Page 5 of Fourth Base with the Alpha

“That’s why he’s been instructed to keep his mouth closed,” Kim mutters.

“I tried,” the alpha grinds out between his clenched teeth.

“If you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t speak. That’s the rule.”

“So …” I say, wanting to divert away whatever argument is brewing in the air, “we need to find him … you … a girlfriend.”

I’m not sure how that is going to work. Isn’t he already meant to have one? Won’t it take some time to find someone compatible and stuff? I mean, hell, I’m 25 and have been dating for years. FOR YEARS. And I still haven’t found anyone who sets my world on fire.

“A fake girlfriend,” Kim clarifies.

“You want me to call up some escort agencies or something?” I ask, chewing the end of my pen, my teeth cracking through the plastic.

“No, we can’t trust an escort not to go selling her story to the press.”

“Right.” I stare at Kim, who stares right back. There’s a slight curve to the edge of her lips. “Did you have anyone in mind?” I wonder if they’ve both lost the plot. How exactly are we going to find a woman willing to fake-date Hunter, one who won’t also sell their story? And do they expect me to find such a person? “I guess an up-and-coming model or film star might be interested,” I ponder, musing aloud. “It would be good exposure for them. A quid pro bono arrangement.”

“No models and no film stars,” the alpha snaps.

“Why not?”

He folds his arms over his huge chest, the muscles in his biceps bulging and stretching the material of his plain white t-shirt. I gulp. “They’re more trouble than they’re worth. Always clucking and pruning, and wanting to stop to take a selfie and upload it to Instagram every five seconds.”

“Okay.” He obviously has some experience. I’ve never taken much interest inThe Pack’sdating habits, although I’m obviously familiar with Ash and West’s love affairs – you’d have had to be on another planet to miss all that drama. And since becoming PackCommander001 on the band’s fansite, I’ve been exposed to quite a bit of detail about the band members’ love lives.

“What kind of woman do you suggest?”

His eyes shift to the window, but I don’t miss the flash of something in his pupils.

“He can’t afford to be fussy,” Kim says.

“I’m not fussy,” Hunter snaps, and that argument starts brewing all over again.

“I’ve never known anyone take so flipping long to order food.”

“I know what I want and I want what I like,” he says, and, jeez, if those words don’t make my inner omega shiver all over.

Kim ignores him and directs her next words to me. “We need someone we can trust. Someone who won’t blab to the press as soon as this arrangement is over. Someone unknown would be best, so it’s understandable that they’ve wanted to keep the relationship quiet. Someone pretty.” I nod, scribbling this all down on my notepad. “Someone who already has experience with the band and knows how we operate. Someone easy going who can put up with Hunter’s bad temper.”

Hunter snorts.

I balance my pen on top of my pad and look up at Kim, laughing. “Where on earth are we going to find a woman who fulfills all that?”

Kim stares at me, her mouth twitching again at the corners.

I stare right back. “Do you have someone in mind?”

“Yes.”

“You do?” Hunter and I say in unison.

“Yep.”

I keep staring at her. “Who?” She smiles at me.

I peer down at the list. “Trustworthy, unknown, pretty, familiar …”

“Just tell the woman who it is,” Hunter says.