Alex’s surprise to me was a candle-lit dinner by the beach. There were rose petals everywhere, and I kept grinning from start to finish, especially when he told me he had cooked the main dish himself.
The fact that he put so much thought into our first date made me fall deeper for the man if that was possible.
Would I ever be able to call him mine?
I was starting to get greedier for him with each passing moment together, it would seem.
The dessert was a small-sized layered cake that had one candle on it.
“Happy birthday, love,” he said, his smile moving me to tears.
“Thank you,” I struggled to keep the tears at bay.
Then, he nodded to one of the servers, and I was soon presented with a small box.
My eyes widened at once.
“There’s more?!” I squealed in delight and disbelief both.
“I hope you’ll find it to your liking,” he said simply.
It was the most delicate looking hairpin I had ever had.
“I love it,” I whispered.
** ** ** ** **
In the two weeks that followed, the whispers behind my back intensified. No matter how much I tried to ignore them, I couldn’t say I was completely unaffected.
I was called a ladder-climber and a gold-digger by the meanest members of the pack and, no doubt, by some of the women who used to fancy Alex. Some others just wondered how a plain Jane such as I could grab his attention and also tame and domesticate him. Indeed, Alex was a wild wolf who bowed to no one, who had his fair share of conquests, so I understood how it could come off as a surprise. Truth be told, I was stunned myself by this.
I was in the dining hall, studying again, when there was a commotion at the entrance. I didn’t let it bother me and carried on with what troubled me most namely, calculus.
“Jade,” Luc called in a panicky tone.
I raised my head and looked in the direction of his voice. With a raised eyebrow I asked him what was wrong.
“It’s Xander,” he said as he approached me. “He’s been under a lot of stress lately and been in a snappy mood most of the time.”
I frowned. “Really? I have not noticed.”
“How would you? He’s the most charming man around you,” he let out in a teasing tone. “He nearly killed a member who was supposed to be on patrol yesterday but who was a no show… Anyway, can you head to his office now and help diffuse the situation?”
“You think I can?” I snorted. I didn’t believe to have such an effect on Alex.
“Only you can,” he assured me.
Doubt and insecurities gnawing at my insides, I obliged Luc.
The nearer I came to Alex’s office, the more flustered I became for some reason. Truth be told, I had been feeling slightly out of it since morning, but had not paid it any mind… till now.
I was starting to believe this was a ridiculous idea my trying to calm Alex down but I couldn’t chicken out now, no matter if I was to be made a laughing stock in the process.
I wasn’t particularly shocked to see the former alpha trying to calm his son down. But I was a little bit taken aback to notice his words had no effect whatsoever on Alex.
Then, those deep mesmerizing green eyes found mine. There was something akin to adoration and longing in their depths, and I almost melted by the door.
I entered his office, noticing the terrified look on the patroller’s face as he tried to merge with the wall. I made a beeline to Alex, on his side of the desk, and his dad said softly, “Jade. You’re here. We could use your help.”
Alex’s parents turned out to be much more accepting of me and my relationship with their son than I ever thought possible, so this input of his didn’t come off as a surprise per se. Admittedly, the meaning behind his words did stun me a little bit.
I didn’t believe to be particularly special to Alex. Sure, he was more possessive of me than he was of his previous conquests, but that wasn’t to mean I was special. I didn’t allow that to fool me into believing he had feelings for me, and I always braced myself for the day he would wake up and realize I wasn’t worth his time and attention.
Alex inhaled deeply, seemingly in an attempt to calm himself down. And by the time I stood behind his chair, and started to massage his shoulders, the atmosphere was no longer as oppressive as it was when I first came in.
He let out a loud groan before saying almost as if to justify himself, “He abandoned patrol duty.”
“Surely, there has to be a reason,” I supplied softly and looked at the patroller with a pointed look, hoping my trust in the stranger wasn’t for naught.
“My…” he began hesitantly, and then almost as if steeling himself, he carried on, “my pregnant mate passed out minutes before I was supposed to head out. I rushed her to the healer. And in my panic and confusion, I forgot to have someone cover my shift for me.”
“See?” Alex’s dad let out. “You almost killed an innocent man.”
“And he could have caused the death of many with his carelessness,” Alex retorted, not missing a beat.
“But there was none, was there?” I attempted to placate him.
Alex grumbled a reply before saying, “Double shift for you tomorrow, Jonathan. Free.”
“Yes, alpha,” he nodded curtly his consent.
“You’re dismissed,” he then told him.
Jonathan left in a hurry, almost as if he was afraid his punishment would be worse if he lingered.
Luc entered with a tray in hand. I eyed the flat water with longing.
And to my displeasure, I went from slightly flustered to downright feverish, heat blooming in my insides and spreading to my whole body.
Luc’s eyes flashed black and Alex’s growl startled me.
What was happening to them? To me?
“Out!” Alex barked as he spun around in his pivoting chair, and then swept me off my feet.
I vaguely noticed Luc leaving the office in a hurry.
Alex’s touch alleviated the uncomfortable feeling slightly, but not enough. It wasn’t enough. I wanted to claw at his clothes and have him fill me… Oh heavens!
“You should take her to your wing,” Alex’s father advised.
“What’s wrong with me?” I croaked out, frustrated tears stinging my eyes.
“You’re going into heat, love.”