Page 1 of A Real Alpha
Chapter 1
Connor
Hands shaking,I reached for the doorknob.
I hadn't heard it lock. I was sure of it...
The second my palm touched the cold metal, I flinched as though I had been shocked. My heart slammed against my ribs as I realized that it was in my head. There was no electric current keeping me away from the front door. There were no magical locks and keys.
It was a normal door in a normal apartment where I had been kept locked up for three months now.
Yet I still couldn't bring myself to turn the knob. What if it was locked?
...what if it wasn't?
I had nowhere to go, and poor sweet Roscoe had no idea how badly we had it. All he knew was my warmth and love. He was too young to even understand the abuse and the fear. After all, he could barely even lift his head up yet.
But despite being a baby, I was sure he felt the tension running through me. Sometimes he got agitated for no reason. Sometimes I was afraid that his crying would be too much for Harry and that instead of taking it out on me, he would take it out on Roscoe. Soon Roscoe would see and understand.
I couldn't allow that.
So, with a trembling breath, I forced my hand to turn. The doorknob moved with me, and just like that, the front door slid open like it was nothing.
Stale apartment hallway air met my nose, and it was absolutely delicious.
Somehow, I was right. Harry hadn't locked the door.
Healwayslocked the door, but there was no time to think of why today was different. There was no time to waste.
Heart racing, I turned on my heel, gaze raking the room. Then, without even having to think, I grabbed one of the fabric shopping bags from the hook by the door and whipped around the room, grabbing Roscoe's blanket, the burp cloths, and the onesie laying on top of the laundry pile. It was everything he owned, and it didn't even fill the bag, but I didn't care. All I cared about was his safety and for that, he needed his Daddy alive and well. I had to protect us both if it was the last thing I did.
He was asleep in the bedroom, flat on the bed, wrapped in a swaddle.
For a moment, I stilled, watching him.
He looked so peaceful, so sweet and innocent that I felt guilty for disturbing him, but I bent down and did my best to lift him into my arms without waking him.
His small, warm body against my chest was like a balm, and peace and strength washed through me.
We could do this. We would find somewhere safe. Maybe somewhere outside of the city. I didn't want to expose such a small baby to the streets of Lunar City, especially in the middle of winter.
Somehow, Roscoe didn't wake up immediately, so I held him steady and hurried back into the living room, eager to run through the door... where Harry now stood, a large, imposing alpha form blocking the door I'd left open.
My blood ran cold, but his blue eyes were even icier.
He slowly looked me over, taking in the bag and Roscoe, and then took a slow step into the room.
“I had to go talk to someone downstairs,” he said in his deep, raspy voice. “Imagine my surprise to come back and find the door open.”
I was shaking too hard, barely able to breathe. I couldn't say a word.
He took another step toward me and all I could think was that he was going to kill me.
“What were you doing, Connor?” he asked. “Where did you think you were going?”
I shook my head, still unable to speak until I forced the shaking words out.
“Harry,” I choked, “I wasn't?—”
