Page 73 of The Alpha

She rinsed her hair, sputtering and let the tears come. Okay, now she was freaking out.

“Pari?” Melvale called from somewhere in the room.

“She’s fine!” Raina called back.

“Pari!”

Raina cut through the water to her. “Tell him you’re fine. Hurry.”

“I’m okay,” she croaked.

“Pari!” There came a splash, and Melvale swam around the fountain.

He was no longer wearing his robes.

Raina yelped and disappeared under water.

Melvale’s eyes were glued to Pari. At least he hadn’t climbed into the fountain. “Are you hurt?”

“No!”

“Are you sure?”

She slipped out from beneath the waterfall she was under. “Yes.”

He came to the edge of the fountain, his eyes locked on hers. “I smelled your tears, Kahtala Miah. Felt your despair.”

Her lower lip shook. “How do you do that?”

“I do it for you. To keep you safe.”

She sighed. “I’m fine. Now please leave before Raina drowns.”

Her friend broke the surface of the water, sputtering, her hair in her face “Is he gone?”

Pari sighed and realized Melvale really was gone. “Yes.” Her heart sank at the thought. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact he was here at all.” She turned her confused face to Raina. “He said he smelled my tears. How is that even possible?” Speaking of tears, hers were flowing freely again. “Why am I here, Raina? I don’t understand why I’m here.” Her lip trembled again, and this time she didn’t care. She not only cried, she sobbed.

Raina came alongside her, wrapped an arm around Pari, and let her cry it out. Pari half expected Melvale to come swimming back, but maybe he figured out that he was part of the reason she was upset. It was hard enough to accept where and when they were. But to accept the rest? It was just as unbelievable in her time as this one. She was a nobody, a loser. People like him didn’t associate with people like her, alien or not. He just hadn’t figured it out yet.

The sooner he did, the better. Then she could go back to her humdrum life and stay hidden from the world just as she’d always done.

24

When Peter regained consciousness the first time, he saw a coal black face. The man hovering over him laughed boisterously, then punched him.

The second time he came to, a man every female he’d ever known would swoon over, was frowning at him. Frown or no frown, if he was a girl, he might propose! But alas, the dark-haired, green-eyed god hovering over him shook his head in disgust, and also punched him.

The third time he woke up, nobody punched him. Probably because he was too busy screaming. “Get it off!” He tried to roll from whatever surface he was on but found himself strapped down.

Payback, was a bit…

“So, yer awake, are ye?”

Peter opened one eye. The black furry tarantula sitting on his chest was nowhere to be seen. “Where is it? Where. Is. It?!”

“Tylahs, ye mean?” came the same voice. One with a Scottish accent.

“Ty-what?” Peter looked at the huge kilted highland warrior standing over him. “Don’t punch me,” he squeaked. His eyestook in his surroundings. He was in a barred cell strapped to a table, much like the one in the lab. “Okay, I suppose I deserve this.”

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