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

“How about an ambush? We force her to talk to us.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Nathan,” Alex growls. “The point is to earn her—”

“What can I get for you guys?” I keep my voice calm, deliberately not looking at Alex.

From the corner of my eye, I can see him stiffen. His friend Patrick looks up and smiles at me warmly. “Sophia. I haven’t seen you around.”

I don’t miss the flash of guardedness in his eyes.

I return the smile. “I’ve been busy.”

“I’ve been wanting to thank you for the tip about the strawberries,” Patrick adds. “They were great.”

“Glad you liked them,” I say politely. “Would you all like to place your order?”

It’s a physical effort to stand here and not look at Alex. I don’t know when he stopped taking blockers, but his scent is thick in the air right now, and my wolf is miserable, aware that it’s not wanted. My pulse is beating in a jagged rhythm, and I want nothing more than to get out of here.

They start to place their orders, and my hands shake as I write them down.

When it’s Alex’s turn, my voice turns frosty. “And for you?”

He looks at me, and it’s a jolt to my system. Years of practice, however, allow me to keep my expression neutral. When he doesn’t answer, just watching me in a way that has the pit of my stomach tightening, I push, my voice hard. “What will you have?”

“The lunch special,” Alex relents. The way he’s watching me with such naked heat in his gaze feels like he’s undressing me with his eyes. I repress the urge to scoff. He doesn’t want me, huh? Lying asshole.

“And to drink?”

“Whatever you suggest.”

His voice is light, the same tone he had when we were conversing on the beach. It pisses me off.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to tell me what you want,” I say coolly. “Or go without.”

His brows knit together as he looks at me. I simply stare back.

“A beer,” he finally says.

I write it down, and I’m about to leave when I hear him say, “Sophia, wait—”

I cut him off without hesitation. “Your server will be Reese. He’ll bring your food over as soon as it’s ready.”

My stomach is churning as I walk away. I hand the slip over to the kitchen before returning to the bar.

If I thought Alex and his friends would leave when they finished their meals, I’m proven wrong. As the lunch crowd thins out, they linger, ordering coffee and talking in low voices.

I don’t know what they’re up to, but since the lunch rush is over, the number of servers has decreased. That puts me in charge of the area facing the bar. It’s only me and Eve at this point, and she’s taking care of the other end of the bar. Therefore, every time Alex and his group want more coffee, I’m forced to go serve them. Worse, I can feel Alex’s eyes on me throughout, and I’m having to restrain myself from going over and demanding to know what he wants from me.

I glance at the wall clock and scowl. It’s been three hours. It’s getting dark outside. I can already hear the clanging of pots and pans from the kitchen, meaning dinner prep is underway. As Elsa walks by, I stop her. “Don’t you have a set amount of time that customers can stay here?”

She’s looking at a document on her tablet and asks absentmindedly, “What do you mean?”

I incline my head toward Alex’s table. “They’ve been here since lunch. More than three hours now.”

Elsa follows my gaze and sees the coffee cups on their table. “They seem to be having coffee.”

“Yes, but that’s all they’ve been ordering since lunch,” I inform her. “Coffee, every half hour.”

My boss shrugs. “Well, as long as they’re making me money, I don’t mind. Besides, the bar is nearly empty. What’s the problem?”