Fire in the Heir

12.

Oh sh*t! “Umm, I’m not sure what you mean.” I didn’t want to squirm and show my nerves, so I shoved my hands under my thighs as far as I could put them without looking like I was trying to fold myself in half.

“Taylor, your tells are so obvious. I’m sure that Lucien and Rose can see it and are just purposely ignoring it. Fortunately, I have been a part of your life for so long. I have learned to see your tells as well.”

I really didn’t know how much I should tell him or how he would react, but for some reason I really wanted to tell him everything.

It was strange because I knew that no one really knew me like Kana, but for some reason I wanted to share this secret with him. I’ve never been good at lying or keeping secrets.

One reason is because Monika is the biggest snoop and pest and can always get information out of me. The other reason is because I never felt important enough to have or know anything important. I was only the daughter of the Beta by chance.

Kana was focused on Alpha Riese and I could feel her purring with contentment and letting me choose this for myself.

The one thing I wanted was to leave this pack and go to the college in the city and that didn’t seem like a secret and more like a wish, so I wasn’t sure how to tell him or anyone. What did I have to lose?

Sucking in a deep breath, I let it go, and then told him everything. Not just what happened yesterday on the trip, but about school and that I wanted to leave and study on the campus there.

I told him about my life, my plans for school, for lodging, and how I would pay for it all. He never once interrupted me. He listened.

He followed along with my explanation and thinking and random tangents that I would get lost on, but he listened. When I had finally finished telling him everything, I felt so, well, free.

I stared at him for a minute and neither of us said anything. It was as if he was soaking up all the things I poured out.

Baring my soul to Kana was one thing, but sharing such intimate details of myself with Alpha Riese felt oddly satisfying.

I hadn’t even realized that while I was talking, not only had I taken my hands out from under my thighs, but I had scooted all the way up to his desk and was practically leaning over it.

Only now did I see how close we were because he reached out and grasped both my hands in his and squeezed them.

Large, calloused hands that were scarred and strong, but also slender held mine. They were warm and enveloping as they completely covered mine with little effort.

It was hard not to take him in and compare myself to him. Our coloring was so different. Where he was gold and warm like the sun, I was pale and cold like the moon at nighttime.

Like this, I was able to notice so much about his hands, but the thing that stood out the most was the black ring on his left hand.

I didn’t jerk back or panic with the touch like I thought that I would. Instead, I felt so much joy and comfort that I started to cry.

That must have startled him because he let me go and stood so fast that I hadn’t even seen him come around the desk and kneel down next to my chair. I didn’t even know why I was crying.

Honestly, I didn’t even cry much anymore, but I just felt so much. But he brushed my hair behind my ear, and wiped the tear from my cheek and it was enough to make me cry even harder.

“Taylor, I did not mean to upset you. I apologize for whatever it is that has hurt you or caused you pain. I did not mean to force you to share yourself with me like that. Honestly, I haven’t had anyone talk to me so freely in so long other than Lucien.”

Looking at him, I saw that he truly meant his apology. I had never heard the Alpha apologize to anyone in my entire life and I wasn’t sure if he should be giving this one to me.

I needed to tell him that I wasn’t crying because of him. I mean it was because of him, but not because of any offense.

“I’m sorry,” I sniffled.

“I’m not really sure why I’m crying, but it’s not your fault.” I bowed my head to him but he caught my chin softly in his hand and lifted my head up.

He looked as if he was going to say something, but suddenly he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for an embrace.

There was a bit of hesitation at first from both of us, but as the tears began to fall more rapidly, I wrapped my arms around him and just let the tears flow. Instantly, whatever tension there may have been dissolved.

I’m not sure how long he kneeled there holding me, but when I was completely dried out and soothed from the circles that he had rubbed into my back, he pulled back slowly.

The shirt that he was wearing was damp again from where I had cried all over him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Again, he pulled my hair back and tucked it behind my ear. Nerves snuck up and I felt embarrassment rise and heat flood into my cheeks. Smiling, he again grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

“Thank you for sharing all of this with me today. I am grateful that you felt comfortable enough to do so. I know that growing up in the pack lands is hard. I remember being your age and wishing that I hadn’t been born first so that I wouldn’t one day have to inherit the role of Alpha, or the responsibility of running and protecting a pack.”

Taken aback by his words and the sincerity there, I was about to ask him about what he had just said, but he continued talking.

“Being born a wolf is hard because there are so many in this world who do not know about us, so it feels like we are living in secret on the pack lands. Then you have those that do know and you have to consider if they are friend or foe.”

I would never have thought that Alpha Riese had ever felt like that, but maybe we all feel like this when we are this age. We wonder what it would be like to live and experience life away from the pack.

Compassion and sympathy were written all over his face. Kana had been quiet for a long time now and I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. I took my other hand and placed it on top of our clasped hands.

“Can you please keep this all between us? I don’t want to worry my parents about talk of leaving if that is something that may not be possible?”

Again he just stared at me and I was sure that I looked like cr*p after crying like that. I could feel that my eyes were puffy and I was sure that they were red, but he suddenly placed his other hand on top of mine and cleared his throat.

“You have my word. I will keep all of this between us, but I will need to speak to Jace about what happened with the heir yesterday.

We should have been informed if there were any other packs going to the city yesterday so that we could have planned better, but that is neither here nor there. We will need to keep an eye on the Azul wolf pack and make sure that this was truly just a coincidence.”

Nodding my unneeded agreement was all I could think of doing. I smiled and he let go of my hands and rose from the floor.

“Jace has gone to get Monika for you. They are both on their way to my office right now.” I smiled again, then let out,”wait, what do I tell Monika and my parents that we talked about?”

There was no hesitation from him when he responded,”no one will ask you anything about our time together, I promise.”

I knew my eyes widened to small saucers and he grinned. Suddenly, there was a quick knock on the door and I knew that it was probably Jace and Monika.

Turning to look towards the door, I stood from my chair, but it was a little embarrassing as I heard my skin softly peel off the leather of the chair.

I was sure I probably left at least two layers behind.

“Go ahead Taylor. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.” I smiled at him and I felt my heart swell at this ease that seemed to settle between us.

“I will, thank you. I hope you do as well.” I bowed towards him before turning to walk towards the door. Right as I reached out to open the door he said one last thing. “The heir of Azul is named Dariel and you need to stay far away from him, Taylor.”