I blush at his compliment.
He holds out his hand, and I place mine into it. “Thank you,” he whispers before brushing a kiss over my knuckles. He then spins around to greet my family.
Alpha Greystone, Young Alpha Powers, and Shadow. I guess the pieces are starting to fall into place after all.
Chapter 49
The Physician and the Bear
JESSICA
Present Day
My head swirls with thoughts and questions. Wills Powers is here, along with Marcus Greystone and Shadow. This will be interesting. I’m still unsure how to play it with Wills. He’s after something. I mean, after all, he is Elaine Powers’s brother. The Powers Pack may have built their empire from nothing, but I can’t ignore their role within the Resistance.
Holden announces the name of the next contestant, but the inner chatter in my mind drowns out his words. My breath stutters when I recognize him. My eyes widen, and my lips part in shock.
He humbly bows his head in respect. He’s a tall man with dark brown hair peppered with strands of white on the sides. His light blue eyes are almost as pale as mine. He takes me in with those eyes, and a boyish smile appears on his face.
This man knows private information about me that I don’t want anyone else to discover. Anxiety clenches in my chest,making my heart race. I fiddle with the choker around my throat. “Dr. Chevalier,” I breathe.
He groans. “This is purely coincidental. I promise.” He steps closer. “I had a contract to be the lead star in the game for the next season. When the changes were brought to my attention, I could either wait or join this season. I chose the latter. I don’t make it a personal habit to chase after my patients, although in my profession, I do cross paths with patients in my personal one.”
Dr. Chevalier is an ER physician and board-certified psychiatrist. Speaking from personal experience, trauma and mental health go hand in hand. I first met him a few years ago during an emergent situation in the ER. He followed up and offered his psychiatric services.
“I know that this may not be comfortable for you, so let me make this easier. I’ll leave.” When I don’t protest, disappointment flashes across his handsome face. He spins on his heels, making his way to the door.
“Dr. Chevalier,” I call.
He stops midstride but doesn’t turn around.
Goddess, help me for doing this. “You’re fired. And don’t psychoanalyze me while we’re dating, or whatever it is we do in this game.”
He glances over his shoulder with a wisp of a smile. He is so damn handsome, and Goddess knows I need as many options as I can get. “Can we have a do-over, then?” he asks.
Holden looks over to Carmen who doesn’t exactly look all that thrilled. I’m sure I’ll hear all about this on my next break.
An idea forms in my head. I nod briefly to Holden and make my way behind the tree. Christian follows me with the camera. Once I’m hidden behind the trunk, I pop my head out and nod to Holden again.
“Dr. Alpha Erik Chevalier, Northern A, Colorado Territory, Chevalier Pack.”
I chance a peek to Erik. He spins around, and I offer a playful smile and step out to greet him.
“Cute,” he says, his smile widening.
“Alpha, is it? Or Doctor?” I add a little flirtatious gesture with my shoulders and flutter my lashes a little.
His cheeks pinken. “Just Erik. I’m not big on titles.” His smile doesn’t falter when he looks me over, but the color on his cheeks deepens.
“That makes two of us. I prefer Jessica.” I used a different name when I met him.
“Jessica,” he repeats my name. “I look forward to getting to know you better.”
I wrinkle my nose at his comment. In this situation, he already knows my crazy. So if he isn’t running for the hills now, I guess it can’t get much worse.
After Erik’s departure, clapping reverberates through the atrium. Clap, clap, clap. I turn to the production team and my family standing near the entrance. They all have a look of bewilderment on their faces. The clapping grows louder, and a clomping sound joins in, creating a rhythmic beat. Clomp, clomp, clap, clomp, clomp, clap.
Soon, the leaves on the tree and ground vibrate along with the beat. A command breaks through the slow pattern, and the rhythm adopts a faster pace. My heart pounds along with the sound, quickening in anticipation. A small group of large men enters the atrium. I mean large, bigger than Elias and Ean large. All of them stand more than seven feet tall, with broad shoulders, round faces, striking noses, and dark furrowed brows—all sporting serious expressions.
