CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

Chapter 13

DANIELLA POV

Somewhere between the awkward silence and the stolen glance, things shifted. We never talked about the elevator.

We didn’t bother confronting each other. No “what are we?” conversation. It was a quiet understanding, and I’ll never be more glad because honestly, I don’t have any words to describe how I feel.

Rider stopped pretending it didn’t happen, and I stopped pretending his actions didn’t affect me.

The way he started standing closer again to me, gave me butterflies in my stomach and I could never stop the blush appearing on my face.

The way his fingers would brush mine when handing over files, not accidentally but Intentionally and he’ll smirk at me, like he already knows what his touch does to me.

The way he’d hold my gaze a second longer than necessary, like he wasn’t ready for me to leave his side. The tension didn’t disappear, rather it softened and settled.

We became the talk of the entire office, but this time around, I could care less. I wanted Rider, and I wasn’t going to drift apart again like before.

The first time he came to my apartment after everything changed, I nearly fainted on the spot.

I had just gotten out of the shower, hair damp, oversized T-shirt hanging loosely on my frame when the doorbell rang.

It was on a Saturday, so I wasn’t expecting anyone.

When I opened the door, Rider stood there in dark jeans and a fitted black shirt, no suit jacket, no tie. Just him in casual wear looking more relaxed and extremely sexy.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

“Hi,” he said, like it was normal for him to be standing outside my home at 8 p.m.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

He shrugged slightly, hands in his pockets. “Was in the area.”

Liar.

His house wasn’t anywhere close and the office was about 20 minutes drive.

“Your office is about a 20 minute drive Rider.”

He shrugged again

“ I had an urgent business meeting not far from here and I decided to drop by Daniella. Or do you have an issue with me being here?”

“Ugh no no Rider, you can come in.”

I stepped aside for him to enter.

He walked in slowly, eyes scanning the room, taking everything in. My couch. My tiny bookshelf. The framed picture of Lilian and me on vacation.

“You live small,” he observed.

“Excuse me?”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “It’s cozy.”

I folded my arms. “You own half the city. Of course this looks small to you.”

He stepped closer.

“Doesn’t matter the size,” he murmured. “It feels like you.”

My stomach made some flips, and I couldn’t hold the blush that crept into my face. He just smirked at me and continued looking round the house.

We sat on the couch with takeout containers between us, talking about random things.

Childhood stories, Embarrassing teenage phases.

He told me about a boarding school he hated. I told him about sneaking snacks into class and getting caught.

He laughed, Not his polite corporate chuckle.

A real laugh. Low and warm, and I couldn’t help but notice how cute he looks.

I stared at him longer than I meant to and he noticed me.

“What?” he asked.

“You look different when you’re relaxed.”

“Is that good?”

“It’s unfair.”

His eyes darkened slightly at that.

We didn’t touch much that night.

Just his thigh brushing mine, his fingers slightly touching my wrist when he reached for a fork.

But when he stood to leave, he lingered by the door, and I walked up to him.

His hand came up slowly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

His fingers slid down, tilting my chin slightly.

“ I don’t want to leave Daniella.”

“I also don’t want you to leave, but if my roommate comes here and she sees you, I’ll not be getting any sleep tonight.” I laughed awkwardly and he just smiled.

“He put his hands on my lower back, and brought me closer to him. The smell of his cologne was already making me intoxicated.

He brought his other hand to my face, and before I knew what was happening, he kissed me. I didn’t waste time to kiss him back, and we were already in a battle for dominance, in which he won.

My insides exploded. I could feel his hand on my lower back exploring more of my lower back until he reached my ass. I gasped at the touch.

He squeezed my ass, and I couldn’t stop the moan from leaving my mouth.

He groaned “f**k you’re making it way to hard for me to hold myself Daniella.”

“Don’t hold yourself Rider.”

“Ugh b***h can you imagine what happened to me” Lilian said, jolting me and Rider back to reality.

She looked at me and Rider, and realized she just interrupted something.

“f**k I came in at the wrong time, you guys can go ahead I’ll be heading to my room now.”

“It’s fine I’ll be leaving now.” Rider said, giving me a quick kiss on the lips, making me blush like a secondary school kid. The look on Lilian's face made me know that I had a lot to tell her.

“Lock the door after me,” he said quietly.

And the way he said it wasn’t controlling, rather it was protective.Like my safety mattered to him.

I nodded. He stepped back reluctantly, then walked out.

I stood there long after the door closed, smiling like an i***t.

“Girll I need details like ASAP and why the f**k is he a Demi God in human form. You just said he’s sexy.” Lilian bickering made me come back to reality.

“He just stopped by Lilian.”

“That didn’t seem like a normal stop by b***h. What I witnessed was an intense making out girl.”

I sighed out of embarrassment. “He actually judt stopped by, and we were watching movies and just talking and then the moment just happened you know.”

“Ughh Lilian, let's not talk about this, it's already awkward that you walked in on us kissing.”

“Girl I don’t mind one bit but I’m glad you guys are already getting along.”

I followed Lilian to her room, and decided to binge watch teen wolf with her.

“What would you do if you found out that werewolves were real Elle?” Lilian asked, catching me off guard.

“Come on Lilian, this is just a movie. I actually don’t believe werewolves or any other supernatural being exist and so should you. I knew all this paranormal movies you watch would get to your head..”

Lilian scoffed at my reply and dragged the popcorn out of my hands. I laughed at her and continued watching the movie.

Around 11, I decided to go to bed. I needed to be at work early tomorrow so I left Lilian's room and went to mine to call it a night.

Rider showing up, became a pattern which was very random.

He would come with food, sometimes coffee. He sometimes comes early in the morning to ensure I don’t go late to the office.

Once, he came with groceries because he claimed my fridge looked “depressing.”

“You went through my fridge?” I accused.

“I opened it,” he corrected calmly.

“That’s still invasion.”

“You needed vegetables.”

He cooked that night.

I watched him move around my small kitchen like he owned it. Sleeves rolled up, forearms flexing as he chopped onions with ridiculous precision.

“You cook like you’re performing surgery,” I said.

He didn’t look up. “I don’t like things being messy.”

I leaned against the counter. “You’re very particular.”

“I am.”

“And controlling.”

His gaze lifted slowly to mine.

“Only when it matters.”

Heat rushed through me.

Dinner was quiet but comfortable.

We didn’t rush.

Didn’t fill silence just to avoid it.

Being around him felt so nice .

Like something inside me settled whenever he was near, and I didn’t have to try so hard.

The office became my favorite place to be. Now that we had something real , whatever “something” was , every interaction carried something deep. .

He’d call me into his office for work-related reasons.

But his eyes would linger longer than the task required.

One afternoon, I leaned over his desk to show him a document. His hand came to the small of my back instinctively, Firm and very possessive.

I froze.

His thumb pressed lightly against my waist before he seemed to realize what he was doing.

He didn’t pull away immediately though.

His voice dropped. “You should wear your hair down more.”

I swallowed. “Why?”

“Because it makes me go crazy.”

I nearly forgot how to speak.

Taylor, unfortunately, saw everything.

“Oh we’re glowing today,” he whispered dramatically as I walked past him later.

“I am not glowing.”

“You are, and it's disgusting.” He said sticking his tongue out in a mocking manner.

I tried to glare but failed.

“You think I didn’t see him watching you during the meeting?”

“He watches everyone.”

Taylor leaned back in his chair. “Not like that.”

I hated that he was right.

During meetings, Rider’s gaze would find me naturally.

If someone raised their voice at me, even jokingly, his jaw tightened.

Once, a client stood too close while explaining something.

Rider interrupted the conversation abruptly and dismissed him.

I raised an eyebrow afterward.

“Was that necessary?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied simply.

“You were being territorial.”

His expression didn’t change.

“I don’t like people invading your space.”

My heart skipped.

“And you?” I challenged softly. “You invade my space all the time.”

He stepped closer.

“Is that a complaint?”

My breath caught.

“No.” He smiled faintly.

Lilian was extremely happy for me. In fact she was way happier than I was.

“You let him cook? You’re done,” she declared while we were lazying around on the couch. .

“Can you relax?”

“No. Daniella. Men do not drive across town, cook, and text goodnight every evening for fun.”

“He doesn’t text goodnight every evening.”

“He does though.”

I paused. He did, although the messages were short, they at least meant something.

“Are you at home now?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Go to bed Daniella, you need enough sleep to be energized .”

Simple, short, consistent and reliable texts.

“Has he asked you out?” Lilian pressed.

“No.”

“Then what are you doing?”

I didn’t know.

That was the confusing part.

We weren’t labeling anything.

But it didn’t feel casual, like normal friendship

It felt claimed, like I was his already.

One Saturday evening, he decided to take me out. It wasn’t an official date, well according to him it wasn’t official.

He just showed up at my house, and said, “Get dressed.”

“Excuse me?”

“I want to take you somewhere nice, so wear something nice.”

“You’re very bossy.”

“Yes Elle .”

I rolled my eyes but went to change.

He took me to a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city.

The air was cool. The lights below us glowed like stars.

He pulled my chair out.

Ordered for me, and it was practically my favorite.

“How do you know I like that?” I asked.

“I pay attention.”

He always did. I blushed at the thought.

Dinner felt different from the couch nights. It was more intentional and intimate.

His hand rested on the table near mine.

After a while, his fingers brushed over my knuckles slowly.

I intertwined our fingers without thinking.

His grip tightened instantly.

Like relief. Like he’d been waiting.

We didn’t talk much after that.

Just sat there, fingers locked, city lights reflecting in his eyes.

When he drove me home, his hand stayed on my thigh the entire ride.

Not moving, Just there, solid and claiming.

Back at my apartment, the air shifted.

We stood near the door again. Too close to each other.

His hand came to my waist automatically now.

Like it belonged there.

“You’re getting comfortable,” I murmured.

“With you?” His thumb traced a slow circle against my side. “Yes.”

My heartbeat quickened.

“You don’t fight it anymore.”

His eyes held mine.

“I don’t want to.”

That confession hit harder than any kiss.

Because for weeks, he had been fighting something.

Now he wasn’t.

And I didn’t know if that should comfort me or scare me.

But I didn’t pull away.

Neither did he.

His forehead rested lightly against mine.

Breathing steady..

“Daniella…” he began.

The way he said my name made my stomach twist.

There was no hesitation in his tone.

No conflict, Just certainty.

“I’ve been thinking.”

My pulse raced.

This felt like a turning point, Like something was about to shift again.

His hand slid from my waist to my jaw, tilting my face up.

“I don’t do things halfway,” he said quietly.

I swallowed.

“I know.”

“And I don’t let people into my space unless I’m serious.”

My chest tightened...

His thumb brushed over my cheek slowly.

“I want…”

The words stopped there.

Not because he didn’t know what to say, but because something passed through his eyes.

Something deep and instinctive.

Like he was making a decision at that exact moment.

And for the first time since I met him…

Rider didn’t look conflicted over our complicated relationship. He looked sure about what he was going to say.