AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tomorrow. I will be here tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. And all the while, I’ll be growing more and more attached to these Alphas, needing them, knowing that it can only ever be temporary.
My stomach sours at the thought, and I place the pastry back on my plate, only halfway eaten. “I think I’m still tired,” I lie, and Mile’s face instantly turns worried.
“Is it the suppressants? Are you feeling ill? What can I do?” He shoots questions at me like bullets, and I’m overwhelmed by his attention.
“No, I just sleep weird hours. Remember what I told you, I’m a ghostwriter. I often work at night. And with all the excitement yesterday, I’m just not where I need to be.”
His expression relaxes slightly, but he’s still leaning toward me, as if trying to protect me from my own fatigue using his body as a shield. “Okay. Do you want me to run you a bath? Don’t tell anyone, but Fox has these special oils that smell like raspberries—”
“I can’t, not yet,” I remind him. “Someone has to go get my stuff from my apartment. I have my suppressants with me, but my scent blocker is still there.”
“You’re not a prisoner here, Riley,” he says. “I can take you there. You’re allowed to leave the house.”
“Right,” I say, letting out a nervous laugh, my hands wringing together between my legs.
“Unless you aren’t comfortable after what happened yesterday, then—”
“No, I’m fine,” I lie, hating how he continually seems to be able to read my mind. Having that officer’s hands on me, hard and hot, trapping me, brought back some memories I thought I’d rid myself of a long time ago.
“Why don’t you grab your boots and finish getting ready. We can head out in fifteen minutes. I’ll make you an iced coffee for the road.”
I go upstairs to wash my face and brush my teeth with a brand new, still in the package toothbrush that someone thoughtfully left out for me. Glancing at my face in the mirror, I can see the results of a good night’s rest. My skin seems brighter with no dark shadows under my eyes. Being with the Woods pack is good for me, even if I’ve only been here half a day.
If only the reverse could also be true. Then I’d really have the makings of a Hallmark romance here.
I laugh darkly, turning out the light and heading down to meet Miles at his car. The air outside is so untainted by Alpha scent that I hesitate as I step through the oversized front door, a sudden urge to go back inside and bury myself back in the covers almost too strong to deny.
Down the steps, Miles opens the passenger side door for me with a crooked smile on his lips.
“Ready to go?” he asks.
Never.
“Sure.”
NINE
—
R I L E Y
The car rideback into town with Miles is simultaneously awkward and wonderful. His presence is soothing, but at the same time, neither of us has anything to say to each other. He seems to be waiting on me to speak first, maybe to make a decision, but I’m waiting for him to just give up on me. To realize that he doesn’t want this broken Omega he found on the street.
By the time we get to my apartment building, my nerves are absolutely frazzled, and Miles has a lost look on his face.
An idea occurs to me, one that would give us a little space to think over our respective situations. “Would it be okay if I have lunch with a friend while I’m in town?” I ask as I unclip my seatbelt. “I don’t want to keep you from your work, if you need to get back to the house right away.”
The muscle of Miles’s jaw ticks, and his lips turn down in a hesitant frown. “A friend?” He drums his hands on the steering wheel. Does he not want me to have friends? Then his scent rolls over me, and I realize—he’s worried I want to meet another Alpha.
“Yes, my friend Caroline. She’s a Beta.”
His shoulders relax just a smidge.
“She works at the bookstore where we met. Hey, maybe I can ask her to give you a discount for saving my ass.”
He lets out a startled laugh as I finally unbuckle and exit the car, the sound of his laugh making me feel a bit lighter. “You should probably stay out here. My apartment is where I spend most of my time, and well…”
“Your unmasked scent is all over it,” he finishes for me, removing his keys completely from the ignition. He starts fiddling with them, clearly uncomfortable. He nibbles his lower lip, glancing between me and the building.
