Alpha Alexander

Chapter Twenty-Five

I wasn't imagining it.

She was totally checking out my mate.

Her eyes kept wandering to our table every few seconds, as though waiting to make eye contact with the gorgeous man who sat across from me, carefully cutting his steak into square pieces. I grudgingly admitted to myself that she was nearly equally as beautiful, with auburn hair that fell in waves down her back and eyes as bright as the sky.

The waitress came to our table to ask how our food was for the third time since she delivered it ten minutes ago. She was young and pretty and incredibly flustered, but more so because she was trying to get a good tip on her first week at the high-end restaurant than because of my mate's intimidatingly good looks, which I noticed she took note of when she came to take our drink order and stumbled over her words as she looked at Alpha Alexander.

I twirled some pasta onto my fork and chewed on it thoughtfully, watching my mate's chiseled jaw work around his own food. Without thinking, I reached across the table and stabbed a piece of meat with my fork. It practically melted in my mouth. On impulse, I snagged another steak square. If he was bothered by my food thievery, he didn't show it. I pushed my plate of chicken alfredo toward him in silent offering, but he shook his head, his eyes never rising from his large plate of steak, mash potatoes, and asparagus.

"Are you sure?" I asked, nibbling on a piece of bread. "It's only fair since I picked off your plate."

"Decades ago, when the mating of two wolves concluded in a formal ceremony designed to connect us with our ancestors, the male would participate in a hunt alongside all the unmated males of the pack." He put his utensils down and wiped his mouth with the edge of the cloth napkin in his lap. His arms folded in front of him as he continued, "The male had to kill the scouted prey before any of the other males, which often led to blood shed, to prove himself strong enough for the female. He was to bring his kill back to his intended and lay it at her feet, to prove he would fight for her and he could provide for her and their future pups. Traditionally, she was expected to accept the kill, but let her mate have the first bite of their first shared meal. Essentially, she submits to him; she puts her mate before all else, even herself."

"Submits to him, huh?" I chewed on my pasta thoughtfully, my mind wandering to an hour earlier, when his hand was gently but meaningfully wrapped around my throat on the training yard. "Interesting . . ."

"It is instinct, Phoebe, as well as tradition." He picked his fork and steak knife back up.

"Sure it is." I chewed slowly, swallowed. "I'll have you know, I'm not an easy conquest, Alpha Alexander. Just because you let me have some of your steak doesn't mean I'm gonna roll over for you."

"You wouldn't be my mate if you didn't put up a fight, Phoebe," he said casually, as if telling me the sky was blue or water was wet.

My eyebrows rose. "Hmmm," I mused as I chewed on a piece of chicken. "So, moral of the story: I can steal your food whenever I want."

I could practically feel his eye roll, even though he didn't actually do one. Before he could answer, the waitress came back and asked if we needed boxes. We both declined and she laid the check on the table, conveniently close to Alpha Alexander's elbow.

The girl from the neighboring table watched as he slid a black credit card into the small black folder without even glancing at the receipt. She smiled to herself and gave my mate another appreciative once-over. My fist clenched around the napkin in my lap. I looked back at my mate, who had finished his meal and was sipping on his water, his eyes trained on the door that stood over my left shoulder.

When we first entered the restaurant and were greeted by the hostess who took us to our table, I moved to sit in the chair against the wall, but Alpha Alexander had gently taken my elbow and pulled out the chair on the other side of the table, seating himself in the chair I originally intended to sit in. Every once in a while, like whenever someone entered the restaurant, Alpha Alexander's eyes traveled to the door, sharp and observant. I had noticed earlier that quite a few pack members were scattered around the room, seated in different sections of the restaurant. Surely it wasn't a coincidence that every one of them were enforcers—pack members specifically trained in every aspect of warfare and weaponry—including Sarah. I knew we weren't truly alone from the moment we entered the restaurant, but given recent events, I wasn't too bothered by it.