Page 18 of Alpha Reid

I slide the pizza onto the back seat before I take my position behind the wheel, firing up the engine.

“Your dad seems nice,” Serena comments as I pull out onto the road.

“Yeah,” I grin. “He’s great. The two of us have always been close, probably the whole only child thing.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and I wonder if I’ve struck a nerve by talking about my relationship with my dad, knowing that her own was recently taken from her. I’m about to apologize when she speaks up again.

“Is your mom sick or something?”

“Not exactly,” I sigh. I glance over at Serena and she’s watching me intently, waiting for me to continue.

So I do. “My parents were in a bad car wreck about six years ago. My dad was okay, but my mom’s injuries were extensive. Her shifter healing helped, but she has permanent damage.” I pause, clicking on my turn signal and cruising around a corner before going on. “The pack doctor said she suffered a TBI… a traumatic brain injury. She hasn’t ever been the same since, though she has good days and bad days. The good days can be really good, like she’s her old self again. But the bad days… sometimes they’rereallybad. Sometimes she doesn’t even know who I am.”

Serena reaches over to touch my arm. “I’m so sorry, Reid,” she breathes, her eyes wide.

I shrug my shoulders. “Hey, it is what it is.” I glance over at her, offering a small smile. “We’ve all adapted. I became Alpha so my dad could take care of her full time, and like I said, the good days are really good. I’m just glad she’s still around. It could’ve been worse.”

Serena flinches back, her gaze falling to the floor, and I’m immediately kicking myself for my choice of words. I should be more sensitive, knowing what I do. It’s also the perfect opening for Serena to talk about her own family, but she doesn’t take the bait, and I don’t push. I’m still trying to come up with the right thing to say to lighten the mood and smooth things over when I pull into the packhouse driveway.

I grab the pizza from the back and the two of us make our way up the front walk and through the door. I’m half expecting to see Taylor and Cy, but they’ve been making themselves scarce all day, giving me space to get to know Serena. I head straight into the kitchen and deposit the pizza box on the counter, shrugging off my jacket and doubling back to the front door to hang it on the coat tree. As I do, I notice something- the deadbolt on the front door is in the locked position again.

I turn over my shoulder, watching Serena as she walks up to the pizza box and lifts the lid, licking her lips as she peers inside.

“Mmm, this looks amazing,” she comments, letting the lid fall closed again and turning to me. “Where can I find plates?”

“In the cabinet,” I reply, pointing out which one.

Without missing a beat, Serena pulls open the cabinet I indicated, reaching inside and retrieving a couple of plates for us.

“Hey… did you lock this?” I ask, tossing a thumb over my shoulder to indicate the front door.

Serena’s head snaps in my direction, her eyes wide, like she’s been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to. “Um… yeah,” she breathes uneasily, her gaze flickering away as she sets the plates onto the counter. “Is that alright?”

“I mean, we usually leave it unlocked,” I shrug. “So the pack has access.”

Serena doesn’t respond. I stride toward her, and when she doesn’t look up at me I realize I must’ve struck a nerve.

“Hey,” I say gently, reaching out to touch her hand. Soothing sparks ignite beneath my fingertips when our skin makes contact, her eyes coming to mine. “You’re safe here, you don’t have to worry.”

She presses her lips into a tight line, giving me a halfhearted nod. Her eyes flutter to the floor again, and I lift my hand from hers to bring it to her chin, tipping her face up to mine.

“I mean it,” I murmur, her eyes returning to my own. “We’ve got a state-of-the-art security system installed on the borders of the territory and a security team that monitors it and runs patrols. And even if anyone could get through that, you’d still be safe, because if someone was trying to get to you, they’d have to get through me first.”

Her wide blue eyes hold so much vulnerability, her pink lips pouting and releasing a little puff of air. My gaze drops to those lips; all I want to do is kiss them. Without thinking, I feel myself leaning closer, dizzy as her vanilla and tangerine scent swirls around me.

My lips are a whisper away from her own when she suddenly presses a hand against my chest, taking a step back.

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” Serena mumbles.

I stare at her, my brows drawing together in confusion. “Do what?”

She folds her arms across her chest protectively, staring down at the floor. “The whole knight in shining armor thing. I don’t need to be saved.”

I pause, unsure how to respond. Giving her the space that she clearly needs. I wish I knew how to handle Serena, but it’s like she’s two people- I get glimpses of this light, easygoing side of her, and then there’s this other side where something darker resides, a side of her that’s so damaged I’m not sure I can touch it.

“I can fight, you know,” Serena mutters, her eyes returning to mine.

I furrow my brow as I study her face. “What?”

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