First (A Crescent Chronicles Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’d get to do with Allie to make an heir. I quickly pushed that thought away. I was only a few feet from my grandmother. “I’ll have a kid eventually.”
     
    “You’ve met someone.” Her lips curved into a small smile. “Out with it.”
     
    “What?” I sat up with a start. Had I said something out loud?
     
    She cast me a warning glance. “Don’t lie to me. You were day dreaming about someone.”
     
    “I don’t day dream.”
     
    “I expect to meet her soon.” She folded her hands in her lap.
     
    “There’s no one to meet.” I didn’t even have a real date lined up with Allie, and I was thinking about getting her into bed, not binding her to me as my lifelong mate.
     
    “If there’s no one, would you like me to introduce you to a few candidates? I know of several young women who might be worthy of your hand.”
     
    “No!” I shot up out of my chair. There was no way my grandmother was playing matchmaker. “I’ll pick my own mate.”
     
    “Then do it.” She stood and hugged me again. As she turned to leave the room, she whispered, “You’ll know it if you find her.” Her voice was low, but she wanted me to hear. I didn’t need to listen to any of that again.
     
    I suffered through lunch. My grandmother only criticized my mother’s cooking once, but the conversation was awkward and no one wanted to be there. My father barely said two words to me. I knew he was still pissed about me missing the meeting. As soon as I finished, I excused myself from the table and went up to my childhood bedroom.
     
    The room was sparsely furnished and decorated, exactly the way it had been when I was a kid. My father didn’t believe that boys should bother with anything but the basics. Toys and posters would only get in the way. I walked past my king sized bed, still covered in the blue comforter I’d grown up with, before stopping in front of my dresser. I pulled open my sock drawer and searched around until I found the small ring. I’d freaked out when my father gave me the ring that was intended for my mate. Seven years later and the ruby-covered ring still scared me. I ran my fingers over the stones, stuffing it in my pocket when I heard a knock on the door.
     
    I turned to face my mom in the doorway. “Hey, Mom.” She was the one member of the family I actually got along with.
     
    “You doing all right up here? You were really quiet at lunch.” Her warm eyes studied my face. She was worried about me.
     
    “Am I ever talkative at these things?”
     
    She strode over to me. “No, but you’re going to be king soon. You’re going to have to get better at controlling your feelings.”
     
    “And I need to find a mate. Isn’t that what the theme of the day is?”
     
    “No. You don’t need to find a mate.” She gave me a long look.
     
    “I don’t?” That was news.
     
    “You need to find the right mate.” She patted me on the shoulder. “Think about that.”
     
    “Is it okay if I leave?”
     
    “Sure. Just slip out the back.”
     
    “Thanks.” I gave her a quick hug before taking the back stairs two at a time. It wasn’t until I was in my car that I realized I hadn’t put the ring back.
     

Chapter Five
     
    I owed Jared. Short of stalking the hotel to look for her or talking to my contacts, I had no immediate way to see Allie again. Lucky for me, Jess had happily slipped her number to Jared. All it took was one phone call, and the plans were set. From what I gathered, Allie hadn’t been part of the planning, but that didn’t worry me. She could play hard to get all she wanted. At the end of the night, she’d be coming home with me.
     
    We waited in front of the elevators. I’d never picked up a girl at the hotel before, but my assumption was they weren’t taking the stairs down. After waiting a few minutes, the doors opened, and I remembered why I was putting in all the effort. Allie looked even hotter than last time. She wore a pink halter style dress that