The Alpha’s Temptation

CHAPTER 5

AMIRA

Feeling like a walking disaster on my first day at work, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that I had already failed to make a positive impression as his secretary, let alone as a potential romantic interest.

Sighing heavily, I stared out the window, watching the world pass by as I waited anxiously for him to arrive. It had been many years since I had felt so utterly useless.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he emerged from the restaurant. My heart rate quickened as I mentally rehearsed the apology speech I had been preparing since the moment I was unceremoniously escorted out of that place for reasons known only to him.

As his security opened the door and he slid into the back seat, I braced myself for the confrontation, the weight of my apprehension heavy in the air. With a subtle nod to the driver, the car pulled away from the driveway.

As we sat in tense silence, I felt the weight of the awkwardness pressing down on me, compelling me to break the uneasy quiet with an apology, even though I wasn't entirely sure what I was apologizing for. If I wanted to establish any kind of relationship with him, it had to start with friendship, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Snider," I blurted out suddenly, catching him off guard as he glanced in my direction. "I'm sorry for what happened in there," I added hastily, the words tumbling out before I could stop them, the exact reason for my apology remaining a mystery even to myself.

"What exactly are you apologizing for?" he inquired, his voice soft yet piercing as he fixed me with a steady gaze. I racked my brain for an explanation, but came up empty-handed.

Mr. Snider sighed, his frustration obvious as he turned his attention to the passing scenery outside the window. "Who am I to you, Ms. Walton?" he questioned.

The answer came easily to me. "You're my boss and my Alpha," I replied without hesitation, my gaze fixed on his side profile as I awaited his reaction.

"Good," he rasped, his tone leaving no room for argument. "As your boss, during working hours, when I say jump, you ask how high. And outside working hours, when I say run as your Alpha, you sprint instantly with no questions asked."

My heart sank as the weight of my mistake settled heavily upon me. I had overstepped my bounds, and now I was facing the consequences.

"When I told you to leave, why didn't you?" he growled, his gaze piercing as he turned to fix me with a stern glare. I felt a wave of unease wash over me, wishing desperately for the ground to swallow me whole because I couldn't bear to meet his gaze.

"Who the heck gave you the right to question me, Ms. Walton?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration and disappointment.

"I'm sorry, sir," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper as I hastily apologized, knowing that it was the only thing I could do in this moment. "I swear to you that it won't happen again."

My stomach grumbled loudly, betraying my hunger, and I cursed myself and Amber, my wolf, for putting me in such an embarrassing situation. I had been too nervous to eat anything this morning, and I had yet to have anything to eat all day.

Mr. Snider shook his head and sighed audibly. "Take us to my favorite restaurant," he instructed his driver, and I felt a pang of guilt wash over me, knowing that he was inconveniencing himself just to ensure I had something to eat.

"You don't have to do that, sir," I interjected quickly, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my cheeks. "I have some cookies in my bag that I can eat when I get to the office."

He glanced at me before pulling out his phone. "Keep them away from my documents," he instructed with a wry smile, and I nodded in understanding, realizing that he was concerned about ants getting into his paperwork. "Besides, I'm not taking a detour because of you, but because I'm hungry."

"Oh," I responded, feeling a mixture of relief and embarrassment. "Sure."

We rode in silence to his favorite restaurant. As the car came to a stop, I moved to open the door and walk with him towards the entrance, but my plans were derailed when a man unintentionally bumped into me, causing me to stumble on my heels.

Before I could regain my balance, Mr. Snider sprang into action, reaching out to snatch my forearm and steady me. Once he was satisfied that I had regained my footing, he turned his attention to the man who had bumped into me, a scowl forming on his face.

Without a word of apology, the man continued on his way, leaving Mr. Snider visibly irritated. In a swift and unexpected move, he strode towards the man's car, grabbing the door before it could close completely and yanking the man out of the vehicle.

The force with which Mr. Snider handled the situation caused the man to lose his footing and stumble to the ground, but my boss showed no signs of remorse, his actions leaving me stunned and speechless.

He dragged the man across the driveway to where I stood, his grip firm as he deposited the man at my feet. "Apologize to her now," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "And don't get up until she accepts the apology."

The surrounding onlookers, who had been going about their business moments before, now stopped to observe the unfolding scene, their curious gazes fixed upon us as they tried to make sense of the situation.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I glanced around, wishing I could disappear into thin air. "You can get up," I blurted out to the man still lying at my feet, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"I didn't hear his apology," Mr. Snider countered.

Resigned to my fate, I sealed my lips shut and waited in uncomfortable silence, hoping the man would quickly apologize and end this humiliating ordeal.

"I'm sorry," the man finally mumbled, his voice strained as he rubbed his knees, clearly feeling the effects of his rough handling. "I was in a hurry, which is why I didn't stop to apologize."

I turned to Mr. Snider, silently pleading for an end to the awkwardness. "Do you agree?" he asked, his gaze fixed on me, and I nodded in silent agreement, eager to put the incident behind me.

I bent down to help the man up, offering a hand as he glanced nervously at Mr. Snider, who gave him a curt nod of dismissal. With a grateful glance in my direction, the man quickly scurried away to his car.

As we entered the restaurant, I was taken aback when Mr. Snider pulled out a seat for me, a gesture of gentlemanly courtesy that caught me off guard. He waved over the waitress, and we placed our orders in relative silence.

Clearing my throat, I summoned the courage to address the earlier incident. "I appreciate what you did earlier, but I'd prefer if you didn't handle situations like that in front of me."

Leaning back in his seat, Mr. Snider regarded me with an intensity that made me squirm uncomfortably. "If you were with Phoenix and this happened, what would he have done?" he countered, his voice measured.

"He would have checked if I was okay and then we would have continued on our way as if nothing happened," I replied honestly. "He most definitely wouldn't have forced the man to kneel in front of me."

"That's not how to treat a lady," he replied firmly. As the waitress dropped off our order along with a bottle of wine he had requested, she quickly excused herself and left us alone.

"If you're with me, expect a different reaction from me," he continued, his words filled with promise and warning.

The ambiguity of his statement left me feeling unsettled, and I struggled to mask my unease. "If I'm with you?" I echoed, trying to decipher his intentions without reading too much into his words.

He paused in the midst of arranging the napkin on his thigh, his expression unreadable. "By that, I meant you being with me as my secretary," he clarified, and I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me for jumping to conclusions.

"Right," I muttered, feeling foolish for letting my imagination run wild. Hastily picking up my fork, I focused on my food, eager to change the subject and put my embarrassment behind me.

It wasn't until I had finished eating that I noticed Mr. Snider had barely touched his food. Eyeing him suspiciously, I couldn't help but voice my curiosity. "I thought you said you were hungry."

"Are you done?" he inquired, deflecting my question as he gestured towards my empty plate. I nodded in confirmation, and without another word, he pushed his own plate away and motioned for the waitress to come over. With swift efficiency, he settled our bill and then indicated for me to stand.

As I rose from my seat, he surprised me by reaching for my jacket and helping me slip it on. It was a small gesture, but it caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless.

During the ride back to the office, I took the opportunity to send a text to Ciara, informing her that I would be stopping by her place after work.

WHAT HAPPENED? she replied almost immediately.

A LOT. I responded.

As the car came to a stop, I pocketed my phone, assuming we had arrived at our destination. However, I was taken aback to realize that we were parked outside my apartment building. I turned to my boss with a puzzled expression. "What happened?" I blurted out, my mind racing with possibilities. "Why are we outside my apartment?"

"I believe it's best if you call it a day," he replied curtly.

I shook my head stubbornly. "I don't want to call it a day," I blurted out.

He fixed me with a steely glare. "I want to," he deadpanned, his tone brooking no further discussion. "Have a good day, Ms. Walton. I'll see you tomorrow."

Feeling a mixture of shock and frustration, I got down and watched as he drove away, leaving me standing there in astonishment. With a scoff, I pulled out my phone and quickly texted Ciara.

"Are you home right now?" I asked, eager for some company after the unexpected turn of events.

"Yes, I am," came her prompt reply.

"Perfect. I'm on my way.”