The Alpha's Struggle

CHAPTER ELEVEN

~Sayd~

Sleep hadn't come easy the next few days. I was exhausted because of non-stop classes and extracurriculars after class for extra credit. I always tried to come back earlier than to my apartment so that I had enough time to rest but despite my efforts, I'd still show up after 9 pm. Today was not any different, maybe a bit worse. I had the longest day at school but because of recent events, I started to use the bus.

When I got to my apartment there was a note behind the door which I was sure was from Mera. She would always write me a note whenever she wasn't spending the night at home.

' Don't wait up for me, I'm out with a friend,

Whenever she didn't specify who 'a friend ' was then it was definitely a male. I just didn't know who. Being the social butterfly that she was she had hundreds of guys after her, but she had only ever seemed to be interested in one.

I stuck the note back in the door and went to my room. The moment I got there, I threw myself, with my bag behind my back face flat on the bed. I snaked my hands out of the handle of my bag then got up again and went to my closet. I pulled out my only blue string top that I liked to wear to bed on days like this when it was a hundred degrees outside with it my underwear at the bottom.

I walked out of my closet while tying my hair in a bum. Then I saw something like a shadow on my balcony. I froze when the shadow moved slightly. I considered that it might be a cat because they occasionally jumped to my window from the neighbouring apartment and I'd give them some treats. I wasn't particularly much of a cat person, but I did like animals. I quickly walked to my dresser and for a handful of chews. I walked to the balcony excited to see which one it would be today. I usually left the door open on days as hot as today so I moved the maroon curtain aside and screamed my heart out sending the chews in the air when I saw it was not a cat.

Kace was standing casually against the rails of my balcony looking completely unfazed.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I asked still out of breath.

" I was going to knock, but I saw you were heading here anyway. "

"You can't just show up and somebody's balcony unannounced. "

Still catching my breath I noticed his eyes travelled from mine and slowly down my body. My eyes widened and I grabbed the curtain quickly wrapping it around me.

" Don't look you perve!"

"I'm not looking," he turned his eyes away then looked back at me and smiled.

"Stop!"

"Okay I'm sorry," he chuckled and turned around.

"Just stay here."

I made sure he still wasn't looking as I rushed back I'm my room and put back on the sweatpants I Aqsawore today.

"You can turn around now. "

I walked back to the balcony as he turned around to look at me.

"I kind of thought your first outfit fit you better," he said looking down at my sweats and I smacked his arm.

"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" I then looked down the balcony. " How did you even get up here? "

His hand went into his pocket " You dropped this in my car. " he said holding a gold chain with a small pendent.

"Oh thank God," I said getting it from him." I thought I lost this. My mom was surely going to kill me if I did. "

It was one of the many gifts my dad got my mom. She let me borrow it for a date I was supposed to go to with Dante about a month ago, but I hadn't returned it yet.

"Thank you. " I said to him.

I had already decided that I wouldn't be returning it anytime soon, so I put it on again.

"Do you need any help?" Kace asked as I fidgeted with it.

Before I could answer I noticed the light in the next room had turned on.

"Get inside, " I said with urgency.

"What? " he asked seeming confused.

"Get inside now."

I grabbed his arm and pulled him along with me. Then I closed and locked the doors.

"What's the matter?" he sounded genuinely concerned.

"My landlady is crazy nosey," I said explaining quickly. " And she has all these crazy rules about not having any guys over after 10 p.m. "

The girl living in the next room was her daughter, Ashanti. Unlike her crazy mother who couldn't seem to mind her business, she was a good friend of mine. Unfortunately for her, her mother would always make her tag along in her late-night patrols to try to find anyone breaking the rules. And that's probably why her light went on. I was already on my second strike and as you know, three strikes and you're out.

"The front door," I said in realisation. " I think I left it open. "

I walked across my room and then looked back at Kace. "Stay here. "

As I was walking to the front door I heard Ashanti's voice along with her mother and another man's that I couldn't identify.

"Mom, I'm sure it was nothing, I didn't hear anyone scream. "

I cursed mentally that was definitely me they were talking about. I cracked open the door and stuck my head out to see my landlady in her robe dragging her daughter who looked like she was from a deep sleep.

"I'm certain I heard something," They were moving in the opposite direction of the hallway which was a relief.

"Why don't you just move?" Kace startled me when he spoke behind me.

" I told you to stay in my room," I yelled a whispered.

Ashanti then looked in the direction of my room and her eyes grew wider she saw Kace and I peeking out the door. She vigorously shook her head and made signs for me to go back inside.

"But then again I think it was Mera and Sayd's room. "

Immediately I pushed Kace back inside before she could see us.

"Nobody's even home mom," Ashanti interjected

"Then why is their door open? Look it's open. "

Crap, crap, crap.

"Is she coming here?—"

I smacked Kace's mouth shut with my hand and pushed him behind the door against the wall. I heard their footsteps getting closer to my room and we moved further behind the door.

"See, no one is there," Ashanti complained. " Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Hold on," she opened the door a little more forcing me to move further against Kace.

It was then that I realised how close I was to him. My chest was against him. His chest rose in sync with mine and the fact that I didn't have a bra on made me worry that he could feel the perkiness of my breasts. I fit into him, like two pieces of a puzzle. His hand went around the small of my back to keep me from falling. I shut my eyes and head sunk into his shoulder as my landlady peaked inside.

"Sayd? Mera? " she called and then listened. For a moment I felt like I had stopped breathing. Kace was also as stiff as a rock. "Huh, seems you're right, there's no one here. They must have forgotten to lock their door."

Go away, please go away.

"See I told you, plus I think I heard the scream from that side, not here. "

"Let me just close this for them. "

My door made a squeak as she closed it. For a few more seconds neither Kace nor I moved as we both listened to their steps walk away and slowly become distant which allowed me to finally breathe. I only realised that my hand was still covering Kace's mouth when he gently grabbed my wrist and moved it away. I looked at my arm in his hand now then looked at him and found him looking down at me. The way he was looking at me was enough to make me speechless. His gaze was fixed on me with unwavering radiation. As if I were a priceless work of art hung up in the most prestigious museum or the very centre of the universe. I involuntarily sucked my bottom lip and his eyes travelled to look at my innocent action that turned into something very sensual and sent heat through my body where it shouldn't be.

"Good night mom," Ashanti shouted from the hallway bringing us both back to the reality we left. I turned my head to look at the door when back at Kace who's hand was hesitantly slipping off my back.

"I—I think she's gone now. "

"Yeah," Kace responded. I noticed how he looked at my lips again for a split second then he let go of me completely.

I took two steps away from him, then pretended like I was going to the fridge to get something but really the temperature was suddenly very hot in the room.

"So, is it okay if I leave now?" he asked standing in the middle of the living room.

"No," I said after I got two cans of diet coke from the fridge. "You have to wait for her to fall asleep now. "

His mouth made an 'oh ' and he nodded.

"Well that sucks, I left my phone in my car outside. "

"Is your car locked?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't worry," I tossed him a can and he caught it like a pro. " In the mean time, you and I can learn to like each other. "