Nightmares of the Alpha

TWO

Aria’s POV

There had to be a rational explanation for this. Right? He’s probably come through here before. Maybe I noticed him without really knowing. I mean, he was gorgeous... that seems like reason enough for him to be crawling around in my subconscious. I’m sure that was it. And his eyes changing color? Well, this is a coffee shop... not the best lighting. Just a trick of the shadows. Mystery solved. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least one thing about my nightmares finally made sense.

What I couldn’t wrap my mind around was the way he was looking at me. At school, and here at the Stitch’s Brew, I wasn’t the type to attract a lot of attention. I’m the kind of girl who is pretty enough to escape being bullied, but also plain and quiet enough to fly under the radar of any male attention, good or bad. It was an unusual feeling to be gawked at. Especially by someone who looked the way he did - utterly perfect in every way. Cold and distant, sure. Malicious? By the sound of his voice, maybe. But so, so perfect. A blush crept into my cheeks when I realized I had been, rather openly, returning his stare. His lips, which had been set in a stern line so far, curved into a smirk when he noticed the effect he had on me.

He gestured for me to come over and a ball of ice settled in my stomach. Something about this just didn’t feel right. Though every bone in my body was screaming at me to run and hide, I did my best to hide my embarrassment and overall uneasiness and quickly made my way over. I didn’t want to be stuck explaining to the aunts later why I felt the need to ignore a paying customer - somehow, I don’t think “nightmares and hormones” would have been a sufficient excuse.

“How can I help you today, sir?” Again, that smirk played on his lips for a moment before he emptied the last of his latte, then lifted his mug, shaking it as he answered.

“I’ll have another. No whipped cream.” His eyes were still locked on mine. For some reason I felt as though he might pounce on me any minute. What do they say about wild animals? He certainly seemed like a predator. Never look them in the eye. Gingerly, I took his mug.

“I’ll get that for you right away, sir” I said softly, eyes downcast, anxious to get out from under his menacing stare.

“Aria...” my name sounded foreign in his mouth and a chill crept through my veins. Once more that day I was quite literally frozen at the sound of his voice. Mine. Mine. Mine. “Ahem.” He cleared his throat loudly. “Are you just going to stand there? Look me in the eye when I speak to you.” His words came out as a low growl. Again his gray eyes seemed to be swallowed by an inky black, but the storm clouds returned before I could confirm it was more than a trick of the light. How long had I been standing there lost in my thoughts?

“I’m... I’m sorry,” I stuttered. “I was just remembering something I have to do later,” I lied. “What was it you were saying?”

“Right,” he said dryly. “Be careful this time.” He c****d his head toward the coffee pot where I had foolishly burned myself earlier and raised an eyebrow. From anyone else, it would have sounded like teasing, flirting even, but he was humorless.

“Oh yeah. Of course.” I forced a small laugh, tugging on the still wet towel around my neck and lifting a shoe. I turned to go, then stopped. “H- How do you know my name?” He chuckled, though coming from him the sound was completely devoid of any joy. He lifted a single square-tipped finger and for a second I thought he might poke me. Then he tapped it over his own heart rather forcefully.

“Your apron. But just so we’re even, I’m Seth.” When he stood up, reached out and took my hand I forgot the rising embarrassment that must have been making itself known on my face. Where there had been ice inside of me was now consumed with fire. His touch literally burned me from the inside out. Yanking my hand away with a gasp, I looked up at him in horror. He showed no signs of distress, but this time there was no mistaking that his eyes had turned from gray to black and though he was whispering, I didn’t have to strain to hear him say...

“Mine.”