I Stole the Alpha's Car (18+)|✔️

Chapter 27

I was awoken from my light doze by the shake of a firm hand gripping my shoulder.

"Lauren?" Dwayne's delicious baritone disturbed my slumber.

"Hmm?" I tried to nestle back against the window, but found it less comfortable than it had been a moment ago.

"Lauren, we're here."

Wha- Blinking, I sat up, trying and failing to smooth down my sleep-tousled hair.

As my sight cleared, two thoughts registered.

One: The building we were parked in front of was fucking huge.

Two: I was too exhausted to care.

I tried to smile, but my lips widened into a mammoth yawn.

"Okay, let's get you up to the suite so you can nap." Dwayne patted my thigh and unclipped his seatbelt, stepping out.

I followed his example, feeling the aches of five hours sitting in a car when I stood.

As I closed the door, I walked toward the trunk where Dwayne met me with my duffel bag. Turning, he handed his keys to the waiting valet who, based on his scent, was a lycanthrope.

"Thanks, Nate."

"Glad to have you back, Sir."

Sir? My still sleepy brain flashed to several vivid scenarios in which I might call Dwayne "Sir". As we passed through the front doors, my face was hotter than the surface of the sun.

If Dwayne noticed my incandescent blush, he chose not to comment. Leading me up to the registration desk, he nodded to the woman behind the counter. She, too, appeared to be one of us.

"Hi, Iris; this is Lauren, she's going to be checking into the Seneca Suite, but the rest of her party will be arriving later tonight."

"Oh, wonderful!" She smiled, revealing brilliantly white teeth. "Welcome to The Belhurst, Lauren. I'll be happy to check you in. Do you have a state-issued ID and a credit card to put on file?"

Before I could answer, Dwayne laid a matte black card on the counter. I glanced up as I dug for my driver's license and laid it down. "Thank you. I promise to not go overboard on the room service."

He smirked. "I would also appreciate you not destroying the place."

Sighing, I shook my head. "Way to stifle my rock-star fantasies."

Iris cleared her throat gently. "If you would like to explore a bit, it will take me a few minutes to process your check-in. I'll let you know when it's ready."

I nodded my thanks and, ignoring the multitude of plush chairs, walked through the lobby toward a wall of windows facing the rear of the building.

What I saw there shocked the breath out of me.

"Wow."

Outside, beyond the patio and the tiers of decks overlooking the lake was the rippling surface of the lake itself. Small waves from the slight wind caught and reflected the light, making the vista brilliant in the summer sun. Colorful boats skimmed across the waters, tiny against the hazy backdrop of distant hills.

Dwayne walked up beside me. "I know. I never get sick of looking at it."

I shook my head. "How do you ever get any work done?"

Dwayne chuckled. "My office's windows face the other way."

As I turned around, I noticed several curious eyes darting away suddenly.

Crap.

Glancing over at Dwayne, I asked, "So, how many people here know about me?"

"Well," he sighed, "I told my lieutenants to keep it quiet. So, it's safe to assume that everyone in the pack knows by now."

I rolled my eyes. "Fantastic."

Dwayne grimaced apologetically. "They have some great qualities, and I couldn't run this place without them – but discretion is not their strong suit."

"So, everyone knows that we're mates." I hugged my arms around myself. "No pressure, then?"

"Hey." Dwayne placed a hand on my shoulder, "this week is about us. What anybody else thinks about our situation is irrelevant."

I closed my eyes and nodded. "I know. But the sooner people stop staring at me, the better I'll feel."

He smiled softly. "I'll send out an email."

Raising my eyebrows, I asked, "An email?"

His eyebrow quirked. "You know a faster way to tell the entire pack to stop staring at my mate?"

"Point." In my periphery, I saw Iris round the reception desk and start walking toward us. I waved and together Dwayne and I strolled back across the lobby.

Upstairs, on the top story, I struggled to pick my jaw up off the intricate parquet flooring. The door to the Seneca Suite had opened onto a massive living space that defined elegance. As we walked through, I noted a thousand tiny details that added up to a lavish and luxurious whole. Doorways off to the side led to the bedrooms, and the glass doors at the far end revealed a large terrace.

"Wh- what kind of affluent nonsense is this?"

"Do you like it?"

I was too stunned to move. "This might have more square footage than my parents' house."

"It used to be the Alpha's residence."

Taken aback, I asked, "Really?"

He nodded, looking around with veiled distaste. "Yes. I had it renovated at the beginning of my term. The thought of actually living at the resort, never having any privacy, never having any space... It didn't appeal to me. I bought my own house out in the hills."

"Yeah? What's it like?"

"You'll be seeing it tonight."

We're going to his house? ALONE? I felt my eyebrows raise. "That's rather forward of you."

"It's for dinner – promise."

My curiosity piqued. "Dinner?"

"Yep. I'm making salmon steaks."

I smiled. "You cook?"

He nodded, looking slightly proud. "I'm not a pro, obviously, but I like to think I'm pretty good."

"Well, I look forward to trying it." I attempted a coy smile, but instead yawned again. "After a nap, though."

"It's a date. I've got some things to take care of here, then I need to get groceries and take a nap myself, but I'll be back to pick you up at five-ish?"

"I'll be ready." I moved to pick up my duffel bag from where Dwayne had set it down, then paused. "Also, just a suggestion – salmon pairs very well with chardonnay."

Dwayne smiled. "Noted."