And Andrea. When she was here.
I opened the door and let her in while I stayed outside. I saw her eyes wandering around the room, but she kept her emotions in check.
“Rest. I’ll have someone bring lunch for you.”
“Thank you.” She turned around and faced me, uncertainty written on her face. “Is he always like that? Growly and always pissed off? Should I be scared of him?”
“No. He’s a good man. He’s just…” I stopped with my words when Alpha Riley’s words rang in my head.‘What the fuck is taking you so long to come back? Didn’t I tell you to show her the room and leave her alone?’
I let out a sigh before I smiled at Nadia. I was worn out, and the Alpha’s mood wasn’t helping. “We’ll talk some other time. The Alpha is looking for me.”
She smiled and bobbed her head, her hand holding onto the doorknob. “Okay, thank you.”
I watched as she moved to close the door.
“Nadia, just be patient with your mate. He can be an asshole, but he just needs a female to tame him down.” I didn’t wait for her to reply before I turned on my heels and walked away.
“Tame him down?” I could hear the bitterness in her voice, and that made me stop walking, but I didn’t look back at her. “He’s not a pet. I don’t want to tame him. But if you mean to calm his storm, maybe I can. Maybe I will… If he lets me.”
A smile cracked on my face at her words. She liked him. That was good enough to start with. Alpha Riley only needed to realize he wanted and needed her.
I was already losing hope that he would get back on his feet and be the same Alpha that he was before, but with Nadia’s arrival, I saw a silver lining.
Chapter 9
RILEY.
Jacob had gone backto his territory and I hadn’t seen Nadia for the rest of the day.
I spent my time trying to focus on the many pending papers that my Beta forced me to read, but I wasn’t successful. Nadia consumed all my thoughts.
I couldn’t explain the happiness I felt when I saw her at the border. It was as if my body had come back to life. I started breathing again. But I hope I can make her stay.
Dominic told me how Nadia’s eyes brightened when she found out she could stay for more than one day. It gave me hope. Maybe she wanted to stay here.
If Jacob was right, she needed my protection, and I could use that to my advantage. I could ask her to stay without forcing her and then make my way into her life. But how? I had no idea, but I would still try.
I looked at the clock overhead. It was almost dinnertime, and although I didn’t get anything done, I felt a new sense of energy within me. I wanted to be an Alpha again, fix my life, and prove to her there was a possibility of a good life with me.
I stood up and brushed my hair with my fingers, smoothing it nicely.
Earlier, after lunch, I shaved my long beard to the regular length I used to have so I would look more presentable and not like a hermit.
I chuckled despite myself as I walked to the door. I never cared about how people viewed me. I wore clothes and fixed myself as I pleased, so it felt strange to suddenly want to impress someone. It seemed like I was growing up backward and was only starting my teenage years.
“Just right in time, I was about to inform you that dinner is ready.” Dominic was outside the door when I opened it.
I scrunched up my nose as I walked past him. “I’ll skip. I have things to do.”
“Or female to do?” He snickered, and I turned my head around and glared at him.
“One more time you say something like that about Nadia, I’m going to cut your fucking balls.”
He raised his hands in the air, but he was still grinning. I let out the grin I was trying to suppress before turning around. “But tell them to save something for Nadia and me. We’ll eat dinner together.”
“Yes, Alpha!” He answered in a joyful tone before it turned serious. “Alpha... control your mood swings. I don’t think Nadia has anywhere to go. So try to be calm and gentle with her. She might run away if she feels threatened.”
I nodded before walking up the stairs. Dominic was right. If I wanted her to stay, I had to do things I wasn’t used to doing.
