Alpha King's Missing Mate (Book 1 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 41

"The Alpha King. He's the king of all werewolves. He's the Alpha of all Alphas and the most powerful werewolf in existence," Talia said quietly, watching Jenna's facial expression.

Jenna felt her heart crumble at Talia's words. Daniel was a king? Why in the world had he been interested in her? Had he been bored and just decided to toy with a human? Why the hell did he live in Pennsylvania of all places? And now she had given birth to his child. 

She wasn't sure whether to keep Noelle secret from him or not now. What if he wanted to kill Noelle because she wasn't a boy? Or because Jenna wasn't his mate? What if his mate wanted to kill Noelle because she was a threat to her own children? What if his children threatened Noelle? Jenna exhaled sharply. Her imagination was running away with her. 

Why hadn't Ben told her that? But then why would he? The King of all werewolves lived in a tiny town in Pennsylvania of all places? And he apparently enjoyed eating at her little diner? Not that the food was bad; she'd sampled almost everything on the menu so that she could give honest opinions when asked. The steak was especially delicious...

"Jenna!"

Jenna blinked, pulling herself away from her runaway thoughts as she stared blankly at Talia. Her imagination was a little wild today. "Oh," was all she said. What else was she supposed to say? Daniel was a King. No wonder he'd forgotten about her. He could probably have a different woman in his bed every night of the week. 

"So if you could see him again, would you?" Talia asked curiously.

Jenna shrugged. "He's a King. I'm nobody." He'd want to know about Noelle. She felt slightly sick to her stomach. Maybe she should completely avoid all of this and hopefully never see him again. She'd do anything to protect Noelle, including avoiding Daniel, even though her heart ached for him. 

"But Jenna, would you want to see him again?" Talia persisted, watching her friend intently.

"I saw him two days ago," Jenna admitted absentmindedly, staring off into space. Her mind was a mess now. She'd slept with the King of all werewolves and he'd gotten her pregnant. 

"What?" Talia's mouth dropped open.

"He came into the diner I worked at with a woman and two other men the other night. I waited their table. Honestly Talia, I don't think he remembers me. He barely looked at me, while one of the other guys ran me the entire time. Every time I brought him something, he'd ask for something else," Jenna looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms. She was still reeling from the fact that Daniel was a king. The King. And she was just a server at a little diner. She was no one. He probably just saw her as a maid. "But he hit on me before he left. He gave me his business card and asked me to call him." That still pissed her off every time she thought about it.

"What? Did he say anything else?" Why had Daniel acted so weird? Why would he ignore her after he'd spent so much time looking for her! And then go hit on her before he left? What the heck had he been thinking?

"No, he didn't say anything. He just mouthed Call me. Plus he was there with some other woman. A blond," Jenna brushed her hair back behind her ear. That part still hurt, even knowing she wasn't his mate. "And there were two guys with them. All werewolves, I think."

"Are you sure she wasn't there with one of the others?" Talia asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"No, she was sitting right next to him. There was quite a bit of space between her and Daniel and the other two." Jenna sighed. She wished Charity had been with them but she'd been told that Charity was in there with him frequently.

Talia was quiet, thinking over the whole thing. She really needed to call Daniel herself and see what was up with him. Why would Daniel be with another woman? But then, a thought occurred to her. The question she'd been thinking about earlier. "Jenna, is Noelle his?"

Jenna nodded, as a tear trickled down her cheek, and she reached up and brushed it away. She was over crying for that man, werewolf, king, whatever he was. She was truly going to have to let him go.

A knock at the door stopped Talia from saying anything else. She stood and walked over to it, taking a look through the peephole. Daniel! What was he doing here? She was suddenly very happy she had asked Jenna about him before he had arrived. "Um, be right back!" Talia opened the door and quickly stepped out, shutting it behind her, and smiling up at him.

Daniel raised his eyebrows at her as she stepped out in the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her. "Talia?"

"Hi!" She grinned at him.

"Why all the cloak and dagger?" he asked suspiciously.

"What?"

"Never mind. Is something going on?" Daniel shoved his hands in his pockets as he watched Talia carefully to see how honest she was being with him. Something was up. Rafe stirred in his mind, his senses suddenly on high alert.

"Not much. I was planning to call you later. What are you doing here?" Talia asked. She didn't even know he was coming to New York City.

"Business. But I wanted to come and see my godchild," he explained, flashing a smile at her.

Talia and James had made the mutual decision to ask Daniel to be Matthew's godfather after they had seen how well he bonded with their pup. James had made the suggestion, and Talia had immediately agreed.

"Plus, I have something to tell you."

"So do I," she smiled.

"Ladies first," Daniel acquiesced.

"She's here," Talia said.

Daniel froze at Talia's words. He took a deep breath, scenting the air, and sure enough, he caught Jenna's scent. "What is she doing here?"

Talia frowned. "She just got to New York yesterday. She came to the Blue Moon to eat and look for me and I invited her over today to talk to her. I wanted to see if she remembered you," she explained. "I was planning to call you later to let you know I'd found her, but she just told me she saw you a few days ago at the diner she works at, and how she doesn't think you even remember her, and that you were with another woman and then you hit on her!" Talia popped her hands on her hips and gave Daniel her best stink eye. She still couldn't believe him.

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I already got a lecture about that, but I had my reasons for it. I was there with my sister. I was planning to go back and see her and explain things."

"Well now you have your chance. Jenna regrets leaving the hotel that morning so much, Daniel. She thinks about you a lot, but she's also convinced you forgot about her," Talia said.

"If only she knew," Daniel muttered, thinking about his obsession with her. He could feel her now, how she was mostly calm, but there was also a bit of apprehension.

Talia smiled. "Are you going to come in?"

Daniel felt his breath catch and nerves suddenly hit him. What if she wasn't interested in him? What if he walked in and she wanted nothing to do with him? He wasn't sure how he'd handle her rejection.

Talia watched the play of emotions dance across his face. "Are you afraid she'll reject you? She knows werewolves mate for life."

"If she rejects me, Talia, I'm screwed. I know she wasn't very happy with me the last time she saw me," Daniel rubbed his hand over his face. That was an understatement.

"All the more reason to come in and clear the air. Make things right with her. She's your mate. It's important that you reconnect with her," Talia said, thinking about Jenna's pup. Daniel's pup. He was in for a shock.

Daniel sighed, and glanced down the hall. He had thought he'd have more time to think about what he would say to her. Running into her here was completely unexpected.

'You're being ridiculous. Get in there and talk to our mate. Don't make me do it for you,' Rafe rolled his eyes at Daniel.

"Okay," he breathed. "I'll come in."

Talia grabbed her door knob with one hand, and Daniel's arm with the other. "We're just going to rip the bandage off right now." She pushed the door open.