Page 29 of Alpha Reid

I scooch back in my chair, moving to return to my place at the table.

“Reid, wait…”

I look over to see that Serena is still rooted in the same spot. I see her throat work as she swallows hard, that hint of uncertainty in her gaze again as she looks over at me.

“Yeah?” I question, searching her face. There’s a sadness in her eyes that I haven’t seen there before, and it hits me- there’s something she’s not telling me. Something she’s holding back.

Whatever it is, it seems she changes her mind about sharing. Serena shakes her head, forcing a smile to her lips. “I just…” her voice trails off. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I just want you to know that.”

“Nah, don’t mention it,” I drawl, giving her a little grin. “Now c’mon, little wolf. Eat breakfast with me.”

She sighs, scooching her chair back in and picking up her fork. She tosses me a little sideways glance as she brings a bite of French toast to her mouth, humming in satisfaction when it hits her tongue and she starts chewing. “Mmm…”

I shoot her a warning glare and she just smirks, swallowing the bite of food and bringing her thumb to her top lip to capture the powdered sugar there, swiping it off and sucking her thumb into her mouth.

I nearly groan in frustration.

Serena pops her thumb out of her mouth, licking her lips. “Sorry,” she giggles, like this is her favorite game. I should punish her for teasing me like this. I’m sure we’d both enjoy it.

She flashes me a sultry little smile, playing coquettish. “It really is delicious.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Serena

“Fuck,” I mutter as I trip over a tree root protruding from the earth, coming down hard on a knee. I catch my upper body with both hands, skinning my palms as they slide across the hard-packed dirt of the forest floor. I’m tired and sweaty and exhausted, tears of frustration springing to my eyes as I struggle back to my feet. I’ve been out here for hours, trying my damndest to figure out where Reid and I first ran into each other the other night. Trying to retrace my steps, though at this point that exercise seems pretty fucking useless.

It doesn’t help that I don’t know this terrain at all. I tried my best to study the map of the six-pack territory in Reid’s office last night, but I didn’t want to linger in there too long and risk getting caught- and it’s a lot different looking at something on paper than it is actually trying to navigate it on foot. The territory borders are fairly easy to pick out, as they’re framed on this side by a treeline opposite a clearing. Even so, there’s a lot of ground to cover when you have no idea how to get to where you’re trying to go.

I hiss and wince as I scrub my palms together to rub the dirt out of them, though it only seems to rub it further into my skinned flesh. Damnit, I can’t stay out here much longer without arousing suspicion. I’ve already been gone for too long. Maybe I’m not having any luck because someone already found it- I was supposed to retrieve the package first thing this morning, but I foolishly accepted Reid’s breakfast invitation instead.

Not that I had much choice in the matter. It was pretty clear that he wasn’t taking no for an answer, and how could I say no after he put all that effort into cooking? The food smelled amazing, and when I started to come downstairs and spotted that big sexy man holding a carton of orange juice and dancing like nobody was watching, I couldn’t help but want to stay for breakfast. He wasn’t embarrassed at all when I caught him, either- he just flashed me that irresistible smile of his and launched into conversation. Like this was all part of our normal morning routine. Like we’re just a normal, happy couple.

Part of me wants that. There’s a part of me that looks at Reid and sees all the possibility, but I have to silence that part of myself because deep down, I know better. I know better than to think I can have that with anyone; I know better than to get attached. I know better than to think Reid could save me- and even if he could, it would only be a matter of time before he figured out that I’m not someone worth saving. By next full moon, the mate bond will dissolve away and he’ll be free. Free to find someone else, free to be happy. I want that for him. As for me? I’ll never be free. When you make a deal with the devil, there’s no getting out of it. Your fate is sealed whether you like it or not.

Reid was the one thing I never expected; the wildcard in this whole scenario. He’s making it difficult to stay the course and do what I have to do because I’m hard-wired to want to be with him. All my instincts are screaming at me to give into the bond between us, not to mention my wolf, who has already firmly decided that he’s ours and we’re his. The bond issostrong, it’s painful to constantly fight against it. Reid smells like heaven and he looks even better and somehow that’s all topped off by the fact that he’s the nicest guy ever. He’s basically perfect in every way- which, coincidently, is also the reason that things could never actually work between us; because I’m far from perfect. He’s an angel sent from heaven, and I’ve purchased a one-way ticket to hell.

I’ve been floundering since I arrived here and the mate bond snapped into place, but that phone call I made last night gave me some much-needed clarity. I’m here for a purpose and I have to remain on target. I can’t allow Reid or our bond to distract me from my objective. Now isn’t the time to be selfish.

I heave a sigh, following the treeline at the border of the territory, squinting as I look out across the clearing to the trees on the other side. Looking for what I’m here to find while actively trying to force thoughts of Reid out of my head. As I scan the trees in the distance, I’m trying to not think about how cute he looked when I caught him dancing to Bruce Springsteen, or how sweet it was for him to go through the effort to make me breakfast, or how kind he was when he held my hands and comforted me about the loss of my family. Or how fucking good it felt when he put his hands on me last night. The way my body came alive beneath his strong, capable hands.Mmm…

That’s when I spot it- a yellow ribbon tied to a tree across the clearing. I was told to look for a yellow ribbon. My breath catches in my throat and my blood runs cold. That has to be it, and if it is… that means I really have to go through with this. I feel sick.

There’s no time to second guess things; no turning back now. I draw a deep breath, looking around one last time to ensure the coast is clear. Then I make a run for it.

My heart races as my feet pound the earth in my new Nike running shoes, my eyes focused on the bright yellow ribbon moving gently with the breeze. I’m sure I’ve tripped the border alarm by crossing it, but if I move quickly enough, I can get back over before anyone finds me. I skid into the treeline on the other side of the clearing, grabbing for the ribbon. There’s a tiny white envelope tied to one end of it, but I don’t have time to look at what’s inside. I have to move fast if I’m going to pull this off.

I tear the ribbon from the tree, immediately sinking into a crouch to conceal myself as I untie the little envelope and shove it into my sports bra. I frantically start digging at the dirt below the trunk with my fingers, creating a little hole to hide the ribbon. I drop it in and scoop dirt back over it to cover it up, looking wildly through the brush toward the other side of the clearing, toward the border of the six-pack territory.

The coast is clear, so again, I make a run for it, sprinting as fast as my legs will carry me toward the treeline. My throat is burning when I reach it, but I don’t stop- I keep going, full steam ahead. The thick foliage of the forest tears at the fabric of my clothes, branches whip me in the face and tug at my hair. I don’t stop.

But something stops me.

I hear a snarl, and before it can even register, a tawny wolf leaps at me from the side, tackling me to the ground. I eat dirt as I hit the forest floor so hard that it knocks the wind out of me, sputtering as my body skids to a stop, the weight of the wolf on top of me. I’m gasping for air as it slinks off of me, taking a couple of steps before the air starts to shimmer around the wolf and I hear the familiar sounds that accompany a shift- bones snapping and rearranging.

A few seconds later, someone’s crouching where the wolf stood. It’s someone I recognize.

“Fallon?” I croak, rolling onto my side and pushing myself up on an arm. My whole body is screaming in pain from the impact with the earth.

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