The Alpha’s Fated Choice (Alpha's Fated Encounter Trilogy #1)

“Good evening, Drew.” I smile at him, forcing my troubles aside. “What are you doing here?”

He taps the back of my hand. “You seem to be all over the place lately. Everything okay?”

I give him a half smile. “Like it always is. You want a draft?”

“Make it two. And are those fish and chips on the dinner menu tonight? I’ll take an order of those, as well.”

I look around. “Where’s your mini-me?”

Drew gives me a pained smile. “Tim is sleeping over at a friend’s house. I never give him permission to spend the night away from home, but he’s been adamant. The boy has a way of wearing me down.”

I chuckle. “Well, he’s at that age where kids get stubborn. You can’t keep them safe forever, can you?”

The smile slips from Drew’s mouth. “We really can’t. Life is so unpredictable.”

I wonder if he’s thinking about his wife.

I bring him his beer and put it in front of him. “On the house.”

“Thanks.” Drew looks pleasantly surprised. “So, what have you been up to since our last conversation?”

He gives me a meaningful look, and I know he’s referring to my overnight guest from when Alex was staying at my apartment. I roll my eyes. “I’m not talking about that with you.”

“About what? I never said anything,” he says innocently.

“I’ve known you for years, Drew.” I wipe my hands with a cloth. “I know when you’re fishing for information. And you’re not getting any.”

He looks disappointed. “Are you happy, though?”

My lips twist in a grimace. “Who’s ever happy in this town?”

He lifts his mug of beer in the air. “I see you’ve taken up philosophy as a side career.”

I chuckle. “I was told I needed a hobby.”

He takes a sip before setting down the mug. “I heard about Rita. I’m sorry. I know you two were close.”

“Yeah. Do you know anything about the investigation taking place?”

Drew shakes his head. “Only tidbits. It was disguised as a home invasion. They have a suspect in mind. That’s all I’ve been able to find out. Rita was a nice woman.”

“She was, wasn’t she?” I smile wistfully. “I don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my head around it yet. Do you know when the funeral will be?”

Drew doesn’t have the answer to that, and he shakes his head. But then, leaning forward, he says quietly, “I heard Noah is leading the investigation. I just hope they find the killer.”

I make a small sound. It has been bothering me that Alex said he recognized one of the men outside Rita’s cottage. Why was somebody from the pack security team watching her place that night? Who was it? Do we have a traitor amongst us?

I feel like I should tell Noah, but there are also other conversations I need to have with him. Also, if I tell him, he’s going to ask me how I know all this. I really don’t think it’s a smart idea to reveal that I was at Rita’s cottage last night. As badly as I want to find her killer, it’s not as if my self-preservation skills have gone out the window.

As I put in Drew’s order for fish and chips, I wonder if I should ask him about the men lingering outside our apartment building last night. When I do end up raising the subject, he looks surprised. “What are you talking about?”

My voice is low to avoid being overheard. “I saw them. Across the street and at the back entrance.”

Drew’s expression tightens. “Are you absolutely certain about this, Sophia?”

“I’ve got no reason to lie to you. It made me nervous. Why would anyone be keeping our building under surveillance?”

Drew frowns, looking deep in thought. “It certainly is odd. Did you go anywhere last night?”