My Alpha's Secret

"Paige?" ... "Paige?" ... "Paige?" ... "PAIGE?" Ambers voice rang out in the empty store that is my herbal shop. "Are you okay?" Her voice pulling me from my thoughts. A look of concern on her face, and brown eyes wide with worry. " I'm fine Amber." I replied. "What were we talking about?" "We were talking about the coming home celebration tonight." She says, never taking her eyes off of me. "Sorry Amber." I say as I start closing down the shop. "I have a lot on my plate right now. I don't think I'll be going tonight." She pokes out her lips, pouting at my words. She looks me up and down while crossing arms. "You liar..." She says shaking her head causing her straight light brown hair to brush her shoulders. Of course she would know. She always can tell automatically when I'm lying to her, we've been best friends ever since I can remember. We are grown up and have lives of our own. She just got engaged to her high school sweetheart. End the end he turned out to be her mate. She's one of the lucky ones. It normally doesn't happen like that. In all honesty, I've had a lot on my mind. I am by no means okay. I'm juggling being a single mom and a full time pack herbalist; that's no easy task. The pack herbalist is very simialar to a pharmacist. except we make antiodotes for poison, and all remedies you can think a pack would ever need. We also have to learn medical terms, and memorize a s**t ton of plants, like flower, herbs, and berries. Which that part I like, it's fun to learn about things like that. Atleast to me it is. I like to think of all the pack members that I help. I, personally, think it's an important job, but that is probably every individuals own opinion. It makes me feel good inside when I see all the pack members I help. I can see the happiness and gratitude in the smiles on their faces. It really brings me joy to help others and see it makes a difference in their everyday lives. But nothing brings me more joy than being a mother to my little boy, Mason. Unfortunately, Mason's father and I didn't work out but those types of relationships never do. We had been together for four years prior to Mason being born. I had fallen head over heals in love with him. How could I not? He was smart, funny, and extremely handsome. He was everything I thought I would ever need. Even when I had an emergency c-section, he stood by my side every step of the way. Then a little over a year after mason being born, he came home from work with some news. Not good news for me, but great news for him. See we were not mates, but decided to have a family anyway. That day he came home and told me he had found his mate. No amount of crying, screaming or begging could stop him. Nothing I did could make him stay so how could I ask that? I couldn't. I had just let him go. I know it wasn't fair, but neither was asking him to reject his mate. So I wasn't mad when he told me he was leaving. What made me pset was he just left our son. Not receiving texts, phone calls, christmas or even birthday cards. Nothing. He completely cut us out of his life. For weeks I was a total disaster. I screamed until I had no voice. I cried until there was no more tears to cry. I had no motivation. For atleast two weeks I didn't even leave the house. If it weren't for Amber I'm pretty sure I would have lost custody of Mason. Then I probably would have seriously died of broken heart syndrome. Still loking at me, I knew she already knew what was on my mind. Her tiny round face sporting a frown. Forming wrinkles on her forhead. I can feel the sympathy radiating off of her. She looks around the empty store. The old grandfather clock now ringing. 6 o'clock. Closing time. All of a sudden her expression changes. A wicked smile spread across her face. She turns to the leave. "I'll be right back." She says walking away.