Alpha’s Virgin Stripper

Kenji was the one who pushed the glass door of the restaurant open, while Lake stepped into the air-conditioned room before him. The moment they walked in, they were welcomed by the aroma of several steaming hot meals, placed on several tables around the room.

Kenji watched his best friend walk slowly and carefully until they approached a table at the end of the room. Kenji followed him behind, while wondering what it was that had caused Lake to insist they come here. It was certainly not hunger, because from all indications, Lake was far past having a growling stomach. He settled into the seat in front of Lake, on the same table. His eyes did not leave the man for a single moment.

Lake’s mind continued to wonder around the room, he found it hard to restrict his thoughts to a particular thing. He had decided to come here with anger and resentment in his heart. But knowing he was here, and his mother was under the same roof with him, caused his heart to melt slowly. There was a faint feeling of relief, like a child who had found a pencil crayon he had been searching for. It was like the piece of him which had been missing was finally found.

A beautiful waitress with the name tag “Mel” walked towards them. Lake and Kenji could recognize the lady from the hospital. When she asked for their orders, both men opted for drinks only.

“A glass of Cognac, please,” Kenji spoke, his eyes finding Lake’s bored eyes.

“A bottle of water,” Lake said.

Kenji narrowed his eyes on his best friend. Something was definitely wrong with him, but why wasn’t he speaking? It was not unusual for Lake to be quiet, but this silence carried a thick and dark cloud Kenji could almost touch, along with it.

Emerald caught sight of her visitors from the table she sat, at the far end of the room. Her heart leaped for joy in her chest as she rose up from her seat to meet them. Emerald could not hide the excitement in her eyes, or in her stance. She had been longing to see him, her son, from the moment he stepped his feet into her restaurant. She had returned only to meet him, and after all these years, she was finally close, so close to having her son back. It was more than a dream come true.

She walked go their table and stood in front of the men. Kenji looked up at her first, a broad smile formed on his face. Lake took his time before he stared at the woman. Emerald wore a bright smile on her face, grinning from ear to ear.

“Alpha Lake, Beta Kenji. I cannot lie, I am most delighted to have the both of you here once more.” Before the men could speak, Emerald made sure she had dropped an offer for them. She was not the best cook, but she was determined to prepare a meal for her son today. A way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, right?

Maybe, just maybe if he tasted one of her meals, it would taste familiar and he would remember her.

“I would like to make the offer I made the last time. Today, I would be preparing your meal by myself. Whatever your stomach craves, say the word and I’ll get it done.”

Kenji was going to say something, but Lake was faster.

“Cabbage noodles.” He blurted out. For some reason, perhaps for the memories the dish held in his heart, his heartbeat quickened as he mentioned it.

Emerald gaped at him. The four syllable sentence had her heart racing in her chest and her tongue tied in shock. She saw the look in his eyes as he mentioned it. Cabbage noodles was his favorite meal as a child. She had developed a special recipe for him, it used to make him happy, brighten his mood whenever he was sad.

Did he suddenly recognize her? Emerald shook her head. Of course not, he could not remember her but he could remember he had a mother who loved to prepare cabbage noodles for him. There was a difference between the two cases, and the difference was tearing her apart.

“I know it is not on the menu, but could you please make it available? It’s been really long since I had the dish. My mother used to make it when I was little, it used to make me feel better whenever I was sick.” He said out loud. Lake watched the woman’s reactions carefully.

So far, everything he had been seeing was only convincing him that Neil had been right. The man’s findings were correct. Lake did not know if it angered him or relieved him.

Emerald’s heart shrunk in her chest. She could hear the shrieking sound of her heart shrinking and she ignored it. Tears threatened to well up in her eyes but she fought it back.

She forced a smile and cleared her throat.

“Yes! It would interest you to know that I am an absolute pro in the art of making cabbage noodles. Now sit up, I hope you have your appetite set and ready, be prepared to be blown away.” She managed to speak. She considered it a miracle that she did not drop to the ground in tears. It had been over twenty years since she made the meal. It was impossible to bring herself to make that dish after Lake was forcefully removed from her life.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She turned her back towards their table and walked away. A part of her rejoiced, while the other part was laden with sadness.

Lake watched his mother walk away from the table. As she spoke to them, he noticed the resemblance between them. Even though he had taken his father’s onyx orbs against his mother’s sapphire eyes, it was easy to see the resemblance in their smile and mannerisms.

Apart from the fact that he was just seeing his mother after many years, the thought that he had rejected his mate for a third time was draining energy out of him. River had already returned to his shell, where it was certain he would be able to be quiet. Everything around him was weighing down. He had always been a ruler, but this was more than the physical weight he had to carry for his people. This was dearer to him, it was emotional.

He really needed the cabbage noodles. It was the only thing that could calm him as a child. The spicy noodles he would suck from his chopsticks as a child. The sauce always stuck to the sides of his lips and his mother would make sure to wipe it off with a paper towel.

The lady was back at the table, almost as quickly as she had disappeared.

“Would you like it spicy, alpha?” Emerald had not intended to, but she had somehow managed to plant who whole focus around the alpha.

Lake nodded.

“Yes, please. As spicy as can be.” Lake replied. The woman, Emerald, nodded eagerly and walked away from them again.

All that while, Kenji leaned into his chair and watched his best friend with keen eyes. Something was not right. Lake had never allowed anyone to make the meal for him, not even his grandmother. The dish had always held a special place in Lake’s heart. And now, he was asking a woman who was a total stranger to prepare it?

Kenji adjusted his posture in his seat and stared at Lake, watching and looking for an insight into what was happening in the man’s mind, but he found nothing.

Lake either knew what he was doing, pulling both their strings on purpose and leading them on some sort of goose chase, or this was the goddess connecting mother and son together in odd ways.

When Lake turned to him and tore his eyes away from him instantly, Kenji had a grave feeling it was the former.