Bridenapped The Alpha's Choice Read Free Page B

Angela said indignantly. “And of course he likes Mary better than Regina. Mary’s a wonderful person, and—”
    “Thank you, Angela!” Mary interrupted quickly. Angela meant well, but she wasn’t helping. “Jarrod is only flirting with me to get back at his uncle. But he’ll go through with it; it’s for the good of the pack.”
    “Well, of course he’s only flirting with you to get at his uncle, but I would have thought you’d have set him straight by now instead of continuing to throw yourself at him.” Hilda shook her head, with an expression of deep, wounded disappointment. “I probably expected too much when I hired you. I shouldn’t have given you so much responsibility.” At least she hadn’t started in on the “You’re just like our mother” lecture. That was her nuclear option.
    “I’ve helped coordinate three successful bridenappings already! This is the first time there’s been a problem!” Mary protested desperately. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she was starting to get that sick feeling in her stomach that happened whenever Hilda got in one of her moods.
    Also, Angela looked like she was one step away from punching her cousin. Just what Mary needed right now; the police showing up to break up a domestic disturbance, right in the middle of Jarrod’s supposed courtship.
    “Hilda? Why is my daughter’s fiancé paying more attention to your employee than to my daughter?” Kurt had stalked up, with his wife at his heels.
    “Yes, why?” Bunny echoed like a parrot, which was all she ever did.
    Fiancé. Wow. So far, they hadn’t even been able to get Jarrod and Regina to the coffee date phase, much less engaged. Regina’s entire family was Looney Tunes.
    “He’s utterly transfixed by Regina, I assure you,” Hilda said with a big, bright smile. “He has no interest in Mary at all.” Wow, that stung. It was true, but somehow hearing it said aloud really rankled.
    “Well, I don’t know. I can’t say I’m pleased with how it’s going so far. I’d heard great things about your agency.” He shook his head, frowning, and walked away. His wife scurried after him like an anxious little terrier, shaking her head just as he was.
    Hilda raked Mary with a look of utter contempt. “Control yourself and your hormones, curb your unrealistic expectations that a man like Jarrod would ever want you, or I’ll be looking for another secretary. You’re about to cost me my most important client ever.”
    “You wouldn’t fire your own sister!” Angela said indignantly.
    “Watch me,” Hilda said, and turned on her heel and walked away.

Chapter Three
     
    “Magister Pack Athletes Rocked By Cheating Rumors!” The headline splashed out across the front page, blaring at Earvin, sending fury coursing through his veins.
    Someone, some sniveling traitor who was going to die slowly when he found them, had sent an anonymous email to every major newspaper and news blog and TV station in the nation. Someone who was jealous of their success at the pack games for the past four years. It had accused the pack of cheating, claiming that their sudden run of success at the games was impossible and demanding an immediate investigation.
    Ignatius, the Chairman of the Magister Pack Council, hurried into Earvin’s office. Earvin threw the newspaper at him and Ignatius started, let out a small growl, then quickly bent his head in submission. Of the two wolves, Earvin was the dominant one.
    “Who would do this?” Earvin shouted.
    “Sir, we’re on it! I have the Enforcers investigating. They’re combing through all the pack’s computer records to trace the source, in case it came from here.”
    Earvin began pacing behind his desk. “But that will only help us if it was someone from our pack, and if they used an official pack computer to send those emails. If they were from another pack, or if they used a personal computer or a cell phone, we won’t be able to track it.”
    This was the last thing he