Part 50

Heat crawled up my neck as soon as he started talking to his father, rapidly growing in size and colour as it spread across my cheeks. The air inside the car shifted; I could feel it burning at my neck, fingers fumbling in my lap. How could I not hold onto self-control in his presence?

I observed Abel, the tick in his jaw and the whiteness of his knuckles as he continued with the conversation.  Something was off. The Alpha kept scenting the inside of the car, clearly agitated and on edge.

"So..." I croaked, watching as he hastily pocketed the phone, staring ahead and exhaling loudly. His hand wrapped around the steering wheel, a blank look. "What is going on?"

He stilled for a few seconds as if realising my presence next to him before slowly turning and regarding me with a tight-lipped smile. "It's my dad."

"Okay?" I asked again, waiting for him to elaborate. "What did he say that got you so upset?"

"I am not upset."

I pinned him with a look. "You seem quite upset."

"I'm not," He protested tightly. Perhaps too firmly because a snicker slipped from my lips without delay. "Alright."

"He asked me to attend for dinner at packhouse tomorrow."

"Oh." I breathed. There was a strain in their relationship that I could not deny having noticed first-hand. "Are you going?"

He shrugged.

It was vexing, and I resisted the urge to rub my eyes in emotional fatigue. Everything about Abel was overwhelmingly confusing. Despite how hard I tried, he seemed to slip into the cracks without my attention.

Silence settled inside the car, the radio's static feeling louder than our collective breaths. I was startled when I felt ticklishly light fingers on the inside of my forearm. His hand was warm, firm, but careful as it slid toward my wrist, and the contact sent shivers down my spine. "Hey," He said, his voice warily while I swallowed, my heart thumping harder. "It's nothing."

"Okay." I nodded my head.

***

As soon as we stepped out of the car, Abel was right by my side again. It was the first time the Alpha entwined our hands, and my belly contorted with intricate feelings I could barely even decipher. His skin was warm, and his thumb brushed over the back of my hand once every few seconds.

On the way, he changed the topic of discussion, squeezing tighter when I voiced an opinion he liked, and at points, he would laugh and tug me closer to his side. A warm fuzzy sensation built inside my belly, a feeling very foreign, but I had wanted to experience it for a long time.

The Alpha didn't let go until we reached the elevator at the end of the hallway, and even so, he was reluctant to do so. What was going on with him? I had no clue how I should feel at the shift in his actions, but it enticed me.

***

When Allie dropped the m bomb, her parents set her up with a stranger; it didn’t sink in. She’s not the type to bow her head down and nod, but somehow she agreed this time. I didn’t pry, knowing she would be telling me on her own.

However, it never came.

The next day we were busy with our routine, a strained smile gracing her face as she skipped to work. By the time evening rolled in, my friend was getting ready for her dinner date. Allie also took her keys just in case she was late.

With her gone, the house felt too big all of a sudden. I had the urge to dial Abel, but he’s out for dinner with his family.

I was on the second cup of my tea when the doorbell rang. Assuming it to be Allie, I made my way to the front door and opened it without a second thought. But the person standing on the porch’s not my best friend but my dear brother.

“Edward!” I blurted out, probably blinking rather dumbly at the man in front of me. “What are you doing here?”

He lifted his brows. “Why? Am I not allowed to see my little sister at this time?”

“That’s not….” I huffed, rolling my eyes at the teasing tone. “Come in.” He closed the door behind him before following me to the kitchen.

“You were gone all day today, so I asked.”

He slumped on the barstool, a loud sigh escaping past him. “Don’t get me started on today. I had to see one of my friends because he won’t stop calling. It turns out that the loser got himself in some trouble with bad guys for gambling…It was a mess.”

I made a soft sound in the back of my throat. “Want a cup?”

“Not going to say no to that,” He smacked his lips together. “I would have preferred whiskey, but Abel is not home. I don’t know where he keeps all his good stuff.”

“Oh, it’s….” I stopped myself, biting my tongue and realising I was about to blurt it out. The stash he kept in the bedroom was not at all hidden anyway. But my brother didn’t need to know that.

“Hmm?”

I headed straight to the kettle, refilling it with water and getting a second cup out of the cupboard. “I asked if you want milk?”

“Yes, please.”

“Where is Allie?” Edward asked, eyes perusing the living room and lifting his chin in the air. It’s as if he’s sniffing for her scent.

I forwarded the cup in his direction as he adjusted the collar of his now wrinkled shirt, taking a sip of tea and clearing his throat.

“Out.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I could hear the grandfather clock in the living room ticking away with a steady beat. My brother’s irregular huff caused me to look up.

“Office?”

“No.” I made a face. “Her parents are setting her up with some rich Alpha, so she’s having dinner with him now.”

Edward sucked a sharp breath, and I saw his grip tighten on the cup until his knuckles turned white. A joyless laugh broke out of him before he could stop it, and he plastered a wry smile onto his face. “And she agreed?”

I shrugged.

His jaw tightened as he stared at me, suddenly pushing at the cup and wrinkling his nose distastefully. “She didn’t say anything else?”

“No. I don’t know why Al agreed to it; maybe that’s what she wants.”

He scoffed under his breath, barely audible, before standing up. My eyes widened when he pushed the cup in my direction. “Thanks for the tea, but I need to go.”

“Umm…” I got on my feet. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” He breathed through his teeth, fingers curling by his side. “I-I need to sleep. It’s getting late. You should go and rest too.”

“But…”

“Good night.” My brother gave me a side hug, cutting off the following few words before turning on his feet. I watched with my mouth hanging open as he slid out and shut the door behind him.

***

The sound of keys clicking made me sit up on the couch, blinking against the light falling on my face. I let out a yawn, gawking at the barely lit living hall when the front door was pushed open.

Allie came in; the overcoat tucked in between her shoulder, back turned to me. Instead of going to sleep, I decided to stay up and wait for her, especially after knowing she was not happy with this match.

“Hey…” I croaked, almost making her jump on the spot.

Placing a hand on the left side of her chest, she turned around and turned on the nearest switch. “Em! You scared me.”

“Sorry.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I was waiting for you.” I sweetly blinked at her, knowing how she gets when teased. There was no change in her expression, mouth pressed together and face blank. It appeared as if she had aged a decade in the past few hours, eyes soulless and lips dry.

“You didn’t have to.”

“So…”

I watched as she hung the coat before sitting in front of me, tucking her legs back. She grabbed my wrist before looking into my eyes, almost taking me back.

“Emma, I will ask you something, and I want you to be honest.”

Something heavy settled in the pit of my stomach, and I nervously chuckled, pulling my hand away. “What’s going on? You are scaring me now, Al. Don’t tell me you liked the guy and will be moving away.”

The joke fell flat in the room as she shook her head with a barely held sigh. “Are you sleeping with Abel?”

The breath knocked out my lungs at the question, colour draining my face as she held my gaze. I awkwardly chuckled, looking at the wall behind her. “A-Are you drunk? You don’t know….”

“He’s the Alpha I am supposed to mate.” She cut me off, and everything came to a standstill.

***