Page 39 of Alpha Theo

After a minute or so, Theo asks “are you mad at me or something?”

I don’t stop typing random characters. “No, why would I be mad?” I grind out.

I’m not mad, per se. I’m irritated. And I can’t even explain why, which makes me evenmoreirritated.

I loved our trip to Denver. I actually had fun with Theo, thought I was seeing a different side of him. Felt like I was really starting to get to know him. But his behavior at the bar on Saturday night left a sour taste in my mouth.

He was different in Denver. Or maybe I was. Or maybe we both were, because we were away from our reality for a night. But when we got back to it, I was immediately reminded of our many differences, of why I keep my guard up around him.

I saw the way other women were looking at Theo on Saturday night. They frickin’ idolize him because he’s an alpha. I also saw how they looked at me when Theo and I interacted, like I was some anomaly that didn’t belong- or worse, just another one of his bimbos. That wasn’t what bothered me, though. It was the way he carried himself, the way he was showing off. The way he was so quick to pivot his attention from me to my friend.

“I dunno,” Theo shrugs. “Because I danced with Carly?”

I swivel my chair to face him. I may not be able to come to terms with why I’m so annoyed, but he’s onto something. I may not have wanted to dance with Theo, but I didn’t want to watch him dance with Carly, either.

“I don’t care who you dance with,” I say flippantly, leaning back in my chair and crossing one leg over the other, bouncing the toe of my sneaker.

“I did ask you first,” he sighs, a playful smile on his lips. He points a finger at me. “You wanted to dance with mop top.”

“Connor,” I correct.

“Connor,” Theo mimics, swishing imaginary hair over his shoulder. His face twists into a faint scowl. “What’s so great about that guy, anyways?”

I could say a lot of things. Connor’s cute. Connor’s sweet. Connor’s the type of guy I’d like to wind up with. He’s the good choice, the safe choice.

I settle on “he’s a nice guy”.

Theo blows out a breath, rolling his eyes. “Ofcoursehe is. You don’t say that tohim, do you?”

“What, that he’s nice?” I ask, wrinkling my nose. “Sure, why not?”

He sighs, folding his arms across his chest. “I told you, kid, guys hate that shit.”

I roll my eyes. “Ohhhkay. You don’t speak for all mankind.”

“Just take my word for it.” That playful smile reappears, eyes mischievous. “So are we good?”

“Sure,” I breathe, swiveling back toward my computer. I place a hand on my mouse, clicking around aimlessly. “Like I said, I wasn’t mad.”

“Fine,” Theo quips, reaching around for his jacket and fumbling in the pocket. “Jealous, then?”

I freeze.

The frickin’ nerve of this guy!

I’mnotjealous. How could I be jealous if I don’t even like him?! Not as more than a friend, that is- and I’m not even sure if I want to be his friend right now.

“You wish,” I mutter, forcing a chuckle.

Then he answers the question that I won’t ask.

He leans in, drops his voice low. “I didn’t hook up with her, ya know.”

I push back in my chair, spinning to face him again. His hazel eyes are intense, piercing. Maddeningly beautiful.

“I don’t care,” I whisper.

But for some reason I do.

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