Free Fated Mates: Book 1 of the True Mates Series by Alicia Montgomery

“Waiting for the Alpha?”
    He nodded. “Yeah, got the overnight shift tonight.”
    “Ah good, let’s grab a cup of coffee when you get off in the morning, ok,? At the usual place?” she said, stopping by Jared’s desk to get a folder. “I need to go over a couple of things with you.”
    “Sure, Cades,” he said, flashing her a flirtatious smile. “It’ll be a good way to end a long night.”
    “Alex, let’s go,” a chilly voice from behind barked at them.  
    Cady turned around and saw Nick Vrost’s frowning face. She thought he had gone inside Grant’s office. She shrugged as she waved to Alex and then walked to the elevators.  

CHAPTER SEVEN

    Alynna’s life remained the same somewhat normal, at least for the next week or so, except for a few things. She agreed to go to Cady’s “lessons” for an hour or two a day for five days a week, more if she could stay longer or come earlier, as she was eager to get them over with. They were mostly self-study, and she spend a lot of time reading books in a little conference room at the Fenrir Headquarters and Cady would come in when she could to answer her questions. She had made it through early Lycan history in Romania starting from the rule of Michael I and ending in the first Lycan wars (there were two, plus an aborted one). Grant was super busy, stopping in once or twice during the last week, checking up on her, but barely having time to stay more than five minutes.
    The rest of her humdrum life seemed normal. She still went on client calls and finalized her surveillance schedule for Mrs. Garson. Of course, there were her new “bodyguards” though she’d warn Grant and Cady that unless she was on Fenrir property, they were to stay as far away as possible, especially when she was on a case or else all, bets were off. Whether she was slightly disappointed that Alex wasn’t assigned to her, she hadn’t quite decided yet. There was a weird, empty feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever she tried to sniff out his scent and couldn’t find it.  
    On Friday afternoon after 2 hours, she finally closed the book she was reading. “Are you sure this isn’t some form of Lycan torture? Another chapter or two and I’ll be your mindless slave,” she sighed dramatically when she heard the door behind her open.
    There was a discreet cough and she didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. Her body practically leapt up when the familiar scent hit her nose. “Alex,” she said in an embarrassed tone. “I thought you were Cady. Lycan history, you know,” she laughed nervously. “How did you ever learn this all?”
      “It’s something we all learn as kids, so it’s pretty much ingrained. It’s like learning American History, but with more magic and gore,” he quipped, a slight smile on his face.
    Someone cleared his throat behind Alex. “Alex, if you would,” said Nick Vrost in a serious tone.  
    “Yes, Al Doilea,” he bowed and stepped aside. Alynna remembered him calling Nick that before, which meant “the second” in Romanian, but she wasn’t quite sure when to use it. She made a mental note to ask Cady.
    “Ms. Anderson,” he began.
    “Chase. It’s Chase,” she corrected, slightly annoyed. “Or Alynna.”
    “Ms. Chase ,” he emphasized her last name. “Mr. Anderson requests that you join him for dinner tonight. He says you are to come with us to the Red Door Spa and they will take care of you.”
    “Uhm, where’s Cady?” she asked, biting her lip. “Shouldn’t she be the one to accompany me to these types of appointments?”
    “Ms. Gray is busy,” he explained. “But don’t worry, we will not be accompanying you into the spa, only to take you there and pick you up, to make sure to bring you to the restaurant for dinner.”
    “Do I get a say in this?”
    He gave her a dry smile. “I’m afraid not.”
    “Lead the way then,” she resigned, picking up her books.
    “Alex will be the one to bring you there and