Rowan didn’t answer her. Instead, he kept on driving. He turned on the radio as if she had not said a word and let the sounds fill the growing silence between them. He felt relief as he arrived at White Claw territory.
He loosened his grip on the steering wheel. The tension in his body left him slowly as he breathed in the air of his land. There was something about being home that soothed his nerves.
Mila watched the uptight, stiff Alpha, who had completely ignored her question, seem to loosen up and look relaxed. He looked so much more handsome as his features softened. She could tell that when he laughed, it would reach his eyes.
That observation surprised her and made her feel sad. She would probably never see him smile at her. A sick feeling made her stomach turn. She had to get out of here fast.
Just as she thought of her escape, they drove into wolf territory. Howls in the distance indicated that the wolves on patrol knew they had entered pack grounds. She was impressed.
The speed at which the wolves communicated was fast. She saw two wolves escort the truck into the territory where the rest were hidden. The first part of the domain was fields of crops that extended as far as the eyes could see.
After driving through the fields, Mila saw the quaintest town she had ever laid her eyes on. The houses were picture-perfect, with lawns in front. Some of the residences even had picket fencing, just like in the movies.
Her eyes met shopping centers, butcheries, hair salons, novelty stores, and many other unexpected sights. She couldn’t help but question all the things that she had heard about this pack. She could see how it was known for being prosperous.
Everywhere they drove past people, they looked happy. It was a far cry from the tortured souls she had been expecting to find in White Claw. For people with a crazy Alpha, they seemed content with life.
After what felt like a long time of going through even more farmland, they approached a beautiful, ranch-style home that sprawled out in front of a forest. The grove towered over the home, almost as if protecting it.
Mila’s breath caught in her throat. It was the home of her dreams. It was a double-story home that was built for children to run around in and around. She could make out a treehouse not far from the main property.
The house itself was painted beige with light brown accents that gave the illusion that the house was warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There was a large wrap-around porch that stretched across the entire front.
Although it was only two stories, it looked like a country mansion. The windows were large and sometimes reached from the floor to the ceiling. The house was made of brick, not wood. It was sturdy.
Mila thought of the big bad wolf not being able to blow the house down and smiled to herself. Rowan stopped the truck. He cut the engine and pulled the keys out of the engine.
Mila noticed a man swiftly approaching the vehicle. His warm smile reached his eyes. She smiled back.
Josiah opened the door for Mila. He nodded at his Alpha.
“Welcome back, Alpha!” he greeted warmly. Rowan grinned.
Josiah took in Mila and openly admired her. “Welcome to White Claw, Mila. Do you like the house?”
Mila turned to Josiah and returned his smile. “It’s beautiful! The architecture is amazing. I’ve always wanted to live in a house like this.”
Josiah grinned and his chest puffed out with pride. His hazel-green eyes sparkled. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Ro and I built this house ourselves, and it’s mostly based on Ro’s design, though I had a hand in some of the design too.”
Mila turned to Josiah, her eyes widened in appreciation and her smile grew. “Well, aren’t you something? You should be proud, this house–” her voice changed as she turned to look at it. She sighed. “It’s amazing.”
She unbuckled her seatbelt, and Josiah gave her a hand to help her out and then reached in to grab her suitcase. He frowned slightly at the small case before politely asking, “Is this all you brought?”
Mila nodded. She had no reason to be mean to Josiah. He hadn’t technically bought her. Her “mate” had.
Rowan slammed his door, nodded at Josiah, and headed towards the house.
“RJ, is that you? Are you home?” A beautiful feminine voice called out from the house.
Delicate footsteps could be heard running down a flight of stairs, heading for the open front door.
Mila’s attention went from Josiah to the voice. Whoever she was, she sounded pretty. Mila craned her head to see who had such a voice.
Josiah watched Mila. He cleared his throat before softly explaining, “That is, Sloane, Rowan’s mate, our Alpha Female, soon to be Luna of the pack.”
Mila’s attention snapped back to Josiah. “What do you mean, soon-to-be? If she’s his mate, then she is the Luna.”
Josiah’s ears tinged red at the top. “He, um— the Alpha,” Josiah began as his cheeks turned pink.
“RJ!” A delighted female squealed. She ran and threw herself at Rowan, who caught her.
Sloane hugged him tightly. “I missed you so much! I really wish you’d take me with you on these trips? Did you find Jo a pretty little mate?”
Mila struggled to find the reason why she strongly disliked Sloane. Sloane was a brunette with the kind of wavy hair you see in shampoo commercials. Her features, although not petite, made her look ultra-feminine.
Add to the fact that she was wearing a flowing maxi dress, she looked adorable. The maxi dress had an empire waist, so it showed off Sloane’s generous chest without being slutty. She wore delicate sandals on her feet that matched the golden thread that weaved through the design of the black and blue dress.
Mila stared at the perfect woman in Rowan’s arms. He smiled and kissed the top of Sloane’s head.
“It’s so good to be home. I truly missed you.” He placed another kiss on her cheek.
Watching their displays of affection, Mila resisted the urge to openly growl. That was her mate— hers! And he was kissing someone else in front of her.
As if remembering something, Rowan turned with Sloane in his arms. He gently put her down and smoothed her hair. He turned her around to face the truck.
He pinned Mila down with what was almost a toned-down glare before looking and smiling at Sloane. He caressed her cheek. He inclined his head towards the truck.
“Peaches, this is Mila Carter. She’s Alpha Joseph’s daughter. She’s going to be your assistant. But more importantly, she’s going to be Jo’s wife.”
Rowan looked at Mila. There was a sharp look in his eye, cold and devoid of love, unlike the expression he used to look at Sloane. “This is my mate, Sloane Kynaston. She will also be your boss.”
Mila nodded and sent a small, forced smile to Sloane. “Nice to meet you.” She hoped she sounded polite.
Sloane smiled back. “Likewise. You must be tired. Jo, take her to her room, dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”
As if on cue, the sun started to set, painting the sky an array of oranges and reds. Rowan wrapped his arm around Sloane. “What about me? Aren’t I tired after the long drive?”
Sloane giggled and put her arm around Rowan. “Let me help you ease the tension of the trip, Alpha.” Her voice was coquettish and soft.
Mila’s eyes followed them into the house. Her heart cracked, and her hand went to her mouth. Tears started to prick at the corner of her eyes.