Hated By The Alpha

Chapter 6

"My mom called. We have to race home. Your stepdad warned he’s coming back early from his trip. You know the fight it’ll be if he finds out you went out.”

She didn’t need to say it; I knew well the headache I’d face if he found out.

William never liked me having freedom, and things worsened after my mom died.

My duty was to go from home to school and from school to home. After high school, I tried getting a job or something, but he refused, saying I didn’t need it. He worked, and we still had my mom’s savings.

He wasn’t a bad person, just didn’t want what we saw happening to girls across the country to happen to me.

“Let’s go then.”

We passed through the silent hallways, just like last night. When we crossed the main room, I stared at the now empty, lifeless place, lights off, with only workers cleaning for the night’s show.

We reached the street, and Alice’s car was magically parked out front, Peta leaning against it like he owned the world.

Looking now in daylight, he seemed even more like his brother, the main difference being that while Parker’s hair reached his chest, Peta’s flowed down to his waist.

And the eyes—I’d spent the night with the man with the most intense golden eyes, while the ones in front of us were a pale, almost gray hue.

“Did you have fun last night?” His friendly smile made my cheeks burn.

“As much as you two,” I shot back, laughing, grabbing the keys from his hand and throwing myself into the passenger seat.

I curled up in the oversized jacket and buried my nose in the leather, inhaling his scent, while watching them say goodbye in the rearview mirror.

Their conversation seemed more exciting than a goodbye kiss; they whispered, and I forced myself to stick my head out and yell at her.

“Less talk and more action! We need to get home!”

Alice had her back to me, but I saw her shake her head. Peta peeked over her shoulder, flashing the same wicked smile from last night before pulling her by the arm and planting a kiss on her.

For a second, Alice seemed too shocked, her body stiff, but it only took his fingers in her hair for her to respond.

I turned back to the car and let them finish what they started, but it wasn’t long before the driver’s door opened, and Alice threw herself behind the wheel.

“Ready to race down this road like your life depends on it?”

Anyone else would think her crazy, and she was, but I’d been used to her madness forever.

“Absolutely!”

The drive back was smooth, and despite it being daytime, we hit no traffic.

I got home and ran up the stairs, hoping I’d had enough time to beat his arrival.

His road jobs usually lasted a week, rarely cutting short like today. But, to my bad luck, William was waiting for me, sitting in his armchair in the living room.

“Where the hell have you and that girl been?” His voice showed everything he was feeling.

Anger, frustration, disappointment—that’s what I felt.

“Will, I…”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Bridget! Tell me where you and that hellish bad influence took you.”

I swallowed hard; he’d never liked Alice, always said how much of a bad influence she was. But he’d never called her that.

I felt caught in a bind, not knowing what to say. If I told the truth, it’d be pure pandemonium at home. But if I lied, he might find out.

“We went to a club in the city,” I told a half-truth—he couldn’t know we went to the next town over; it might be too much for him. “And we slept at a friend of Alice’s.”

Will circled me, as if he didn’t believe my words, and maybe he shouldn’t—I wasn’t used to lying to him, but this was a necessary occasion.

“And these clothes are your friend’s?” I could swear he even sniffed my hair when he finished his circle.

“She…”

“I see we’ll have to move as soon as possible! I can’t…”

“What?” I finally snapped back and shouted.

He couldn’t do this, had no right to take me away from here and drag me to a place where I knew no one.

I couldn’t live caged just because he wanted to protect me!

“That’s what you heard!” He grabbed his glasses and the old book he was reading and sat back in his armchair. “I was delaying this for your own good, but I see I can’t keep putting it off. A little longer, and that witch will get you killed!”