Who's Your Alpha? by Vicky Burkholder Page A

stuff.”
    “Honey, cotton flannel is replacement. This is ‘let me ravish you’ stuff.”
    “Not going to happen. Mack and I had a nice talk after lunch. I think he got the message, and last I saw, he had set his sights elsewhere.”
    “Good for you. Now, about David.”
    Sunny sighed and leaned back against the bed, stretching her stocking feet out in front of her. “I don’t know what to think. He’s been my dream since before I knew what dreams were. He’s everything I ever wanted and he’s my friend.”
    “So why aren’t you there jumping his bones?”
    “He only wants me because I beat Ruby. I’m the alpha now.”
    Rommy stared at her. “I can’t believe you just said that. You know, for someone so smart, you sure are dumb sometimes.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Ruby has been the alpha for at least a decade. And do you know the one man she couldn’t get to come to her in all that time?”
    “David?” Sunny’s voice came out as a bare whisper.
    “David. Honey, I know you’ve been to his so-called cabin. What did you think of it?”
    Sunny frowned at the sudden change in subject. “It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen anything so wonderful.”
    “It’s called Sun’s Retreat. He named the place after you, you idiot. No single woman has ever been there—except you. And you walked away. You are such an idiot!”
    Sunny collapsed onto the pillows, tears falling. “But he never said anything.”
    “Didn’t he? Guys don’t always talk with words. You of all people should know that. Last night, he defended you against someone who only wanted you because you are the alpha. This morning, he fixed you a breakfast fit for a queen and after spending most of the night patching up the folks you two fought. If that ain’t love…”
    “Oh, Rommy, what have I done?”
    “Nothing that can’t be undone. First of all, though, I have to know. Do you love him? I mean really love him? I’m not talking lust here—that belongs to a dozen women I can name. When you shut your eyes and imagine a future with kids and all, whose face do you see?”
    “His.” The pillow muffled her answer as well as her sobs.
    “Say again? I’m not sure I heard you.”
    She lifted her head. “Him.”
    Rommy nodded. “Good. ’Cause here’s what you’re going to do. With a little help from me and Sam, we might just get you back to being the smart bitch I know you to be.”

Chapter 6
    Sunny paced the corridor outside the banquet room. She could hear the babble of the gathered attendees from inside. She wiped her palms on a paper towel she’d grabbed from the ladies room. Thanks to Rommy’s help, her dress, hair, and makeup were perfect. She’d never felt so pretty—or so scared. Ten years ago, she’d paced a similar hall on her way to her prom—alone. Here she was, a decade later, and still alone.
    Hopefully that would change by the end of the evening.
    She reached for the door only to have it spring open and Rommy come flying out.
    “He’s not here.”
    “What?” Please tell me I didn’t hear that. Please.
    “He’s not here. Nobody knows where he is.”
    “What about the clinic? Maybe he had another emergency.”
    Rommy shook her head. “Already checked. And he’s not answering at either the house or his cell. I’m sorry, Sun.”
    Sunny closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. She leaned back against the wall. “Now what?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Then Sunny heard—or rather, felt—the same sound she’d sensed earlier. “I wonder…”
    “Wonder what?”
    Sunny grinned at Rommy. “I think I know where he is.” She hugged Rommy. “Wish me luck.”
    She dashed for her car and took off up the mountain. A short time later, she skidded to a stop in front of David’s cabin. She wasn’t surprised to see no lights shining in the windows. In the distance, she heard the howl of a single dog. Nothing could match that sound for loneliness.
    She quickly stripped off her carefully prepared outfit, leaving