Clear Lake

Chapter Twelve

I hide in my room, until time to go work. Thankfully, Kiara had left the tray of breakfast food, so I eat what we'd left over for lunch, while I video chat with Kristy. I tell her how great Kiara and I worked together and how she brought breakfast to me this morning. I may have left out Kiara's random coldness toward me and Alex's inappropriate behavior. I don't want her to worry. My mood is greatly lifted, by the time we hang up. She'd spent at least ten minutes giving me tips on how to have video chat sex. For a virgin, she knows way too much about everything sexual.

I decide to send Iris a lengthy text message, telling her the same things I told Kris. I know she's most likely busy, especially with me not there to help her. I miss her voice. I give myself a moment to wallow in the fact that I'm not at The Sweet Tooth and that I have to see Alex again tonight, then crawl out of bed to grab a shower and get ready for my work day.

Like last night, Kiara and I got right to work. On weekdays, we come to work around 2:00PM and prep desserts that can be served during the week, during lunch or just for easy access. I'm simultaneously making two different cookie doughs, while Kiara is making a huge tray of brownies. We work silently, unless I need to ask where something is.

As we finish the desserts and the bread we prepped, and are cleaning up to get ready for dinner, Kiara approaches me.

"Listen. I don't know what's going on between you and Alex, but I just want to keep my head down and do my job." She hurries her words. "I enjoy my job and I'm not trying to cause any trouble anywhere, so you won't find any with me." She finishes, looking up at me.

What is she talking about? "Kiara, I..." But I'm interrupted, when the cooks enter the kitchen.

"New girl! Where is the focaccia? I pulled some herbs from the garden that I want you to incorporate, before it bakes." The cook begins instructions, while my mind reels. Why does Kiara think I'm trying to get her in trouble? I don't want to ask in front of the cooks, so we go through dinner preparations as if everything is normal.

We make a few decadent chocolate cakes for dessert tonight. I lose myself, doing some fancy piping work. I love making beautiful desserts. When we finish cleaning up, the cooks leave and we begin breakfast prep. A few minutes before I need to leave and take Alex his dessert, I work up my courage to address what she said.

I take a deep breath and let everything out. "Kiara. I honestly have no idea what's going on. I'm not trying to start trouble or look for trouble. Alex asked me to help him with something, which is what he was talking about earlier. It doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm also trying to keep my head down and just make it through the week. You probably won't even have to deal with me much longer than that." Oops, I perhaps should not have said that, but I just plow on as I grab the tray and get ready to make my escape. "I'm sorry if I did anything to offend you. Just, please, let's just try to make it through the week."

I back out of the room and head for the elevator, avoiding looking at her face. Here we go from one uncomfortable situation to the next. I can feel my wolf getting more tense, the closer we get to Alex's office. My wolf has been surprisingly quiet, since scenting our mate. I'm guessing she's trying not to add additional stress to me, instead of me making the effort to not do that to her. I've been doing a terrible job on my side with that.

"Sorry." I tell her.

She doesn't say anything, but I feel her send some comfort to me. We are in this together. Struggling together. We may be struggling for different reasons, but no matter what, we always have each other.

I find myself in front of Alex's door and knock softly.

"Come in." I hear him say.

I walk in, and his desk is emptier than it was last night. No files at all. He watches me as I walk over, with a blank expression on his face. I empty the tray in awkward silence, and pull it back to myself again. Willing this to go better than the fiasco in the kitchen, I try to start this on a good note.

I try to put as much sincerity in my voice as I can. "I'm very sorry I couldn't make lunch earlier." I set the tray against one of the chairs in front of his desk, and pull out a small notebook from my back pocket. I sit down in the chair and try to sit as upright and alert as I can look. "I'm glad to take any information you've got for me. We're going to make something spectacular for the Luna." I finish, my pen poised to take notes.

He stands up and comes around his desk. He sits on the edge and folds his arms, and smiles indulgently. Still weird.

"I know you're nervous." He tells me. "I saw the way you acted around me at the bakery. You aren't the first to feel how you do." He smiles, and I feel like we are on way different wavelengths - nay different planets.

He thinks I have some kind of crush on him? Gross! Is that why he brought me here? Oh hell no. My wolf and I agree. He IS one of those wolves. A wolf that messes around, before meeting his mate. We are both disgusted. It's objectionable for an omega wolf to do, much less a future Alpha, who will have a pack depending on him. If he thinks I'd be amenable to that, he's got another thing coming. Before I can get a word out, he starts speaking again.

"And don't worry about anything. Everything will stay between us." He says, as he steps forward.

I jump out of my chair and put my hands up.

"Wait wait wait. I think there's been a misunderstanding." I start to tell him.

He interrupts me, trying to speak in a calming voice. "It's okay, Sarah. You don't have to hide or pretend anymore." He reaches to cup my face and my wolf and I snap.

My hand whips up to catch his, before it makes contact with my face. I grab his hand at the thumb and twist it away from me, dislocating it. It will be painful, but he can move it easily back in place and be healed in half an hour, at most. The satisfaction running through me - feeling his ligaments tear - is alarming. He lets out a surprised yell, and I start speaking before he gets a chance.

Worried that I've crossed the line, I don't meet his eyes as I speak. "Alex, as I was saying, I think there's been a misunderstanding. I don't have any kind of infatuation with you. I know, as future Alpha, you would never interact with one of your pack members in an inappropriate way. I'm sure you know I would never disrespect my future Luna in that way, and I know you wouldn't do that yourself either. I don't think I'll be able to help you with this surprise. I'm very sorry. Have a good night." I release his thumb, turn on my heel, and walk out the room, without looking at him.

I take the stairs, my adrenaline pumping, as my wolf is growling in my head, wanting to do worse to him.

How dare he touch us?! He is not our mate. That revolting...

My wolf's tirade continues in my head.

I take off out the front doors, toward the woods. I strip down quickly at the edge and my wolf bursts forward and starts to run. As she works out her anger physically, I sit at the back of her mind and think everything through.

The future Alpha just solicited me. I dislocated his thumb. I stormed out of his office.

I almost want to laugh at the absurdity that is my life. Goddess, what a mess. I wonder what the repercussions of my actions will be. My wolf catches my train of thought and stutter steps a little. Her mind immediately shifts to our mate.

Did we do something that could jeopardize uniting with him? What kind of punishment could I face? Removal from the pack house? That would seem like more of a reward, but I would have to make the effort to put myself in the path of the visiting packs. Still doable. Prison time? We have a small prison, near the edge of the pack grounds. That would be a big problem. Expulsion from the pack? Since I know our mate isn't in the pack, we could still find him. However, Iris and Kristy are in the pack. They could only visit me, since I would be barred from the grounds. Death? No. I put that option from my mind.

If Alex seeks punishment for you, then you would have to be brought before the Alpha. You would tell him what Alex was doing that caused you to defend yourself. Alex wouldn't want to do that, would he? My wolf asks.

Hm. I have no idea, actually. My wolf and I have calmed down enough for me to return, so we work our way back to the edge of the forest. I put my clothes back on and go up to my floor.

I need some answers. I walk down the hall and pause in front of the door marked 310 and knock.