Before he could enter the kitchen, Sandra and Alex beat him to it from the other entrance of the kitchen.
They approached Audrey with cautious steps, Alpha Lake thought she would have detected their presence, then he remembered she didn’t have a wolf, she didn’t have a super hearing. She was busy peeling potatoes for Ms. Bridget, oblivious to the people coming behind her.
“Audrey?” Sandra called hopefully.
Audrey knew the time her friends entered the kitchen, this was her first time seeing them after they parted ways in the grapevine a year ago. She wanted to drop everything she was doing and run to them for a long warm hug, but she also knew that the Alpha was at the door, watching her with his hawk-like eyes.
She gently lifted her head up to her friends, it killed her to see their hopeful faces, she knew it would turn sad as soon she opened her mouth.
“Hello there, my name is Catherine.” She rinsed her hands and wiped them on her shirt, then offered them a handshake.
Sandra’s face fell as she reluctantly shook hands with Audrey. Audrey stretches her hands to Alex but he surprised everyone by drawing her in for a three-sixty hug, burying his nose in her neck.
Alpha Lake’s eyes darkened, he immediately matched over to them, not being able to stand such a scene.
His wolf was almost ready to tear off Alex’s limbs off his body. How dare he touch his mate. His.
“Um, Alex, don’t be rude, she’s not our dead friend. Stop it, the Alpha is heading this way.” Sandra informed him in a whisper.
Audrey smoothly removed herself from him, saving him from the rage of her jealous Alpha mate.
“Ahem!” Alpha Lake purposely cleared his throat behind her, but she didn’t turn around.
“Alpha!” Her friends bowed their heads in greeting to their Alpha.
“What are you doing here?” The question was meant for Audrey but her friends answered instead, thinking it was meant for them.
“We’re sorry, Alpha, we were just curious if the rumors were true, but we were wrong. She’s not who we thought she was.” Sandra explained.
“If I may, Alpha?” Alex asked.
“Speak.” Alpha Lake permitted.
“I don’t know what happened to her, but I think this is Audrey, she might have had an amnesia while she was gone, but my instinct tells me, that the person before us is out dear friend, Audrey. Maybe she should be with us for a while, it will help her regain her memories.” Alex said with conviction.
Alpha Lake’s eyes darkened as he stared at Audrey, he reasoned what Alex had said and he imagined how he would react if his assumptions were true. But, he wondered how on earth she could have managed to survive death, he wondered why she would choose to come back here the moment she was fully recovered, and how did all her wounds heal without scarring when she didn’t have a wolf.
His last thoughts convinced him that the girl before him was not Audrey, but deep down he had his suspicions too.
Even though, he wondered everyday who did that to Audrey and how she was doing if at all she survived. A small part of him wanted to see her, he wanted to know if he still hated her, or if what Audrey had told him yesterday night was true.
“Stop it!” Saundra chastised, seeing how the Alpha’s mood turned sour by Alex’s assumptions.
“Listen to your friend, young man. I understand I look like your lost or dead friend, I don’t know, seems like whatever happened to her will always be a mystery. But, what I’m saying is that, I won’t stand here and watch you insult me.” Audrey stated.
“No, Audrey, I didn’t mean to insult you and, I…”
“Enough!” Ms. Bridget said.
She’s been quietly cooking at the corner, trying to see how everything played out between the friends, but now, the Alpha was involved and Alex couldn’t just stop talking.
“We’re sorry, Ms. Catherine. Forgive him. He’s had a crush on our friend, Audrey, since childhood, he can’t just bring himself to accept that the person he loved, was dead. He believed she was his mate. And…”
“Go, training starts soon. Don’t be late or you’ll be punished.” Alpha Lake said, cutting Sandra off.
He wondered what has gotten into these pups today.
When they left, he relaxed againts the kitchen counter, Audrey still refused to turn towards him.
“Are you going to ignore your Alpha all morning?” He asked raising his brow.
“You’re not my Alpha ” Audrey stated flatly.
Her statement rang a bell in his mind. He was very familiar with those words, but this time, he wasn’t the one saying it, it was someone who looked the person he used to say it to.
He felt stung by her words. He was about to say something else when his eyes finally caught the bracelet around her wrist.
His brain stopped functioning and he couldn’t explain how he felt. Mixed feelings.
The gold bracelet was the one he had gifted Audrey in exchange for her amulet, which he still had with him. He didn’t know why he still kept it, but he did.
How did she come to be in possession of it?
“What’s on your wrist?” He asked, his voice sounded cracked.
“Oh this? Ms. Bridget just gifted it to me this morning.” Audrey said and turned back to continue with her potatoes, but, her wrist were held, stopping her from turning away from him.
“What do you think you’re d…”
“Mate!” Alpha Lake said out loud.
Everywhere went pin drop silent in the kitchen. The servants all paused what they were doing and looked towards the Alpha and secretary duo. Shock evident on their faces.
Did he just claim her as his mate?
Ms. Bridget just continued stirring her food, a knowing smirk on her face.
Audrey And Alpha Lake were lost in each others eyes the moment he read the word from her bracelet.
He didn’t mean to, but he had just claimed her as his, and thinking about it, he didn’t seem to regret it. He didn’t one bit.
Audrey knew it, the moment he said, she was done for. She saw his eyes darkened, he didn’t bother hiding it, like he didn’t want to deny it anymore, he locked her his dark gaze on her, making sure she understood the implications of what he had just said.
Audrey felt warm all over. The part of her wrist he was holding felt like it was on fire.
She had been feeling the mild connection of the mate-bond with him before, but now, he so openly declared her his mate, the mate-bond was going to multiply ten folds , unless one of them rejects and the other accepts.
Audrey felt a very strong push from Avery who would have shown herself to the Alpha if she hadn’t blinked her eyes and reigned back her control.
“Oh, yes, that’s what’s engraved on the bracelet. A nice thing to write on a bracelet, don’t you think so too, sir?” Audrey smiled, trying her best at damage control.
“Follow me!” He growled lowly, dragging her by the arm.
But Audrey, resisted, holding unto the kitchen counter.
“Today is Saturday, I don’t have any business with you today, sir. Please let me go.” Audrey spoke loudly, trying to make everyone understand that it wasn’t what they were thinking.
“I said follow me, little kitten,” He smirked as he said it, sending warm tingles down her core.
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Hi! To be continued in the next chapter. Please flip! Thank you!