Alpha’s Virgin Stripper
Chapter 111

Lake:

Sleepless nights, troubled days, and long hours of your mind wandering, asking you questions that it cannot answer by itself. You sit in your office, in the confines of the brick glass walls that surround you and you ask yourself: "How the fuck did I get here?"

Yes! That was exactly how I felt right now and the way I had been feeling since my father informed me of my... deadline. I could not say I was scared; I was only troubled. If there was anything I knew about Cole Rush, it was that his words never came back to him void. My father would not want to ruin me, that was certain. But he would want to replace his form of solution to my problem and that was what bothered me the most. Just like me, if my father set his mind to doing something, there was no way, no force on the planet that could stop him.

I had to do something. I had to replace a solution before he did. The only way I could stop my father from having his way was to have my way first. The question was how? How would I replace someone to marry before he found someone for me? The question continued to repeat itself in my head, time and time again, but still no reply.

As I leaned into my leather office chair, staring at the blank monitor in front of me, my mind continued to wander to and fro. I wondered what my life would have been like if I had stayed with Salome. Would we have had children? I would certainly not have had to worry about my father running me down to the ground. But would I have been different? Happy?

What if I did not reject Jojo? Would she have still been here? Would I be haunted by her thoughts? Would my mind constantly wander to where she was and what she was doing? Would I still have the aching desire in my heart to replace her and hold her in my arms until she begged to be released?

I sat up immediately, frowning as I did so. Fuck this! It was not in me to think so much about anything besides business and my pack, and a stripper from only the goddess knows where could not be the one to change that fact.

My fingers began to punch the keys of my keyboard as I narrowed my eyes at the screen and poured my concentration into my work. The world around me could crash and burn, but as long as I was alive, my empire had to stay strong. I did not raise my head for any reason until I heard a soft knock on my glass door. When my gaze flickered upward, I found Neil standing at the door.

"Come in," I said out loud, before returning my gaze to my screen. He stepped into the office and stood in front of my table.

"Greetings, alpha."

Without looking up at him, I responded.

"Neil, please tell me that you have good news for me. I'm one more bad news away from losing my mind." I continued to scan the files on my computer screen while he cleared his throat repeatedly.

"I guess I will have to begin with the good news then."

I took a short look at him.

"Please, by all means."

I watched him throw his hands behind his back as he stood straight.

"Well sir, we have sent troops into the outlands to search for the kidnap victims, as you know. Two of our first set of troops returned with a total of ten children and three adults. They have been reunited with their families and it seems the people are starting to have faith in the monarchy again."

I listened to him speak with pride. This was a feat he had achieved. All he needed was my approval, he and Kenji strategized with the troops while he supervised them and reported back to me. Neil had always been very passionate about his job and the pack. He was a loyal servant, one which I held dear to my... well, heart.

"That's good news," I replied. He sighed and straightened his stance.

"And the bad news?" I asked, while my right brow raised in query. His eyes traveled around my office before they returned to me.

"It isn't really bad news, alpha. But I just thought it'll interest you."

I adjusted myself in my seat. Whatever Neil thought would interest me, always turned out very interesting. I had no doubt this would be the same.

"During my usual patrol, I found out that the diner Jojo Wyatt worked in and the one your mother owned had been sold out. Renovations are currently going on. The new owner intends to use it as a... I'm not quite sure, but it seems like a music or piano studio to me." Neil replied, seeming thoughtful.

I leaned into my chair as I stared at him. I tried to ignore the weakness in my spirit that had pulled me back, and the one that caused my hands to fall to my sides. "Sold?"

Why would my mother sell it?

I looked up at Neil.

"You say it's been sold already?"

He nodded eagerly, "Yes, alpha."

"I need you to buy it back." I blurted out.

His jaw dropped as he stared at me.

"Alpha?"

I frowned while mustering the strength to lean out of my chair.

"I said you should buy it back. On my orders, whatever it takes. You can even offer two times and three times the price it was bought. Just, get it done."

I knew the question in his mind. What was I going to use the place for? Why did I intend to purchase it? Frankly, I did not know. I just knew, for a fact, that the thought of someone else owning and working in the building did not please me. Neil nodded and bowed in obedience.

"Yes, alpha. I'll do as you've said."

"Make it quick, I..."

"Lake!"

My eyes moved swiftly, away from Neil, to the door where the urgent voice had called me from.

Neil looked at me and I quickly dismissed him. I watched him walk past Kenji, who was leaning against my glass door, panting heavily. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead and his underarms were soaked with sweat. I arched my left brow at him.

"Kenji, what is the meaning of...?"

"There's something I need to tell you, Lake. Something I feel you need to know."

I narrowed my eyes at him as he walked in. Something about the way he stared at me set me on the edge of my seat.

"What is the matter, Kenji?"

He walked to my table, drew out the chair in front of me, and settled into it. His chest continued to rise and fall heavily. I watched him, for a long and torturing ten seconds, as he tried to recover his breath. "Kenji?" I was growing impatient with every nanosecond.

"Your father..." He started.

I frowned.

"What happened to my father?"

Kenji shook his head.

"You're not gonna like this, Lake. You're not."

"Fucking speak if you wish to speak Kenji, and stop..."

"He's planning to get you married to Jade!"