Chapter 270 First Flip

Author

The show went live at ten in the morning.

The network had run ads across every major pack territory in the country. Wolf families tuned in from coast to coast. Curious. Skeptical. Ready to judge.

Elara had no idea.

She was in the kitchen.

She tied on a pale blue apron and twisted her brown waves into a messy bun. The kitchen was massive. Six burners. Marble countertops. Industrial-grade appliances that could cater a pack dinner for fifty.

She’d been on a cooking kick for a few weeks now. It was supposed to be relaxing. Something to do with her hands while she was stuck at home. The jury was still out on whether she was actually good at it.

Last night, she’d decided on something simple. Pancakes. Bacon. Fresh fruit. Nothing that required actual skill.

Linda had already prepped everything. Fruit sliced. Bacon laid out. The pancake batter was mixed and resting in the fridge. All Elara had to do was not burn the first batch.

She poured the batter onto the griddle. Butter sizzled. The smell of caramelizing pancakes filled the apartment.

The live chat was starting to pick up. A few hundred viewers. Mostly from allied packs.

[Camera three. Who’s that?]

[No idea. But she’s hot.]

[If she lives in a place like that, why’s she in the kitchen? Where are the omegas?]

[Maybe she wants to cook. Not everything’s about pack rank.]

Elara had no clue about the comments. She was too busy watching the bubbles form on the pancakes, waiting for the right moment to flip.

Alpha Dominic came down the stairs.

He was wearing a deep burgundy suit jacket. Dark wine-red, almost brown in certain light. Quiet money. The kind of jacket that said I don’t need to try without saying anything at all.

The chat exploded.

[Wait. Who’s that guy? Her mate?]

[Holy shit. That’s the Alpha King. I saw him once at a council meeting.]

[THE ACTUAL ALPHA KING is on a reality show? Why?]

[So the pregnant girl is his Luna? And she’s in the kitchen?]

[Half-bloods don’t always get pack customs. She probably doesn’t know it’s weird.]

[She grew up human. She probably thinks this is normal.]

[Or he’s a controlling asshole. Classic Alpha move.]

He stopped at the end of the counter. "Well? How do I look?"

Elara glanced up. Took him in. Then flipped a pancake. "You look like you’re about to fire someone."

"That’s the look I was going for."

"Then you nailed it."

He waited. "That’s it? No ’you look handsome’? No ’nice suit, babe’?"

"You want a participation trophy for putting on pants?"

"I want my wife to tell me I look good."

"You look acceptable. Now sit down and eat before the pancakes get cold. "

Alpha Dominic sat at the kitchen island. Elara slid a plate toward him. A stack of pancakes. Bacon. A small bowl of mixed berries.

Everything looked normal.

Except the pancakes.

They were slightly lopsided. And a little too brown on one side.

Alpha Dominic stared at the plate like it might explode. "What did you do to it?"

"I tried something new. Added cinnamon to the batter. And maybe a little too much vanilla. "

"That’s it?"

"And I might have gotten distracted and left the first one on a little too long."

"It’s a little... crispy."

"It’s character. Eat."

Alpha Dominic picked up his fork. Cut a piece. Took a bite. Chewed slowly. His face was a complete blank.

"Good?"

"Interesting."

"That means you hate it."

"I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to. I can read you."

He took another bite. Then another. He chased it with a piece of bacon. Linda materialized beside him and topped off his coffee without a word. He didn’t flinch. He just kept chewing.

When the stack was gone, he drained his coffee cup in one long swallow. Set it down.

"Alright. I’m heading out."

"Okay."

"That’s it? No kiss? No ’have a good day, babe’?"

"You’re on camera."

"And?"

"And I’m not performing for the internet."

Alpha Dominic held her gaze for a beat. Then the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Fine. But you owe me one later."

He turned and walked out before she could argue.

The hallway camera caught him heading for the elevator. He pulled a piece of gum from his pocket and popped it in his mouth.

Charlie was already there, holding the elevator. He’d been driving for the Wolfe family for fifteen years. He’d seen Alpha Kings come and go. He knew the drill.

The doors slid open.

"Alpha. Luna cook again?"

"Yeah."

"How bad?"

"She made pancakes. Put cinnamon in them. And burned the first one."

"You want me to have Linda make you something else? I can grab you a breakfast sandwich on the way. "

"No."

"Come on. You’re the Alpha King. You don’t have to do this."

"She’s bored, Charlie. She’s stuck in this apartment all day, pregnant, with nothing to do. If she wants to play chef, I’m going to eat it. That’s the deal."

Charlie paused. Then he pressed the lobby button. "Yes, Alpha."

The live chat was losing its mind.

[He just ate a burnt cinnamon pancake and asked for a kiss like it was nothing.]

[He’s the Alpha King. He could have anything delivered. And he’s out here eating experimental breakfasts.]

[He asked for a kiss. She said no on camera. And he just... took it. No argument. No Alpha tantrum. Just "fine" and walked out.]

[That man is not the Alpha King. That man is a husband. Big difference.]

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