CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

Chapter 8

DANIELLA POV

I didn’t expect the anger and jealousy in Rider. It came out so fast, and I was left dumbfounded. his eyes darkened in a way I had never seen before. It was not just anger, he was being possessive, but why?.

I hated the emotion stirring up inside me. A part of me liked the fact that he cared and he was overprotective about me, I liked that the idea of losing me did something to him. It made me feel seen in a way I had never felt while with my Ex. While another part hated how rash he acted. Hated how quickly he let his temper control him. I hated how small his anger made me feel at that moment. I did not want to be someone he controlled with fear.

I pushed my hands against his chest before I could think twice. He stumbled back, surprised, and that was enough for me.

“Don’t,” I said, my voice shaking. “Don’t talk to me like that ever again.”

I turned and walked out of the office without looking back.

I didn’t want to see him nor look at him. For a second, I thought about going home. Locking myself in my room and pretending none of this happened. But it was not time for us to close for the day, and I refused to look weak by leaving early.

I didn’t trust myself to be alone with my thoughts. So I kept walking, my steps slow, my chest tight, my mind replaying his expression over and over again. The way his jaw clenched, The way his eyes followed me. The way his voice deepened when he asked who I was talking to.

Why did it matter so much to him?

I stopped near a window, pressing my palm against the glass. The cool surface grounded me a little. I focused on my breathing, trying to slow it down.

“Daniella.”

I stopped when I heard my name.

I turned and saw Taylor walking toward me. His steps slowed when he noticed my face. His eyes softened, like he already knew something was wrong.

“Hey,” he said gently. “What happened?”

I hesitated. I didn’t want to talk about Rider, he was my boss and as much as what he did pissed me off, our relationship was complicated and didn’t seem like a typical CEO and Secretary relationship. I didn’t want anyone to know about it. I didn’t want anyone looking at us differently, and I definitely didn’t want whispers.

“It’s nothing Taylor. I’m just tired, that's all. The meeting drained me but I’m glad It came out well.

Taylor didn’t seem to believe my lie, His eyes searched my face for a few seconds like he was deciding whether to push further. But he respected boundaries. That was one thing I liked about him.

“Alright then danniella. But if you need anyone to talk to, I’m always here okay.”

“Thank you Taylor.”

He sat down beside me, and we talked about a lot, work, a new client, and some jokes about the staff meeting earlier. Slowly, my shoulders relaxed. Slowly, the tightness in my chest eased.making me forget about my incident with Rider. His friend came, and I learnt his name was Jordan. Jordan wasn’t as nice as Taylor. I learnt they were even close friends of Rider. I was surprised, and I was glad I didn’t talk about my issue with Rider to Taylor.

I excused myself, and left to complete some of my works, before I head home.

“Daniella.”

I turned around and looked at Taylor.

“You’re not alone okay, and you can count on me to help you with any issue you have. “

I smiled at his gesture and left the window side. Before I left, I saw the questioning eye Jordan gave me, but I didn’t think too much of it. I had other things to attend to.

TAYLOR POV

I watched Daniella walk away, her shoulders tense, her steps slow like she was carrying something invisible and heavy.

There was more to her and I couldn’t place that feeling. I had felt it from the moment she walked into Rider’s life. She was quiet, observant, and careful with her words. Not the kind of person who forced her way into places she did not belong. Yet somehow, she fit too easily into a space that usually rejected outsiders. No one ever fit easily into Rider’s life, but somehow she didn’t have an issue with that and to make things worse, Rider had fallen for her even if he tries to act like he doesn’t, his emotions give him away more than he wants to.

Jordan stared at me, and I knew he understood what I was thinking about.

“I’ve been thinking about her,” he said.

I sighed. “Jordan, not this again.”

“You saw what she did to Rider,” he said. “He’s unraveling.”

“That’s not her fault.”

“You don’t know that.”

I crossed my arms. “She’s harmless. She’s scared of him.”

Jordan shook his head. “Fear can be an act.”

“That’s unfair,” I snapped. “She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“She shows up, and suddenly Rider is angry, jealous, distracted,” Jordan replied. “You don’t find that suspicious?”

I hesitated. I knew he wasn’t lying, but Daniella was harmless and I knew she wouldn’t hurt anyone.

“I think her presence was planned,” he continued. “Maybe not by her. But by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.”

I sighed. “You’re overreacting Jordan.”

“Am I?” he asked. “Or are you too close to see it clearly?”

I exhaled slowly. “What do you want to do?”

“A background check,” Jordan said. “Quiet and Thorough.”

“That’s an invasion of privacy, and if Rider knows what you’re planning, he’s going to kill you and cut off my ears for listening to this s**t you’re saying man.”

“If she’s clean, nothing changes and besides, Rider won’t find out unless you tell him.”

I hated how reasonable he sounded. But the thought of Rider finding out about his sick plan creeped me out. Rider was dangerous, and he won’t spare us even though we’re the closest to him.

“I don’t know man, you know how irrational Rider is. He’s going to chop off our heads Jordan. Don’t you want to think this through?” I said, trying to change his mind, but his expression showed he had already made his mind and he doesn’t plan on changing it.

“You know that I’m telling the truth. And what if I’m right, we would save Rider and the pack.”

“Fine,” I said. “But if this turns out to be nothing, you let it go and never bring up this topic again.”

Jordan nodded. “Deal.”

As he walked away, unease settled deep in my chest.

Because if Jordan was right, Daniella was standing in the middle of something dangerous without even knowing it. Rider wouldn't hear a single excuse Daniella had to say and I knew it would hurt him more if she’s actually not who she seems to be.

And if he was wrong, we were about to shatter the trust of someone who did not deserve it.

Either way, things were about to change.