When An Alpha Purrs
By: Eve LanglaisCould things get any worse?
Chapter Three
Things couldn’t be any worse. Not only was a huge hunk of his hair missing from his precious mane, but Arik had lost her trail.
Him, a master hunter, evaded by a human.
His lion hung his head in shame.
It occurred to him, as he trudged back to the barbershop—with its striped spinning pole that always made him want to stop so his kitty could paw at it—that he should demand the folks working there cough up her address.
He could probably intimidate them into conceding. It didn’t take much to have humans spill their guts, especially when he used his voice and stare on them. However, while he could easily snare her location, he’d lose his element of surprise, as they’d probably warn her.
He much preferred a sneak attack.
His steps bypassed the turn to the shop and, instead, headed to the rental parking lot that held his car.
Best to pretend he wouldn’t retaliate. There was no benefit in rattling any cages for info, as it meant she would realize she’d gotten to him, that she’d managed to ruffle his fur.
Unacceptable.
Nothing fazed Arik. He was known as unflappable.
He was also wily. There were other ways to hunt a hiding mouse. Of course, before he could track her down via electronic methods, first he had to run the gauntlet at his office.
Did anyone dare say a word when he entered in his costly, Armani three-piece suit sporting a ball cap he bought from a street vendor, he who never wore a hat of any kind?
Curious gazes might have followed his path, but not a titter followed him. No one had big enough balls.
Except for Hayder, his second-in-command—the smartass—who trailed him into his office.
“Dude, what is up with the hat? When did you suddenly become a baseball fan?”
“I’d rather not discuss it,” Arik said through tight lips and gritted teeth as his fingers tapped away, logging onto Facebook and doing a search on Dominic. Surely if the man had an account, it would be linked to his family members, including one feisty woman he needed to find.
To eat.
No. Angry or not, one didn’t eat their enemy. It was uncivilized. And, yes, he intentionally misinterpreted his lion. He didn’t even want to start thinking about the certain eating his other side had in mind.
There would be no cream lapping for her.
Or him.
Meowr. Such a disappointed sound.
A throat cleared. “Earth to Arik. Come in, boss.”
With brows drawn, Arik glared at his beta. “What?”
“I was asking what had your boxers in a knot.”
“You know I go commando.”
“Usually, but something obviously has your panties in a twist. Spill.”
Oh, he spilled all right. Arik yanked off the hat and flung it against the wall and then swiveled his chair to get it over with.
Indrawn breath. A snicker. A full-on guffaw.
Arik swirled again and tossed deadly visual daggers at his second. “I fail to see the humor in my butchered mane.”
“Dude. Have you seen it? It is bad. What did you do to piss Dominic off? Seduce one of his daughters?”
“Actually one of his granddaughters did this to me!” He couldn’t help the incredulous note. The effrontery of the act still got to him.
A thump and a shake of the wall as Hayder hit it, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “A girl did that to you?” His beta convulsed with mirth, not at all daunted by Arik’s glower and tapping fingers.
“This is not amusing.”
“Oh, come on, dude. Of all the people to have a hair mishap, you are the worst.”
“I look like an idiot.”
“Only because you didn’t let her finish hacking the rest off.”
His fingers froze as he took his gaze off the screen for a moment to address the travesty. “Cut off my mane?” Was his beta delusional?
“Well, yeah. You know, to even it out so it doesn’t show.”
A growl rumbled forth, more beast than man, his lion not at all on board with any more trimming.
“Okay, if you’re not keen on that, then what about a hair weave? Maybe we could get you a platinum one, or pink for contrast since you’re being such a prissy princess about it.”
That did it. A lion could take only so much. Arik dove over his desk and tackled his beta. Over they went with a thump and a tangle of limbs.
