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

Not surprised by her considerate offer, I give her a wan look. “If you give me a day off, I might just think myself to death.”

She sighs. “Nobody’s ever died from overthinking. But if you have a problem, Sophia, you can always talk to me about it.”

I press my lips together in a thin line. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

“Thanks for the offer,” I say, smiling at her. “But this is just something I have to figure out for myself.”

She puts her hand on my shoulder and grins. “Look at you, all grown up.”

I chuckle, leaning down to pick up the empty crate somebody has left by the doorway where we’re standing. “Well, I had to grow up sometime, right?”

Her smile saddens. “That’s right.”

There’s a strange look in her eyes as she gazes at me, and for a moment, it feels like she’s not seeing me but somebody else.

I wonder if I should be asking her if she’s okay.

Elsa clears her throat. “I’ll let you get back to work. I have to talk to Jack about the dinner menu for tonight.”

I watch her leave.

The front door of the bar opens, the small bell on it alerting me to the newcomers. As I look over at them, my pulse begins to race. It takes me a second to realize why this strange fear is filling me right now.

I recognize three of the six men. And the one with the blue eyes is staring right at me.

Oh, shit.

I watch them take the empty table by the window.

My heart is beating at an alarmingly fast rate. How did he track me all the way here?

The blue-eyed shifter doesn’t sit down, and when he begins to walk over to me, my entire body tenses. He must recognize me, even though I had my mask on last night. He’s probably coming to threaten me.

My thoughts aren’t making a lot of sense, but I know I have to leave before he gets to me.

I’m already moving toward the sliding door off to the side when Elsa’s voice stops me in my tracks. “Sophia, Eve and Monty aren’t here yet. We’re short two servers at the moment. Do you mind filling in? I’ll cover the bar.”

I stare at her, frozen in place.

Now what do I do?

If I tell Elsa I can’t stay, she’s going to have questions. And if I tell her I’ve been taking part in illegal cage fighting and this stranger knows about it and my life as I know it might be over, I don’t think she’s going to believe me. If she does, I don’t think she’ll turn me into the pack security, but she won’t let it go. Elsa will make sure I stop, which is something I can’t afford to do.

I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I tell her, I’m screwed. But if I don’t tell her, I can’t get out of here…and I’m screwed.

In the meantime, the blue-eyed shifter has already reached the bar and is tapping on the wooden surface. It’s an impatient sound.

“Okay,” I squeak when I see the expectant look on Elsa’s face.

My boss shakes her head. “Sometimes you can be so weird, Sophia.”

“We would like to order some food,” I hear the blue-eyed man say. His voice sends shivers down my spine, but for some reason, it’s not out of fear. I don’t recognize this foreign emotion within me, but it scares me.

“You can take a seat, sir,” Elsa tells him warmly. “I’ll send a server to your table. Sophia!”

Resigning myself to my fate, I pick up a notepad and make my way over to the table. When all eyes turn toward me, it takes a lot of self-control not to turn on my heel and head straight out the front door. Hiding the tremor in my voice, I ask, “What can I get you folks?”

The blue-eyed shifter glances at me, his gaze lingering for a second longer than necessary. There’s no mistaking the feral edge to his expression. Power exudes from him. “A menu, for starters.”