Page 61 of Alpha Fate

I shouldn’t have left it like that.

He was right – we have a lot to discuss. I shouldn’t have brushed him off to go see Edirn, even if it was important. I feel a pang, remembering how upset he was.

Could he really be jealous? Wouldn’t that mean that this thing between us is more than just an impulsive fling?

The thought makes my heart flutter. I know I’m not dealing with some artificial heat like Sierra’s worried about. This feels real. It is real.

My steps slow as I near the area that I know houses the security team’s living quarters. Wandering the corridors, I realize I don’t actually know where Gage’s apartment is. I’m so lost in thought that I literally bump right into Tarkin coming around a corner.

“Whoa, there,” he says, catching me by the shoulders. He grins down at me. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

I try to hide my discomfort. “I’m looking for Gage’s place. Any idea where I can find it?”

“Gage, huh?” Tarkin raises an auburn eyebrow, but his smile doesn’t fade. “Yeah, I know where he lives. Head down this hall and take two rights, then a left. His place is the third door on the right. 23B.”

“Thanks, Tarkin.” I go to brush past him, but he catches my wrist lightly.

“Anytime. And if you ever get bored with brooding ole Gage, you know where to find me.” He winks.

I just shake my head and pull my hand away, continuing on. He doesn’t seem overly put out by this. His flirting seemed harmless – which is another reason that I think Sierra’s wrong about the heat. He’d be a lot more persistent if that was the case.

I follow Tarkin’s directions, a flock of butterflies in my stomach.

What if he doesn’t want to see me?

I shouldn’t have stormed off earlier. I stop outside his door, hesitating.

Just knock, dammit! What’s the worst that could happen?

Before I can overthink it further, I rap my knuckles against the metal door. At first, there’s no answer, and my heart sinks. But then I hear footsteps, followed by the click of the lock. The door swings open, and there’s Gage, surprise flickering across his face.

“Savannah.” He glances down the hall as if checking we’re alone. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Suddenly, I’m unsure of what to say. I twist my fingers together anxiously. “Yeah, I figured since you came to me last time, it was my turn to…come to you.” I chew on my lip. “I was hoping we could talk?”

Gage is silent for a beat, eyes searching my face. Then he steps back, holding the door open in invitation. “Come in.” The gesture seems reluctant. Or maybe it’s my imagination.

I step past him into the small apartment. It’s sparse but tidy, very masculine with its spartan furnishings and plain white walls. Gage motions for me to have a seat on the worn leather couch. I perch on the edge, hands clasped in my lap, as he stands over me. An awkward tension hangs in the air. I wish he’d sit down.

Finally, I break the silence. “I’m sorry for rushing off earlier. I was wrong to brush you off like that.”

Gage shrugs. “Don’t apologize. You were right; we’d already covered that. I was just acting like an ass again.” Although I’m sure he means the words, I feel an undercurrent of tension in them. He wasn’t happy then. He still isn’t now.

Jealousy…maybe?

“It’s just…” I trail off, struggling to find the right words. “After what happened between us…in the kitchen…” My cheeks start to burn just thinking about it. “I shouldn’t have left things so uncertain.”

At the mention of our heated encounter, Gage’s eyes darken, stirring that now-familiar warmth low in my belly. “But you did.” He must be remembering those moments, too, but he seems so cold. “So let’s just leave it.”

“Leave it?” Is he serious? “What do you mean? Don’t you want to see where this is going?”

“How could it go anywhere, Savannah?” He folds his arms over his chest. Why is he acting this way? Have I been reading too much into things?

“Why would you say that, Gage? I thought… I thought…” What did I think? That I’d arrive in a strange pack and immediately meet the man of my dreams?

“You thought what, Savannah? That you could fool around with me a little…before you go back to your mate?”

My stomach lurches. “Oh…” I draw in a sharp breath. “That.”

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