Alynna stood there, rooted to the spot by some unknown reason, and watched them drive away. She had a feeling this wouldn’t be that last time she’d see them.
***
She wished she had been wrong, but a week later, Alynna spotted another tail. She put her camera away, tucking it into the large backpack she carried whenever she did surveillance. It was about 1 am, but it wasn’t an unusual hour to be out when she was on the job.
She hopped down from staircase and dusted off the rust that had rubbed on her jacket. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the car at the end of the block, where it had been since she climbed up the stairs. A lone figure in the driver’s seat was hunched over, trying to look inconspicuous. She strapped the backpack on properly over her shoulders and across her chest, then stalked over to the car.
“Hey,” she greeted as she rapped on the driver’s side window. The window rolled down. Christ, just my luck. She gave Alex a tight smile. It had to be him.
“All done?” he asked in a good natured tone. Amber eyes seemed to glow at her in the darkness of the car.
“Yep. You can go home now,” she turned and began walking down the sidewalk. A few seconds later, the car behind her roared to life. But instead of driving away, the vehicle simply rolled alongside her. She walked a few more steps, hoping he’d drive away, but he kept following her. She stopped and faced the car.
“Can I help you?!” she said loudly, putting her hands on her hips
Alex grinned at her, “Aren’t you hungry after two hours of sitting on that fire escape?”
“I’m gonna pick up a slice of pizza on the way home,” she retorted.
“I know a place that serves a great key lime pie. They’re open all night long.”
Alynna’s stomach decided it was a great time to gurgle hungrily at the thought of key lime pie. Fuck.
Alex grinned at the sound of her hungry, traitorous tummy. “Hop in!”
Alynna sighed in defeat and strode over to the passenger side, yanked the door open and sat inside, sulking like a child.
***
They drove in silence, heading towards the Upper West Side. After a few minutes, Alex pulled up in front of a diner and put the car in park.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard about this place,” Alynna said as she slid into the booth seat across from Alex. The sign outside said “Elsie’s Diner” and inside was pure old school Americana kitsch - weathered Formica tables and counter, bright red vinyl stools and booths, a mosaic tile floor and beautifully-carved woodwork all over the walls.
“Yeah, I discovered this place after working a couple of overnight shifts,” Alex said, pushing the menu at her. “Try the burgers - they’re huge and juicy. The shakes are pretty good too, they make ‘em with malt and everything.”
She pushed it back at him him. “I was told there’d be pie.”
“Your wish is my command,” he said, standing up and heading towards the counter.
Alex put his hands in his pockets as he casually strode down the long counter and over to the display of pies at the end. He wasn’t quite sure what prompted him to invite Alynna out to eat. In fact, he wasn’t even sure what he was doing - who was this mysterious woman (or Lycan) and why did the Alpha order 24-hour surveillance on her? The Beta had only told the rest of the team that she was prone to uncontrollable shifts and would need to be subdued if she were to turn while in public, but other than that, they were to stay away from her. Of course, he didn’t tell the team about what he’d witnessed himself - that she didn’t even seem to know she was a Lycan, which was already strange to him.
He admitted he was drawn to her, from the first moment he had seen her, standing there in Blood Moon. Ok, more than drawn to her - he wanted her. Wanted to touch her porcelain smooth skin and see the desire in those green eyes. Wanted to taste her lips and touch her between her legs and make her moan again. Wanted to take her to bed and slake his thirst and desire until they both passed out. Did she even remember what happened to them that night? He sure did, and it haunted his dreams. It was strange, what he felt that first night. He’d been with lots of women, Lycan and human, but never felt quite like that, and even standing next to her, it was like he was drawn to her and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
Pushing those thoughts away with a shake of his head, Alex concentrated on the task at hand, peering at the pie display case. “Oh damn,” he cursed. There was one piece of key lime pie left.
“Any chance you got a whole pie in the back?” Alex asked to the figure behind the counter.
An older man with pure white hair stood turned around to face him, his hands on his hips. His face was weathered, but he seemed to be quite cheery and awake for someone up at one in the morning. “Sorry sonny,” the older man shook his head. “Last one, I’m afraid.” Alex groaned. “Can I give you some advice, son?”
The older man reminded Alex of his father, so he couldn’t help but nod.
“When I was younger, I asked my dad what love was. I was six,” he began, as he took a plate from behind the counter and placed the lone slice on it. “He said, Eddie, love is when you have one last piece of pie, but you give it to her. It could be your favorite piece of pie. You could be hungry and your insides turning. It would be the best ever piece of pie that you’ll never ever have again. But, love is when you give her the piece of pie and you say, ‘No, you can have it.’”
Alex stood there, pondering the older man’s words.
“So, my advice is,” he handed him the plate. “Let her have the pie.”
Alex looked over to where Alynna was sitting. “Right.”
The older man winked at him. “You go get that pretty young thing.”
As Alex fished his wallet out of hand, but the man reached over and put a hand on his arm. “On me.”
He smiled at the man and thanked him, then walked towards Alynna. He sat down from across her.
“No more pie?” Alynna asked.
“Just one more slice.”
“Are you gonna share with me?”
Alex shook his head. “No, you can have it,” he said, smiling as he pushed the plate towards her.
“You sure?” Alynna looked at him suspiciously. “This isn’t crappy, defrosted pie, right?”
“It’s not,” he laughed. “Go ahead, I actually had a burrito in the car while I was waiting for you.”
She looked at the pie hungrily and dug in with her spoon. “Oh my god,” she moaned as she took a mouthful. “This is pretty good pie.”
“See? I told you.”
“Hhhmm…” Alynna replied, her mouth still full of pastry and whipped cream.
The old man who had served the pie came over to them and brought them two cups of coffee. Alynna nodded her thanks and took a swig, washing down the last of the pie with the hot brown liquid.
“That was delicious,” she declared as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Thanks for bringing me here.”
“No worries.” He leaned over, his long frame allowing him to stretch across the table and wiped some crumbd from the corner of her mouth.
“You should have told me I had pie on my face,” she pouted.
“I know, but you looked too cute, with pie on your face.” he gave her a flirty grin.
Alynna rolled her eyes. “Right. With crumbs all over me.”
“Too cute. Makes me want to lick it off,” Alex gave her a hot stare, which made Alynna blushed furiously.
She pushed the plate away. She quickly changed the subject. “Alright, I’m done. That was good pie,” she remarked. “Thank you.”
He gave her a bright smile, which made him look even more handsome and boyish. “You’re welcome.”
She gave a yawn. “Well, I’m gonna go catch a cab and head home.”
“No need, I’ll take you home.”
Alynna was too tired to argue. “Fine,” she yawned again, then stood up and stretched. “Home, James!” she joked.
Alex stood up and offered her his arm. �
��Well, my lady, your carriage awaits.”
She guffawed and took his arm. They walked out, arm in arm, and as they left the diner, the old man waved at the couple, then raised his fist in in silent cheer at Alex.
“What was that about?” Alynna asked as she entered the car.
“Oh nothing,” Alex switched the subject. “So, are you always gonna be out this late?”
“Are you worried you’ll have to follow me around this late at night?”
“I’m worried about my pie budget,” he smirked at her, which earned him a smirk back.
The trip to Alynna’s apartment was relatively quick since there was no traffic.
“Well, thanks for the pie…and the ride, you should head home.” Alynna said as she opened the car door.
“You sure you don’t want me to walk you up?” he asked hopefully.
“I can manage,” she said dryly and stepped out of the car.
Despite her shutting him down, he definitely saw the hesitation in her eyes for just a split second.
***
The next day, after her doing a couple of errands, Alynna came home to her door unlocked once again. Alynna sighed in resignation as she pushed it open with her shoulders, her arms around two large bags of groceries. A scent of cool, ocean spray hit her nose. “You know, breaking and entering is illegal in the State of New York,” she said, as she set the bags down on her small kitchen counter. She didn’t even bother looking towards the living room. “And this is the second time now.”
“You wouldn’t answer our calls,” Grant stood up from her armchair.
“I thought I made myself clear from the beginning,” she turned back to him. Grant was dressed in one of his expensive suits, but his tie was gone. As usual, Nick stood next to him, ever ready for any possibility. “I don’t want to be part of this.”
“You are a part of ‘this’” he stated. “Whether you like it or not.” Grant let out a breath. “Nick, please give us a moment.”
Nick nodded. “I’ll be right outside, Primul,” he said and then left the apartment, closing the door behind him to give them some privacy.
“Why does he call you that?” Alynna asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Primul?” Grant asked. “It means ‘first’ in Romanian. It’s customary for my lieutenants under me to call me that or any Lycan to call their Alpha that,” he shrugged. “Anyway, Alynna, I think you must have misunderstood why I let you go. It wasn’t because I was letting you walk away from all this. I wanted to give you space, some time to process. But, I can’t just sit by and let this go on. You must come with me and take your place, and come under my protection.”
“My place?” she asked, her voice taking on a higher pitch. “What exactly is that? What part don’t you get, Mr. Anderson?” she threw her hands up. “My entire life, I never needed or wanted a father. He didn’t want me and I certainly don’t need anything from him now!” she seethed.
“Alynna…if you think my fa-Michael Anderson didn’t want you, you’re dead wrong.”
“Oh yeah?” she asked bitterly. “Then why did he leave my mother without a word?” Grant said nothing, but she continued. “You know…I think she may have loved him. I remember some nights she would cry herself to sleep, and she would never tell me why, but I suspected it had something to do with my father!”
“I’m sorry,” Grant said in a low voice. “I’ve had our security department put together a file on you. I know you and your mother didn’t always have it easy. She worked as waitress, right?”
Alynna slammed her palms on the counter. “I don’t care about that! Sure, I didn’t grow up in a fancy house like you, but my mother did her best and she always put food on the table and clothes on my back!” She bit her lip to keep from crying. “She was sad and depressed. Where was he? Where was he when she was dying of cancer? If he left her to back to his wife, then he should have just been straight with her instead of playing around with her feelings!”
He came closer to her, and then put a thick file folder on the counter. “Alynna…you may not believe me, but perhaps you’ll believe him.”
“Who?” Alynna asked, her eyes shining bright with tears.
“Michael…our father.”
Alynna felt a lump in her throat when he said those words. Somehow, neither of them had acknowledged the fact that they had shared a father and what that implied. She stared at the folder, unable to look him in the eye. Gingerly, she opened the file. The first thing she saw was a picture of an older man who looked similar to Grant, with the same dark hair and green eyes, although his locks were more liberally peppered with white hair and there more wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. He was laughing and looking down at a baby wrapped in a pink cloth, while a blonde woman on a hospital bed smiled at them.
“My father’s lawyers brought this to us, when they heard you had showed up at Fenrir and the DNA tests proved who you were,” he explained.
“I…I don’t understand,” she whispered, lifting the picture up for a closer inspection.
“It’s all there in the files,” he watched as she stared disbelievingly at the photo, the rest of the papers ignored. “Let me give you a summary: Michael knew about you. In fact, he had left a provision in his will for you, acknowledging you as his child with his True Mate, Amanda Chase. However, no one else knew about you,” Grant stated. “He wanted to protect you and since there hadn’t been a True Mate pairing in almost 200 years, he wanted to keep your existence a secret until a Lycan DNA test could be run.” He stood by her and looked at the picture. “Alynna, check out the date on that photo.”
She turned it around. “That’s…I was born that day.”
“A few hours after that photo was taken, he died in a car accident,” he explained.
Alynna detected a slight shake in his voice, but his face remained stoic. “I’m sorry…I mean, I didn’t know…” she stammered. She felt a knot in the pit of her stomach.
“It was a shock to all of us. I was thirteen. But while your mom was pregnant, dad had all the papers drawn up, but his instructions were clear: nothing was to come out until the test results proved what he already knew. You were supposed to come in for a blood test in a few days.”
For the first time in her life, Alynna was truly and utterly speechless. She looked at the other files, stuff that looked like wills and important-looking papers. There was also a copy of her birth certificate, much like the one she had, but instead of “unknown” for “Father” it said “Michael Dmitri Anderson.” Also, it had her last name as “Anderson” and not Chase. She held up the yellowed piece of paper and there was a note attached to it with an elegant handwriting that said “amended – to be filed.”
“Your middle name,” Grant mentioned.
She looked up at him. “Oh God, that name?” she gave a slightly sour face. “I never use it. Why?”
He gave her a weak smile. “Alynna Antoaneta Anderson,” he said, reading the name on the certificate. “I’m glad your mom decided to keep it. It means “priceless” in Romanian.”
Turning around, Alynna let out a quiet sob, and unshed tears began to flow down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly, hoping Grant had not noticed them. “I can’t…I don’t know…”
“Look,” Grant lifted his hand to put it on her shoulders, but changed his mind, and put them down instead. “I know this is all too much…believe me, I’m having a difficult time myself and you…well…” he cleared his throat. “I’m doing this because…it’s what dad would have wanted and it’s the right thing to do.”
She sighed. “Look, if it’s a money thing, I told you, I don’t want anything. I know this place isn’t exactly the Ritz,” she said sheepishly. “But I’m fine.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you,” Grant stated. “But it’s not just that. Don’t you see Alynna? You didn’t grow up as a Lycan, nor given the same training as us. You just turned 22, right? Have you ever shifted before? When you were younger?” She shook her head. “A
lynna, all Lycans start the shift around the age of 15 or 16. It’s usually unintentional for most of us, triggered by hormones or emotion. These types of shifts, they’re dangerous and because you’re basically turning into an animal. Normally you do it at home, where you can be protected.”
Alynna swallowed a gulp. “When I turned… I don’t remember anything. I just blacked out and then woke up hours later.” She had a vision of herself as a wolf, stalking the streets of New York. Did I hurt anyone that night? Her heart pounded, thinking about what could have happened.
“We’re all taught how to tame and take control of our wolf and how to stop shifting accidentally. Eventually, we learn how to shift back and forth at will and remember our time as a wolf.” He pulled her to face him. “There are also many other things you need to be taught, to help your protect yourself and others. I can’t have you running around New York, knowing that you could shift at any time. That’s not safe for other people and you run the risk of exposing us.”
Alynna gave a defeated sigh. He was right. She did not want to hurt innocent people. Plus, if she was discovered, the authorities might throw her in a lab or something and she’d end up being experimented on her whole life. “So…when do I sign up for wolf lessons?” she said wryly.
Grant gave her a weak smile. “The sooner the better,” his phone chirped, interrupting him. He took it out, looked at the screen for a second, then put it back into his pocket. “I have to go, but look, why don’t I give you some more time? And I’ll have Cady contact you about what you need to do.”
Alynna laughed at the name, a light bulb going off in her head. “VP of Human Relations?”
He gave her a smirk. “We call her position Liaison. She’s the best, and she’ll know what to do to help you transition. But,” he gave her a slip of paper. “My personal phone number. Call me anytime for any reason. I always answer, night or day and if I don’t, it goes to a call center that will know how to contact me.”
Alynna nodded, taking the paper from his fingers. “Ocean…salt spray…and sand…that’s how you smell to me,” she said, looking up to meet his eyes.
Fated Mates: Book 1 of the True Mates Series Page 4