Cruel Alpha, Season One (Wolves of New Eden #1)

19. Loyalty

19

Loyalty

Annalise

Cas tosses his head back with a laugh as he walks a dignitary through the rose garden. I’m holding my breath without realizing it, stalking him with a heated stare, thinking of our encounter last week—his taste in my mouth, his hands on my body.

“Annalise?”

An audible gasp leaves me when Winifred’s light touch lands on my shoulder. Our eyes lock, and she’s fighting a smile, volleying a quick glance between Cas and me. My guess is she’s starting to put two and two together.

Not the part where I’ve zoned out thinking about his cock at least five times since she and Elizabeth met me in the garden for a picnic. But she at least knows something’s changed.

I’ve changed.

Once overwhelmingly adverse to the idea of being our alpha’s mate, I can’t help but wonder if it’s clear to others that I’m… falling.

“Thought we’d lost you for a second,” Winifred teases. I sit straighter, pushing a stray hair behind my ear, purposely not glancing up toward Cas as I smear Ms. Fitzgibbons’ fresh apricot jelly over a cracker.

“Sorry, I was daydreaming.”

She and Elizabeth share a look, and Winifred smiles. “Yeah, you’ve been doing that quite a bit this past week.”

I swallow again, feeling mildly uncomfortable that she accurately pinpointed when things between Cas and I reached the tipping point. It was exactly one week ago that I stormed into The Wet Bar, found him in a compromising position, only to later find myself in a compromising position.

But… I can’t think about that right now. Not if I don’t want to choke on my lunch and make a total fool of myself.

I pick a blade of grass off my pants and rack my brain for something safe to chat about with the girls, only to remember the topic of conversation I’ve avoided for days now.

“I’ve been meaning to discuss something with you both.”

Elizabeth peers up, dabbing crumbs from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “You can always talk to us.”

Her kind words settle my nerves. “I know. It’s just that… I’m not proud of the turn things took on my birthday. Everyone went out of their way to make the evening special and… I worry I may have ruined it.”

I’ve barely gotten the words out of my mouth when Elizabeth’s hand comes down on mine. “Don’t even speak of it, Annalise. You had every right to defend yourself. We all know Mother tends to get out of line on occasion.”

“Yes, but… I should’ve exercised self-control. I don’t wish to take back what was said, but I can’t help but to wish I’d had better timing. For instance, I hate that I put you two in the middle of it. I can’t imagine there’s a pleasant conversation waiting for you when you see Aunt Geneva again.”

Winifred tears the corner of her sandwich with her teeth, chewing while she speaks. “We know how to handle Mother, Annalise. Seriously, don’t give it another thought.”

I smile, feeling that my heart’s lightened just a little.

“You’re too gracious,” I tell them both, sipping wine that’s, hands down, the smoothest I’ve ever tasted.

A moment of weakness draws my eyes right back to Cas, and to my surprise, he’s paying very little attention to whatever his guest is carrying on about. Because his focus is locked on me. Heat creeps up my neck to my cheeks as a breeze causes the weeping willows to sway where they bow to the stream that cuts through the back of the property.

Pull it together, Annalise. Best not to let him know he’s practically all you think about these days. Leave at least some mystery.

The sound of Elizabeth’s voice is the perfect excuse to break eye contact with Cas, so I tune out my own thoughts in favor of listening to hers.

“You know, I’m glad we were brought in to serve you,” she says, popping a grape into her mouth. “Being so close, it gives us the opportunity to be watchful, protect you.”

Her peculiar wording has my head tilting as I question what she means.

“I think it’s all rather sweet and romantic, if you ask me,” Winifred chimes in, fluffing her dress around herself with a soft huff as she kneels on the checkered blanket beneath us. “It’s like she’s been taken by a prince. No… a king, ” she says, correcting the phrase with a gleeful smile.

Elizabeth’s expressionless, though, seemingly lost in thought as she leans back, resting on the heels of her palms.

“Perhaps,” she says. “I only mean that, in a house filled with so many potential enemies, it’s important to have allies.”

“What’s he like? I mean what’s he really like? You must see a side of him no one else does,” Winifred says, her voice light and airy. I also don’t miss that Elizabeth’s incredibly interested in hearing what my response will be.

“Well, he’s… different than what I expected. Different than how he presented himself when I first arrived,” I add. “Despite my first impression, I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s not all bad.”

A memory of his mouth between my legs flashes in my head, and I clear my throat, straightening my necklace as a distraction.

“But, Annalise… is it not entirely possible the sudden display of niceties is just to butter you up?”

Elizabeth’s sharp tone and pointed question draws my eyes back to her. She seems to notice I’m taken aback, so when she speaks again, her tone and her expression soften.

“It’s just that, in the coming weeks, there will be a handful of women brought here, all vying for the alpha’s attention. I only wonder… do you imagine you’ll still be just as smitten then?”

Her words bite into my skin and there’s no pretending I’m not offended.

“I’m not smitten,” I hiss, lying through my teeth. “I’m making the best of my circumstances. I’m stuck here. This is my life now, and I’ve simply decided I’ll make lemonade out of lemons.”

It’s only moderately warm out today, but I’m suddenly filled with heat, sweating across my brow as anger sets in. I hadn’t thought so before, but maybe she is pissed about my encounter with her mother. That would account for the unbridled bitchiness.

“Dear gods, you’ve upset her, Elizabeth,” Winifred says, scolding her sister with a look. Only now does Elizabeth seem to notice I’m angry.

“No, Annalise, I… I didn’t mean to anger you. I?—”

“It’s fine,” I cut in as Elizabeth lowers her head, embarrassment tinting her cheeks with redness.

“No, it isn’t,” Winifred snaps. “She overstepped, seeming to have forgotten what an honor it is that you and the alpha have invited us into your home. If she has any sense at all, she’ll apologize and remember her manners. Preferably before I return from the ladies’ room.”

With that, Winifred stands, fluffing her dress as she stomps across the yard, heading toward a set of French doors off from the patio.

Now, it’s just Elizabeth and me.

“I’m sorry. Believe me, this will never happen again.”

“It’s fine,” I repeat. “And for what it’s worth, I intend to reach out to your parents soon to clear the air. In the very least for yours and Winifred’s sake.”

She shakes her head. “I’m guessing they’ve hardly thought about it. They’ve got much bigger issues to contend with.”

My brow quirks with curiosity. “Bigger issues? What bigger issues?”

She doesn’t speak right away, taking a deep breath first.

“There’s a reason I asked to take lunch outside today. I hoped we could talk. In private,” she adds, glancing toward the estate.

“I spoke with Mother a few nights ago, and she revealed that there have been threats.”

I hate that my heart skips a beat, hate that worry fills me for someone who cares very little for my wellbeing.

“From who?”

“Please, Annalise, you have to keep this between us. Not even Winifred knows this. Mother begged me not to say a word.”

The thundering inside my chest increases when she doesn’t give a definitive answer to my question. It’s also starting to make sense why Elizabeth’s been on edge today, why there’s been so much talk about threats and protection.

Her eyes follow me when I set my plate aside and stand, smoothing my hands down my pants as I scan the garden for Cas. I spot him and his guest near the fountain, and I’ve decided to ask if we can speak in private. Then, I’ll tell him what’s taken place. Aunt Geneva asked Elizabeth to use discretion, but surely she won’t be upset if my prying results in her and Uncle Mitch being brought to safety.

“Wait!” Elizabeth’s tight grip on my wrist halts me when I take a step. “What are you doing?”

I glance toward Cas. “We’ll need his help. He’s got resources and?—”

“You can’t.” Her voice is barely louder than a whisper, and now there are tears in her eyes.

I swallow the lump in my throat, glancing toward Cas. “Elizabeth… what aren’t you telling me?”

She sniffles, finally releasing my wrist now that she has my attention. “There was a reason for the questions I’ve asked you this afternoon. I needed to see if you were still you. Needed to know that your loyalty still lies with us, your family, before I told you.”

I glance down at her, my heart racing for an entirely new reason now.

“You can’t tell Alpha Caspian because… I have reason to believe this might all be his doing. He may be behind the threats.”

Her words settle in, but they aren’t quite adding up. Aunt Geneva and Uncle Mitch are annoying as hell, sure, but they’re not a threat to anyone. There’s absolutely no chance they’d bring trouble to this doorstep.

Unless there’s more to this story, something my aunt and uncle have gotten involved in that I haven’t been made aware of.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing,” I say as tension spreads across my jaw. “I have to go to them.”

“I agree. They need you. Today ,” she adds, implying urgency with the unmistakable hint of desperation in her voice. “I’m only asking that, however you get to them… you’ll have to do it without him knowing. That part is important, Annalise.”

I follow her gaze across the garden to Cas as he shares a laugh with his guest, the gleam of his perfect smile sparkling in the sunlight. He seems so dignified, so poised.

But if anyone knows there’s another side to him, if anyone knows the true depth of his darkness… it’s me.