Page 2 of Unexpected Alpha's Claim

“Hmmm…” Erica hummed, tapping her index finger on the edge of her glass. “I’m afraid sleeping over in your place is pretty much our only choice. I, for one, wouldn’t like driving six hours on a Saturday or a Sunday. I have better things to do with my time than drive through tight hairpins and narrow, mountain roads.”

“Not tonight, though,” Stacy interjected. “I’ve got…”

At that point, a distinct sound didn’t allow her to finish her sentence. A sizzle of lightning, followed by a blinding flash turned our heads forward. A glance skyward implied what was about to happen. Every star in the sky had disappeared from view. Hidden behind dark clouds, their light was all but invisible. A boom of thunder rocked the ground, the vibration causing the rail in front of me to blur for a moment.

“So much for having a drink on your porch,” Erica groaned as the first raindrops lashed down. I felt some hitting the top of my head with annoying force while more of them moistened the soil in front of my house.

“It was good while it lasted.” Stacy shrugged, trotting back into the living room.

“Jesus!” Erica clipped out, her hand on top of her head. “How long were we out there?” She wondered, shifting her palm to me; her fingertips were glistening, its middle wet.

“Guys…” I began, the sound of the torrent smashing into the roof filling my ears. “This is no ordinary rain. It’s a rainstorm.”

“A rainstorm?” Erica squinted at me. “What’s…?”

A long whistle of the wind drew my attention. Focusing on the glass behind her, I noticed raindrops stream down its surface and join others, forming much larger raindrops.

“I guess that answers your question,” I presumed as the wind gained in intensity.

“Oh, give us a break!” Stacy shouted, peeking through the glass. “I shouldn’t have suggested that drink. Now, we’ll have to drive through the rain.”

“You were right to suggest that drink,” I argued, more roaring gusts battering my new home. “It kept you here. You two are not going anywhere in this weather.”

“Mon, I’m meeting Ken for breakfast tomorrow morning,” Erica moaned. “I’ve been trying to go out with this guy for a month, I can’t miss it!”

“Girl, you said it yourself,” I remarked, putting some force in my voice. “The road to the city is fraught with danger, and that’s under good circumstances. It’s prone to landslides in the winter. Those rocks could squash you like bugs.”

“You’re right,” she agreed with reluctance. “Red, I hope you’re ready for me. You’re mine for tonight.”

Stacy snorted in amusement. “Dream on. Let’s go unpack some blankets.”

My friends hadn’t covered more than five feet when a noise stopped them in their tracks. Squealing tires, skidding across the wet asphalt, drowning out any engine rumble. In a split second, another noise raised every fine hair on my body. It was the deep thud of metal crashing into a solid surface. I dashed towards my front door while hearing the sound of glass shattering to pieces.

A draft of ice-cold air chilled my skin, while raindrops landed on my forehead and cheeks. Glancing out over the road, I spotted the source of the noise. A brown pickup truck had crashed head-on into a nearby light pole. The wood had almost split the front end in half, stopping just inches before hitting the windscreen. Water dripped down the side of its cab and its left taillight was still on.

My sneakers splashing onto the drenched road as I headed for the mangled vehicle. I hadn’t reached it yet, but its driver’s fate was all too clear. The airbag had deployed, and his head was buried deep into the fabric. Reaching forward, I gripped the silver aluminum handle and pulled it open. To my amazement, the driver fell out. Rolling in front of my feet, his body came to a stop at Stacy’s right. The three of us stood silently, just staring at this bizarre sight. He was enormous… Easily six and a half feet tall. This wasn’t the only surprise about him. He had no clothes on. No shirt. No pants. Not even underwear. There was a big bruise across his forehead and parallel scratch marks on either side of his abdomen. Blood was oozing out of his wounds, rain washing it away as fast as it emerged.

“Talk about weird…” Erica muttered under her breath. “He’s been driving around naked? And look at the size of his…”

“Now’s not the time for lewd comments,” I told her, squatting down. “Help me get him inside.”

“Oh, no,” She disagreed, raising her tone. “First of all, this guy is huge. We can’t carry him inside. Second, we should call an ambulance. He needs to get to a hospital.”

“The ambulance might not get here in time,” I pointed out, as Stacy moved around his head. “I’ll treat him here. Erica, grab his other arm.”

“Whatever,” she mumbled, as she and Stacy bent down. Gritting my teeth, I flexed every muscle in my upper body using my leg muscles to push me up.

“God!” Erica groaned. “I hate it when I’m right!”

“Push!” I shouted out, watching as his pelvis left the ground. Stepping backward, I gasped for breath and looked back over my shoulder. To my satisfaction, there was no one else on the road. My gaze was met with more light poles, standing across from elm and cedar trees, shedding their light on the asphalt.

It took an immense amount of effort to get him inside. Making my way towards my couch, I eased his feet down on the armrest, while Stacy rushed back to the door.

“Why the hell did I listen to you?” Erica wondered, stretching her arms. “God, it hurts…”

“Get the first aid kit from the bathroom, Stacy,” I requested, my gaze scanning his body.

“Okay, no more stupid jokes about his penis,” Erica promised, her eyes on the stranger’s face. She bent her knees and reached down to push his hair back from his forehead. “Oh, my…” She said, her voice a little more than a whisper. “He’s one good-looking bastard. Look at that strong jaw. He’s got a swimmer’s body, but he’s bigger. Alotbigger, and his muscles are even more toned. I’d be interested to know his workout routine.”

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