turning on the large television. On it is David’s laptop screen, and what I see pisses me off.
“Ramos mated Marilyn?” I say through clenched teeth.
“Yes. Last week, he initiated her into the pack and marked her as his,” David answers, equally as pissed off. “But that’s not the worst part.”
His fingers move along the keyboard, bringing up what looks to be an active chat exchange.
“Ramos has been messaging Nathaniel Cross and two other alphas they are allied with,” David continues, a growl following his words.
Watching message after message pop up on the screen, my eyes widen in horror as I read.
“What are they talking about?” Marco asks, seeming confused by the coded messages.
“War,” Lucas answers, his body shaking as he pulls me tighter to his side. “They’re planning a war as we speak. Their target is us.”
34
Kaylee
Laying in bed curled around a pillow, my mind races with thoughts of earlier today. Marilyn was now Luna of Oak Fur, a title the Moon Goddess had deemed fit for me months ago. Not only that, but Ramos and his allies are now planning war against us for no other reason than the threat Lucas, Amelia, and I pose.
War.
Considering how power-hungry and deranged Ramos has turned out to be, I knew this would be a possibility, but I never thought it would come this soon. Maybe in a year—but those messages are planning the massacre to happen in two months’ time.
Rolling over to look at the time on my alarm clock, I sigh as I read twelve-fifty-one in the morning. I should sleep, but it’s not coming so easily tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll discusscountermeasures to protect Ivory Fangs from our enemies, and I need to be well-rested. With a groan, I throw my blanket to the side and push myself to sit, swinging my legs over the edge of my bed. If sleep won’t come to me, a walk may help.
Exiting my room, I stop as Lucas’ door opens, and his gray eyes meet mine. The faint glow of the moon coming from the hallway window illuminates his body, from the baggy pajama pants hung low on his hips to the outline and ridge of each and every muscle my mate possesses. I blush, my eyes meeting his as he gives me a soft chuckle.
“Do you want me to walk around shirtless from now on?” he teases, stepping closer to me. His scent of vanilla and mint surrounds me, making me want to bury myself against him.
“I...um...sorry,” I mutter in embarrassment. Lucas lets out a deep laugh, his eyes closing slightly as he reaches out and pulls me to his side. I don’t stop him. Instead, my hands move on their own, landing flush against his solid pecs.
“You don’t ever have to apologize for staring at me. I’m your mate, Kaylee,” he reassures me, his left hand moving to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “So what’s keeping you up so late?”
“I can’t sleep. I keep tossing and turning, thinking about what we saw today and worrying about our future,” I answer with a sigh, leaning my head against his body and breathing in his scent as he slowly rubbed my back.
“I thought maybe a walk would help, but now I don’t think I can sleep,” I admit quietly, eyes closing as I relish Lucas’ touch.
“Would you like me to come cuddle you in bed then? We could just talk until you fall asleep.”
