Alpha Alexander

Chapter Twelve

Night came too quickly. Even though it was Friday and most people my age would be out with friends, I was exhausted and decided to head to bed once the clock struck nine. Alpha Alexander had retreated to his office with Seth for the rest of the day, leaving Julie and me to occupy our time with girl talk and an endless supply of fashion magazines Julie had collected.

The night was warm. After I showered, I dug out a white undershirt tank top from one of the dresser drawers and slipped into it. I paired it with my silk shorts and braided my hair. I stared at the bed, my hands on my hips. I glanced to the makeshift useless bed on the floor. An idea started to form in my mind and I grinned. I went to the closet, pulled out a few more pillows and dumped them on the bed along with the two blankets and lone pillow from the floor. After setting them vertically down the center of the mattress, I turned off the lights and crawled into my side of the bed. I patted down the pillows and grinned, proud of my handiwork.

I curled my knees into my chest and closed my eyes, my thoughts drifting to what I imagined the Alpha's face would look like when he saw the barrier I set up to protect me from my own desires that I would never dare to act on.

It turned out that I didn't need to imagine what his face would look like. I woke when the sheets were suddenly stripped from my body. I sat up, groggily rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What are you—?"

The Wall of Protection From My Own Temptation was effectively torn down as Alpha Alexander slipped into the bed. Only when one last pillow sat between us did I realize what had just happened. I grabbed for it at the same time he did. He tried to tug it out of my hands but I clung to it. "Oh, no, no, no. Put them back!"

"This is my bed. I do not want nor need so many pillows."

"Put them back!" I repeated. "I want them on the bed."

His eyes flickered with amusement before he yanked at the pillow, forcing me to fall forward, right into his lap. I clung to the pillow, trying to pull my way back to my side of the bed. Alpha Alexander used his free hand to pry my fingers off of the pillow before pulling me into his side once more. "It's time to sleep, Phoebe."

"Not without my pillow fort."

"Sleep."

I tried to lunge across him, to grab the pillows from the floor on his side of the bed, but he caught me, turned me over and promptly spooned me, his arm caging me from my escape. His hand was tucked beneath my body, pressing into the side of my breast, his thumb sliding over the bare skin the tank top didn't completely cover. I tried to remember how to breathe. His nose was against my neck, his lips pressed against my skin. I involuntarily shivered.

"The pillows would not have stopped me, Phoebe," he rumbled gently.

I twisted as much as I could in his arms to look at him. His face was so close to mine, his nose tickled my cheek. "They weren't meant to hold you back."

His eyes darkened. I knew what would happen the moment I said it, but I said it anyway. He hugged me closer to him, but I turned away as he leaned forward, a small smug smile creeping on to my face. "I'm tired, Alpha Alexander. Good night."

His hand slid to my belly, slipped under my tank top and rested just below my breasts. I sucked in a breath as his thumb inched higher. I really need to remember to put on a bra when I go to bed.

"Good night, mate." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

The next morning, I woke alone in bed. I showered and dressed quickly before hurrying downstairs. I smiled at Julie as I slid onto the stool next to hers at the breakfast bar. A full plate of breakfast was set before me. Julie swallowed the bite of bacon already in her mouth. "What's got you in a good mood?"