Alpha Will

16. Kiara

Will lives across the hall from me in a building that is more like a luxury hotel rather than an apartment. We even have a desk clerk, restaurant, valet and an indoor parking lot in the basement. High standards for a developing town, which is precisely why my dad chose it. Also why the fact that Will Cage, whose mom owned a bookstore and was only sixteen when he moved across the hall from us, never failed to infuriate him.

"Drugs. The boy is selling drugs," he would say, shaking a fist angrily at the ceiling as if cursing the Heavens for letting him get away with it. That was before the confrontation though, nowadays he only scowls at the sight or mention of Will. He doesn't speak of the boy who'd threatened to snap his neck, or how he'd practically ran off when Will told him to scram. Nor does he speak of how he waited until he was three blocks away before screaming something about a lawsuit.

He didn't go through with it.

I'd only stood frozen on the sidewalk at the time, utterly dumbfounded. Up until then I'd lived all my life in fear of a large poisonous snake, only to watch it get promptly stomped on- almost indifferently- by an elephant.

It'd been the happiest day of my life.

Or so I'd thought at the time- the sight of Will outside his apartment door- alive, every limb intact and accounted for- far outweighed that past joy.

"Will!"

Will turned at the sound of my voice.

My quickening steps faltered.

That look.

All three of us stopped walking, the atmosphere shifting from pure relief into something smothering. It was like we were standing in front of a lion and had to be extremely still, no sudden movements that might cause it to lash out.

Will glanced at Audrey. "Take it off. Now."

The bracelet on my wrist thudded to the floor and I was suddenly glad we hadn't allowed Brad to tag along, if he were here now and had tried to stop Audrey, I don't think he would be amongst the land of living for another minute.

Will stepped away from his door. "The two of you go in. Kiara stay."

I watched them go inside apprehensively, wondering what was going to happen next. Verbal retribution? His resignation as my friend? I deserved it, but it didn't stop the pleading look I gave him.

"I'm sorry."

He folded his arms over his chest, tilted his head to the side. "How sorry are you?"

I frowned, not comprehending the question. "What?"

Will unfolded his arms and closed the distance between us in three graceful strides, leaning down so our gazes were at level with each other. "How sorry are you?"

He wanted an apology, and I should be giving him one, but the words were only floundering at the tip of my tongue, coming out as stammering nonsense that furthered my confusion. He was too close. He was different. He wasn't behaving like the stubbornly persuasive and calming Will I knew.

He tugged at a strand of my curls. "I'm going to do something you probably won't like- in fact I'll be doing a lot of things you won't like but that's okay, right? Because you'll let me."

"What?" I asked.

Great. The so-called writer was on a roll with these single worded responses tonight.

I wasn't given the chance to redeem myself, Will's hands were on my shoulders, long fingers constructing slightly as he pushed my backwards into a wall, stepping closer, pressing into-

"Tsk, Mr. Alpha, you're quite something aren't you? Going after another woman after selling your soul to another a mere hour ago."

Whatever hypnosis Will had spun was shattered immediately by that sensual female voice.

Selling your soul to another...

Will stepped away from me and I got an unobstructed look at the speaker, who looked the complete opposite of her seductive voice. Leaning against the wall across from us, the young woman had pixie short hair curled around a heart-shaped face that housed a very innocent-looking pair of big brown eyes. Her lips were bowed, covered in lips gloss. She was tall but most of her figure was engulfed in a big jersey and black sweatpants.

"I own your soul, you should be shoving me against a wall and ravaging my mouth with yours," she pouted. "This isn't fair."

"I'm not interested," Will replied curtly. "Get lost."

"So mean... Shall I take an extra bite out of your soul next time I'm hungry?"

"Do whatever you want, just go away."

She stomped her foot. "Fall in love with me, I'll even give you back your soul and annul the contract."

"Contract?"

They both turned to me, Will's expression irritated, the girl's calculating.

She started to speak but Will stepped in front of her. "I made a deal with her, in order to protect you. The details don't matter, it'll be alright, I'll keep you safe."

"Safe?" I repeated.

He nodded firmly. "Safe."

I slapped him.

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