I don’t know him well, but he seems to be able to take his job seriously.
“Oh, and Alpha Caleb and Alpha Thorin want to meet, too.”
“They are Jordan’s friends?” I ask.
Lissa sighs slightly. Was my question that stupid? It probably was. I should know these guys; they are important for my pack and obviously mean something to my family. Also, Lissa worked the whole night, while I achieved nothing.
I really need to try to be less of a loser.
But how do I achieve that? No matter how hard I train or how much I try, I am just my usual self wherever I go. It’s probably hopeless.
Lissa turns to Martin. “Do you know Caleb and Thorin?” she asks.
“Yes,” he says.
“See?” She turns to me.
Martin tosses me a glance through the rearview mirror. “I know of them because I was sent to attend a beta meeting two months ago,” he explains to my surprise. “I heard about them there.”
Lissa looks discontent with his words, but I don’t know why. It makes sense that he got to know them that way. “And Jordan?” I ask.
“Everyone knows Alpha Jordan,” he mutters.
His tone sounds off and spikes my interest. Did he have a run-in with Jordan? Or hear something? Again, he looks at me through the rearview mirror. It looks like he wants to say more, but then just turns his gaze back to the road, and he stays quiet.
Lissa stays silent, too, staring out of the window while Martin drives us back to our pack. In the reflection of the window, I can see how she is frowning. Was it something I said? Maybe I disrespected her in a way, even if it was unintentional. Sheworked hard the whole evening to strike deals I couldn’t. I probably didn’t appreciate her efforts enough.
“Did you set a specific date with Jordan?” I ask into the silence.
Lissa turns to look at me. For a while, she still wears the same frown as before, then she smiles. “I haven't done it yet. I wanted to check in with you first. I can call him first thing in the morning. Do you want me to?”
No, I don’t.
I hate the guy.
But then, it’s not logical to hate him just because… I don’t know him. Maybe I am being unfair. Sure, he ignored me during our talk, but maybe I crossed him once and didn’t notice. An alpha as big as he is, for sure, knows what he is doing.
But still…
“I want to think it through a little,” I say. When I notice how Lissa’s expression falters, I hurry to reassure her. “To check what we can offer and to talk to Dad.”
Her expression relaxes again, and she nods. “Tell me when you know the details, and I will contact him.”
Great, now she expects me to get into a deal with him. Why did I have to tell her I would do it? Now, how the fuck am I getting out of this?
seven
The Ugly Truth
*FOREST*
My parents are already asleep when we get back home. I make sure to thank Lissa profoundly for her help tonight and send her home to get some much-needed rest. It’s just Martin and me left, now.
I don’t feel like going to bed yet. My thoughts are a whirlwind in my mind and won’t let me rest.
“Do you care for a drink?” Martin asks me all of a sudden. “I’ve found a new brand of beer recently, and have two bottles left.”
“I didn’t know you drank beer,” I say. Most people around me are wine drinkers.
