A sirene mate for the Alpha

Poking the chihuahua

*Zayan*

I am watching Hadley shoot her video. I have to admit the song is rather catchy, but her writhing on a log wearing this pink, frilly, doll-like underwear… looking like a living s*x doll or something… well, I do not like it at all.

But of course, I have no right to say anything; she is just a friend, and she is an adult, but I just have this feeling, from our long talks and such, that this is not really what she wants. And my wolf is absolutely not a fan either.

“Don’t drool too much,” Thiago pops up beside me.

I shake my head. “I’m not really drooling, Thiago.”

“Oh... you could have fooled me. I was starting to think that you and little miss Lele had a thing going on.” He looks at me with one eyebrow raised.

“No, Thiago... for the Goddess's sake, she is nineteen; she is a teenager.” I shake my head again. “I could never do that.”

He looks at her. “But you really, really want to... if you weren’t so hung up on the whole age thing.”

I sigh. “I'm not gonna lie; you know me too well. I really like her, Thiago, I do. I want to protect her... from things like that.” I make a motion indicating the whole setup. “But I just can’t go there. I can’t take that risk, also she might... Well, she might be into me now, but what about in two years, or in five, when I turn 50 and she still hasn’t turned 30 and she wants to have kids... no, it’s best to ignore it.”

“Well, I don’t agree. You can’t ignore your mate... and don’t try to tell me she isn’t,” Thiago says, making me look at him. “Zayan, you need to realize that you are... Well, not childish, but young at heart. You need someone who fits you. Hadley, on the other hand, sweet as she is, needs someone to protect her and guide her. To me, you two are a great match... The Goddess chose well.”

“I could be her dad... and look at her.” I shake my head. “I want someone that I can be with, like most of the time. How often would I even see her? She would never be home... she would meet hot dancers, men her own age; it would never...”

Thiago holds up a hand. “Oh my Goddess, Zayan... even for you, this is rambling on a new level. Maybe you should think about why you are rambling.”

I watch him as he walks away. Is he right? I can’t deny that there might be something to it, but I mean, can you imagine the press... my fans... her fans? It would be hell, and it would probably end up tearing us apart.

When I see that she is done, I quickly grab her bathrobe and hurry over to wrap it around her. “We don’t want you to freeze, Bubbles.”

*Hadley*

I can’t help smiling as Zayan wraps the fluffy robe around me and gently lifts me down from the tree, enjoying the feeling of him holding me, if just for a moment. “Thanks, Zayan. So, what do you think?”

“You want my honest and truthful opinion?” he says softly. He doesn’t step away from me but stays close.

I turn to look up at him, not stepping away either. I like being close to him. “Yes, totally honest. I trust your opinion.”

“I think you have an amazing voice… truly… and the song is catchy, but the autotune and those electronic runs they’ve put in, it doesn’t do you justice.” His hand comes up to rest softly on my cheek. “And I’m quite sure you know how I feel about that costume, but I also get that it’s your look.”

“Thank you for being honest.” My heart is hammering, and the butterflies in my stomach are going crazy from his touch.

The smile he sends me is like rays of pure sunshine in my world. “Always, Bubbles. I will always be honest if you ask me to.”

“Calix, come here for a minute,” I call out, and when I hear him step up beside me, I say, “Could you try running the song without the autotune and electronic runs and stuff?”

“Why? Because Mr. Yoko Ono here says so? Like he has any idea about this,” Calix huffs.

Having Zayan here, his hand against my skin, his warm smile gives me courage. “Calix, please just humor me. After all, it’s my song.”

I can almost hear Calix roll his eyes as he mumbles something about artists thinking they know nothing about production, but he still goes to the sound table and rummages around.

“Well done, Bubbles. Don’t let him bully you,” Zayan says in a low voice. “I’m proud of you.”

I know Zayan just wants to be supportive and nice; from talking to him, I know helping others is what means the most to him, but no one has ever done something like this for me before, and it makes my insides knot up, but in a good kind of way.

Shortly after, the music streams from the speakers without all the extra electronic stuff on top. I smile to myself. “You were right, totally right... it’s much better like this. I like it.”

“I definitely like it better this way; your voice comes much more into its own,” Zayan says, moving his head to the beat and kinda tapping his foot. “Come on, Calix, you have to admit this is much more authentic.”

“Authentic, yes... but does authentic sell records?” He looks thoughtful for a moment, biting his lip. “I hate to say it, but you might be right. I think we might go with this version.”

A cheeky smile tugs at the corner of Zayan’s lips, then he whispers, “I probably better keep my mouth shut so he won’t change his mind.”

“Yeah, you better do that,” I slap him softly on the chest. “No poking the tiger, Zayan.”

“Tiger? He looks more like an angry little Chihuahua to me,” he says, grinning, and I can’t stop myself from giggling like crazy.

I also can’t stop myself from reaching up on my tippy-toes and pressing my lips to his for a brief moment. I feel him tense, but he doesn’t move away. “Thanks, Zayan... you're the best.”

I hurry off to get changed, and when I look back, he is still standing in the same spot, looking after me, a finger on his lips, like he is wondering what just happened.