CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

Chapter 10

TAYLOR POV

Jordan walked into Rider’s office like he had good news.

“I ran it,” he said casually.

Rider looked up slowly. “Ran what?”

“The background check on Daniella,” Jordan added.

Rider did not shout, he did not move. Rather he just stared at Jordan with anger in his eyes.

“You did what?” he asked slightly, raising his voice. .

Jordan straightened. “I needed to be sure that she’s not a threat. Her record is clean. Nothing suspicious.”

“You had no right,” Rider said. Trying to calm his anger but ut Sure as hell wasn’t working.

“It was for your safety,” Jordan insisted. “You’ve been distracted, I didn’t want anything happening to you.”

“I said,” Rider repeated slowly, “you had no right.” Walking towards Jordan. His anger had fully taken over and I didn’t want any fight to occur. Before Rider could act, I stepped forward. Jordan opened his mouth again. I grabbed his arm. “Step outside,” I said urgently.

He resisted for a second, but I dragged him out anyway.

The door closed behind us.

“What the hell were you thinking?” I hissed.

“I was protecting him,” he shot back.

“I warned you beforehand.” I said. “I told you she wasn’t a threat, but you just had to go ahead with whatever you wanted to do. .”

“She’s clean,” he repeated. “So why does it matter?”

Because it wasn’t about whether she was clean. It was about trust.

I went back into the office.

Rider stood by the window, hands behind his back. His silent giving away how . dangerous he is at the moment.

“She’s not a threat,” I said carefully. “Jordan just didn’t want anything happening to you.”

Rider did not respond immediately.

Then he said quietly, his voice low.

“If she finds out someone dug into her life, she’ll never forgive me.”

He looked at me, and I knew he was serious.

“No one touches what’s mine.”

It was a warning. And Rider doesn’t joke around with his voice like that.

And the silence in the room was worse than shouting.

I knew he liked her, but not as much as this.

“Is she your mate?” I asked and from the look of his face, she was.

“Why didn’t you say it before now. And if she’s your mate why the f**k are you ignoring her.”

“It’s not like that Taylor.”

“Then what is it like because it certainly seems like something.”

“She’s human Taylor and I’m an alpha. No matter what bond we have , our pack members won’t accept her, she’s weak and fragile, I can’t have her as my weakness.” His voice cracked.

I could feel the pain in his voice, his distance with Daniella is also affecting him so badly.

“You’re the alpha Rider, I won’t tell you not to think of the pack, but also think about yourself. We only have one mate in our life unless the Moon goddess decides to give you a second chance mate.” I paused, trying to ensure he’s listening to me.

“You know what happened to Jordan when he lost his mate, I don’t want that happening to you. Follow your heart and everything would be fine in the end.” I patted him on the back, and left him alone to think about what his next move would be.

DANIELLA POV

Things between Rider and I didn’t go back to normal. I don’t know if it became worse, but I knew it’s more complicated.

He called me into his office again. He asked for reports. He corrected minor errors with that calm, clipped tone he used during board meetings. He thanked me when necessary.

He thanked me. That was new.

Before, he would simply look at me and I would understand what he wanted.

Now everything was verbal and formal . It was too formal for the type of relationship we have. It felt like he had drawn an invisible line between us and dared me to cross it. But I didn’t bother. If he wanted professionalism, I would give him that.

“You look like you want to fight someone,” Taylor said, dropping into the chair opposite my desk.

“I don’t,” I replied, aggressively highlighting a document.

He leaned forward slightly. “You’re attacking that paper like it insulted your family.”

I stopped midswipe.

He grinned, and I tried not to smile.

“You’re terrible at pretending,” he added.

“Pretending what?”

“That you’re okay.”

I exhaled quietly. “I am okay.”

“Mm,” he hummed. “If you say so.”

He didn’t push and that’s what surprised me.

He just sat there. And somehow, that made it easier to talk.

“It’s Rider “ I said quietly hoping he didn’t hear me.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, and I knew I couldn’t take back my words.

We’re just complicated,” I admitted

“Ah,” he nodded dramatically. “The forbidden category.”

I rolled my eyes.

“He shuts down,” I said quietly. “When things get emotional.”

Taylor didn’t laugh this time.

“He doesn’t know how to meet me halfway.”

Taylor tilted his head thoughtfully. “Does he try?”

“Sometimes.”

“Then he’s confused. Not cruel.”

I studied him. “You defending him?”

“No,” he said quickly. “I just know that men with control issues panic when they feel something they can’t regulate.”

I blinked.

“That was oddly specific.”

“I observe things,” he said smugly. And I laughed.

The sound felt strange coming out of me. I can’t remember the last time I laughed.

It didn’t take long for Taylor and I to become very close. He would always come to my desk to keep me company, and soon I stopped caring about Rider’s attitude.

Lunch became our thing. At first, it was accidental.

He caught me about to eat crackers for lunch.

“You’re joking,” he said flatly.

“I’m busy.”

“You’re malnourished.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re coming with me.”

He didn’t even ask. He just grabbed his jacket and waited until I stood up.

The café down the street became our routine.

Nothing fancy, Just outdoor tables and terrible pop music playing too loud.

“You need real food,” he insisted, sliding a plate toward me.

“You’re very bossy for someone who isn’t my boss.”

He grinned. “I learned from the best.”

I didn’t respond to that.

He would tell me stories while we ate and they were always funny.

Like one time he tried to impress a girl by pretending he liked poetry.

“You?” I stared at him.

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

“I misquoted a poem.”

“That’s crazy.”

“She corrected me in front of everyone.”

I burst out laughing.

“You’re evil,” he said, pointing at me.

“You deserved it.”

He shook his head. “She said I was too nice.”

“That’s illegal.”

“I know.”

“And now?”

“Now I know that if someone doesn’t choose you, it doesn’t mean you’re not worth choosing.”

I went quiet.

He noticed.

“That wasn’t directed at you,” he added gently.

“I know,” I said.

But it settled somewhere deep anyway.

“You talk about this Lilian like she’s your bodyguard,” he said one afternoon.

“She practically is.”

“I need to see this woman.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Come on, I don't bite Elle.”

I decided to finally let Taylor come over to my place. It took two weeks of pestering from both sides before I finally agreed.

Taylor showed up with snacks like he was attending a summit.

Lilian opened the door.

They stared at each other.

“You’re the famous Taylor,” Lilian said.

“You’re the terrifying Lilian,” he replied.

I groaned. “Please behave.”

They clicked instantly.

Within thirty minutes, Taylor was arguing with Lilian over movie choices.

“You cannot pick something sad,” he protested.

“Why?”

“I refuse to cry in front of you.”

“You cried when your team lost,” I reminded him.

“That was betrayal, it’s way different from this.”

Lilian nearly dropped the popcorn from laughing.

It didn’t take long for the trio to become real.

We even had a group chat. I was so surprised at how easy it was for Taylor to win Lilian's heart. She was always skeptical about people.

Late night memes. Voice notes at 1 a.m.

Taylor started coming over more often. He helped Lilian fix a broken shelf, He even mocked my playlist.

He once dramatically rewrote the ending of a movie because he didn’t like the male lead’s apology speech.

“That’s not how you communicate feelings,” he complained.

“You’re too invested,” Lilian said.

“I just have standards.”

One night, while Lilian was in the kitchen, Taylor looked at me quietly.

“You laugh more now.”

I blinked.

“I do?”

“Yeah. You sound less heavy and sad.”

I swallowed.

“Guess I needed distraction.”

“No,” he corrected gently. “You needed space where you weren’t feeling like a nobody .”

The word hit.

I just needed to be heard.

That’s just what I needed.

Back at the office, Rider noticed how close me and Taylor were getting, but he didn’t say anything, But his eyes did.

Whenever Taylor leaned against my desk, Rider’s jaw tightened. Whenever Taylor and I laughed about something, Rider’s gaze would linger just a second too long.

One afternoon, Taylor reached across my desk to grab a file and brushed my hand.

It was harmless.

But when I looked up, Rider was standing at his office door, watching with an expression I couldn’t understand.

Our eyes locked, I didn’t look away first this time.

He held my gaze for a moment.

Then turned and went back inside.

Taylor followed my line of sight.

“Oh,” he said softly.

“What?”

“He’s radiating something.”

I looked down at my desk.

“I don’t care.”

And I meant it.

If he doesn’t want to talk to me, he doesn’t get to dictate who does.

By now, rumors had already circulated about me and Taylor's new found friendship, and I knew the rumors were starting to get on Rider nerves.

A week later, Rider finally spoke, it wasn’t definitely about us. But about Taylor.

“Your lunches have become frequent,” he said one afternoon while reviewing a file.

I kept my face normal .

“Yes.”

“You’re aware of company policies regarding workplace conduct.”

My head lifted slowly.

“Are you accusing me of something?”

His jaw tightened slightly.

“I’m advising professionalism.”

“I am being professional.”

“You seem comfortable,” he added.

There it was. Jealousy at its peak, wrapped in corporate language.

“I am,” I replied calmly.

His pen paused mid signature.

For a split second, something flashed in his eyes.

Not anger, nor frustration but Something darker and possessive.

But he said nothing.

Just signed the document and dismissed me.

And for the first time in a very long time, I walked out of his office without feeling small.

That night, Taylor decided to spend the night at our place. Three of us were sprawled across the living room floor, half watching a movie, half talking nonsense.

“If Rider confesses dramatically one day, what would you do?” Taylor asked randomly.

I threw a pillow at him.

“Why would he?”

“I’m just curious.”

Lilian smirked. “He looks like a man two seconds away from snapping.”

“He does not.”

“He does,” they said in unison.

I rolled my eyes.

But deep down, I knew.

Something was building. And this time? I wasn’t chasing it. I wasn’t begging for clarity.

If Rider wanted space, he could have it. But I wasn’t going to pause my life waiting for him to figure himself out.

In the office the next day, Taylor leaned casually against my desk and made me laugh again.

Rider watched. Realizing something he didn’t like. Control was no longer entirely his.

And for the first time, Neither was I.