Alpha Jasper

Thea

I run my fingers through his hair, the light brown strands tangling around them.

Luca is angry. No, he’s more than that. He’s furious. Casper’s words have gotten under his skin, and now he’s hell-bent on proving he can make me climax. I think he’s trying to prove it more to himself than to me.

But as I lie here, with his tongue assaulting the most sensitive part of me, I feel nothing but discomfort.

Luca’s actions are driven by anger, not love. He’s decided to go down on me, and I’m not enjoying it at all.

For one, I can’t get Casper out of my head. The fact that he knew I was faking orgasms is unsettling. People shouldn’t be able to tell that just by looking at someone.

So instead of enjoying what Luca is doing, I moan when I need to, and call out his name as I pretend to climax.

As I dress, I see Luca looking pleased with himself. His ego has been stroked, and I have no doubt he’ll brag to Casper the next time he sees him.

I decide I need to find Casper. I need to find where he lives in the Phantom Forest.

I can’t deal with a jealous boyfriend anymore, and I have a feeling Casper is the root cause of Luca’s sudden change in behavior. I’m going to find Casper and tell him to stay away.

Luca leaves shortly after. His father called to tell him another girl has gone missing. Even though I’m worried it might be June, I need to find Casper first.

The sooner he’s out of Luca’s and my life, the better.

So I grab a black backpack and fill it with a spare jacket, an umbrella, and a flashlight. I’m ready.

I start my journey with the afternoon sun warming my back. Ever since Casper came to my house yesterday and made me late for work, I’ve wanted to find his place.

It’s only fair. He knows where I live, so I should know where he lives.

I walk quickly down the familiar path I usually take to June’s house. I hope she’s okay. She’s always been careful about locking her house and doesn’t go out much.

But with that broken window... No, she would have stayed at her parents’ house if it was a big deal.

Determined not to let the weight of my backpack slow me down, I press on, pushing branches out of my face and stepping over any bushes that stick out from the dirt path.

I have a rough idea of where Casper’s place might be. People have said it’s old and falling apart, and that it sticks out from the undergrowth. That means it shouldn’t be hard to find.

These days, the only people who go near the property are the ones who own it, although no one knows who that is anymore.

There are even rumors that Alpha Jasper and his father lived there centuries ago, before they both died. I think June once told me their spirits haunt the place.

Not that I believe that.

The walk takes about an hour. I didn’t expect it to take so long to find the place where Jasper lives.

And even though there’s no sign that this is his home, it just seems... obvious.

But it’s not what I expected. I thought it would be run-down, falling apart, broken and deranged.

Instead, the house stands tall and proud, the sun reflecting off the polished wood. This isn’t the scary estate I was warned about.

This is a mansion. A palace, even.

The garden isn’t overgrown either. Plants grow around the concrete walls that enclose the property, all neatly trimmed.

Someone has taken great care of this home that towers above me, making it look inviting and airy.

I slip through the wrought iron gate that’s been left slightly open. If Casper doesn’t live here, then someone nice must.

Maybe it’s naive of me to think that, but it gives me the courage I need to knock on the door.

The front door looms before me like the gateway to hell. If Casper is really behind that door, what will his reaction be when he sees me? Is he even home?

I knock twice and then step back. Why is my heart pounding so hard? Why am I questioning myself so much?

I wait for a minute before knocking again. No answer.

I’ve turned my back on the door and am about to leave when I hear the click of the door opening.

Slowly, I turn around. And there he is. Casper. And he’s half-naked.

I never thought a shirtless man could take my breath away, but here we are. Casper leans casually against the doorframe, and I can tell he’s watching me as my eyes travel down his torso.

And in that moment, I can’t help but stare.

His abs look like they’ve been sculpted by the gods, and they’re glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

There’s what looks like a tattoo running from his shoulder down to his hip, weaving in and out of the muscles on his body.

I can’t be sure it’s a tattoo, though. It looks more like he was born with these dark markings that don’t quite form a recognizable shape.

A small towel is draped over his other shoulder, obviously used to wipe away sweat from his workout. And boy... does he need it.

I blink. What am I doing? I have a boyfriend, and yet here I am, ogling a stranger’s chest. But who can blame me for appreciating a work of art? No, Thea. Stop.

“What a pleasant surprise,” Casper says, pulling my attention away from his body. He looks at me through thick, dark hair that falls across his forehead in a way that would make anyone jealous.

I’ve never really thought much about his violet eyes, but maybe I should—because they’re anything but ordinary.

I can’t seem to find my voice.

“Would you like to come inside?” he asks. He glances over my shoulder, probably worried about the time or the weather.

Finally, I manage to speak. “I just came to tell you something...”

“Come inside,” he urges, his gaze avoiding mine as if the stormy sky behind me is more captivating.

I shake my head, refusing his offer, until a loud crack of thunder echoes in the air.

I have a bone to pick with Mother Nature. I mean, I managed to endure the wind and rain the other day, but thunder is a whole different beast.

It’s just a sound, but it always sends me into a panic, and today is no different.

In my fear, I rush past Casper and through the door, which he promptly shuts behind me. I find myself in the hallway, hands braced against the walls, eyes tightly shut.

My fear of thunderstorms has completely taken over my rational mind.

“Here,” Casper whispers. He drapes a mink blanket over my shoulders, and the softness against my skin instantly soothes my nerves. “You can stay here.”

His words are a comforting promise. And despite the real reason I’m here, I’m grateful his house offers shelter from the storm.

I wince as another clap of thunder sounds overhead. “Sorry.”

I’m not sure why I’m apologizing. Without a word, Casper guides me further into his home, down the dimly lit hallway.

My fingers grip the edge of the blanket around my shoulders, as I relish the feeling of Casper’s hand on my back. It feels like a lifeline.

“Nice home,” I comment, taking in the sight of the living room he’s led me into.

It’s lavishly decorated, and I can tell from the old books lining the wall and the furniture that this place is probably worth more than I am.

“I just finished furnishing it,” he informs me. I sit on the edge of his couch, sinking into the plush cushions.

I notice Casper is still shirtless, despite the chill in the air. He glances at me. “Tea?”

I nod gratefully. He disappears through a door for a moment, and I can’t help but admire him as he walks away.

His back is like a well-oiled machine, every muscle moving in perfect harmony to maintain his elegant posture and stride.

Aside from the luxurious silk fabrics and tapestries adorning the place, it’s sparsely decorated. No portraits. No evidence of the life Casper left behind to join this Pack.

He returns a few minutes later, now wearing a shirt (unfortunately) and balancing a teacup between his finger and thumb. I catch the gentle smile on his face.

It’s a sight to behold, and for a moment, I wish he would smile more often.

“Here you go,” he says, handing me the tea. “It’s especially good for calming nerves.”

I take the cup, only to be surprised by its contents. The liquid is a thick, swirling mixture of black and gray.

Tilting the cup to get a better look, I notice the way the contents move sluggishly, spilling like sludge around the rim.

“What the …?”

“Will you drink it?” Casper asks, having settled on the couch across from me while I was inspecting the strange liquid.

He looks at me with such intense curiosity that I feel a surge of nerves. The exact opposite of what the tea is supposed to do. “Not if it isn’t tea.”

“And if someone else offered it to you? Your friend, your dad, your boyfriend?”

His voice is demanding, yet smoother than silk. Clearly, he’s more interested in this than anything else. But his question takes me by surprise, and I have to think about it.

“I guess so, yes,” I answer cautiously.

Immediately, Casper’s expression turns cold, detached. He even looks slightly angry.

“In the cup is a mixture of herbs designed to sedate someone; make them drowsy and vulnerable,” he reveals, looking uneasy at his own words.

I gasp, dropping the cup. The china shatters on the floor, its contents soaking into the carpet at my feet.

He’s tricked me... I’ve let myself be lured into his psychopath’s home.

I’m on my feet in an instant, ready to bolt down the hallway. As soon as I get out of this house, I’ll call Luca and demand that Casper be taken to the police station.

But when I reach the door, I realize, with a sinking feeling, that it’s locked. And I can’t find a way to unlock it.

Feeling defeated, I slowly turn around. I’ve never felt so devastated. So terrified of what might happen next.

Because if he doesn’t just rape and discard me, my future could be much worse.

“Please, don’t kill me,” I whisper.

Casper slowly approaches, noticing that I’m trapped. His eyes undress me, his steps slow and calculated, as if he’s deciding the best way to kill me.

But then he surprises me with his words. “Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you.”

But I don’t believe him. He stands before me, his eyes burning into mine. Without a word, he leans forward, his arms braced on either side of my head against the door.

Oh my God…

His head is next to mine, his hot breath brushing against my ear. I want to lean into the sensation, savor it.

But the fear of being potentially drugged by him overpowers the feeling of his closeness and the heat it sends to my core.

“I'll never hurt you,” he murmurs, the words resonating through my body. “Because if I were going to, I wouldn’t have told you what was in that cup.”

Truth. I can see it in his eyes. In my fear, I hadn’t thought rationally about what was in the cup. I had just thought about what it could do to me.

Maybe it’s because I’ve made a huge mistake, walking into this stranger's house.

But the thunder… it’s suddenly stopped.

“Then, what do you want with me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. He seems to consider my question carefully.

Right now, I could reach out and touch his soft skin, or even kiss him if I wanted to. His closeness is terrifying.

But at the same time, a part of me wants nothing more than to feel him against me... Wait, what am I thinking?

“Don’t ever—ever—accept a drink that looks like that,” he warns, as if he’s got some kind of crystal ball and can see someone trying to force that drink on me.

I could laugh it off. I could treat it like a joke, but the seriousness in his eyes tells me this isn’t a laughing matter.

“Okay...” I mumble, still frozen in place.

Casper pauses, and I catch a glimpse of something in his eyes. Is it longing? Sadness? It’s gone in a flash, and he releases me.

“I need to go home,” I tell him, eager to escape this house. His jaw tightens, and he leans in, and for a moment, I think he’s going to pin me against the door again.

But instead, he turns the doorknob and swings the door wide open.

“It’s getting late,” he observes, and I glance over my shoulder to see he’s right. But how? How does time fly so fast when I’m with him? I could swear it hasn’t even been an hour... “Let me at least drive you home.”

I let him. Despite my desire to refuse and walk home, the thought of spending an hour trudging through the underbrush in the dark isn’t appealing, and if I lose my way …

I have him park a little ways down the driveway so my dad won’t see who I’ve arrived with.

Maybe he’d insist on meeting Casper, then try to intimidate him like he does with everyone else in town.

“So why did you come over in the first place?” Casper asks just as I’m about to step out of his car. I stop.

The real reason I came over was pushed out of my mind when the thunder roared, and it hasn’t come back until now.

I can’t leave this car until he knows. “I need you to stay away from me and Luca.”

He looks taken aback.

Why does this feel so wrong?