CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

Chapter 9

DANIELLA POV

After our argument, Rider didn’t talk to me. The first day he didn’t call for me, I told myself it meant nothing.

Rider was unpredictable. Some days he needed me every five minutes. Other days, he locked himself in his office and didn’t come out for hours.

So when my phone didn’t buzz with his name that morning, I shrugged it off.

By ten, I was still waiting. By eleven, I had checked my email three times to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Nothing. At exactly twelve fifteen, his office door opened. My heart reacted before my mind could stop it.

I looked up. He stepped out, phone pressed to his ear, voice low and controlled. He didn’t look angry. He didn’t look distracted. He didn’t bother looking at my direction and that somehow hurt more.

He walked past my desk. Close enough for me to catch his scent and enough for him to notice me. But his eyes stayed forward. He kept walking, passing me by like I didn’t exist.

My fingers tightened around the pen in my hand. Fine. If he wanted distance, I would give it to him. But it hurt. More than I wanted to admit.

The second day was worse. He sent Taylor to collect files that were supposed to be brought to him by me. I watched Taylor walk into his office with the folder I had prepared, and watched him come out a few minutes later.

I forced myself not to look at Rider’s door. If he wanted to ignore me, I wouldn’t make it easy for him to see that it was working.

Around three in the afternoon, I stood up without thinking. I walked toward his office. Each step felt heavier than it should. I stopped outside his door. It was slightly open. I could see him sitting behind his desk, focused on his laptop. His expression was serious. Calm.

For a moment, I imagined walking in. I imagined saying, “Are you going to ignore me forever?” I imagined him looking up, annoyed but unable to hide that he missed me too.

My hand lifted.

Then I stopped. I couldn’t let him think I couldn’t do without him. My emotions were all over the place, and it just made things worse for me.

I turned around and walked back to my desk like I hadn’t almost broken.

If I thought the second day was worse, then I made a mistake. The third day was my limit.

He laughed. I heard it through the slightly open door of his office. A low laugh. Rare. Real.

My head lifted immediately. He was inside with Jordan and Taylor. Talking easily and comfortably. .

My chest tightened. So he could laugh, He just couldn’t laugh with me.

That was when the ache settled properly in my stomach. I wasn’t angry anymore. I was hurt. He was just being petty and messing with my feelings.

I focused on my work, but I was already distracted and couldn’t work at a fast pace.

By midday, Taylor came to my desk.

“Everything okay?” he asked casually.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” I replied, smiling.

He studied me for a second longer than necessary. “Just asking,” he said.

I hated that people could see something was wrong but not him. I hated that I couldn’t fix my emotions.

That evening, I went home exhausted even though I hadn’t done anything different. I kept checking my phone like an i***t. He didn’t message.

Lilian knew something was wrong with me, but she knew I won’t open up till I feel comfortable to talk about it with her so she left me alone.

The fourth day broke whatever strength I thought I had left.

It started normal. Emails, Calls and Meeting preparations.

Around noon, I went to the printer to collect some documents. His office door opened at the same time. I looked up automatically.

Our eyes met. For half a second, I saw something there. Something restrained, like he had something to say but did not know to go about it.

Then he looked away first. He walked past me like I was air.

And that was when it hit me. He wasn’t busy, nor was he distracted. He was avoiding me on purpose.

My throat tightened painfully. I returned to my desk and sat down slowly. Why does this hurt this much?

He is your boss. That’s all.

But that wasn't all. It had stopped being just that a long time ago. I stared at my computer screen, but the words blurred. I blinked fast. I would not cry at work. Not over him. But the silence felt like rejection.

By the time work ended, I couldn’t carry it alone anymore. I needed to talk to someone and the only person that I knew would listen to me was Lilian.

I rushed out of the office to take a cab. I couldn’t wait for the bus. My tears were hanging on a loose thread.

Once I was inside the cab, I lost it. I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and just let them fall. Why was his attitude getting to me so badly? Wasn’t this what I wanted? I kept on asking myself different questions till I reached the house. I got down and paid the cab driver and headed to the house.

Once I reached the front door, I knocked and waited for Lilian to open the door. Right on cue, she came to open the door. Seeing my face and how badly shaped I looked, she didn’t say anything else or give me a judging look. Rather, she brought me inside and ensured I was seated and comfortable and gave me a huge teddy bear hug. Seeing how understanding she was, I burst into tears. All the pain I’ve been holding onto finally came out.

“What happened?” she asked quietly.

He hasn’t spoken to me in four days.

It sounded childish when I said it aloud.

Lilian didn’t rush me. She just sat beside me and waited. That was all it took.

“He hasn’t called for me,” I said finally.

She frowned slightly. “Called for you?”

“To his office. For work. For anything.”

She stayed quiet. “We had an argument,” I continued. “I told you about it. But after that, he just stopped. He sends other people. He doesn’t look at me. He walks past me like I’m invisible.”

My voice shook.

“And that hurts,” she said gently.

I let out a breath that sounded like a laugh but wasn’t. “It shouldn’t,” I whispered. “He’s my boss. That’s all.”

Lilian turned slightly so she was fully facing me.

“Is he?” she asked.

I didn’t answer. I honestly didn’t know what to say to her. I knew Where she was going

“Daniella,” she said softly, “you don’t cry over a boss ignoring you.”

That was when I realized tears were already running down my face. I wiped them quickly. “I’m not crying.”

“You are.” Her voice wasn’t teasing. It was calm. Understanding.

“I just hate feeling like I don’t matter,” I admitted. “Like I was easy to drop.”

She reached for my hand.

“You matter,” she said firmly. “And if he made you feel otherwise, that’s on him. Not you.”

I gulped. Lilian was right.

“But listen to me,” she continued, her tone shifting slightly, not harsh, just steady. “You can’t sit back and expect him to fix something he doesn’t even know is broken.”

I frowned. “He knows.”

“Does he?” she asked gently. “Or is he just reacting the only way he knows how?”

I thought about the way Rider shuts down when things get emotional. The way he hides behind control.

“He’s proud,” she added. “Men like him don’t handle vulnerability well. Silence is easier for them.”

“So what do I do?” I asked quietly.

“You talk to him.”

“What if he doesn’t care?”

“Then at least you’ll know the truth instead of drowning in assumptions.”

Her thumb brushed lightly over my knuckles.

“You’re not angry because he shouted,” she said softly. “You’re hurt because he made you feel small. So tell him that. Don’t accuse. Don’t attack. Just tell him how you feel.”

I stared at the floor.

“I’m scared,” I admitted.

“Of what?”

“That he’ll confirm my worst fear.”

“That you don’t matter?” I nodded.

She squeezed my hand.

“And what if he does the opposite?” she asked.

That possibility scared me too. I don’t know if I’m ready for any of the options.

“Daniella,” she said gently, “you’re strong when it comes to everything else like work, pressure, responsibility, but when it comes to him, you act weak.”

Her words didn’t feel like an attack. They felt true and I knew they were. I always felt weak around Rider.

“Stop making yourself weak,” she said softly. “If he wants to be in your space, he needs to meet you halfway.”

I took a shaky breath.

“What if I embarrass myself?”

She smiled slightly. “Then you’ll survive it. You’ve survived worse.”

That made me laugh weakly.

“Go to your room b***h” she said. “Sleep. Tomorrow, walk into his office like you belong there. Because you do.”

I nodded slowly. For the first time in four days, the weight on my chest felt lighter.

The next morning, I stood outside Rider’s office again.

The knock on the door felt louder than usual.

“Come in.”

His voice was flat and professional.

I stepped inside, He didn’t look up immediately, flipping through a file like it required his full attention, like I wasn’t even standing there.

“Is there something you need, Daniella?” he asked.

I swallowed.

“I need to talk to you.”

He nodded once, still not looking up.

“If this is about the shipment reports, forward them to Mark. He’s handling—”

“It’s not about work.”

His expression didn’t change.

“I’m in the middle of something,” he said evenly. “If it’s personal, this isn’t the place.”

My chest tightened. “Then when is the place?”

He finally looked up. His expression was cold. Controlled. His jaw tight and eyes unreadable.

“I don’t mix personal matters with business,” he said.

“Then why did you ignore me for four days?” I whispered.

He paused. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“I was giving you space,” he said.

“I didn’t ask for space.”

“You were upset,” he replied. “I assumed distance would prevent further conflict.”

I stepped closer. “You didn’t prevent anything. You made it worse.”

“You made me feel like I was disposable,” I continued. “Like I was easy to switch off.”

His expression shifted slightly. Something underneath the control.

“You’re not disposable,” he said firmly.

“Then why treat me like I was?”

His jaw tightened. “I was protecting us.”

“You don’t get to shut me out because you’re scared of what you feel,” I said quietly.

His gaze sharpened. “I’m not scared.”

“Then what are you?”

He exhaled slowly. “I’m just being careful .”

I stepped closer. “If you don’t want this, say it.”

His eyes dropped briefly. “I never said I don’t want it.”

“Then stop acting like I’m temporary.”

A long silence. Then, finally, his forehead rested lightly against mine.

“I don’t know how to do halfway,” he admitted quietly.

“Then we learn,” I whispered.

He let his hands slide gently to my waist. Careful. Like I was fragile.

“You’re not fragile,” he murmured.

“I know,” I replied.

Another beat of silence.

He brought me closer to him, and I could smell his intoxicating cologne.

“Rider” I said , my voice cracking

“Yes Daniella “

I said softly. “Don’t ever do that again.”

His jaw tightened. “I won’t.”

Then his phone rang, interrupting our conversation and snapping us back to reality.

He picked up. Listened to the person on the phone, and after some time he hung up.

His eyes flickered toward me. Something unreadable passed through them.

“I have to leave for a meeting,” he said, adjusting his jacket.

“Don’t shrink again,” he added softly with a smirk before walking out.

And I stood there alone, knowing something had shifted. But not knowing what it would cost.