Chapter Four

I took back everything I had to say about the alpha being good at his job.

Until now, until he wanted to step into my life and make decisions for me, I had thought he put the needs of his fluffle members first, but how he could make a decision like this?

For me and for Thia.

As he so graciously pointed out in our meeting over coffee and the dry, overbaked carrot muffins his mate insisted on serving to everyone, bunnies have one job. To make more bunnies. "I had hoped you'd pick an omega of your own in a reasonable time, but you did not."

"I wasn't ready." Still wasn't. "I need a little more time."

"And you've got it." He beamed at me, picking up his coffee cup. "Thirty days."

"I-I don't know that I can. There's nobody here who is my mate." If there were, I'd have known, wouldn't I? "Maybe someone new will come." Fluffles did tend to have some movement between them. Bunnies could move from one group to another if the alphas agreed. "I promise to keep an eye out." Although I didn't see how that could happen in thirty days.

"And this is why I called you in. I appreciate that it is difficult to move on after a successful relationship. And that is why, as your alpha, I have made the selection for you."

"What? No."

"Excuse me?" He set his cup down with a clunk. "Are you denying orders given you by your alpha? Is this a rebellion? Did you perhaps want to challenge me?"

Most alphas fought challenges only when they had no options, but ours was always on the lookout for one. I had been so involved in my own little family, I hadn't really noticed how he operated. If others had been subjected to this, they had not said so. Maybe they were afraid to complain? The alpha had only held his position for about five years, so far. I'd been mated, having a family then grieving for most of that time.

"I don't want to challenge you." I swallowed hard, wanting to say so many things that would end up making a real mess of our life.

"Excellent. Then you have a month to get to know Jaime better. Maybe have him move in even sooner." He nodded, smiling at his own wisdom. "Your daughter needs an omega father in her life."

Jaime? The single omega in our fluffle who every alpha avoided. He was a cruel man who enjoyed making people feel bad about themselves. Or perhaps that was too kind a way to say it. Omegas were generally submissive, something I didn't particularly want. My late mate had been my equal, and, if I had to mate again, I would hope for a similar type of person. But the one being presented to me would not only top from the bottom, in a sneaky mean way, I would not allow him within fifty feet of my princess, much less put him in a position to be an "omega father" to her.

But I once again reminded myself not to respond in a way that he would regard as inappropriate. "I've taken up enough of your valuable time." Standing, I gave my head the slightest bow I could get away with—mainly because any respect I'd fooled myself into having for this alpha was dust under my feet—and took a step away. "Thank your mate for his baked goods."

I didn't say good baked goods. I'd had maybe two bites and even with coffee had a desert-dry mouth.

The alpha didn't reply, which I took as dismissal and headed for the door. Although the alpha house was busy at this time of day, I did not linger to speak with anyone, just moved as quickly as possible out the door and into the forest where I could cry my anger to the trees. And to my late mate who at this moment, I was equally mad at for leaving us. It wasn't his fault—but that didn't matter at all right now. I could see no escape from this. Outright defiance of the alpha would be regarded as a challenge. He'd made that clear, and I could not take the chance of him winning and leaving my daughter fatherless. Not all challenges were to the death, but it was the victor's choice, and with what I'd learned about this man, the risks were too high.

After venting to the squirrels and non-shifter bunnies, I turned back to the fluffle area where all the houses were located. We called it the "hutch." I had left Thia with Arnold's family while I had my meeting, and I'd taken advantage of their kindness long enough.

When I rapped on the door of their thatch-roofed home, Arnold opened it and held a finger to his lips. "All the kits are sleeping," he whispered. "But they should be up soon. Come in the kitchen and have a snack while you wait."

"I don't want to be a bother. Besides, I just had something with the alpha."

"Yeah, I'll bet. If his mate made more of those horrible muffins, you'll need some of my mate's lavender lemonade to wash them down. He also just baked some cookies."

"I don't really have an appetite, but I am thirsty." I followed him into the cozy kitchen and took a seat at their round table. It was big enough for a crowd because my friends were doing their duty to make more bunnies with enthusiasm. But since all their little ones were napping with Thia, it was just us grown-ups here now.

"Sit right down." Arnold's mate bustled to the refrigerator and got out a pitcher of his famous lavender lemonade. He filled glasses for us and set a plate of chocolate-chunk pecan cookies on the table. "I'm going to the living room to listen for those little scamps to start to wake up. If I'm alert, I can get the early risers out of there and maybe some will sleep a little longer."

He was gone before I could reply. "I guess you two have guessed what's up."

"Guess? Everyone knows the alpha is making you mate with Jaime. Which you obviously cannot do."

"Well, that was succinct." I picked up my glass and took a long, cool drink. "So do you have any suggestions of what to do? Because as you pointed out, I am not mating with Jaime. Not ever. He's single because he's a jerk and nobody wants him. The alpha probably sees him as an omega who is not producing kits, and he wants me to be the one to put them in him." I shuddered at the thought.

Arnold reached out his hand. "Give me your phone."

I pulled it out of my pocket and passed it over, puzzled. "Why?"

"Because the only way you can avoid this nightmare is to leave, and I'm going to download an app to help you do that." He typed, read, and typed some more then returned my device. "Here you go."

"I-what?" I looked at the screen then up at my friend. "Male-Order Mates?"

"Complete your profile. I started it. And see if you get a match. Preferably one far from here where you can start fresh. Maybe the alpha did you a favor—" He held up a hand to still my protests. "Zeus, you've been miserable since your mate passed. It's not good for you or Thia. If you stay here, it will be multiplied by many times. It's time for you to move on, both in mind and location."

I started to argue, to insist he was completely wrong, but then I filled out the form. It asked a lot of questions, and I didn't figure I'd get it done before the kids woke up, but I wanted to get as much as possible because I needed the moral support of my friend. I ate most of the cookies on the plate, not even noticing until they were gone and the smooth chocolate and toasted pecan had obliterated the dry-muffin taste.

"Done." I clicked submit and drank another glass of lemonade. We sat quietly for a few minutes. "I guess now we wait. There probably won't be…what's that?"

Arnold leaned over the table. "Let me see!"

I turned the phone around. "It's some kind of a symbol…"

"Brother, you've got a match!"

Indeed I did, no more than five minutes after loading my profile. "Yeah." I brought the phone back to face me. "Let me see what to do…okay." I clicked on the notification and found an omega wolf looking for a mate to help him run his new motel. He wasn't looking for a baby maker or power, just someone compatible to work with and see where it went from there. It was far, far away from here.

"It can't be this easy," I murmured while clicking to look over the guy's profile. "Do you think?"

"I believe in Fate." Arnold cocked his head. "And I hear little voices."

Naptime was over, and I would have to put off talking to my match until bedtime. But if he was anything like he sounded, he was the answer to my prayers. A gift from Fate? Time would tell.