Alpha Jasper

Thea

I lie under my covers, listening intently to the sound of heavy rain pattering against the roof.

It’s an addictive, lulling sound, making me want to stuff my head into my pillow and sleep for a few more hours.

But I had promised to meet Luca at the diner for lunch before my shift. I glance over at my bedside table, to see I have to be there in an hour …

I’m out of bed in a second, and into the shower. Luca hates it when I am late, and personally I do too. Unfortunately, I’m not the most organized person in the world.

So when I am finally dressed, and towel drying my hair, I guess the knock at the door is Luca hurrying me along.

And I keep thinking that, until I open the door.

My towel slips from my fingers, pooling at my feet. Eyes wide, I am stuck staring at the most attractive man I have ever seen. No one gets close to contesting that thought. Not Luca... No one.

“Good morning,” he says. And the voice from his mouth is surprising. Those two words he uttered should have been cheerful and light. But he pronounced them delicately, his voice deep and soft.

And the accent... so familiar, but exotic in a way I can’t even begin to explain.

I just stand, staring at him like an absolute idiot, taking in this ‘God’ at my doorstep. I can’t take my eyes off his own.

A deep-set swirling violet, tinted with the darkest ebony-black irises of his eyes; they almost trap me, like hands made from illusory magic that seems to pull me in.

He must have been at least a few years older than I am. Maturity is etched into his expression, as he stares at me as intently as I stare at him.

But he doesn’t have thick, matted wet hair upon his head like mine. No, just shadowy wisps of mussed black hair, dancing across his sun-kissed forehead.

And if my eyes don’t deceive me, a tint of violet similar to his eyes is entwined within those strands.

I know normal, and this is not normal.

“Ah… I… Hi.” The words stumble from my mouth with no filter, probably incoherent.

The more I stare at him, the stranger he becomes. I could never imagine someone looking so beautiful. Almost magical.

And, despite the rain pouring down outside, not an ounce of water taints his being.

Perhaps the canopy dad had slung up to keep the rain off the deck protected him, but he had to have got here somehow, and I don't see a car or an umbrella in sight.

“I came to return this to you,” he tells me, voice low and caressing. My knees want to drop me in front of him.

He holds up his hand, and I see he’s holding a leash. My eyes travel down the leash, and I meet the bright eyes of Squiggles.

“Where did you find him?” I ask, bending down with my arms extended. I don’t like the dog, but the relief I feel on seeing him alive is too overwhelming to ignore.

And for the faintest second, it’s more normal than the stranger.

Because strangers don’t exist in our town.

The dog runs into my arms, putting its dirty paws on my thighs as it licks my face with a sloppy tongue. I resist the urge to cringe in front of the dog-saving God.

“He was wandering around the forest,” he tells me smoothly, voice like the sweetest honey. “This was the first house...”

I’m struck still for a moment. My house is on the opposite side of the woods from June’s, which means Squiggles would have had to trek for a while to get here.

But the fact this man has approached me with such confidence that the dog is mine is a little unnerving.

Is he the man from last night? No, I have to be imagining that.

He hands me the leash as I stand back up, looking me directly in the eye as he does so.

Hoping he doesn’t notice my hands quivering from the intimate feeling he is giving me, I tug on the leash for Squiggles to come inside.

“What were you doing in the woods?” I ask. A simple, maybe too intrusive question, but I am curious. But what really has my curious side digging at me is the idea of a stranger being here.

And a beautiful one at that.

“I just moved into a house over there,” he tells me, twisting around to point further across the woods. I glance over, noticing it’s the part no one ever goes to.

It’s not owned, because of the ideas of Phantom Wolves roaming there. Not until now at least …

We stand, staring at each other for a few moments. Then I realize I should probably be polite.

“Would you like to come in?” I ask, forcing the smile I reserve for strangers or elderly people. Without a second of hesitation, he nods, so I step back, holding the door wide for him to walk in.

And just like that, I have let a complete stranger into my home, who may possibly be a rapist or murderer. I blink, as he wanders into the lounge.

Perhaps it was the intimidation factor he used so smoothly and easily.

“It’s not really my dog,” I tell him, closing the door nervously. I face away from him, my face screwed up as I curse myself internally.

“Oh?”

“It’s my friend’s. She lives a good walk north,” I explain, swooping down to let Squiggles off the leash. He tears away, running off on his tiny legs to Goddess knows where in my house.

I can imagine June’s reaction if she saw this elusive man. Either she would fall in love, or accuse him of being a Phantom Wolf.

“The name’s Thea, by the way,” I inform him, turning around to finally face him. He is staring at a wall laden with framed pictures—of my mother.

He pauses, as if he’s surprised at being expected to tell me his name. “Ah... Casper.”

“Interesting,” I muse. Glancing down, I notice my thighs covered in dirt from that stupid dog. I attempt to brush it away, only to stain my jeans in the process.

I sigh, strolling closer to where Casper silently stares at the wall.

“Uhm...” I pause, noticing the way Casper looks down at me, a solemn look in his eyes. “That’s my mother.”

“I’m sorry,” he says gently. He knew. The look on his face is sympathetic, but I only feel embarrassed.

It is as if his gaze can strip me down, tearing away at the layers I’ve put on to protect myself. It’s been like that since her death.

I cough, stepping back. “Don’t be. It was years ago.”

I twist around, striding quickly to the kitchen. The house isn’t big, so I can still see him from here, but I don’t want to. He should leave, before he sees the tears stinging in my eyes.

Because I don’t want to admit that a complete stranger already knows a big secret of mine.

And I don’t even know why he is here... or what he wants. Nothing. I have to brace my arms against the kitchen bench for a moment.

“It doesn’t matter how long ago it was.” I jump, as Casper has come up behind me. How did he get here so quickly? “A loss is a loss.”

He speaks his words from experience. But unlike him, I won’t press it.

“Look, I think you should go,” I exclaim, maneuvering my way around his massive body. He doesn’t say a word, as I fluster around the lounge, looking for my coat and keys.

Luca won’t be happy if I am late.

And then I look at the clock, expecting it to be nearly noon.

“Four thirty?” I yelp, seeing the clock hands on the most unlikely numbers. I was meant to start work at twelve thirty! I am so dead.

“Crap,” I growl, the hunt for my keys suddenly more desperate. How did I allow myself to get lost in conversation with Casper for... four and a half hours? I am losing my mind.

Casper stands close to the front door, keys balanced on his index finger. “Late?”

If I wasn’t about to be fired from my only job that would pay for me to leave this Pack, I might have questioned him. How did he not know that time was passing so quickly? How did I not know?

Something just doesn’t add up.

“As a matter of fact, I am very late,” I tell him, plucking the keys from him while grabbing one of Dad’s coats from the hook.

Opening the front door, I usher a very calm Casper onto the deck, locking the door behind me.

“I enjoyed...”

“Like I said before, you need to go,” I insist, cutting Casper off. His face loses all expression, as he nods blandly.

And without a word, he walks into the curtain of rain, and into the forest.