Alpha's Guest

GEORGIE

When the guard opened the door and shoved me inside, I was surprised to find it empty. Well, empty of any other werewolves.

The room itself housed just a table with a chair on each side. Everything was made of metal. Easy to wipe the blood off, I supposed.

The guard shoved me into one of the chairs. I scowled at him. I didn’t say anything. He’d already shown me that he wasn’t averse to using his physical strength if I stepped out of line.

Once I was sitting, he went behind the chair. I couldn’t see what he was doing, but when I heard a click, I realized he had attached the handcuffs to the back of the chair.

Then he went and stood next to the door, like some sentinel.

I sighed. I was sure that this was some ploy to try and sweat me out. Make me nervous. It probably would have worked as well, but to be fair, I really couldn’t give a shit.

My only hope would be that my death would be swift or that they would return me to the cell. I had no money, no food, and only the clothes I stood up in.

If they decided to let me go, I’d probably end up dead or in another fetid prison block. An eighteen-year-old vagrant with no education was not very employable.

Without a job or money, I wasn’t going anywhere. The only thing I could hope was that the next town along wouldn’t be quite so ugly as Hope Springs.

I was pretty sure that the wall in front of me was a two-way mirror, or that could have been just my paranoia.

Either way, they would see that sweating me out was about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I glanced at the guard.

“Prick!” I muttered quietly but loud enough so he could hear.

He just stiffened. If I’d been in my cell, he would have likely given me a backhander. Maybe I wasn’t as paranoid as I thought.

I smirked and leaned my head back, closing my eyes.

My eyes had been closed for less than a minute by my reckoning when I heard the door open.

The guard didn’t make a sound, so I figured this was probably the mighty alpha.

I opened my eyes slightly. He wasn’t even looking at me; he was peering at a manila folder.

I could tell he was the big boss, though. He was much larger than any of the guards and much larger than Ash.

He wore black pants and a white button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves. His skin was tanned, and his lower arms were covered in dark hair. Not like a werewolf, but like a regular guy.

He was toned and very muscular. If he was going to give me a beating, it would be over pretty quickly. His brows furrowed as he read what was in the folder.

That didn’t detract from his good looks, his chiseled jaw, which was sporting a stubbly beard. His hair was cropped short. Even with the casual look, he exuded authority.

If it weren’t for the fact that he was responsible for the death of my parents, I might have even liked him. But he was, and for that reason, I loathed him.

I lifted my head and narrowed my eyes, thinking over all the ways I could end him had he not been a werewolf.

By the time he looked at me, I was giving him a full-on glare, my blue eyes staring right into his ice-blue ones.

He opened the folder, glancing down at it for a split second, then stared right back at me.

“If I were you, I would lower my eyes, little human!” he growled.

I carried on staring, trying to make him do something he might regret. Who was I kidding—he wouldn’t regret it; he’d just regret the mess. I would probably regret it more!

Then he slammed the folder closed with a loud bang as his hand hit the table. It made me jump, and my heart started beating hard, threatening to burst out of my chest.

I was sure I saw a dent in the metal table.

“Good!” he growled. “Now I have your attention, shall we start with something simple, like your name?”

I stared at the manila folder on the desk, then thought of my dad. Any fear I had from his banging the desk evaporated as hatred for this being filled me up.

“It’s of no consequence... to the likes of you!” I hissed.

I heard a growl and was surprised that it came from the guard as he glared at me. I looked at him and sneered.

I guessed Mister Fancy Pants Alpha wouldn’t want to get his hands dirty when it came to beating up the sassy girl!

“Very well,” he sighed, then he cracked his knuckles.

If that was supposed to intimidate me, then he could think again. Knuckles came a cheap second to a baseball bat.

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows.

He folded his arms and leaned back in the chair.

“So tell me, what’s your connection to Ash?”

I frowned, then smirked.

“The only connection I have to Ash is the bars that split my cell from his!” I hesitated.

“Of course, I have quite a close relationship with the bars now, since your hound over there smashed my face into them this morning!”

I watched as the big bad alpha glared at the guard, whose head dropped immediately as he surveyed the floor.

Georgie, one; guard, nil!

The alpha unfolded his arms and placed them on the table. He leaned forward and looked at me menacingly. Now we were cutting to the chase.

He reminded me a little of Maddox minus the baseball bat.

“We have reason to believe you’re a spy working with the rogues. You were apprehended last night going through our waste bins!”

I rolled my eyes. “For fuck’s sake; since when does anyone put their secrets in a dustbin? I was just hoping to find something to eat!”

He stood up and leaned on the table, staring at me.

“You expect me to believe that! Don’t your parents feed you?”

I glared at him now, anger rising in me. I leaned forward in the chair as far as the restraints would let me.

“No, they don’t!” I hissed angrily. “On account of they’re dead!”

The room went silent for a moment; you could have heard a pin drop. I thought I saw his expression soften, just for a moment.

I must have been mistaken because his eyes flashed black. It was weird because they had been blue. I figured it must have been a werewolf thing.

Then my eyes snapped to the guard as I heard the door open. He left the room. That was it; matey boy here didn’t want anybody to see when he ripped my throat out with his teeth.

In hindsight it was stupid, really. Letting him know I had no family meant I could disappear, and no one would come looking.

That was why I was slightly surprised when two guards came into the room, hauling Ash with them.

I was about to open my mouth when I saw Ash frown and shake his head. That was probably the worst thing he could have done. If the alpha had believed me before, he sure as hell didn’t now.

“Don’t worry, Ash my friend; she hasn’t told me anything useful, at least not yet!” He smirked.

He walked behind the chair I was sitting on. I was beginning to feel nervous. A quick death was one thing, but prolonged torture for information I didn’t have—that didn’t sit too well.

The next thing I knew, his hands were laced through my hair, yanking my head back. My throat was completely exposed.

I let out a whimper; all my bravery vanished in a second.

“Pretty little thing, isn’t she, Ash?” he enthused. “Is that why Regan picked her? What did he offer her? Or perhaps she’s your mate?”

Ash looked alarmed, but he scoffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Regan wouldn’t give a weakling like that the time of day; besides, she’s a pup, too young to be anyone’s mate!”

The alpha hummed, “Perhaps. Still, you won’t mind if I keep her as a pet, then?”

His hand stroked my cheek. I tried to pull away, but I was held tight by his other hand, any attempted movement sending pain through my scalp.

Ash snapped. I wasn’t sure why; maybe he knew what the bastard was capable of.

“Touch one hair on her fucking head and I swear…”

“Then start talking!” the alpha growled. “Or I swear to God, I’ll fuck her right in front of you and make you watch!”

Tears started to pool in my eyes and trickle down my cheek. I was expecting death, not this.

Ash looked at me, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For a split second, I thought that was it. He was going to leave me to my fate.

I couldn’t blame him; I’d only really met him this morning. In some respects, I wished he hadn’t tried to help me this morning. If he hadn’t, neither of us would be in this mess.

Then he opened his eyes and dropped his head.

“Okay,” he mumbled, “just...don’t hurt her.”

The alpha smirked and let go of me.

I dropped my head as tears cascaded down my cheek.

I wasn’t sure if all this had just been a ploy to get Ash to talk or if he really was going to keep me here. Either way, I could see he was enjoying it.

“Get him out of here,” the alpha growled. “Take him next door!”

He perched himself on the table right in front of me, sitting with his legs wide apart in a purely dominant stance.

The proximity was too close for my liking. I felt my heart thudding in my chest.

I couldn’t help but flinch and whimper when his fingers touched the underside of my chin, tilting my head upward so I had to look him in the face. I did, however, manage to keep my eyes averted.

His other thumb gently wiped the tears from my cheek.

“Now, little one, I have no intention of hurting you as long as you answer my questions and tell me the truth.”

He paused. I didn’t know if he was expecting an answer or whether he was waiting to see if I would give him another verbal assault. In any case, I stayed quiet, realizing it was pointless to fight.

In some ways it was easier to take the beating that Maddox had given me. This was totally different, leaving me feeling powerless. I was sure that was exactly his intent.

“So, how about you tell me your name?” he began, his deep baritone voice almost hypnotic.