Chapter 4 - Alisha
What the fuck was that?
Tossing and turning in Brad’s bed, I feel like my bones are simmering, and my skin is on fire. I’m tempted to storm down the stairs, shake him awake, and throw all my questions in his extremely handsome face.
Not a great idea, for so many reasons.
I turn onto my back and stare at the ceiling, trying to stay conscious of my breath and relax. Even though my body still feels strung with tension, my thoughts begin to settle.
He literally fucking kidnapped me by force, then made my favorite food, tucked me into bed, apologized…and walked the fuck out.
An uncomfortable feeling rises in me that maybe I’m so pissed because he walked out, and part of me was perversely looking forward to sleeping next to him. It creates such a crash in my psyche that I’m forced to look deeper into my feelings.
I met Paul so soon after Brad left, I didn’t even really have time to process what happened. I just closed my mind down and locked the pain away.
When I feel a faint tickle on my face and realize I’m crying, it shocks me. I sit up quickly and wipe my eyes, feeling all my fury dissolving into misery.
I didn’t cry…I never admitted what he meant to me. And now I’m here, in his bed, wearing his fucking clothes!
I wrap the blanket tightly around me, cocooning myself with pressure as I start to tremble. The stress has just been too much. Running from Paul, just weeks of survival mode, and now, quite literally running into Brad and getting actually kidnapped.
I still can’t believe he apologized. Did he mean just for tonight, or did he mean for everything?
Fury sparks in my chest again as I remember how it felt waking up alone.
No note, no text, just completely abandoned.
For days, I held out hope that he would come back, that he’d contact me somehow.
I imagined all kinds of scenarios that might have made him disappear—a hurt family member, a business collapse, even a horrible accident.
I called every hospital in the area, for fuck’s sakes. I even went to the cops!
A little chill runs across my skin as I remember that. They had no record of Bradley Cade. At first, I was reassured because it meant he had no record, but they hadn’t been able to look him up at all.
“Are you sure that’s his real name, darlin’? How long did you know him for? Oh. Well, then. These things do happen. You should really take care, now.”
The echo of the cop’s voice in my mind twists my heart into an angry, tangled mess. The guy was trying to be sympathetic, I know that, but he was also telling me I got duped by a player.
Maybe I did…
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to settle my anger and frustration, but it’s fueled by the unanswered questions that just won’t stop piling up in my mind.
I know he wasn’t lying to me, I just know it. He was with me, and I felt it! Why did he leave me? What the fuck does he actually do? He clearly has a whole life I never knew about— and now he’s ended up as an alpha out in the woods? Where even are we?
I lay down again, stretching out under the blanket to ease the tension in my muscles.
Eccles. He said the town was called Eccles.
I’ve never heard of it, but he did also say it was a shifter town. This just makes me even more curious and confused.
After a few minutes more of puzzling, I realize my eyelids are getting heavy and my muscles are slowly relaxing. My last clear thought is that it’s been a very long time since I felt this comfortable and safe.
***
When a faint clang wakes me several hours later, I sit up with a jolt, not immediately realizing where I am. A quick look around confirms I am still in Brad’s bedroom, and the clang was most likely him downstairs in the kitchen.
I stay perfectly still, waiting for confirmation of my thoughts. When I hear another clang and a faint sizzling, I’m satisfied it’s just Brad in the kitchen, and I’m still safe.
That’s definitely the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.
I shuffle to the bathroom and find a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt waiting for me on the towel rack. They’re a little big, and obviously cast-offs from someone else, but they fit well enough. I clean myself up a bit, then head downstairs to meet Brad in the kitchen.
When I come through the door, he has his back to me, spatula raised high as his other hand jiggles the frying pan. He’s humming a silly little tune, and I pause in the doorway to watch him.
He’s wearing a very tight black T-shirt that shows off the muscles in his back and shoulders, as well as his slim waist. Even though his faded charcoal jeans aren’t quite that tight, they still show off his cute butt and sculpted legs.
He looks more like a dancer than a football player. Wrapped in muscles, but lean and lithe, not bulky.
A little smile creeps onto my face as I watch him humming and swaying, poking at the frying pan with the spatula.
I missed this. When he thinks no one’s watching, he vanishes into his own little world, and it’s fucking adorable.
With a little flourish, he turns to the side and starts loading bacon and eggs onto plates. He finally notices me and jumps a little, and I try to hide my smile.
“Oh! Alisha. Good morning.”
“Hi,” I answer, pressing my lips together and looking away.
I will not smile! He’s not that fucking cute!
Who am I kidding? He’s fucking smoking.
“You still like bacon and egg wraps?” he asks, turning to put the frying pan back and fuss with the plates.
“Yeah.”
“Cool. There’s coffee there on the table.”
I pour myself a cup, and by the time I sit down, Brad is putting a plate down in front of me—a thick toasty wrap stuffed with crispy bacon, perfectly cooked egg, caramelized onions, and drizzles of barbecue sauce.
“Thank you,” I mutter, trying not to moan with satisfaction.
It’s been so long since I had a decent meal, and this is my favorite breakfast in the whole fucking world!
“I gave you extra onions and a good sprinkle of black pepper. Just how you like it.”
I nod, trying not to look up at him. To save myself from saying something I might regret, I take a big bite of the breakfast wrap and stifle another moan.
Jesus fucking Christ, this boy can cook!
“I see you found the clothes I left.”
I nod and make a small affirmative hum.
“We can pick up some stuff for you today, if you like. I have to go into a meeting.”
“Okay,” I mumble. “You can just drop me off somewhere.”
“No,” he answers firmly. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. At least, not yet.”
“What? Why?”
“You know why! You might be getting tracked by a rabid wolf—what’s his name?”
“Paul.”
“Right. Paul. How long were you with him?”
“Brad,” I mutter, putting down my food. “My personal life is no longer your concern.”
I see a flash of fury on his face that just might be jealousy. I don’t take my eyes from his, and eventually, he’s the one who looks away.
“Fair enough,” he says, quietly. “But I want you by my side today, so I can keep an eye on you. I’ll put out the word with my scouts, so they know what to look for. Is that okay?”
I look up at him again, shaking my head a little.
I’m his prisoner, and he’s asking my permission?
We stare at each other just a little too long, and this time, both of us awkwardly look away. Even though I’m not wild about meeting a bunch of strangers, I don’t really want to be alone, either, so I nod.
We clean up the kitchen together and head out to the car. The whole time, I try not to look too hard at Brad.
I can’t get confused by our chemistry. This is serious stuff, and if I fuck up, I’ll end up in another situationship, and I’ve had way too many of those.
As Brad drives through the little town, I admire the old-fashioned buildings, neat gardens, and relaxed-looking townsfolk. There is an aura of safety here that I never felt in the city, or even in smaller towns.
“It’s so peaceful here,” I mutter.
Brad scoffs. “Yeah. Not all the time.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Brad shakes his head, clearing his throat. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
I can’t hold in a little exasperated sigh.
He’s got so many fucking secrets…Like I would even care what he’s hiding!
I keep my eyes down and try not to think about how much I actually do care.
After a few minutes, Brad breaks the awkward silence. “How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” I answer, keeping my face turned towards the window. “This place doesn’t seem to have a lot of shops. Where should I go to get some clothes?”
“I actually haven’t lived here that long, so I might not be much use to you in figuring out things like that. We can ask the people at the meeting today, though.”
I frown. “What do you mean, you haven’t lived here long?”
“I told you, I took over this pack to help people. They aren’t actually my family.”
“So, you don’t know them?”
“Not really, no.”
“How did all this come about?”
“Well…I had a job come up that placed me with an old friend of mine. He’d retired, so he needed my help to get through a situation that started up between both packs. Myself and some other…colleagues came out to help, and when it was all over, he was technically in charge of both packs.”
“Did something happen to this pack’s alpha?”
“Yes,” Brad answers, with a finality that states he will not elaborate.
“That still doesn’t explain how you became alpha.”
“It was to help my friend, and this town. It was time for a change of pace for me, and I really liked the idea of helping these people rebuild. It felt like I could do some real good here.”
All the questions I already had multiplied rapidly in my mind, but I held them in. Now probably isn’t the best time to ask, and even if I did, I know he wouldn’t answer honestly.
The important thing is, Brad just revealed something deeply personal about himself to me.
In fact, I might have seen more of him in those two minutes than I ever have before.
We pull up outside a little building on the main street of town. Brad takes my hand as we cross the sidewalk, and I let him lead me inside. Every person in the immediate area has swiveled around to look at me, and it’s wigging me out.
Brad leads us down a long hallway and into a big room filled with shelves and stacks of books. Comfortable couches and armchairs crowd the walls, and there is a small table set up with biscuits and coffee.
Two women sitting on a nearby couch and two men standing by the stacks look up as we enter, and all of them focus heavily on me. Brad still has a tight hold of my hand, and I’m glad of it.
“Good morning, Brad,” the older woman says. She gets up and crosses the room in smooth strides, a picture of elegance and grace. Her silvery hair is pulled up behind her head, and her simple gown is so understated, it practically screams class.
“Hazel,” Brad says, reaching out to briefly squeeze her hand.
After greeting him, she pulls back a little and gives me a curious look. Behind her, the two men approach and stand on either side of her like guards.
“This is Gregor, and Mitchell,” Brad says, pointing first at the younger man with dark hair, then the older gentleman with a long, pale gray mane.
“And I’m Gen,” the younger woman says, pushing through the others to shake my hand. “I’m the youngest council member, only appointed a short time ago. It’s nice to meet you, Miss—?”
“Alisha,” I say, holding my hand out to her. “Alisha Black.”
“Good to meet you,” Gen answers, giving my hand a firm shake. She smiles sweetly, her dark blue eyes shimmering with warmth.
“Bradley,” Hazel says, looking first at me, then at him. “Is it really a good idea to be bringing strangers here right now?”
“She’s not a stranger,” Brad says firmly. “She’s with me, and she’s going to be staying with me—permanently.”
“Like a mate?” Mitchell asks.
I pull back a little, and Brad tightens his hand on mine.
“If that is the easiest way for you to think of it, then, yes,” Brad replies.
I can feel heat rising to my cheeks, and I pray I’m not turning a horrible shade of pink. Part of me wants to scream that I’m practically a prisoner, but something about these people makes me stay quiet.
“Still,” Hazel says, giving me another curious look. “The town has had some…upheaval lately.”
“Yes,” Brad says, his voice hard. “I’m well-aware. Everything has been very quiet for the past few weeks, and we are well and truly settled in here. I think it’s an excellent time for me to be looking into a partnership.”
I suppose it’s much easier for him to lie than to admit the truth. I mean, just explaining how we met is enough to twist loose all the screws in an average person’s head.
“Alright,” Gregor says, nodding. “We are committed to making the partnership between packs work, so we’ll trust your word, Alpha.”
“Thank you,” Brad answers. “That means a lot.”
“I have to say, though,” Mitchell looks me up and down, his eyes narrowed, and gives the air a little sniff. “I don’t know how the rest of the pack is going to react to this.”
“Why?” Brad answers. “I’m not allowed to have a mate?”
“Of course you are,” Gregor says. “But whoever you choose, the pack will have to adapt to it, and that will never be easy…but this situation is quite different.”
“Why?” Brad asks again, his voice coming out as a thick growl.
“Because she can’t shift,” Mitchell says, sniffing the air again. “I have no idea how the rest of the pack will react to a shiftless wolf coming in here at all—let alone as your mate.”
My hand trembles a little in Brad’s grip, and I bite my lip to stop it from doing the same. Even though I put all my effort into looking calm and collected, deep inside, my heart sinks, and I feel my shoulders drop with it.
It doesn’t matter where I go, or how far I travel. I’ll always be an outcast.