Chapter 9 But in the blink of an eye , that faint cedarwood scent was gone . I blinked hard , quieting my breath , trying to deny what I'd just felt . " Not possible ... it was just an illusion . " My wolf was dead . It could never sense anything again . I forced my heartbeat to steady , then stepped into the cafeteria - where the noise and the aroma of food hit me full on . As I looked for a seat , a little girl caught my eye . She looked no more than five years old , wearing an exquisite red lace dress with a pearl hair clip in her golden hair . She was crying alone in the waiting area . Strangely , she had nothing to pass the time : no toys , no tablet . I hesitated for a moment , then walked over and crouched down to meet her eyes . " Hi there , sweetheart . " She looked up , her large eyes filled with fear , breathing so rapidly it was heartbreaking - in that moment , I wanted nothing more than to drag out whoever had left her alone here and teach them a lesson . " Why are you here all by yourself ? " " Daddy is with that mean lady , " she said quietly . Though her tears had stopped , her small body remained tense , her eyes warily sizing me up . If such scrutiny came from an adult , I probably would have been gasping for breath 11:29 The Alpha's Kegret Begging for His Outcast Mate Chapter 9 by now . " They told me to wait here , but it's been so long ... I'm scared . " " I see , " I tried to keep smiling , though fury was already raging inside me . " So it's Daddy and a mean lady , right ? " I sat down in the chair beside her and took out my phone . She was immediately drawn to it , sitting next to me and leaning in to see my screen . I opened the law firm's website - I needed to figure out who her father was meeting with and why he'd left her alone outside crying . " Have you played I Spy before ? " She nodded with a smile , her eyes lighting up . " I'm really good at that game . " " I believe you ! Um ... this is simpler , nothing can hide from us . Want to help me find that ' mean lady ' ? " I lowered my voice mysteriously , turning this search into a little game . I pulled up my own photo first - since my profile was listed first - and showed it to her : " Is it ... this lady ? " " No ! " She giggled and shook her head , her curls bouncing playfully . The anxiety that had been shrouding her seemed to dissipate instantly . I secretly breathed a sigh of relief . Such fear shouldn't exist at her age . 11:29 The Alpha's Regret : Begging for His Outcast Mate Chapter 9 " That's you ! " " That's right , " I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled too . " Then ... is it this one ? " Each time she shook her head , we'd flip to the next one , until she suddenly stopped , her little finger pointing to one of the photos . " Ah , I know this one , " I said in a soothing tone . She looked up at me , her eyes showing ... surprise ? Or admiration ? " If you'd like to come with me , I'll take you to meet a friend of mine first , then I'll go help you find Daddy , okay ? " " A really good friend ? " she asked quietly . " The very best kind , " I promised . She held out her tiny pinky , and I smiled as I linked it with mine . " Pinky promise , sealed for a hundred years - see , now I can't break my word . " I took her hand , but as I looked up , I suddenly noticed a strange man standing not far away , watching us . I couldn't make out his expression clearly , but he had obviously heard the little girl's complaint and made no attempt to hide the fact that he was " eavesdropping . " He had short dark brown hair , almost black , slightly tousled but as if naturally styled that way . His jawline was sharp , his lips stern , as if carved stroke by stroke . His frame was tall and powerful . Even casually leaning against a stone pillar in the 11:29 The Alpha's Regret Begging for His Outcast Mate Chapter 9 corridor , he radiated an undeniable presence . His shirt collar wasn't buttoned up , the exposed collarbone and defined neck lines more alluring than any deliberate display . I assessed him with a professional eye - not a client , so who was he ? Yet in that exact moment , a strange flutter stirred in my chest . He carried an aura of calm steadiness - unapproachable , yet warm - and I found myself drawn to him , almost against my will . Even stranger : I thought I caught a whiff of that familiar cedarwood scent on him - the very one I'd picked up earlier . But just as quickly , it seemed to fade into the air , leaving me unsure if it had ever really been there , or if it was just my imagination . 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