The Silent Alpha (Re-publishing)

The Silent Alpha: The Beckon: Chapter 4

The Silent Alpha

Chapter 4

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Victoria (Tori) POV

The breeze bit my skin like a mosquito, sharp and sudden.

I laughed, intoxicated with excitement. Michael had a way of doing that to me. Every moment with him made me grateful for knowing him; this was really the icing on the cake.

We rode his Harley-Davidson around the downtown area before heading to his home for dinner. After I told him I'd never been on a bike before, he promised me the ride of my life, guaranteeing that I would be "working up an appetite." I smiled as we made our final turn into his driveway. The neighborhood streets were decorated with two-story homes and spacious front lawns. God, this place was nice. I almost felt out of place.

"Woah, you didn't tell me you lived up North like this!" I teased, but Michael shrugged and glanced around, not impressed by it all.

"Yeah, it's alright." He said and then held out his hand to assist me off the bike. I gladly took it, but I felt as though I had screwed something up by mentioning his neighborhood. Even though I was teasing, I was mostly shocked that such a sweet and humble guy could come from such a fancy-looking place.

I threw my leg over the seat and adjusted my balance with Michael's hand. His hand. I looked down at our entwined hands; this was the first time I had pictured our hands intertwining. I blushed at the sudden thought. Why does this man make me so flustered? It's not like I've never touched him before. There were the occasional hugs from Michael, me grabbing his hand momentarily while signing, but hand holding... I guess that was new?

I looked up at Michael, and he was looking at me too. It seemed like we both noticed the same thing. I took a moment and squeezed his hand before releasing it. He looked at our hands and frowned when his hand fell back to his side. But when he looked back at me, a contagious smile appeared on his face. He asked, "Are you ready?"

I smiled and nodded. Of course, I was! I was going to meet other deaf people for the first time; it was by far one of the most critical times of my life.

I walked with Michael to his doorstep and took deep breaths. You're okay, Tori. You're not going to ruin this by being weird. Just be yourself. Oh crap, but the real me IS weird—

"It's all going to be alright, don't worry!" Michael said before he rang the doorbell. I hadn't even noticed that he had been staring at me for the last 30 seconds as I tried figuring out how not to be weird in front of his family. I smiled at him to assure him I was alright, even though I was lying. I felt like I was going to throw up. But I nodded at him anyway, grabbing his hand as he unlocked his door and led us in. He looked down at our hands again, but he was the one who squeezed my hand this time, giving me comfort. It worked; just like that, I knew I was worrying for nothing. I kept my head low to hide the fact that I was blushing like an idiot. I moved to let go of his hand so his family wouldn't see, but he only held on tighter.

We stepped into Michael's home and were immediately greeted by the sweet aroma of food. My stomach roared at the smell in the air. Oh my God, you know the food in the kitchen is going to be heaven-sent! Michael turned to me and suggested I remove my shoes. "Mom steamed the carpets a few days ago, and the floor is finally dry. She'll lose her mind if we get dirt on the floor so soon." I nodded—his mother would receive nothing less than my full support. Especially given the smell of the Godly meal she was preparing.

As we removed our shoes, a miniature red-haired female version of Michael appeared from a room ahead, probably the kitchen. She had the biggest smile as we came into her view.