Healed by the Alpha

Disappearing Act

The music in Club 7th pulses around us, heavy and relentless, but it feels distant. Muted by the rush of blood in my ears and the steady, grounding pressure of his hand at my waist. There, his fingers flex slightly, like he’s holding himself back from pulling me closer. That, or I’m imagining things.

With a breath to gain courage, I turn to face him, my hands settling against his chest. The fabric of his shirt is soft beneath my fingers, though the muscle underneath is anything but, solid and unyielding.

Kade’s gaze drops to where I’m touching him, then slowly lifts back to my face. The same tension from earlier flickers again and his jaw tightens. It sharpens his features for just a second.

“You’re thinking too much,” he murmurs.

A quiet breath leaves me. “How do you know that?”

“I can see it on your face.” I look up to meet his gaze, and the look I find there has me looking away again. “It’s a dangerous habit, you know.”

I glance up again. “Thinking?” I question, laughing slightly. He only nods. “For who?”

His eyes darken. “For you.”

The answer only confuses me more, but before I can question it a voice cuts through like a God damn record scratch.

“El-la!”

At the deliberate and knowing tone in her voice, I groan, my head falling forward where it lands on Kade’s chest. Moment. Ruined.

I turn to face Josie as she steps up beside us. Her blue eyes land on Kade first and she pauses. It takes a moment for her to recognize who he is, and when she does, a slow smile spreads across her lips. She’s a little too pleased with this.

“Well! Merry Christmas to me,” she says, her tone light and amused. She meets my eyes with a knowing gaze. “Isn’t this just so…familiar?”

And just like that, my cheeks are hot again. “Josie…”

“What?” She asks innocently, though her eyes give away just how much she’s enjoying this. “I was wondering if we’d run into you again tonight,” she says, talking to Kade.

I risk a glance back at him. Kade is watching Josie now, his expression unreadable, but there’s a shift in him. It’s like he hadn’t expected her to interrupt. She notices, too, and her knowing smirk softens into a smile.

There’s still something intentional, though, in the way Josie reaches for my arm, looping hers through it. “Come on,” she says, giving a gentle tug on my arm. “I need you for a second.”

I frown. “Why?”

Even though I wasn’t too sure about how I wanted this night to go when we first got to Club 7th, I do know now. Josie isn’t helping by trying to drag me away from Kade.

“Because,” Josie replies, pulling me back a step. “Come on.”

I hesitate, resisting the movement as my gaze moves back to Kade. He’s watching me, waiting to see what I do. Will I let Josie pull me away from him? Or will I stay with him and let the night lead us to where it wants us to go?

I let out a sigh. I’m going to regret this.

“I’ll be right back,” I promise.

Kade nods, something dark flickering in his eyes. “I know.”

For some reason, an ache appears in my chest as I finally let Josie pull me away. My attention stays fixed on Kade, not caring where Josie is dragging me, as distance starts to build between us. It’s like it’s hooked, unwilling to let go.

Five steps into my unwanted retreat, the crowd shifts with the music. In the blur of color and motion, I lose sight of Kade. I lean and stand on my toes, trying to keep him in sight. My focus is only on him.

He hasn’t moved. At least, not yet. If anything, it looks like he’s about to. The set of his shoulders tightens and his weight leans forward like he’s made the decision to close the distance between us again. My hopes rise at the sight of it, a warmth blooming in my chest.

Kade was going to follow.

The realization hits just as quickly as the moment changes. There’s a flicker at the edge of his attention, a break in his intense focus as his gaze shifts over my shoulder. His expression hardens ever so slightly, almost like something else has just demanded his attention. A subtle tilt of his head looks like he’s listening.

I frown, instinctively following to where his gaze is set, but there’s nothing there. Just more people and more noise. When I look back at him, he looks torn. Wanting to come after me is now in a battle with whatever had kept him still.

Josie tugs again. “Ella, let’s go.”

“Just wait,” I plead, my gaze locking with Kade’s again.

For a moment, there it is. The look on his face is clear as day: he does want to follow. I can see it in the tension building in his frame. There’s a decision sitting there, balanced on the edge. Stay or go.

I take a step backwards towards Josie, giving him the hand to play. I’m not sure why it matters so much. He’s a world-famous actor I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting twice. It’s not like he’d say f**k all and come after some random regular woman. But the look on his face has me thinking that for a second, he’s going to choose me.

My heart falls at the flicker of regret in his eyes. His jaw tightens, a muscle feathering in his cheek, and the decision settles.

Kade pulls his gaze away from me and shakes his head. He turns, smooth and deliberate, and cuts through the crowd in the opposite direction. I take a small step forward and as if he senses it, he glances over his shoulder, steps faltering.

He tears his gaze away from me and turns back around. The crowd moves in around him, swallowing him as he heads for the exit. Finally, I let Josie pull me through the club to wherever she so badly needed to take me.

Kade was going to come after me, but it seems like even celebrities have somewhere else to be. Though, that self-explanation doesn’t settle the feeling. The way he was acting…it didn’t feel like somewhere else to be.

It felt like he had no choice.