Drawn to the Alpha

8

“This is the exact thing I was worried about happening and it’s happened. She’s only been in my life for a few hours and look at what’s become of me. I’m broken. My bear won’t stop snarling in my ears. He won’t calm down until I claim her.”

Blake takes a deep breath and sighs as he watches me.

“I need to go back to normal,” I tell him. “I need to try and forget she ever existed.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. The genie is out of the bottle, my friend. There’s no stuffing it back in.”

I take another long sip of coffee and stare at the table, wondering what I’m going to do.

“What’s she like?” he asks.

My lips curl up into a smile when I remember her gorgeous dark brown hair and stunning honey-colored eyes. She had old baggy clothes on, but I knew there were some spectacular curves hiding under there. I could sense it. My hands tingled as I imagined what it would feel like to touch her soft skin.

“You’re smiling,” Blake says with a grin. “Maybe it won’t be so bad once you get a good night’s sleep.”

“A good night’s sleep?” I say with a tired laugh. “It’s morning time. I have to work today.”

He shakes his head. “You have the day off.”

I look up at him in shock and he shrugs. “We haven’t had a fire since this summer. I think you can go lay down.”

“That’s the thing, though. I don’t think I can. My bear is all amped up. He won’t let me rest until I mark the girl.”

“So…” Blake says. “Mark her.”

I shake my head and sigh. “Then my whole life is going to change.”

He puts his hand on mine in a rare show of affection. “Dude, I think it already has.”

I drop my head and sigh. I think he’s right.

A few hours later, I’m walking into the school with a brand new globe under my arm. It’s the least I can do after I shattered her other one.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” the terrifying secretary snaps at me when she sees me at her counter.

I pull a large Toblerone from the inside pocket of my jacket and drop it on her desk. Her eyes widen when she sees it.

“What’s that?” she asks in a low voice.

“I don’t see anything,” I say as I slowly reach for the visitor’s form. “How about I leave whatever you’re seeing and I’ll just sign this and go?”

She looks at me for a long moment and then takes the Toblerone off the desk and turns around.

Jackpot! Now, I know the troll’s weakness: a sweet tooth.

I quickly scribble my name on the form and then hurry out of the office and down the hall to room number seven.

My heart is racing in my chest with every step I take. I can smell her scent wafting through the halls and it makes my bear stir.

He seemed to have learned his lesson last night because he’s letting me take the lead today. At least, I hope that’s what he’s doing. He may just be waiting until we see her and then he’s going to burst out of me again and leap onto her. I wouldn’t put it past the furry asshole.

The fourth-grade teacher sees me and gives me a big smile as I walk by. I give her a quick polite nod as I make my way to my girl.

My breath quickens when I arrive at her door and knock on it. I nearly drop to my knees when she opens it and I see her beautiful face and gorgeous dark brown hair that now has a short chunk hanging down the side of her face. The rest of her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and all I can think about doing is pulling the elastic band out and sinking my hands into it.

“Oh!” she says, looking startled. “Carter. What brings you back here?”

You.

I clear my throat and lift up the globe. “I want to give you the world, Aubrey.”

She starts chuckling as she takes it. “You didn’t have to do that, but it’s very kind.”

“I just hope I didn’t traumatize any of the kids.”

She laughs again and the sight and sound is like a spear to my heart. What I wouldn’t give to hear that sound every day…

“I think they’ve gotten over it,” she says as she gives me a shy look. “Want to come in and say hi?”

I swallow hard as I look over her head and see the kids staring at me. It didn’t go so well the last time.

“Sure,” I nervously say. “I’d love to.”

“Hey, class,” she says as we walk back in. “Remember Mr. Lamb, the fireman?”

“Where’s your uniform?” one of the kids asks me in an accusing manner.

“I have the day off,” I tell him. “I’m not fighting fires today.”

“So, what are you doing?” he asks. “Why are you here?”

“I came to give your teacher a new globe.”

The kid looks at me skeptically. “You came all the way here to give it? Why didn’t you just have it delivered?”

“I, um…” I glance at Aubrey and her cheeks are starting to blush.

“He wanted to see Miss Olson,” the blonde girl in the front row says. “He’s in looooove.”

“Sara!” Aubrey scolds. “That’s inappropriate.”

“Doesn’t make it not true,” she mumbles under her breath.

“Is that true?” a redheaded boy in the back asks. “Do you love Miss Olson?”

Is it getting hot in here?

I shift my weight from foot to foot as they wait for my answer. I knew I shouldn’t have come into the classroom.

“Jeremey!” Aubrey snaps just in time to save me. “Mr. Lamb is not in love with me.” A hint of something flashes across her face as she says it. Disappointment maybe? Regret?

But it hits me when I hear her say it. I am in love with her.

I want her.

I want her badly.