UNEXPECTED MATE

CHAPTER 6

Her hands tighten around my neck, squeezing the air out of me. I’m going to die and Alexander is just watching. He sits there like a good little puppy by her feet. Any love he has for me is gone and I can see her in his eyes.

This is the end.

This is how I die.

I gasp for air. Sitting upright in bed, gripping onto the covers to remind myself that i’m safe and no one is trying to kill me.

I was so tired after training yesterday that I just wanted to sleep but of course the minute that I did Maxwell’s words came to mind and I couldn’t shake them.

A ding distracts me and I look over to my phone to see I have a new message.

I can’t wait to see you tonight - A

Tonight is date night. I had almost forgotten. After being apart for so long so we wouldn’t raise any suspicion, tonight we’re finally going to be near each other.

I had to tell Kim the truth about my mate. If I was going to use her to cover up my secret rendezvous then it was the right thing to do. To say she was elated was an understatement but she was sworn to secrecy and even helped my plan what to wear today.

We settled on a blue cardigan and woven skirt paired with some trainers. Casual but cute I had in mine but Kim liked to point out it was also easy to get off if the occasion came up. I rolled my eyes at her but I still stuck with the outfit.

Alexander met me around the corner like he did the last time. I climbed into the car and he started driving away almost immediately. Neither of us said a word and after a while Alexander had to put the air conditioning on because we were radiating too much heat.

Alexander pulled the car over the minute we were out of town and pack territory.

He threw off his seatbelt and leaned over, putting his hand behind my neck and guiding me forward. He kissed me like the very first time. Desperate and full of passion. When he pulled away he was panting. ‘I’ve thought of those lips all week.’

His finger smooths over my lip and he kisses me again, this time super softly before putting his seatbelt on and driving away. His hand never leaves my lap and I weave my fingers into his.

‘How’s training going?’ he asks.

‘It’s amazing. It’s one thing to read all about it and practise with a dummy but doing it in real life is just incredible. I’ve learnt so much.’

Alexander smiles at me.

‘What?’ I ask.

‘I love the way your face lights up and you get excited whenever you talk about something you love. I hope you look like that when you're talking about me.’

‘I even blush.’ Alexander laughs. ‘And how do you look when your talking about me?’

‘Oh I can’t talk about you if not I get a raging bo-’

‘Ok’ I intercept, laughing with him.

I turn to face him whilst he focuses on driving. ‘What’s your main passion?’ I ask. ‘And I don’t mean being an alpha or anything that comes with the job but what's something that makes you smile just thinking about it.’

‘Other than you, you mean?’

‘Well of course.’

Alexander’s quiet for a minute and I watch as he focuses on his answer but the minute he smiles I know he has his answer. ‘This will sound strange and no one other than Maxwell understands this so please don’t take it the wrong way but my favourite passion is secrets.’

I blink at his answer. It was the last thing I expected. ‘What do you mean?’

‘As an alpha everything I do is watched and analysed. Even as a kid everyone knew who I was going to be and they were either waiting to watch me fail or mess up. That’s when I started keeping secrets. I would collect things. I’d have my own secret places and things and those were mine. They weren’t anyone else's but mine. That’s my favourite thing. Thats my passion.’

‘I’m very jealous that Maxwell knows of these places and things but I don’t.’

Alexander takes my hand and plants a kiss on it. ‘I’ll show them all to you. Every last one the minute we can be official I will have no secrets from you. That’s a promise. But i am taking you to one of my best kept secrets right now.’

Alexander pulled the car down a private road which clearly was travelled down a lot from the way the car struggled down it but when he stopped I noticed fairy lights up ahead. He got out and rushed round to my side to open the door and take my hand. We walked down the path together which opened up onto a massive beach where a table all set for dinner awaited.

‘Did you scare everyone away?’ I joke.

‘I own the beach. All of this is my private property but that house right there,’ He says pointing to the house behind us. ‘Is where my childhood nanny lives. I decided after surviving me when I was a teenager she deserved a place to call hers and in return she keeps my secret here and I can come and enjoy it in peace whenever I like.’

‘It’s amazing. And you’ve never brought anyone here before?’

‘Not until you.’

Alexander leads me to the table and we sit down, lifting off the covers on our food. We start eating and play a game of would you rather in hopes of learning more about each other. Both of us prefer night to day. We’re both coffee people and we both love the freshness of rain.

It’s my turn to ask a question. ‘If you weren’t the alpha and you were just some regular Joe what would you be? I mean what would you be doing for a job?’

‘I’d probably work in construction. I’d love to have the freedom and time on my hands to create beautiful homes and buildings.’

He must notice my face because he stops smiling. ‘What?’

‘Nothing. I just find myself constantly surprised by you. I mean before you were some big scary alpha in my eyes but now I get to see you in this whole other light.’

‘Well don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to keep.’

I laugh, standing up from the table and holding out my hand. ‘Come on big scary alpha, walk with me.’

Alexander takes my hand and we walk along the beach listening to the waves wash ashore and taking in the beautiful night sky.

‘It’s so pretty.’

Alexander follows my gaze, but misses the big rock in front of him, losing his balance and tumbling down and because my hand happened to be in his I came crashing down on top of him.

He grunts. ‘Wow that was elegant.’

‘Not such a big scary alpha now are you.’

‘Are you teasing me?’ He asks.

‘No of course not.’

Alexander studies me for a minute before he states. ‘I don’t believe you.’ his hands go to my sides as he tickles me and I squirm around, trying desperately to break free from him but he rolls us over in the sand. He looks at me but my smile fades.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asks, smoothing a hand down the side of my face.

‘I’m scared.’ I confess.

‘About what? About us?’

I nod. ‘I worry about how people are going to react. Are they going to understand us. Is it going to be even harder to be together once everyone knows?’

‘I can’t answer that. But I can promise you that i’ll be by your side through it all. We will be together, we just have to hang on a little longer. It’s what you wanted, remember, to take it slow and do it romantically.’

I laugh at my own words coming back to haunt me.

‘Go out with me again tomorrow.’ Alexander says. ‘I need to be with you.’

I nod because I feel the same way.

Alexander rolls off of me and we both lie down next to each other staring at the stars.