Mesmerised by the Alpha

Chapter 12. The Hidden Wing

Jasmine smiled warmly. “You must really love your brother, Nora. Most teenagers I know can't stand their older siblings—barely have a kind word to say.”

Nora gave a soft laugh, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “We bicker like mad sometimes, and he drives me up the wall more often than not… but yeah. I love him. He’s always done what he can for me and Jamie—our younger brother. After our parents passed, Theo took on a lot. Too much, really. But he never complained. He just got on with it.”

There was a quiet pause between them. The kind that felt comfortable, not awkward.

“He’s got this whole big-brother complex,” Nora added, smiling. “He thinks he has to protect everyone and fix everything, even if it breaks him in the process.”

Jasmine nodded slowly, her thoughts flickering back to the protective way Theo had reacted by the river, the tension in his jaw when he saw her bruise. “Sounds familiar.”

They left the café and walked back towards Nora’s shop, the sun warm against their shoulders, the scent of blooming lavender drifting through the air. As they stepped inside, Jasmine’s eyes fell immediately on the red dress she'd seen before. It was still there, hanging delicately from the display rail, its fabric catching the light like a flicker of flame.

“You know what?” Jasmine said, reaching out and touching the soft material. “I have no idea where I’d wear this… but I think I’m going to buy it.”

Nora grinned. “That’s the spirit. Red suits you.”

As Jasmine took the dress to the counter, the bell above the door jingled, and Theo stepped inside. He looked relaxed—his hair still slightly damp from a shower, sleeves rolled to his elbows, a faint grin tugging at his mouth.

“There you are,” he said, eyes flicking from Nora to Jasmine. “You two’ve been busy.”

“Just a little pampering,” Nora said, wiggling her fingers. “Check it out—blue for me, red for Jasmine. Naturally.”

Theo chuckled. “Very fancy. Thanks for making her smile, Jasmine. She hasn’t done much of that since… well, in a while.”

Jasmine’s heart softened. “It’s nothing. I like spending time with her. She’s great company. And,” she added cheekily, “she gave me all the gossip about you.”

Theo raised an eyebrow. “Oh, did she now?”

“She did,” Jasmine said, folding her arms with mock seriousness. “I know everything.”

Nora groaned. “Oh god, don’t listen to her, Theo. She’s exaggerating.”

The three of them laughed, and for a moment, everything felt light. Easy. Real. Nora rolled her eyes and muttered something about needing to find her earphones before slipping into the back, leaving Jasmine and Theo alone.

“You really bought the dress?” Theo asked, nodding towards the wrapped bundle in her hands.

“I did,” she said, holding it up proudly. “No clue when I’ll wear it, but… it felt like a ‘yes’ dress, you know?”

He nodded, his smile lingering a second longer than necessary. “I'm sure you'll look great in it.”

Jasmine felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Well, I should probably head back to the hotel before I spend any more money I don’t have.”

“Try not to charm every shopkeeper on your way out,” Theo teased. “It’s exhausting keeping up with your fan club.”

She laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

They said their goodbyes, and Jasmine headed back to the hotel, a quiet buzz in her chest from the easy affection that had settled between them. The gravel crunched under her tyres as she pulled up outside the building. Already, she could see the workers swarming like bees, tools in hand and scaffolding shifting.

Some of the old trellis on the front walls was being torn down, the cracked wood finally giving way. Jasmine ducked under a trailing rose vine that had come loose and was immediately spotted by George, who was kneeling by the garden beds, a small shovel in hand.

“Ah, Jasmine! Perfect timing. Need your expert opinion.”

She raised a brow. “On what, exactly?”

“Roses,” George said, standing and brushing dirt off his knees. “I’m thinking of replanting this section to climb up the new trellis. What colour—red, yellow, pink?”

Jasmine grinned, holding up her freshly painted nails. “Red, of course. It’s my favourite.”

George gave a mock bow. “Red it is, Miss Scarlet.”

Smiling, Jasmine stepped back into the lobby, greeted by the familiar scent of polished wood and fresh linen. A few workers were milling about, and somewhere down the corridor, she could hear someone arguing over a delivery. The buzz of activity was infectious, but she didn’t feel like joining in.

She changed into a comfortable pair of leggings and a hoodie, grabbing the battered old novel she’d been meaning to finish. But after half an hour of re-reading the same paragraph, Jasmine tossed the book aside. She couldn’t sit still.

The curiosity she'd felt since arriving returned in full force. For the first time in days, she actually had time to explore. She opened the drawer in her bedside table and pulled out the hand-drawn map Nate had given her during her induction—yellowing paper marked with faded ink and small scribbled notes in the margins.

She traced her finger along one of the lesser-used corridors, a note beside it reading “storerooms—unlocked, but dusty”. Another path led down to the cellar, and yet another curved off toward what looked like a forgotten wing of the hotel.

Something about the quiet corner of the west wing intrigued her. It was barely marked—just a thin, faint line with a tiny 'X' near one of the doors. Nate hadn’t said much about it, just mentioned that some areas were closed off for safety.

But Jasmine had a feeling there was more to it than that.

She grabbed her phone, slipped the map into her cardigan pocket, and quietly slipped out of her room. The hallway was quiet, the usual chatter and clatter muted by the thick walls. Outside, the late afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting long golden streaks across the polished floorboards.

She paused for a moment at the foot of the staircase, glancing toward the west wing.

Just a quick look, she told herself. Nothing too far. Just enough to scratch the itch.

And with that, she started walking, unaware that with each step she took, she was getting closer to answers she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for.

Jasmine wandered slowly through the corridors, letting her fingers graze the textured wallpaper as she followed the map’s route. The hush of this part of the hotel felt heavier, the air slightly cooler, as if it hadn’t been disturbed in years. She turned a corner, pausing when she heard muffled voices up ahead.

Peeking around a doorway, she spotted Nick and another construction worker stepping out from a section of the hotel that had been clearly marked out of bounds and under renovation—do not enter. Both men glanced around, but neither noticed her tucked in the shadows. They muttered something to each other—too low to catch—and Nick let out a short, irritated laugh before walking off down the corridor.

The door behind them clicked softly as it swung almost shut.

Jasmine waited until their footsteps faded completely, her heart thudding just a little faster now. Something about the way they’d slipped out—quiet, purposeful, like they weren’t supposed to be there—had set her nerves on edge.

Curiosity outweighed caution.

She tiptoed toward the door, her trainers silent on the wooden floor. Pressing her palm to the cool surface, she gave it a gentle push. It creaked faintly as it opened inward, revealing a narrow, dimly lit hallway coated in dust.

And the air that met her on the other side was different—stale, musty… and carrying a faint metallic tang.

She hesitated only a second longer before stepping through.