Big Bad Alphas

Chapter 22

   "I have to find him," Eric tells me as I follow him out of the building. We could not find them inside, so Eric insisted on looking further.

   "What if they want to be alone?"

   He pauses briefly. "Then we have to hurry. I am not leaving my sister alone with some guy she just met."

   I grab his shoulders and force him to look at me. "He is not just some guy, he is her mate."

He sighs.

"You're overreacting. Let's just go home, the party is almost over anyways, and you can relax," I suggest and he agrees after a few more tries.

Once in the bedroom, I sit on the bed and take off the heels that were causing my feet to ache. Eric slips off his suit jacket and loosens his tie. "Caroline is fine, she knows how to take care of herself," I assure him.

"I hope so," he mutters and tosses his tie to the side. "Aren't you going to change?"

"Yes, help me with the zipper?"

As Eric glides the zipper down, I feel his hand lightly brush my back, running down my spine. He suddenly turns me around and presses his lips firmly to mine. Surprised, I gasp, but my lips are soon under his control. Unlike our last few kisses, Eric spends less time on my mouth and more time working his way down my neck and collarbone, making my skin tingle and burn with pleasure. "Eric," I mutter while trying to focus on my words instead of his gentle kisses. "I have to change."

His eyes meet mine. "Then let me help you out of your clothes."

I reach up to his ear and whisper. "You're intoxicated." I then place a soft kiss on his jaw before slipping out of the room to fetch my clothes. I feel his eyes watching me.

   In the guest room, I grab whatever clothes are suitable for sleeping and I quickly let Carolines dress pool at my feet. Once I am finished, I grab my brush and run it through my hair while striding to the window. The night sky always manages to amaze me, especially when in the forest.

   "That sounds wonderful, but I can't leave," I hear Carolines voice in the distance. Intrigued, my eyes search below and I spot her hand and hand with a guy I have never seen before. Immediately, I step to the side and peek out.

   "You don't want to come with me?"

   "I do," she struggles. "But I have to finish up a few things here first."

   My heart scolds me for eavesdropping, but my mind is too curious, my eyes will not look away.

   "Alright, I have to help my Alpha with expansion plans, but I will visit you as much as I can," he tells her. The pair continue walking out of my view, and I lean as far as I can but soon the are gone.

   That must be Carolines mate.

   I hold my hairbrush to my chest and smile. They already look like a perfect couple.

   "Isabella?" I hear Eric call. "Are you alright?"

   "Uh—yes!"

   I hurry back to the bedroom after flicking off the light. Lipping through the door, I find Eric gazing out the window. "They're out there."

   They must been walking around the house. "I know," I catch his attention. "I saw them from the guest room. They're sweet."

   Eric turns away from the window. "I don't trust him."

   "How could you? He's a stranger for now, but he won't always be."

   Eric crashes onto the bed with a sigh and I turn off the light, leaving the moonlight to show me the way. "Talk to me," he mutters. "Describe something."

   I gently take my place beside him. "What do you mean?"

   "You always make the simplest things so intricate."

   I rest my head against my pillow and glance over to him. "Okay, well, the night. The sky floats above like a inky mixture of endless possibilities. Millions upon millions of stars—like a artist took white paint and splattered them relentlessly at a black canvas. Each one could hold different words, and they all drift above in an array of lights, shining and dancing, triggering emotions. The moon, silver and sliced, casts its unearthly glow down on us like a spotlight on a stage. You feel as if your life is the main act, but it is not, it is part of exhibition, and we all must sing, play, perform as one to truly amaze the crowd. Their applause, grand and awarding, will be the last sound you hear before you too, glide up and join the stars, join their swaying."

   "Isabella," Eric calls and tugs my eyes away from the window. Ours meet and I take in a breath of air. "You're unearthly, like an angel send down to bewitch me. I cannot perform without your wise, clever, sharp-witted mind, and your gorgeous face—eyes only emitting truth and love. You cannot be from a place so corrupt and savage. You come from somewhere heavenly, somewhere so beyond this place that my mind cannot wrap around the idea of it."

   His arms grip my firmly and hold my body against his. "You're going to make me cry."

   "Why is that?" He asks, his voice deep, soft, and glossy.

   "No one has ever described me, shown me what they truly believe," I mumble.

   He holds me tighter. "I could go on and on about your sweet lips."

   My face flushes and I let out a short laugh. "You won't ever stop, will you?"

   "Never," he breathes out.

                                       ~•~ ~•~ ~•~

"Isabella, he is prefect I swear," Caroline gushes. "We talked for hours and hours."

Evangeline comes into the room with a platter of snacks and takes a seat with us. "I am so happy for you my dear. I knew you deserved only the best."

"Eric was looking for him, you know."

Caroline rolls her eyes. "Please don't tell me he's trying to protect me."

"He wants to make sure he is a good guy," I explain. "I think it's adorable." Evangeline nods in agreement.

"Well, he's not here. Lucas had to go back to his pack, but he will be visiting for a few days next week."

"How can you stand to be away from him?" Her mother asks. "Especially since you just met."

Caroline sighs. "It's not easy, but I told him I had unfinished business here. I cannot leave you with Olivia." She looks at me. "She is emotional because I found my mate, and she believes that she will never find him—"

"What is this deal with Olivia?" Evangeline interrupts. "Someone please explain to me what is going on."

Caroline and I give each other the same look. "Well," she begins, "It all started when we went climbing trees..."