He doesn’t say anything, simply looks at me, tilting his shaved head to the side in curiosity. I can’t decide whether that’s a good thing as the intensity of his gaze makes my skin prickle.
Stashing the vibrator in my pocket, I focus on what’s truly important, looking behind him for my beautiful special edition book. My breath catches when I spot it just behind him, open, spine cracked, lying face down in the road.
“No!” My bottom lip trembles as a car drives over it, wheels thick with mud, leaving a muddy tire track over it and pressing the pages farther into the filthy pooling water below. I feel like I’ve witnessed a murder.
A pathetic, wounded yelp comes from my mouth as I dash out to grab it. “My book!”
Not looking around me, a speeding motorcycle comes from out of nowhere. Terror freezes me to the spot when it hurtles in my direction as I’m bending over, reaching for it. There’s a squeal as the motorcycle tries to brake, but it continues to skid due to the conditions.
This is it. These headlights are going to be the last thing I see.
Firm hands around my waist yank me back at the last second, hoisting me out of the way of the motorcycle before I’m as squashed as my book.
“You’re safe now,” the alpha says, his voice a low rumble.
He pulls me against him, my body quaking at the realization of what almost happened. How could I have been so stupid? Hismuscular arms, which are the size of tree trunks, encase me, capturing me in their grounding embrace.
I don’t know what I’ve done wrong to make the universe hate me so much. First, Jagger ruined my date with Tae, making it almost impossible for me to continue to see the first guy I’ve liked since meeting him. Now my precious, one-of-a-kind special edition is ruined. It was the last one on the shelf!
While my world feels like it’s imploding, the alpha doesn’t let go of me. His scent wraps around me like a protective cocoon. He smells like a crackling campfire with sweet marshmallows toasting over it and rich maple syrup. It’s the ultimate comforting smell.
I sniffle. “My book… It’s ruined.”
“Your book?” He finally releases me. “You almost got killed, and you’re worried about your book?”
His lightly stubbled jaw flexes as he stares down at me through the rain, looking at me like I’ve gone insane.
“It was a s-s-special edition,” I reply shakily, wobbling a little since my legs feel like rubber.
“Uh…” His eyes dart around, seemingly unsure of what to do next. “Are you okay?” He speaks with a deep Southern drawl, filling my mind with images of a cowboy riding in to rescue me on horseback.
“S-s-sorry.” I hiccup, not daring to look at the remains of my book again as a loose page flutters past my ankles tauntingly. “It’s just…” The rain comes down harder, sticking my wet curls to my forehead. “I’ve had a bad day. A really bad day.”
My emotions bubble over uncontrollably, my shoulders shaking as I unleash everything that’s been building up inside me and start to cry.
This isn’t the cute type of crying that you see in movies. This is the swollen eyes, struggling to breathe with your nose running while looking like a total wreck kind of blubbering. The onlysolace is that there’s no one else around but us to witness my mini breakdown.
“It’ll be okay.” The alpha pats my shoulder awkwardly. “I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”
“But it is!” I wail. “There’s this guy, and I hate him, but then I saw him again… Then the book… and the book club members are obsessed… and…” None of what I say makes sense, but he continues to pat my shoulder anyway. Until I dive at him...
I don’t know what comes over me.
I throw my arms around his middle, still hysterically crying, clutching onto him as if my life depends on it. He doesn’t move for a second, then he slowly spreads his arms for me like a flower opening to the sun. He doesn’t say anything. He just holds me, leaning over a little to shield me from the worst of the weather as I take refuge in his campfire scent. He holds me like I’m fragile, something he may break, but I burrow deeper, fisting the fabric of his shirt in my hands as I weep. Something about this stranger makes me feel like I can shed my walls.
After what happened with Jagger, I swore to myself I’d be more cautious around strange alphas, yet here I am, sobbing into the chest of a complete stranger. This is a new low.
I don’t know how long we stand there, but we’re fused together until I feel like all my tears have dried up. When a group of passing students wolf-whistles in our direction, the low growl coming from the alpha holding me is enough to startle me to my senses.
“I’m s-s-so sorry.” I pull away from him. “I don’t know what…”
He clears his throat. “You’re probably in shock after almost getting hit by a motorcycle.” His piercing blue eyes sweep over me with an intense focus that makes me feel warm, despite the fact that my clothes are soaked through. “And cold.”
“Maybe a little.” I suppress a shiver.
“Do you live close by?” he asks. “Let me take you home.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m over in Omega Village. It’s a short walk.”
