Alpha - Forever #1 (Complete)

Chapter 10 - Part 1

Scarlett

After our conversation, Blake left me with my thoughts as I munched on some of the cereal. I hadn't bothered with a bowl and I was eating out of the box. It was something I normally did at home. My appetite was gone, but the munching seemed to ease my angst slightly.

My conversation with Blake played on my mind. Blake was right—when Cade found out I was his mate, he would do everything he could to keep me safe and I couldn't blame him for that. He'd make me join his pack and he'd insist we mate.

This was all so unfair. I'd just found out I was a werewolf yesterday. I hadn't even had time to adjust to that, so the thought of joining a pack and mating overwhelmed me.

I wasn't sure what joining Cade's pack would entail. I made a mental note to ask Blake some questions about it. But there was no way in hell I was ready to mate with Cade. Sex might not mean a lot to some people, but it meant something to me and I wasn't going to be forced into anything like that when I wasn't ready, even if my life was in danger.

With my decision made, I began to feel a little better. I'd be open to the idea of joining Cade's pack, but there was no way I was going to mate with him.

Images of the two of us getting hot and heavy flashed through my mind and it made me feel a little flustered. I was attracted to him, but that didn't mean I was going to sleep with him.

At that moment, the boy who had occupied my mind for most of the morning walked into the kitchen looking as hot as ever and as his eyes met mine, I felt the flutter of butterflies in my stomach again.

It was like my body came alive every time he was near. I wondered if he felt anything around me; if so, I hadn't picked up on anything. I tried to pinpoint if it was the way he walked or if it had something to do with the fact that he was an alpha—that he held that air of authority about him.

I wasn't a good liar and I wasn't good at keeping things from people. It felt like I had a neon sign above my head flashing that read, "She's hiding something!"

"You're so hungry you didn't bother with a bowl?" he asked as he pointed to the cereal box that I had on my lap.

"Sorry, it's a bad habit. I normally only do it at home," I said while standing up, intent on putting the cereal box back. Then I remembered that was how Blake had found out. No putting the cereal box back, so instead I set it down on the kitchen counter.

"I don't mind," he said as he walked to the fridge and got out a bottle of water.

"Do what makes you happy," he added with a shrug of his shoulders.

I watched him for a moment as he opened the bottle and took a couple of swallows. It was one of the few times he had spoken to me without being angry or annoyed and I was a little stunned, and a little suspicious.

He was never this nice to me and I couldn't help thinking that maybe Blake had gone against his word to me and told Cade I was his mate. But then I thought about it. If he knew, he would be going all territorial on me. I knew him well enough to know he was the possessive type.

"Thanks," I said as I took the cereal box back to my seat. I popped a handful of the chocolate cereal into my mouth.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he leaned against the counter.

"A little sore, but I'll survive," I answered when I'd finished my mouthful of cereal. My head felt fine. It was only my ribs that still ached a bit, but I was sure by tomorrow it would be totally healed.

This caring and almost easygoing Cade was a little disconcerting. I was used to him being domineering and telling me what to do, so I wasn't sure how to handle him at the moment.

"I see you found a shirt," I babbled, feeling a little nervous around him. I hated the way he turned me into a nervous, hormonal teenage girl.

"Yeah," he answered with a smirk. The shirt was tight and hugged his body in all the right places. He was built beautifully. I mentally told myself to stop perving over him.

Get a grip, girl!

"We've finished making plans for tomorrow so I came to ask you if you wanted to see the compound?" he asked, closing the bottle of water and setting it down on the counter.

I was relieved I wouldn't have to spend another day confined to his property, so I wasn't going to ask what the plans entailed. Sometimes ignorance was bliss. I was too curious about the compound to turn him down even if it meant being in his company.

"Sure," I said, closing the cereal box. Other than briefly this morning, I hadn't seen Gary.

"Where is Gary?" I asked as I put the cereal box on the kitchen counter. I had to mentally remind myself not to try and put it away.

"He is at the compound having a look around with Blake," he answered. At the mention of Blake, I couldn't help the guilt that washed over me. It was only for a couple of days, I reminded myself. What was two days, anyway?

"Come on, let me show you around," he said as he led the way out of the kitchen.

He was being so nice to me, and it made me feel a little guilty for keeping the fact that he was my mate from him. Despite how I felt, I kept my mouth shut and followed him.

He led me past a dining area and through a lounge to two double doors that opened toward the back of the property. The doors opened up on a beautiful swimming pool with water so clear it sparkled.

I took a deep breath of the clean, outside air. It had been one of my reasons for moving here. I wanted a place that I could spend more time outdoors. Now I knew why I'd felt like that. Quietly, I walked with Cade to the bottom of his property where the compound was.

The garden was well looked after and the boundary walls on either side were lined with tall dark-green trees. I wondered if they were there for added privacy. It wasn't like he needed it; there weren't any neighbors. Instead, there were open fields on either side of the property and beyond the compound I could see a forest. The compound itself was massive. It was a two-level building.

"It's like an apartment building," I said out loud to Cade as we stopped in front of it.

"Yeah, it gives the werewolves in the pack some privacy," he explained.

There was enough space on this property that they could build a couple more of these. To the right of the apartment building were two smaller buildings, a tenth of the size, which also had two levels side by side.

"What are those buildings for?" I asked, pointing to the two smaller buildings.

"The one is a gym and the other is the dining area."

"How many werewolves live here?" I asked, a little stunned at the whole setup.

"About a hundred," he answered. "There are also some werewolves that belong to our pack but live outside the property."

I assumed that when he found out we were mates he would insist I join his pack and it would entail moving into his property. I wasn't sure that was something I was willing to do yet. If he allowed other members of his pack to live off the property, maybe I could do the same. I held onto that little bit of hope.

As we entered the front of the apartment building, I stumbled and Cade reached out to steady me, but I pulled away from him. Luckily, I'd caught myself on the railing; otherwise, I would have looked like a complete idiot lying face down on the ground.

"What's with you?" he said angrily. "I was just trying to help you."