Page 36 of Her Cruel Alpha

“What are you thinking about?” she asked as she swung into a chair next to me.

I looked at Liv. I wasn’t as close to her as I was with Sam, but I’d known Liv for a few years, and she was nice. She didn’t gossip. I felt she was someone I could confide in.

“Actually, Liv, are you in a relationship?”

Liv seemed surprised by the question but nodded her head. “I am. I’ve been dating a guy for almost two years now.”

“Do you remember being nervous about going on dates?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah, I was nervous. I actually threw up on our first date because I was so nervous. But he still stuck around. Why are you nervous?”

I shrugged. “Obviously, everyone knows that Henrik and I were forced into marriage, but no one really knows that we are still learning things about each other. I just…I get so nervous that I’m sure I’m going to screw it up.”

Liv gave me a soft smile. “That’s the risk of dating. And Henrik seems like a good guy. His pack speaks highly of him, and he seemed nice when he was here.”

I nodded because he was. Henrik cared about me and gave me space when I wanted it. He was sweet and did little things for me. He always had coffee ready for me in the morning, even when he didn’t drink it. He always asked how my day was when I got home and offered to give me space if I had a bad day. He did so many things to make me feel comfortable. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be any different.

I left the lab a little before four and arrived home. I was nervous and still worried about what was in store for the night. Henrik was coming down the stairs, and I froze, taking in his outfit. He had changed into a pair of jeans and a crisp white long-sleeve shirt. His hair was slightly curled, falling in nice waves. He gave me a smile as he got to the landing.

“You look nice,” I said as I chewed on my lower lip. “What is the plan? Do I need to change?”

“What you're wearing is fine.”

I looked at my black pants and the white blouse. I always made sure to dress appropriately for work. But if we were going somewhere fancy, I should dress up. But if he were wearing jeans, maybe it wouldn’t be that fancy.

“I’m taking you out for dinner. There is a nice restaurant near a creek with a waterfall. I thought it would be a nice place, and afterward, we had a little walk to our second location for the date.”

He opened the door and gave me a smile. “Ready?”

I nodded and took a deep breath.

We headed out to the car, and Henrik drove. Soft music broke the silence, and I looked outside the window, taking in the town. I had grown to really like Henrik’s pack. The people I had met were nice and none of them made me feel uncomfortable. If anything, they were welcoming.

“We’re here,” Henrik said as he pulled up to a large restaurant. The building had string lights and large windows. You could see an outside area with chairs and tables. People were already eating and chatting.

We headed inside, and Henrik made a reservation. The gal running the front smiled. “Let me go check to make sure it’s ready. It will be just a moment.”

Henrik nodded and turned to me. “It’s nice here, isn’t it?”

“It’s fancy,” I said, looking around. “I feel underdressed.”

Henrik stepped closer to me, placing a hand on the square of my back. “You look wonderful.”

I blushed, chewing on my cheek, feeling my body heat up. Whenever he touched me, I felt like I was on fire with need.

“Oh my god! Henrik!” A voice rang out loudly and we both turned, looking to find a tall, thin lady standing just behind us. She had long, thick red hair that curled perfectly around her. She had a stunning face. She had the perfect body weight and height to be a model.

She was wearing a long red dress with a slit that went up her left side. The slit stopped just a few inches from her hip. It was tight and had a plunging front, her breasts nearly falling out for display.

I instantly felt worse about my outfit. I tensed as she looked at Henrik with hunger in her eyes. “It is you! My goodness, long time no see.”

“Ashley, nice to see you.”

I swallowed, glancing at Henrik and back at her. Who was she? She clearly knew Henrik enough to call him so happily.

“Oh, don’t be so modest! My god, you look as wonderful as ever. And you must be?” She glanced at me, and her eyes scanned me. She didn’t show what she was thinking on her face, but I knew she looked away too quickly for it to mean nothing.

“This is Katie, my wife.” Henrik pulled me closer to him, and I offered her a smile.

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