Page 24 of A Real Alpha
Oscar's voice trailed off. He turned to look over his shoulder and, in that moment, Harry didn't hold back. He shifted into the hulking wolf form that had often terrorized me and leapt. At first, I thought he was coming for me, but to my horror, I realized that it was Oscar he wanted.
Harry landed atop Oscar before he’d fully turned around, sending him crashing into the table, dishes flying. I scurried back, squeezing myself and Roscoe out of the way of danger as I shouted for Harry to stop.
Oscar was at a funny angle, his back bent over the table, trying to push Harry off, and then, suddenly, another alpha wolf appeared. It was behind Harry, latching onto his back with a snarl and yanking him away, sending him stumbling a few feet.
Then, to my surprise,anotheralpha wolf, even bigger than Harry joined the first, blocking Oscar from Harry's wrath. There was a long standoff. Harry was breathing hard, his gaze boring into the other wolves before he shifted back into his human form, snarling.
“Didn’t see him, huh?” he demanded of Oscar.
Oscar shrugged but his fists were balled, his gaze hard. “They're not yours anymore. They're fated to be with me,” he stated, and it was said with such finality that a chill traveled down my spine.
Fated?It couldn't be...My heart was racing against my lungs so hard I could hardly breathe. For a moment, the whole world felt like it was waving around me. I couldn't pass out though. Not now. I might wake up in Harry's apartment again instead of with—of with my fated mate.
Oscar was right.
All of a sudden, there was no denying it. There was something there that I had been fighting. Something that went deeper than the physical. In my heart, my wolf side sighed as though in relief, glad I’d finally realized the truth. I felt ridiculous that it had taken me so long to see it.
“Get out of my business,” Oscar growled. “Before we make you.”
He took a step forward, a growl fiercer than I thought Oscar capable of bursting from his chest as he suddenly surged forward.
It wasn’t just a threat. Oscar was prepared to fight Harry for me and suddenly I thought he would win too. There was no way he would lose me and perhaps Harry sensed that.
Normally, Harry would fight, even if he was outnumbered. Still, I watched in amazement as he grudgingly backed down and stormed outside.
The moment he was gone, Oscar's shoulders sagged, and his friends turned back into their human forms. Sage and Igor had been so quick to race to Oscar's defense. I wondered if we would’ve been so lucky without them.
“Are you guys okay?” Sage asked.
I nodded. I was too shaken to speak.
“That alpha is trouble,” Igor said. “Hopefully he doesn't return.”
Igor was eying Roscoe when he said it and a bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
“I'm going upstairs,” I managed to say. “Thank you.”
I couldn't bring myself to meet Oscar's gaze until he caught me by the wrist, stopping me.
“I'll come with you,” he said. When our eyes met, his were full of nothing but compassion and understanding, which helped to calm me.
My fated mate?!
I still couldn't believe it and, yet, it made so much sense. Even meeting his gaze soothed my soul.
“Sorry about the disturbance everyone,” Oscar said to their patrons, never moving his gaze from me. He soon ushered me through the back door of the shop.
We went up the stairs in silence but the moment we were in his apartment, he pulled me and Roscoe into his warm embrace and just held us for God knew how long. His lips touched my temple occasionally and his hands rubbed my back until I finally felt a little bit better.
“Why didn't you tell me that he had come before,” I asked against his shoulder.
“I didn't want to worry you,” he said. “I hoped he wouldn’t come back.”
I shut my eyes for a moment. “You know, Igor was right. I can't hide from him forever. After all, Roscoeishis child.”
Oscar stiffened. “Listen to me, Connor. That asshole is nothing more than a sperm donor. Roscoe ismybaby and I'm not going to give either of you up, especially to trash who doesn't treat you right. You deserve better than that.Wedeserve to be together. Just the way fate wants it.”
I still couldn’t believe it.
