Page 3 of Protected By Artemis
“This broad wants to change my menu for the mating dinner.”
“Is that so?” Amusement flitted across his face before being replaced once again by that stern mask. “And how did that go for you,my lady?”
The honorific, too, was laced with distaste. “Now that you’re here, Alpha, perhaps you can explain to your chef the importance of this event and that everything must be perfect to celebrate Geri and Apollo’s joining. This is the last night she’ll be here, after all.”
“For a year, you mean. And a year isn’t even that long.”
“Of course not. But surely you’ll miss her while she’s away? And you want her to have the best possible reception dinner?”
The corner of his mouth tugged up. “If you think shit like this matters to Geri, then maybe you don’t know her very well.”
“Well, things like this matter to me—I mean, Apollo. And our people. He is a god, after all.”
That didn’t seem to sway him. “And what things does her lady—his lord—want?”
“Not”—she tapped a hand on the menu—“fish and chips. This is not the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore.”
“It’s too late to change anything, Alpha,” the chef—Hank, apparently—interjected. “Besides, you know what happened the last time someone tried to mess with me inmykitchen.”
The Alpha’s nostrils flared. “Listen, I know you’re a guest?—”
“I am the sister of the groom.”
“And a guest in our territory. But—” A loud vibration interrupted him. Fishing his phone out of his jeans pocket, he glanced at the screen, his scowl deepening. “No,” he said without missing a beat as he placed the phone to his ear. “Tell your client we aren’t selling.”
With a snort, he tapped on the screen and slipped the phone back into his pocket. “Now,” he continued. “Where were we? Ah,yes.” With one step, he closed the distance between them. “As I said, you are a guest.”
“And so I should be treated like one.”
“And so you should act like one. Stop harassing my chef.”
“I wasnotharassing him,” she retorted, indignant. “I was merely?—”
“I am Alpha here, and my word is law.”
“But—”
“Hank started working the menu weeks ago,” he interrupted. “He ordered the ingredients and stayed up last night doing all the prep work, along with his regular duties as the pack’s chef. Changing things would not only disrupt his work, but also, would waste all the timeandmoney we’ve already spent. I know both those concepts might seem trivial to someone like you, but around here where life off the grid is not easy and we fend for ourselves, we respect everyone’s contributions to the whole pack.”
Artemis opened her mouth, but clamped it shut, the heat of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks. “I-I didn’t think…” She took a deep breath. “You’re right, I apologize, Hank.” While she wanted things to be perfect, she also knew when to back down.
On this matter, anyway. She promised Geri she would help with the ceremony, and she meant to keep that promise.
“Alright, I guess I could find somewhere else I can be useful.”
“Good,” Hank huffed. “Now, leave my kitchen.”
Artemis flashed a look at Cade that said, “Can you believe he said that?” which was promptly ignored as the Alpha grunted, turned around, and walked out of the kitchen.
“Well, now,” she said, her tone bristling with indignation. That strange tug at her gut returned, but she ignored it. So, the Alpha obviously didn’t like her, but it wasn’t like she could do anything about it.
Besides, who cares what one man—no matter how gorgeous he was—thought of her anyway? Many men over the last thousands of years had chased after her, and surely there would be many more in the future.
Pushing him out of her mind, she decided to concentrate on things that were more important than her silly little attraction to a man who obviously hated her.
No, she had work to do.
Surely, if everyone was busy with the wedding today, she could find someone who could use her helping hand.