Page 28 of Freeing My Alpha

I just don’t know how to express it. Is it even okay to express yet? It really is early in our relationship, and these are grand, raw feelings I’ve never experienced before.

Noah’s arms are far too limp for me to bring it up now, so I nestle my back deeper into his chest, allowing his loose, satisfied body to weigh me into a deep sleep.

7

Can you come over? Amy’s mindlink throws me out of bed before I can pry one eye open.

Be there in ten, I mindlink.

I expect to feel carpet beneath my feet, but I forgot we switched to sleeping at Noah’s place toward the end of our five-day heat and rutting cycle. I remember now, sliding across the wooden flooring on one sock. My forehead narrowly misses Noah’s open closet door, forcing Noah to suck in a tight breath behind me. He must’ve been startled awake by my concern in our bond.

Noah’s quiet voice is rough with sleep. “What’s wrong?”

My sweatpants are still sprawled over the foot of Noah’s bedframe from when he teased them off me last night. I throw them on, letting out an exasperated breath. “I don’t know. Amy just mindlinked me to come over, and I’m worried.”

Noah is out of bed now too, grabbing yesterday’s black T-shirt from his nightstand. “Did she say anything else?”

“No, I just know something’s up.”

My mate is already reaching for his keys. “I believe you. Let’s go.”

A soft drizzle on Noah’s windshield gives us one last taste of spring on its way out. Clouds block the morning sun, and that’s nothing new; half the year, it feels like it’s perpetually dusk. But today, it makes my heart feel darker too.

Noah takes my hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “She’s okay. Now that I know her a little better, I can feel her.”

My eyes widen. “You’re that connected to the whole pack? That’s incredible, Noah.”

Noah clears his throat, as expected; my mate never likes to brag about his top Alpha abilities, especially the goddamn incredible ones. I stifle the adoration in my chest, too concerned for Amy to smile.

“What does she feel like, then?” I ask.

Noah winces. “She’s... afraid.” My heart thumps harder, but Noah’s grip on my hand tightens. “It doesn’t feel like I should be worried for her safety, though. I just think she must need someone she trusts to be with her.”

I swallow hard. “I know. She wouldn’t ask for help if it wasn’t serious.”

The only thing keeping my wolf from ejecting me from the car and chasing after Amy myself is Noah’s thumb smoothing over the back of my hand. Now that I think of it, he just decided he’d come with me without question. His dark hair is still damp from his morning perimeter run. He must’ve snuck back into bed with me to reform our cuddle ball, and I must’ve been used to his schedule by now to sleep right through it.

But I definitely didn’t sleep through Amy’s mindlink. It triggered a beast in me I’ve attempted to bury, but I know burying things doesn’t work. My mind flickers through every possibility of what could’ve happened to her, unable to disprove their likelihood; they can happen. No, they did. To me.

“You okay?” Noah’s voice sharpens, snapping me out of my head.

I grip my chest, taking a deeper breath. “Yeah. Just a little triggered.”

Noah hugs my arm against his chest before pulling our interlocked fingers to his lips. “I can feel it. You’re right here with me. No matter what we see, I’m here to protect you both.”

I exhale, sinking into the passenger seat as Noah’s soft lips grace my knuckles.

But as we pull up to Amy’s apartment complex in the heart of Greenfield, my heart kickstarts from a thumping jog into a sprint. Noah is still turning off the car as I jump out.

I rush up Amy’s apartment steps, ready to ring the intercom like I always used to for Amy to let me in. But Noah taps his wallet against the digital lock system, and a sharp click tells me it’s open. Noah shoves open the heavy door with one hand, leaving space for me to enter first.

I softly smile. “Thanks, Alpha.”

He kisses the top of my head as we step through the door, keeping his hand on my lower back to let me know he’s following me up the stairs.

I take two steps at a time. I’m here, A. Almost up the stairs.

The door’s unlocked, Amy mindlinks.

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