My Neighbor is an Alpha

Chapter 5

s**t.

Shit. s**t. s**t.

Panic clawed in and to make everything worse, the final bell blared through the empty lot. My pulse stumbled.

I pulled frantically at the knife but it was no good. It was stuck. I couldn’t leave it there. It was evidence. With my prints plastered all over it.

I yanked at the knife again in a desperate attempt and disappointment only followed. “Oh God, if you’re real,” I whispered under my breath. “Please help me. I’ll never search for revenge again.”

I could hear the faraway chatter of students already. Any moment now, students would swarm the parking lot. I had to do something. Anything. But then a voice froze me in place.

“Not going as planned?”

My head snapped back so quickly I was sure I heard a crack. A scream tore from my throat as I clutched my chest like that could stop the heart attack.

It was him. Again.

And this time, amusement danced in his dark eyes. Not anger. Not disappointment.

For some reason, it made my pulse slow. He didn’t give me time to defend myself. Instead, he simply crouched down beside me, close enough that his shoulder brushed against mine and his scent infiltrated my senses.

Woodsy. Mint. Spice.

I blinked, forcing myself to snap back to reality and my very unfortunate predicament. He ripped it out in one swift move. Relief crashed into me so hard, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

He didn’t stop there.

He moved to the next one.

I frowned. “What are you-“

A loud pop echoed. Then another. Then another. I stood there, unmoving, watching him s***h the remaining three tyres then calmly held my knife in my face.

“If you’re going to commit a crime,” he said smoothly, “Make sure you don’t get caught.”

He’d just made himself an accomplice.

My brain was still trying to figure out what just happened before his rough fingers slipped into mine. I ignored the jolt of electricity. The warmth that came with it. And without a warning, he tugged me.

“Run, Valerie.”

His eyes scanned my face, like he was waiting for my mind to catch up. And when it finally did, he turned on his heel and sprinted. I followed after him, relishing the way the sharp wind whipped past us. My chest felt lighter than it had been in three months.

For the moment, it was just the wind and unfiltered adrenaline pumping through my body.

We ran until my throat felt dry and my legs throbbed. I slowed. He glanced back at me and immediately matched my pace.

I dropped altogether, bracing myself with my hands on my knees. My ragged breath filled the air, my lungs felt like they had been set on fire, my hair stuck to my face and still, he looked like he just rolled out of bed.

I forced myself upright. “Why-“ I wheezed. “You didn’t have to…” I trailed off.

He handed my knife back to me, his eyes flashing with something I couldn’t place. “It’s getting late.”

I frowned, my eyes flickering to the sky. “It’s not.”

His jaw ticked once. “You should get home either way. Stay inside.”

I blinked. Then scoffed. “I appreciate you helping me but you don’t get to tell me what to do. Certainly not after committing a crime together.”

He narrowed his eyes on me. I suddenly felt too conscious.

“Trust me, Valerie.” He said, more serious now. “You won’t want to be outside tonight.”

I couldn’t tell if it was the way his face slowly darkened or the way his gaze flicked behind me occasionally. But in the end, I shoved down the argument.

He walked me home. It was awkward. I was against it. He insisted. And when he got to the entrance of our driveway, he stopped, not taking another step.

I frowned but said nothing. I was about to leave when a thought struck me.

“You never told me your name!” I shouted after him.

His mouth opened. Then closed. Then he swallowed thickly, his throat bobbing. “Killian.”

That was the only thing he said before shoving his hands into his pockets and walking away. But he didn’t take his own advice and go home, he walked in the opposite direction until he disappeared out of my line of vision.

Even as I entered my house, his words still played in my head.

“What in the hell are you thinking, Val?” My mother’s sharp voice made me freeze.

My brows furrowed. What did I do? Then my pulse quickened. Did she find out about the car? No. No. It’s impossible.

Then she stormed over to me, ripping the curtains open and frantically looking out the window. When she was finished, she let out a shaky sigh and stepped back.

“Mom?” I asked slowly. “Is… everything okay?”

“No.” She snapped. “I thought that with everything that has happened, the last thing you would do is run into another loser’s arms.”

My spine stiffened.

I understood immediately. This was about killian. The tattoos. The look that screamed ‘don’t look at me or I’ll break your bones’. The demeanor.

My stomach dropped.

“Mom,” I said quickly. “It’s not what you think. He’s not-“

“What is it then?” She cut in. “Huh? The second we move to a new town, Valerie.” She let out a bitter chuckle. “You don’t waste any time.”

My throat tightened, tears prickling my eyes. “It’s different. He’s just a friend.”

“Like Nate was?”

Her words were a punch to the gut. She knew it. She let out a frustrated sigh, tugging at the strands of her hair that held more gray than I remembered.

“Valerie,” she said again, lower this time, moving closer until her cold hands rested on both my cheeks. “I love you so much but please promise me I won’t see you with him again.”

I opened my mouth to speak. Then closed it.

“Please, V.” The desperation in her voice made my heart break. “Promise me.”

I swallowed thickly, nodding. “Okay. I won’t.” I hesitated. “I promise.”