Page 9 of Her Cruel Alpha

I laughed. “Really? Because the front desk didn’t ask for my ID when I came in, saying I was your husband. They just gave me a card, which I didn’t even have to use because your door wasn’t even locked. So, I wouldn’t call this a safe place to stay. Your car is probably more secure than this building.”

Her face went red, and her nostrils flared. “You don’t get to tell me what I can do, Henrik! You made that perfectly clear, so I don’t understand why the hell you're going hot and cold with me.”

I rolled my tongue over my teeth. She had me there. “Katie, grab your stuff.”

“You can get out.”

I ran a hand over my face and sighed. “Why are you even here? Do you even realize the persecution you’ll face when you get back?”

I watched her fingers knit together in her lap. “Who said I was going back?”

So, she was trying to run. Well, shit.

I didn’t understand why. I thought she loved her work. She always spoke so passionately about it. So why the hell was she just going to desert it? And had she thought about what the Council would do when they got to her? How angry were they going to be? They told me she was running, but I didn’t believe it. This was Katie, after all. She was a smart girl. She wouldn’t just run for it.

Something was clearly going on, but I wasn’t seeing it. “Katie, what’s going on? It’s far too late for me to have to figure out whatever the hell happened. You should just tell me.”

“Why? So you can tell me to pull myself together and be a big girl?” She slammed the lamp down and took a few steps towards me. “Henrik, get out.”

I watched as pain flicked across her face, and I knew it wasn’t just her running. She was scared, but I didn’t know of what. I felt a tug deep in my chest, wanting to pull her close and hold her. I had always thought Katie was a sweet girl, but I was seeing a different side of her. A side that was trying hard to hide her other half.

“Fine, sleep here. I’m taking you back in the morning.” I said, taking a step back. “We can talk more later.”

She looked almost relieved, and I turned towards her door. I pulled it open and stepped outside into the hallway. Iwasn’t sure I wanted to stay here. My car was probably cleaner than the rooms, but I was too exhausted to even think about that. I stopped at the front, seeing that the front desk person wasn’t there. I rang the bell and leaned back on my heels. I didn’t even have a change of clothes or a toothbrush. I just left my meeting as soon as I got the call from the Council.

I yawned, looked outside, and froze when my eyes landed on a man in all black walking through the parking lot. A shiver ran down my spine as he rounded a car, his eyes glued to one of the windows. I looked at the window and quickly realized it was Katie’s room. The Council hadn’t just sent me, but someone else.

I watched him watch her window for a while before he started coming for the doors. He started to come inside and stopped at the door. I scanned the man, wanting to bare my teeth at him, but I offered a polite smile instead. I just gave him a head nod. “Needing a room?”

The guy scanned me and shrugged. He pulled his hood down, revealing thick black hair. He was older, possible in his fifties. I didn’t recognize him.

“Yeah. I’m getting a room.”

I watched him for a second when an idea popped into my head. “Do you have your car insurance paperwork on you? The guy just told me I needed it before booking a room. Said something about needing to prove we have insurance in case of an accident.”

The man’s eyebrows went up slightly. “Really? That seems weird.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I said. He’s running it through the computer in the back since this one broke down. I figured I’d save you the time, and you can grab it now.”

The man nodded and headed back out the door. I watched as he walked back to his car, and the front desk man stepped to the front. “Sorry, I was putting some laundry away. How can I help you?”

I turned to the man and frowned. “You see that man out there? I’m pretty sure I saw that the police were looking for him.”

The guy's eyebrows went up, and he looked out the window. “Seriously?”

I nodded, putting on a worried expression. “Yeah, and if I were you, I would call him in. You’re responsible for all these people here, after all.”

The man looked worried as he looked back at the window. “Why is he digging in his front compartment?”

“Couldn’t tell ya. I bet he’s going to show you a bunch of paperwork so he can book a room. Maybe even show you that his car is insured. I think that was a trick he pulled at another hotel he was staying at.”

“What’s he on the run for?”

“Robbery,” I said, shaking my head. “Don’t think he’s dangerous, but I would be careful. Call the police, and don’t let him book a room.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

I nodded and slipped back down the hallway. The front desk guy was going to keep whoever that other guy was busy, so I had probably ten minutes to get Katie out of there before he realized that we were gone.

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