The Alpha Triplets And The Rogue
Chapter 220

Raven’s POV

Sitting in a small cafe in the center of the South Pack town’s square, I wait impatiently for Luna Francesca to arrive for our planned lunch date. I shift awkwardly in my seat as I try to avoid the gaze of my new bodyguard, Harold, assigned to me by Alpha Fernando.

Harold is an older man with graying hair. His face has a constant scowl, and he never takes his eyes off me. He doesn’t speak when I talk to him. He only responds with a series of grunts or the occasional “Yes, Ma’am.” Being in his presence is slightly unnerving.

“Would you like more water?” The waitress says as she comes by my table for the tenth time.

Looking down at my perfectly full water glass, I shake my head no. The waitress politely excuses herself, and I look at the time on my phone. I have been waiting here for more than an hour. I don’t think that Luna Francesca is going to show up.

I fight back the tears that are threatening to fall from my eyes as I try to keep my composure in the busy cafe. I should have known after the way she treated me yesterday that it would be a miracle if she showed up. But I at least thought she would want to save face and show up to a lunch with the Luna Queen.

The way I see it, I have two options. I can leave here with my stomach rumbling, or I can enjoy a lunch alone. Picking up the menu, I begin to scan through the options. Just as I have decided on a light salad, I hear Harold’s stomach rumbling from beside me.

I look up to the massive man standing by my side, and he quickly avoids my eye contact. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I look at the man squirming under my gaze.

“Sit,” I command him, and his eyes widen as he looks back in my direction.

“I cannot,” he grunts. He places his hands behind his back and stands a little taller.

“I insist,” I say as I get to my feet. “I want you to join me for lunch.”

“It wouldn’t be proper,” Harold informs me.

“Says who?” I laugh. “I would like to get to know my new bodyguard, and what better way to do it than over lunch.”

Walking over to the other side of the table, I pull out the chair and wait for him to take a seat. Harold grumbles loudly, but he doesn’t protest. He sits down in the chair and picks up the menu. I watch as he reads each item on the menu. His eyebrows furrow together as he holds the menu. I can tell that he feels uncomfortable.

Settling back in my seat, I take a sip of my water before I wave down the waitress. The waitress hurries back to our table and looks slightly confused when she sees Harold sitting in Luna Francesca’s seat.

“It would appear that Luna Francesca will not be joining me today,” I say sourly. “So Harold will be taking her place.”

Harold peeks over the top of his menu, and I can see a blush spreading across his cheeks. I smile brightly at him, and he ducks his head back behind the menu. I look back at the waitress, and she seems to be just as shocked and embarrassed as Harold, but I refuse to let Luna Francesca’s absence ruin my day.

“I will have the house salad with ranch dressing,” I inform the waitress. She quickly writes my order down and then waits for Harold to order.

“Cub Sandwich,” Harold grumbles as he hands his menu to the waitress.

Taking our menus from us, our waitress hurries away from our table, leaving Harold and me in an uncomfortable silence. Harold fiddles with his napkin, still refusing to make eye contact with me.

“Tell me about yourself,” I say, breaking the silence between us.

“There ain’t much to say,” Harold says. I smile as he speaks because he has the most delightful Southern accent.

“I am sure your life has been more interesting than mine,” I say before taking a sip of my water. “This is the first time I have been out of the North Pack.”

Harold grunts. “I’ve never been out of the South Pack,” he grumbles.

“Do you want to see other places outside the South Pack?” I ask him.

I swear I see a smirk under Harold’s thick beard and a twinkle in his eyes. “I have always wanted to see the North Pack,” he says quietly. “I would like to see snow.”

“Snow?” I c**k my head to the side. “Have you never seen snow before?”

Harold shakes his head from side to side. “Living in South Texas, it is hot almost all year. It hasn’t snowed here since I was a boy, but I am too old to remember.”

“Then I will have to take you to the North Pack in the winter,” I say brightly.

The waitress brings our food and sets the plates in front of us. I look up from my plate to see Harold staring at me curiously.

“Is there something wrong with your sandwich?” I ask him, ready to flag down the waitress.

“No,” Harold says as he continues to look at me.

“Then what is the matter?” I ask as I lay my napkin in my lap.

“Why would you take a complete stranger with you to the North Pack just so I can see snow?” Harold rests his elbows on the table as he speaks to me.

“Why not?” I return his question with a question.

“Shouldn’t you be more wary of who you spend your time with?” He asks.

“Are you saying that you are planning to hurt me?” I muse.

“Of course not,” he says, looking down at his plate. “I just know how many attacks there have been on you. Yet you are still so trusting.”

I take a bite of my salad and think about what Harold is saying. Perhaps I am too trusting. I always want to see the good in people, no matter their situation.

I look across the table at the man who is supposed to be my new bodyguard. He has kind eyes and looks harmless, but then again, I thought Elise was harmless as well.

Suddenly, Harold jumps up from his seat and stands in front of me. His back is toward me, but I don’t need to see him to know that his teeth are bared. A loud rumble roars from his chest. I am confused. I don’t know what is going on until I hear the sound of gunshots at the front of the cafe.

“Get under the table,” Harold says over his shoulder as he prepares for a fight.