Chapter 16

Xander's POV

Allison Carter is staring at me like she has seen a ghost, her eyes widened to twice their size. She's opening and closing her mouth, too startled to make a sound.

The other woman is the one that speaks.

"Mr. Black…" she stutters, though it from surprise and not because she's flustered. "Welcome. To what do we owe this honor?"

I return my gaze to Allison, and she looks like she wants nothing more than to sink into the floor and disappear.

"I've come to speak with Allison," I say.

Allison starts, then drops her gaze. The woman— her friend, I'm guessing, based on the dynamic here— steps closer and takes her hand.

"Do you want to talk to him, Allison?" she whispers it, but my ears pick it up easily.

The audacity of this woman. She seems to have her own personal hierarchy, where the Alpha is somewhere beneath her friends.

"Mr. Black," Allison says, her voice low, "you must have found out that we skipped work today. I apologize for that. The thing is—"

"Allison," I cut in, "you don't actually think that's why I'm here, do you?"

Allison does not respond. Her friend looks from her to me, and I get the feeling that she would shift right away and attempt to wrestle me out of the apartment if Allison so much as suggests that I'm not welcome here. I meet her gaze, and she stares back briefly for a moment before she loses her nerve. She drops her gaze, but steps protectively closer to Allison.

"I need to speak with you, Allison," I say.

Allison hesitates, then she nods.

"Of course, Mr. Black," she mumbles to the floor. "Would you like some tea?"

Soon after, we're all sitting in her living room. After I declined the tea, Allison poured herself a cup, though I suspect that she just wanted to hold something, to keep herself grounded. Her friend sits on the sofa beside her, keeping one arm around her shoulders.

Sitting across from me with a blanket around her, her head down and her shoulders slumped, Allison looks so small, so fragile. She looks nothing like the daring, majestic woman I had seen at the luncheon. I can't help wondering if it is because of my presence.

"Allison," I say.

I try to keep my voice gentle, but she still flinches. Her eyes snap to mine, the fear in them unmistakable, before she cuts her gaze to the side.

"Yes, Mr. Black?" she mumbles.

I guess I can't blame her for reacting like this. The last time we spoke to each other, I was firing her from her job when she had done nothing wrong, and she was pleading in vain to be pardoned.

I shouldn't have treated her like that. That hasty decision could have ruined her life if she had not been clever enough to bargain her way back into the company.

I want to make this as easy for her as possible, but I'm not sure there's an easy way to do this.

"Your pregnancy…" I begin.

Allison flinches again. Her stricken expression says that her worst fears are about to be confirmed.

"Is the child mine?" I ask calmly.

I watch the blood drain from Allison's face. She turns so pale, I worry that she's going to faint. From the shocked expression on her friend's face, I can tell that Allison kept our one-night stand a secret from her.

I told her to keep it a secret from everyone, and she did. I'm not sure what to call the feeling that blooms within me at this realization.

"Mr. Black…" Allison begins hesitantly. "I promise, this is not going to interfere with my duties. Please, I don't want to lose my job a second time."

Her conduct, as if she's expecting to be punished, is all I need to confirm my suspicions. Allison Carter is truly pregnant with my child.

Allison Carter, who is currently freaking out because I'm yet to respond. She wrings her fingers so hard I expect that she must have cut off blood supply for them, biting her lower lip.

"Is there anything I need to do?" she asks desperately. "I'll sign a contract if I have to. I'll swear on the goddess that I'll keep my mouth shut. I won't make any trouble—"

"Date me, Allison," I say.

She startles, staring at me as if she's trying to confirm that her senses are playing a prank on her. Well, I didn't plan to spring this idea on her like that, but I just had to stop her from spiralling.

"What…?" she stammers finally.

"I'd like to you to date me officially, Allison Carter," I reply.

She gapes at me.

"B… but the pack… I'm an Omega. The pack would never accept…"

"I understand that," I reply. "I want to date you anyway.

Allison is shaking her head, looking terrified.

"I can't," she says in a shaky voice. "Once everyone finds out, they'll make my life hell. The high class wolves would never forgive me, and I—"

"Then we'll keep it secret," I say. "For now, we'll date secretly. Until I'm ready to make it public. And once I do, I will not let anyone hurt you for it. I give you my word."

Allison is still staring at me like I'm proposing a nightmare.

"You…" she pauses. Gulps. "You have your reputation to think about. You made that much clear when you fired me. So why would you want to do this?"

Oh. That's the issue here, isn't it?

Whatever trust Allison might have had in me, I completely shattered it the day I chose my reputation over her. I know I can't erase what I've done, but I'm determined to make it up to her in any way I can. 

"The child is my responsibility," I reply, keeping my voice as reassuring as I can. "I will not be the sort of Alpha that neglects his own blood. I understand that this is something that hasn't been done before, and that the pack will disapprove. But I am more than willing to face whatever challenges arise."

I can't read the expression on Allison's face, but at least she's no longer looking terrified. Or doubtful. She no longer looks like she's going to make a run for it the moment I look away.

"So, what do you say, Allison?" I ask.