Mesmerised by the Alpha

Chapter 8. Fancy Seeing You Here

Soft morning light crept through the curtains, casting golden stripes across the bed. Jasmine blinked at the clock—5:42 AM—and sighed. Her sleep had been broken by dreams of shadowed forests and glowing eyes, leaving her tense and foggy.

She lay still, trying to shake the unease. With a grunt, she sat up, stretched, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A run would clear her head. It always did. She’d taken up running after her mother’s diagnosis—something to control when everything else was chaos.

She pulled on leggings, a black top, and a zip-up hoodie. After tying her trainers and clipping her work phone to her waistband, she grabbed her earbuds from her bag and headed downstairs.

The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp pine. Outside, she spotted George by the greenhouse, already tending to the plants. She gave him a small wave and turned toward the gates.

Outside the estate, she slipped in her earbuds and tapped play on her playlist. Music pulsed through her ears, and she took off, legs stretching, muscles warming. The trail she followed wound through trees, dappled light shifting across the forest floor. It was peaceful, invigorating.

She didn’t pay much attention to where she was going, just followed the trail as it curved and twisted. Time slipped by. At some point, Jasmine slowed to a walk, breathing deeply, hands on her hips. She frowned. The path had faded into uneven terrain, the trees now denser.

"Where the hell am I?" she murmured.

Before the unease could settle in her chest, a familiar voice called out behind her.

"Fancy seeing you here."

She turned sharply to see Theo jogging toward her, bare-chested, only wearing a pair of running shorts. His skin glistened slightly with sweat, muscles taut and defined beneath the morning sun. He looked like he’d stepped out of a painting of a Greek god.

"Theo," she said, blinking. "What are you doing out here?"

He grinned, slowing to a walk beside her. "Working for this body," he said, gesturing playfully to himself. "I run this trail most mornings. Didn’t expect to find such lovely company."

Jasmine felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I think I got a little turned around. Wasn’t really paying attention. Can you point me back to the hotel?"

"Better yet, I’ll run back with you," he said. "Wouldn’t want to lose you to the wolves."

She laughed, and they set off again together. The pace was easy, companionable. Jasmine found herself sneaking glances at Theo—his strong back, the curve of his shoulders. At one point, he caught her looking.

"Careful," he said with a smirk. "Keep looking at me like that, and I might think you’re interested."

She rolled her eyes, trying not to grin. "You’re insufferable."

"You love it."

By the time the gates of the hotel came into view, Jasmine’s heart was racing—and not entirely from the run.

"Thanks for the company," she said, breathlessly.

"My pleasure," he said, pulling out his phone. "Mind if I get your number? In case you get lost again."

"Smooth," she teased, but gave him her number. They exchanged smiles before Theo turned and jogged off.

Jasmine watched him go for a moment, then turned back toward the hotel, a lingering smile curving her lips. The morning air clung to her skin, cool against the heat still simmering under the surface. Upstairs, she kicked off her trainers and peeled off her damp clothes, the fabric clinging slightly before falling to the floor. She stepped into the shower, twisting the tap until the water poured out hot and heavy.

Steam rose around her, wrapping her in warmth. Droplets beat down on her shoulders, slid along her collarbone, traced the dip of her spine. She tilted her head back, eyes closing, letting the rhythm of the water and the memory of Theo fill her senses—his low, teasing voice, the glint in his eyes, the taut ripple of muscle as he ran beside her.

Her hand drifted across her stomach, slow and uncertain, before slipping lower, guided by the heat curling steadily inside her. A soft, involuntary sigh slipped from her lips as her fingers found rhythm. She imagined his hands instead of hers, his mouth at her throat, that grin pressed against her skin. Her breath came faster, shallow and desperate, as her mind conjured up all the ways his body might move against hers.

Tension coiled through her, pleasure building in slow, rising waves until it broke over her—leaving her breathless, spent, and braced against the cool tile wall. For a long moment, she remained there, eyes closed as the hot water streamed over her skin, her pulse gradually beginning to settle.

When she was done, she rinsed quickly, then towelled herself off and dried her hair with practiced ease. She dressed in tailored black trousers and a navy button-up shirt, grounding herself again in the present—professional, composed, the morning's rush tucked away like a secret beneath her clothes.

Downstairs, the dining room buzzed softly. Paul greeted her with a warm smile and handed her a tall glass of fresh orange juice.

"Thanks, Paul. You know this is my favourite."

"Figured you could use the boost," he said with a wink.

She took a seat at one of the long wooden tables. Moments later, Kaci plopped into the chair beside her, all wide eyes and a mischievous grin.

"Sooo… who was the gorgeous hunk you were running with this morning?" she sing-songed.

Jasmine blinked. "What? How did you—"

"I’m an early bird. Saw you from my window. Come on, spill."

Jasmine chuckled. "I got a little lost on my run. He just happened to be nearby. Nothing scandalous."

Before Kaci could pry further, Stella appeared behind them with a dramatic sigh and dropped into the chair across from them.

"Kaci," she snapped, "where are the deliveries I asked you to chase up yesterday? The carpenter's still waiting on the wood for the staircase—he can't start carving the spindles without it."

Kaci paled. "I—I think they’re just running late. I’ll check—"

"You were meant to ensure they were here by now," Stella snapped.

"I’ll check now," Kaci said hurriedly, standing with a mumble and retreating.

Stella turned to Jasmine with a shake of her head. "You just can’t get the staff these days."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "Why are you such a b***h to her?"

Stella raised a brow. "Because being nice gets you nowhere. If she’d done her job properly, I wouldn’t have had to say anything."

Jasmine stood up, grabbing an apple and a yoghurt. "Maybe try managing, not belittling."

She left without waiting for a reply and headed toward reception. Nate was waiting by the desk.

"Hey," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "About last night—sorry about my guy in the hot springs. He shouldn’t have been there."

"What was he doing there in the first place?" Jasmine asked, arms folded.

"No idea. But I promise it won’t happen again. Especially now I know you’ll be using them."

She nodded. "He gave me the creeps."

Before he could say more, her work phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. "Someone’s at the gate."

She checked the CCTV. A delivery van. "Looks like Kaci’s order."

Heading outside, she waved the drivers in and guided them toward the drop-off point. As she was about to call Kaci, the woman jogged up to her.

"Thanks for sticking up for me back there," Kaci said.

"Not a problem. But you should try standing up for yourself, too."

"I’m used to it," Kaci shrugged. "Stella’s tantrums are kind of a daily thing."

Jasmine was about to respond when the red pickup truck pulled up again. Nate’s friends. She buzzed them in, then watched as one of them tossed a food wrapper onto the ground.

She sighed and headed back inside to speak to the guys—but the truck was empty. No one was around. Curious, she peeked inside the cab and found only a couple of firearms and other equipment stowed in the front.

Nate stepped out with the two men. "Hey Jasmine, is everything okay?"

"Not really, Nate. I've been looking for your guys. I wanted to ask them to stop littering."

She turned to them, voice sharp. "Be respectful. If you’re working here, clear up after yourselves. I won’t be picking up after you again."

She went back inside and returned to her desk. Sorting through the old files, she came across a bundle of photographs—sepia-toned images of the hotel in decades past. She set a few aside, making a note to speak to Stella about framing them for reception.

Her phone rang.

"Jasmine speaking."

"Hello, dear—it’s Mrs Fitzgerald. Just calling to check in."

They chatted briefly, the older woman asking after the staff, the progress, the general mood.

"Just remember," Mrs Fitzgerald said before hanging up, "come winter, the snow can trap the whole estate. That mountain pass won’t see a plough. Make sure you’ve stocked up."

"Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. Enjoy your holiday."

Jasmine ended the call, then wandered outside. George was trimming the hedges.

"Hey," she said. "Just spoke to Mrs Fitzgerald. She warned me about getting snowed in."

George nodded. "Happened once years ago. A family got stuck in the pass. Locals had to dig them out. They nearly froze."

"How awful," Jasmine murmured, chilled by the thought. She pulled her jacket a little tighter around her.

Offering George a small, grateful smile, she added, "I should get back to reception. I'll see you later."

"Take care now," George replied, giving her a quick wave before returning to his hedges.

Jasmine turned and made her way back toward the hotel, the story lingering in her mind like a shadow trailing her footsteps.

She took the scenic route back, passing around the side of the hotel. Up ahead, Nate and his crew were huddled, speaking in hushed tones.

She caught a few words: "Alpha… dead… hunting."

One of them noticed her, and the group fell silent. Jasmine forced a smile and kept walking.

Later, she found Dana in the bar. Paul made her a mocktail, and they chatted for a while before Jasmine excused herself to get ready for dinner.

The dining room felt tense that evening. Nate and his men were off to one side, whispering urgently. Jasmine sat beside Daryl and Jordan.

"Any idea what’s going on?" she asked.

Daryl shook his head. "They’ve been sneaking off, barely doing any work. I’ve tried to catch them, but they’re never around."

"They don’t even look like labourers," Jordan added. "My uncle’s a builder. Those guys have smooth hands."

"If anything," Daryl said, "they remind me of my old unit. Military."

Jasmine told them about the hot springs incident.

"We can give you some self-defence lessons," Daryl offered.

"I’d like that," Jasmine said gratefully.

After dinner, she stepped out for air. Nate found her in the garden.

"Hey."

"Why were there guns in the truck?" she asked.

"It’s bear country," he replied easily. "Pretty common."

She nodded, not entirely reassured.

"Beautiful night," he said, gazing at the stars.

Before she could reply, Stella and Kaci emerged, laughing. Jasmine took the cue to retreat, heading to her room.

She changed for bed, then paused at the window, staring out into the darkness.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Theo:

Up for another run in the morning? I’ll take you for a coffee after. If you’re not too distracted by my abs, that is. ;)

Smiling, Jasmine replied: Deal. Just don’t get lost trying to find me.

She slid her phone onto the nightstand and climbed into bed, her thoughts warm with the promise of tomorrow.

Sleep came easily, at last.