Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Elowen

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The past week had been a dream come true. My work was absolutely thriving–every deal 1 touched turned to gold, my commission checks

were getting fatter by the day, and for the first time since founding our pack, I wasn’t constantly stressed about money. Even better, there

hadn’t been a single suspicious wolf lurking around our territory borders, and no one in human society was causing me problems.

Life is finally going smoothly.

I’d even been able to afford some luxuries, like taking Scarlett and Evelyn into the city for weekend trips. Though that had been… a experience. Scarlett hated every minute of it–constantly wrinkling her nose at human scents and slouching to hide the fact that she

towered over most men we encountered.

“These humans smell like processed chemicals and desperation, she’d muttered during our last shopping trip. And why does everyone

keep staring at me? It’s not my fault they’re all tiny,”

Evelyn, on the other hand, had been a complete menace. She’d spent the entire weekend flirting outrageously with every muscled man she could find, and I’d caught her using her divination abilities to win at underground poker games.

“What?” she’d said innocently when I confronted her. “I’m just naturally lucky at cards!

But today brought even better news. My boss had personally assigned me the Henderson Industries account–a massive client that required traveling to Chicago for a full week of negotiations. The commission alone would fund our pack’s operations for months.

I’d picked out perfect gifts for my girls: a set of premium tactical knives for Scarlett (the kind with perfect balance that she was always admiring in weapon catalogs) and an antique crystal ball from an estate sale for Evelyn (she’d been complaining that her current one had

“cloudy energy“).

‘Conference room, now, I called out as I spotted them in the pack house common area.

They followed me into my office, curiosity written across both faces. I handed over the wrapped packages with a flourish.

‘Early presents,‘ I announced. ‘Because your Alpha is about to make us all very, very rich.

Scarlett’s eyes lit up as she unwrapped the tactical set. ‘Holy shit, Elowen! These are military grade! She tested the balance of one knife, her face glowing with professional appreciation. “How did you even find these?

Evelyn was practically purring over her new crystal ball, holding it up to catch the light. “It’s gorgeous! And the energy is so clear–I can already feel the enhancement to my scrying abilities. She grinned wickedly. “Think of all the trouble I can get into with this.”

“Which brings me to my announcement,” I said, settling behind my desk with my most professional expression. ‘I’m heading to Chicago for the Henderson Industries deal. I’ll be gone for about a week, maybe longer if negotiations get complicated.”

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Chapter 51

Scarlett’s smile vanished instantly. “A week? Elowen, I don’t like this. Things have been too quiet lately–no sign of your mate, no border tensions, nothing. That’s not normal. When has Kalus ever just… given up?”

“Maybe he finally realized I’m not worth the trouble,” I said with forced lightness.

“Bullshit,” Scarlett shot back. “Something’s wrong. I should come with you. The pack can manage without both of us for a few days.

I shook my head firmly. “You hate being around humans, remember? Besides, we have thousands of wolves depending on us. While I’m gone, you’re in charge of pack security. I trust you completely with that responsibility.”

Scarlett opened her mouth to argue, but Evelyn cut in with her usual casual tone.

“Oh, relax! Last time Elowen got into trouble, she managed to escape just fine. What could possibly go wrong on a business trip?” She

paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. “Though I do have this nagging feeling…”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” I snapped, cutting her off. “I’m going on a perfectly normal business trip. No ‘last times, no ominous feelings, no mystical warnings. Just work, money, and success.”

Evelyn held up her hands in mock surrender, but I could see the concern lurking behind her playful expression.

I left them to argue about pack schedules and went to my room to pack. A week in Chicago meant I needed professional attire, casual clothes, and enough variety to handle whatever social events might come up.

After folding the last silk blouse into my suitcase, I treated myself to a long, hot shower. The warm water helped wash away the lingering stress about leaving my pack unprotected. Scarlett was right–the quiet was unsettling. But maybe that just meant Kaius had finally

moved on.

When I emerged from the bathroom in my robe, I found Scarlett sitting on my bed, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.