Chapter 3
1138 Words
Beyonce' [POV]
I hate the damn thing. My face burns from embarrassment. I'm tired, and this stupidly handsome Alpha is staring at me like I'm a disfigured freak.
"What happened?" he whispers, but it's as if he's asking himself, not me.
Which makes absolutely no sense.
But my anxiety bubbles over, and I've had
enough of the weirdness for tonight.
"A car accident," I say, my voice wavering.
I will not cry in front of this stranger. Not
after I've come this far.
"Not that it's your business." He grows still.
"A car accident" he deadpans.
What is going on?
"Yes," I hiss. "A car accident."
The man is giving me the same look the receptionist gave me, one of suspicion and disbelief, and I want to tear my hair out.
Why can't I just go to my room? I don't
want the upgrade. I'd rather never see this Alpha again, and I'll sleep on the loveseat for the next week if it means he will go away.
"Alright, Beyonce," he says with a sneer, and this time, he tugs my small suitcase from my hand.
"I'll show you to your room." He flashes me a grin, one that doesn't meet his eyes, and I cringe.
Why did he say my name like that?
But I follow him all the same, his essence
of spice and rich citrus caressing my senses.
Damn him.
He shouldn't smell so good. Not after the
the way he talked to me.
As we make our way into the living room,
I'm grateful he offered to take my
suitcase. The light wood staircase that
leads to the second floor is beautiful, but
it would be a hassle to lug my bag up
those steps.
"Do you work here?" I blurt out, following
him as he takes the stairs
.
Of course, he does! Why else would he
take your bags?
"No, he says simply as I struggle to keep
up with his pace. My brow furrows.
"No?" I repeat as we reach the top of the
stairs. He stops abruptly in front of me,
and I lose my balance, stumbling into him.
He turns and catches me with one arm,
and I end up pressed against his chest for one terrifying moment.
Embarrassment floods my cheeks as he lingers a second too long, his hand steadying me. His scent envelops me once again, and I do my best to not let it affect me.
Contrary to what I expected, his
momentary touch is welcomed, even
comforting.
It doesn't make me instantly recoil, like
when he touched me.
But the shame does, and I quickly snap
out of my stupor.
"Sorry," I mutter, staring at his massive
chest, which must be nothing but hard
muscle. I wonder if he's just as sculpted
underneath...
I'm exhausted, and my brain is haywire.
The Alpha looks down at me as if he read
my mind and his crooked grin returns.
"You should watch your step" he chides,
amused. "Are you always this clumsy,
Beyonce?"
But before I can answer, he walks away
with my suitcase and I'm left trailing after
him.
"Why do you say my name like that?" I
mutter, hurrying to keep up with him. He
takes a quick left down a hallway, then up
two more flights of narrow stairs, and I
almost get lost trying to keep up.
He doesn't reply, and I busy myself with
taking in my surroundings, doing my best
to ignore his tantalizing scent.
Brass sconces light the cream-colored
walls, and I catch my reflection in the
silver antique mirrors.
I look worse than I thought and I'm
underdressed. The oversized sweatshirt
and light baggy jeans clash with the
elegance of the mansion.
Perhaps that's why the receptionist looked at me funny.
And maybe that's why the Alpha is
glancing at me with a frown. He's stopped in front of a white door with a brass handle, his attention entirely focused on me.
"To answer your question from earlier," he says, "| don't work here. I own this place."
Oh.
Interesting.
"Well, thank you for the upgrade I say
awkwardly. "You didn't have to do that."
There's something still off about the way
he's looking at me, and I don't think it has
to do with my tattoo.
He pulls a key out of his pocket and
hands it to me. Our fingers brush for a
moment, his cool hand against mine, and
my heart thuds in my chest.
I clear my throat, hide my reaction, and
examine the key. It's intricate, with a
unique design, that matches the lock on
the door.
"Thank you," I murmur, but he continues to stand there. I can feel his eyes watching me and it takes all my willpower not to snap at him.
Just go away, please. I've had enough of crazy men for the rest of my life.
But before I can open the door, something gently rustles around my calves.
"Meow."
I look down to see a furry black creature
circle me and then plop down on my
sneakers. The cat is well-fed, and his
round face gazes up at me, green eyes
bright with interest. He sports a white
mustache, giving him a regal look.
He yawns, showing off glorious fangs and a tiny pink tongue.
"That's Rustle," the Alpha confirms, and a
low purr sounds from the feline's chest.
"He's around here a lot."
"Hi Rustle," I say softly, then shuffle my
feet so he moves off me. He takes the
hin but merely plops inches from my
sneakers on the wooden floor.
"I'm allergic" I murmur as Rustle rolls
onto his back, exposing a glorious rotund
stomach.
"But I think it will be fine."
"Allergic?" he repeats, frowning. He tilts
his head and his icy eyes regard me
curiously.
"You're allergic to cats?"
Why is everything I say so difficult to
comprehend?
"Yes," I confirm, turning the key but
struggling with the lock. I just want this night to be over. Rustle blinks up at me, watching intently as the damn key won't budge.
My face flames as the Alpha leans over
me, his hand covering mine. "Like this," he murmurs, his voice inches from my ear.
"It hasn't been used in a while, so it might
get stuck. You need to work it just right,
so it opens."
Okay.
It's time for this guy to leave because my
reaction to his words is embarrassing.
Thank God I'm not an Omega because he
would scent just how affected I am by him, regardless of how strange he is.
Together, we open the door, my face still
burning.
But that embarrassment fades away as
soon as I see where I'm staying.
This room wasn't even on their website.
I take a step inside and my breath
catches...
- Writer
