Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“I hope you two realize being mated and finding one another is a true gift.” Penelope smiled at them, about to leave. “Oh, I forgot. Alexa, today you will be assisting Landon with his alpha duties, and then tomorrow, he will be working at the diner and helping you. Marcel has stated that you will both alternate your responsibilities. The pack is aware and will be accommodating accordingly.”
The door closed and they both relaxed.
“Okay, so she didn’t ask what we were doing,” Landon said.
“Alpha duties?” Alexa asked. “What is that?”
“Whatever is needed to assist the pack. Sometimes it can be helping someone who needs it. Filling a gap of responsibility where necessary. Dealing with complaints. Organizing events. It is pretty much anything and everything. I have to go to my dad, and he will give me an assignment for the day.”
“You don’t get to … prepare for it?” she asked.
Landon chuckled. “I wish. I think if I had time to prepare, I’d be a lot better at it. Dad won’t even give me a hint of what I’ve got to do. He told me that being an alpha didn’t come with a seer who can see into the future. I’ve got to learn to trust my own gut and to understand that sometimes shit happens. I’ve got to be willing and prepared to just … do it, you know.”
“I do, but it does sound … well, hard.”
“It can be, but being the alpha is not an easy job.”
“No, I don’t imagine it is.” The cuff was back in place. “Do you want to have some breakfast?”
“Love some.”
Once in the kitchen, neither of them had the option of sitting down and watching each other. They had to learn to work together. So, they went to the coffee pot, making themselves a steaming cup. Landon liked his with cream and sugar, while she enjoyed a splash of milk in hers. Next, they settled on toast. They were new at this, and they kept on bumping into one another, tripping over the other’s feet.
It was a little annoying, but neither of them could stop it.
At one point, they had no choice but to hold hands as the cuff wasn’t helping.
After fifteen minutes of nearly hurting one another, they sat at the dining room table, near the bottom corner, their hands locked together as they enjoyed some toast and their coffee.
The silence wasn’t awkward, which was a welcome relief.
“So, your work?” Landon asked. “What do you do?”
“I help out whenever it is needed. I do take time to study though. I’ve got several online classes going at the moment. I mean, we’re taking a short break as the teach has had a personal emergency, but I do have a few assignments to do.”
“I will help as much as I can.”
She nodded.
With their drinks finished and their toast complete, there was no other option but to attempt to clean the kitchen.
It turned into a disaster and a screaming fest. At one point, Alexa nearly hit the floor, and if it wasn’t for Landon, she would’ve hurt herself. This was a damn nightmare.
She couldn’t believe her family thought this was a good idea. It was stupid. They were not going to make it.
****
Being an alpha in training was one of the single most rewarding jobs Landon had ever had. He loved helping the pack, being the person to help make another’s life better, or to solve a problem.
His father had always taught him the value of being patient, open, and willing. With Alexa by his side, he didn’t know what was happening, but he’d managed to cause more trouble than help.
This was his chance to shine, and so far, he’d smashed a cup that a couple was arguing over, which had resulted in his father getting involved. He’d trampled on some roses a small group of children had lovingly sown. He’d then given the wrong order for some building equipment that his dad had to clean up.
All in all, before lunchtime, he had fucked up big time and was looking more like a screwup than a reasonable, responsible young alpha.
He didn’t even have the time to berate himself in the damn mirror for fucking up. The pack always looked at the damn cuffs, and he’d noted how happy they looked to see the both of them chained together.
For their lunch, they’d gone to the diner, and he was aware of people staring at them.
“I think it’s sabotage,” Alexa said.
He looked up, expecting to see humor or her being critical of him. Instead, he saw something else … something he wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly.
“I’m usually good at this.”
“I know you are.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, you think just because we have our issues that I haven’t heard what people say about you?”
He winced. “Is it good?”
She chuckled. “Of course it’s good. You didn’t drop that cup. Wallace dropped it.”