“Mind linking, dear.”
“How did you know?” I was both impressed and concerned at the knowledge he had on me.
“I was watching you with Beta Marshall,” he said. “There were plenty of opportunities for you to have a private conversation, but not once did your eyes cloud.”
“Oh.”
“Tell me, do you hear me now?” His eyes glazed over and I listened intently, but all I could hear was a slight buzzing sound. His eyes cleared up again, and he looked at me expectantly, but I shook my head, disappointed.
His eyes glazed over again and this time I noticed that the Beta’s eyes also glazed. Clearly, they were having a conversation about me. After a few moments, their eyes cleared again, indicating their private conversation was over. The Alpha looked back down at the file and then back at me.
“It’s not that you don’t have a wolf. You think you have shifted.” He looked at Liam again. “And there is other evidence as well, so your wolf is there,” he explained. “But there appears to be some sort of interference in you two being able to connect.”
“Oh,” I huffed. He looked amused at my response.
“It could be because of the trauma from the attack, or it could be living with humans all these years.” I scowled at that.
“What would living with humans have to do with it?”
“Werewolves are pack animals, we call to each other. If you had been in a pack, around other wolves, then your wolf could have been coaxed out of whatever hole that she is stuck in,” he mused. “It’s further supported by the knowledge that you could shift when your life was in danger.”
“But it’s not like I don’t have wolf abilities,” I stated. “I still have strength and speed, and my hearing is as good as any wolf.”
“Yes, and they are all physical attributes. Even as pups, we have strong bodies, but our wolves don’t surface until late teen years. The wolf is all mind connected.” I had never seen that connection before.
“But I believe with immersion within the pack, we will soon be reunited with your other half.” He smiled reassuringly. Part of me hoped it would be that simple.
While I thought over what he had said I noticed that he had gone back to reading the papers again.
“I see you never attended university?” he said finally, and I shook my head.
“That’s right sir, moving around a lot and keeping ourselves hidden meant there was little opportunity to go to a university.” He looked up over the top of the file, a strange look on his face.
“Interesting.” He looked back down at the file. “Would you have liked to have gone?” The question shocked me. Nobody had ever asked me that before. It had never even been a conversation. Even Imogen and Beck didn’t consider it.
“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “I think I did okay, given the situation.”
“Ah yes,” he said, flipping through the paper. “I saw you had a business of your own.”
“Not really,” I said, “It was just a little thing to help with money and all.” The Alpha looked back up at me with a stern look.
“I have seen your work Miss Hallows, even spoken to some of your former clients. You have genuine talent, don’t discredit yourself.”
“Oh,” I said and then internally cursed myself. I was beginning to sound like a right chump. Alpha Declan looked amused at my frustration with myself.
“Good business sense is hard to find in this world,” The Alpha said. “Which is why I might have an interesting offer for you.”
Chapter 19
Erica
“Whatoffer?”Iaskedwith caution. I might be new here, but even I wasn’t stupid to think that you could get something for nothing.
“Well, we have several pack owned and run businesses.” He picked up a thick file and held it out to me. I looked at the file and then back at him without taking it. He raised his eyebrows in disapproval, not moving his hand. I just stared at the file, and I could tell he was getting annoyed again and the tension in the room was building.
“Just take the damn file,” the Beta growled and my eyes snapped to him and I saw he was glaring at me.
I huffed again and went to snatch the file, but the Alpha held onto it. I looked into his eyes and saw a warning glint in them that made me want to shrink into the chair. I closed my eyes and lowered my head and he made a satisfied sound in his throat before letting the file go.
