The Alphas & The Heiress

Chapter 12

Good Morning! Are you ready for the suspense? 

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Syble (Magnolia)

I've gone for another run, taken a shower, and met with Incandis and it's only been an hour. I have another two hours to kill.

Incandis has made himself at home with the males of the pack downstairs in the lounge. I can hear them laughing and trash talking one another from upstairs.

If we were home I'd join him. He and Xander and a few other guardians frequently hang out together around one video game console or another. Though I may technically be crashing guy's night, they've always graciously accepted me among their group. It's probably the only thing they're better at than me and they jump at the opportunity to educate me on proper gaming strategy.

Resigned and determined not to interfere, I decide to take my chances with the Alphas. Their office door is slightly ajar but I knock anyway out of courtesy. They beckon me in immediately. I'm not sure how they knew it was me on the other side of the door. This is the second time Ro's senses have been correct about me.

"Hey, do you mind if I wait around in here with you? I think Incandis and Runidar have teamed up against your delta and gamma playing some video game."

Ro and Varian pause to consider my request, their eyes gloss over which I've learned means they're talking to one another. It's a neat trick but a little rude to blatantly exclude someone right in front of you.

"It's fine, I'll find somewhere else to go." I say to the tranced twins but before I can take a step out of the door a hand wraps around my arm pulling me back and stopping me from walking out.

A warm electricity hums through my body at the contact. I chance a look at the owner of the hand and find Varian at the other end of it, staring at me intently. His brown eyes widen with some nameless emotion, his body and his features giving nothing away.

I shake my arm loose from his grip but make no other movement. "You can wait in here if that's what you want."

I nod once and begin my occupation of their couch for the next two hours. I lay out the map, pouring over every detail – every valley, cave, river, I want to know every inch of this map so I can be sure that we are turning over every stone in our search for my family.

Malin and Xander had nothing new to report to Incandis when they spoke earlier. The grove is operating as usual, but the colony grows a little more restless with each passing hour. They won't be fully at ease until I'm home, and I'm not going home without my father and uncle.

A low rumble from behind me diverts me from my research. I look up to see Varian at his desk in front of me giving Ro an exasperated and disapproving look before I see the telltale signs of their private, inner dialogue.

"Please, speak freely, don't recluse on my behalf." I look back to the map and continue memorizing where I left off. "What are you growling about, anyway?"

"I think you speak freely enough for the three of us." Varian says, his tone laced with what I think is irritation. "Are you always so outspoken?"

"Does being direct make me outspoken? I have never been one to mince words, I favor a straightforward approach." I let them mull that over for a moment, more growls slip past their defenses to suppress them. "You're still growling."