“Sorry,” she said sheepishly and straightened the car.
“And, no, I wouldn’t have been able to because I don’t know how to drive.”
“Oh,” she muttered.
I snorted under my breath. She really saw Lucian as a villain.
Stalling, she pulled up to the front of the hotel.
“Do you need me to pick you up?”
“No,” I replied, unbuckling.
“Okay,” she chirped as I slid out of her car.
“Thanks!” I leaned in and lowered my voice. “Also, come by the house whenever. If anyone tries to stop you, say you’re looking for the Alpha.”
The valet, Corwin, hovered behind me.
“Good to see you, Mrs. Wilder,” he announced. The title took me completely off guard—again. “Do you need anything?”
“No, but thanks.” I moved past him, and he hastened to open the glass door for me. He was extra polite when he previously never really paid me any mind. I eyed him and my heels clicked on the tile as I moved toward the granite counter where Sasha and Karol helped patrons. Stopping at the end of the line, I waited.
Sasha finished first, damn.
I approached the counter.
“Welcome to Hotel Crescent, how can I—Oh, Luna,” she mumbled, her eyes peeling wide.
“Sasha.”
She stared at me directly for a split second and dropped her gaze just as quickly. I had zero urge to buckle under her dominance.
“Yes, Mrs. Wilder,” Sasha mumbled, her eyes downcast. “How can I help?” The one-eighty took me completely by surprise, and it took me a moment to unstick my tongue.
“Can I speak to Ms. Zhao?”
“Of course.” Sasha grabbed the phone and dialed the supervisor’s extension. While she waited, I peeked over at Karol as she finished helping a woman with her young son. Her attention swung to me with a huge grin.
“Josephine,” she crowed and shuffled around the counter. She moved so fast, coming at me quickly, and she rested her hands on my forearms. “Girl, when I heard what happened, I was flabbergasted.”
“You and me both,” I mumbled.
“You’re seriously the savior, I swear. I always hated Cierra strutting around like she was Luna,” she sneered. She stoppedtalking and eyed me. “Are you okay? There’s a mass hunt for Cierra, any able-bodied shifter is searching for that bitch.”
“I’m alive, despite her best attempts.”
Karol shook her head, lips in a thin line.
“What are you doing here then?”
“I came to see if Zhao will give me my job back, what?” Karol had started laughing.
“Don’t look behind you, but I think your mate is here.” Her smile grew. I tensed, but immediately rolled my shoulders, hooking my arm with hers. Unfucking-believable.
“Let’s go behind the counter, don’t let him know you saw him.” He’d followed me. Of course, he’d followed me. I wanted to smack my forehead, but I kept myself contained. “Tell me, what is he doing?”
“It was so quick, but I’m positive that was his car. He parked in one of the valet slots.” We rounded to the back of the counter. Sasha kept glancing over at us.
