Page 20 of Her Grumpy Alpha

I froze in my tracks, my heart pounding in my chest. I turned to look, and there he was, standing right in front of me, his presence like a nightmare come to life. He didn’t seem to care that there were people around us, that this was a public place. It was as though the world had ceased to exist, and only he and I remained.

His dark eyes bore into mine, and the malevolence in his gaze was unmistakable. Brian had always been a menacing figure, but in this moment, he was a nightmare, a living embodiment of the fear and dread that had consumed me.

I held Gregory even closer to me, shielding him from the menacing presence before us. Brian’s presence was a stark reminder that the battle against him was far from over and that his darkness was a relentless force that would stop at nothing.

As the people around us continued on with their daily lives, oblivious to the sinister encounter that had just taken place, I couldn’t help but wonder what Brian’s next move would be, and how far he would go to exact his revenge.

“Leave us alone,” I snapped, my voice quivering with a mixture of fear and anger. I couldn’t let him intimidate us any longer.

Brian’s response was a sinister smirk that curled at the corners of his lips. It was a cruel and malevolent expression that sent shivers down my spine, a silent confirmation that he had no intention of going anywhere.

“I don’t think you want me gone,” he drawled, waving his hand in front of my face again. I was getting sick of the sight of that damn right. “I think you want me here, don’t you?”

“Obviously not,” I snarled back. I wasn’t the only one growling, Mookie had started to, as well.

“Why don’t you come over here? Get closer to me.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Cut it out, Brian. You’re nothing but a bullying toolbox. You’re not even a quarter of the man that James is. You can’t just bark orders at people and expect them to follow. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Come here,” he barked further this time. His eyes hit my feet as if he expected them to move without me. Obviously, that didn’t happen. “Come on!”

He had a strange sense of entitlement about him, as if he expected me to comply with his wishes despite my constant rejections. He confronted me, his persistence evident in his tone.

“Sadie, why won’t you do what I ask?” he demanded, irritation lacing his words.

I had reached my breaking point, and I couldn’t take any more of his unwanted advances. The fact that he couldn’t comprehend my disinterest was infuriating. I took a deep breath and faced him squarely, knowing I had to stand my ground. I felt more confident being in a public place, that if I needed to be protected, someone would come to my aid. I hoped.

“Because I don’t like you, Brian, and I don’t want to see your face anymore. I don’t follow anyone’s commands. Least of all yours.”

My words were sharp, and they hung in the air for a moment, a confrontation of wills. I was done with his advances, done with his arrogance, and done with his intrusion into my life. It was time for him to understand that his behavior was unacceptable, and I wasn’t going to tolerate it any longer.

At that moment, he stuttered, trying to regain his composure. “You’ll pay for your insolence,” he finally managed to utter.

But I wasn’t about to be intimidated by his empty threats. I faced him head on, a resolute glint in my eyes. “Brian,” I retorted, “you might want to remember what happened the last time you tried to mess with me.”

My words were a reminder of the confrontation we had just gone through, a battle of wills between him and James, which had ended with Brian’s defeat. I had witnessed James’ strength and unwavering determination, and I knew that he would stand by my side. I was no longer alone in this battle, and Brian’s attempts to intimidate me were losing their effectiveness.

Brian’s shock persisted, and for a moment, he appeared to be at a loss for words. It was clear that my newfound determination had thrown him off balance, and I hoped that it would be enough to keep him at bay. With that, I turned and walked away, determined to put this chapter behind me and focus on building a future with James and my family.

My encounter with Brian had left me both unnerved and perplexed. His persistence in trying to manipulate me into apologizing had reached a point of absurdity. I couldn’t understand why he was so relentless, especially considering that his tactics seemed to have no effect on me.

In my frustration, I reached for my phone and dialed James’ number. As it rang, I couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of unease about the situation with Brian. I needed answers, and I knew that James could provide them. I had been putting off calling him before, but I wouldn’t any longer. Not when this could affect Gregory as well. He did say that he would be there for me and my son if we needed him, and we needed him.

When James answered the call, his voice was a comforting presence. I immediately felt a little bit better, just hearing him speak.

My voice trembled as I spoke. “James, you won’t believe what just happened. Brian confronted us in the middle of the street on the way to the store. Me and Gregory. He was acting all weird again, trying to make me follow his commands, waving his hand in my face.”

“Sadie, are you and Gregory okay? Where are you?”

“On the main street. It was terrifying. He appeared out of nowhere, right in front of us. He had this malevolent look in his eyes, and he didn’t seem to care about the people around us. I don’t know if he’s still here now. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“I’m on my way. Stay where you are. I won’t let Brian threaten you or our son. We’ll face this together. Just remember, this isn’t about you, it’s about me. It’s about politics.”

Relief flooded through me. Safety washed over me once more. “Thank you, James. We need you now more than ever. Please hurry.”

By the time James arrived, I was an emotional wreck, barely able to hold it together. I fell into his arms and rested against him. “Thank you for coming, James. Nothing has happened. Brian hasn’t come back, but I’m freaked out anyway.”

“Like I said,” James mumbled against me, “Brian aims to prove that I’m not ‘man enough’ to be the Alpha of Alphas, a position he wants to weaken for political gain. He will do anything to make sure that I’m not good enough for the clan.”

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