The Alpha's Rogue ✔️

Sequel - The Alpha's Sacrifice

Prologue | Be Reasonable

"Mmm, something smells amazing."

"It's just fried onion," Miranda replied, rolling her eyes at her mate as he stomped through the back door, hung his coat over a chair, and covered the ground between them. He was always over-dramatic like this, praising even the smallest things that barely deserved recognition. "I haven't added any other ingredients just yet."

"Are you sure?" His arms encircled her, fingers splaying over her large, pregnant belly. "I swear I can smell rosemary, roast chicken, and fresh bread." Kissing her neck, he breathed in her scent and closed his eyes in bliss.

"Your nose has always been unreliable," Miranda quipped, turning in his arms and wrapping her own around his neck. After pulling him in for a quick kiss, she disentangled herself and picked up the spatula. "And soon, my dear Caleb, all you'll be smelling is burnt onion if you keep distracting me."

Caleb laughed, crossing the kitchen to where a rack of buns were cooling. "See, I knew I could smell fresh bread," he chided, taking a large bite out of one before moaning in delight.

"Sometimes I wonder if you married me just for my cooking," Miranda scolded, waving the spatula his direction.

He clutched his chest and looked offended. "Randy! You're the one who snagged me with your tasty masterpieces. What's that quote I always heard you discussing with Alpha Chesca? The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Looks like I'm not the only one with games up his sleeve."

"Oh yeah?" She raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the counter. This playful banter with her mate after a long day of work was what she lived for. From the moment he left in the morning to when he returned, she thought about him and their future together. It had been a long time for them to finally work through their pasts and glaring differences, each having lost mates and been through hell. But anything good was worth fighting for, and they were finally enjoying the companionship destined for them.

But their journey wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Since they were both older than most wolves beginning a family, they'd suffered a number of miscarriages and were desperate for this baby to reach full-term. Only a few more weeks of uncertainty was all they had to endure before the birth of their baby, which had proven healthy so far. "And what new games have you got for me today?" she queried, then bit her lip while mentally kicking herself. All of dinner would be ruined if they had a repeat of last night.

As anticipated, Caleb stalked across the kitchen, never once breaking eye contact with her. His smirk confirmed he too recalled the events of their passionate evening. "Hm, you want another game?" His eyes dropped to her lips, then to the mark on her neck. 

When his fingers slid up her thigh while the other hand tilted her head back, she resisted the urge to give in to his touch, and instead shoved him back. "If you want that roast chicken you think you can smell, I suggest taking a step back."

His seductive smirk only grew. "Who wants chicken when I can have you? You're all I need, Randy Bandy."

His voice was deeper and huskier than usual, and she felt her knees threaten to give out. But she raised a wooden spoon between them and pushed him back by the nose. "Since you're the one with so much spare time, why don't you go start packing the car? I want to leave first thing in the morning." They'd been on their way to Silverstone Pack, a territory whose Alpha had accepted Caleb's application for the job of Head Guard. It was a better paying position than his previous one under Alpha Kaiden's command, plus they would be closer to Miranda's brother and his mate. She couldn't wait to get settled before the baby came, but when their car broke down in the middle of nowhere, she felt her plans crash down with uncertainty and her blood pressure rise with anxiety.