The Alpha's Reluctant Mate Read Online Free Page B

might as well have a snack while we waited.
    Chapter Four
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    Lifetime must have been having a Dying-from-a-Dreaded-Disease-Movie marathon, because I spent the next several hours watching one brave heroine after another bite it from some kind of awful disease, all of which I was sure I might have.
    When my phone rang, I grabbed it like a lifeline. “Epenie?”
    â€œNo. Is this Alexandria Pace?” a soft female voice queried.
    â€œSpeaking. Who is this?”
    â€œHello, Alexandria. I’ve been trying to reach you since early this morning. My name is Tera Beker and it really is quite urgent that I meet with you so we can have a chat.”
    â€œWhat are you selling?”
    â€œI’m not…”
    â€œWhatever it is, I’m not buying. I joined the ranks of the unemployed this morning so I am not buying anything from anyone at the moment.”
    â€œWell…”
    â€œI have no desire to get involved in one of those ridiculous pyramid schemes either; been there, done that a couple of times.”
    â€œAlexandria…”
    â€œIf you are collecting money, I can assure you whoever you represent has already been paid. Unless of course this is for that gym membership I was conned into buying in the late eighties. In that case I wouldn’t pay up if I had a million dollars. It’s the principle of the thing, you understand.”
    â€œMs. Pace, really, if you would let me get a word in edgewise. I have some information for you that you might find life-altering.”
    â€œTrust me, I’ve had all the life-altering information I can deal with today. Bye.” I hung the phone up. Honestly, how many ways do you have to tell a person no? Telemarketers were getting more and more aggressive. Surely I’d covered the gamut of anyone she could possibly represent.
    The doorbell sounded and to my profound relief, this time it was Epenie.
    â€œWhat did you find out?” I asked anxiously.
    She held up one hand indicating that I should wait a minute. I followed her to the sofa and sat down next to her.
    Looking very seriously into my eyes, she took my hand and said, “Girl, you’re a werewolf.”
    I pulled my hand back in disgust. “E, this is very serious and certainly not the time to be making a joke at my expense.”
    â€œI’m serious. I Googled the symptoms: stray hairs, increased strength, rapid weight loss, increased appetite, growling, howling, and biting people inexplicably. You’re a werewolf.”
    She was serious! I was flabbergasted. “Uhh…”
    A hand swept to her mouth. “You didn’t eat anybody, did you?”
    â€œEpenie… ewwww… of course not! Besides, I am not a werewolf, that’s the most preposterous thing I’ve ever heard.”
    She then detailed every search engine she’d used during her research, all giving her the same results for my symptoms.
    This was unbelievable. I trust my dearest friend with knowledge of the strange happenings of the day and she turns me into a canine!
    â€œWhatever!” I got up and walked to the kitchen. Frustration apparently made me hungry—as did every other emotion I’d experienced today.
    I pulled out the sirloin steak I’d stuck in the fridge earlier and turned the fire on under the skillet.
    Epenie followed me into the room. “Mmmm… steak sounds great.”
    I turned with a glare and growled.
    Her eyes popped wide and she backed up a step.
    A wave of heat rapidly rose as my face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, E, but I don’t think I can share my steak with you.”
    Epenie quirked a brow at me. “But you’re not a werewolf.” A startled expression came over her face as she caught sight of the blackened ceiling and the hole where the smoke detector used to be.
    â€œDon’t ask,” I advised, as I was sure these things would somehow support her conclusion that I was a wild