홈 / Werewolf / The Denver Alpha / 챕터 31 - 챕터 40

The Denver Alpha의 모든 챕터: 챕터 31 - 챕터 40

43 챕터

31

JULIET Cold. Empty. Numb. Last night emotionally drained me, and I woke up today still exhausted. I haven’t left my room. Have barely left my bed. I turned my phone off to silence all communication, though Shay showed up with a sandwich this afternoon and made me tell her what happened as I forced down a few bites. I’m still angry. Heartbroken. But more than anything, I’m just tired. Tired of trying so hard to assert my independence in a world that will never see me as anything but a weak, naïve, sheltered little girl. Tired of being made to feel like asserting myself is somehow wrong, and that I should bite my tongue and bow to the authority of the men in charge. No more. I refuse to swallow my opinions or live my life as a mindless piece of arm candy. I’m done pretending to play the part of the perfect daughter and sister of the alpha. I want to be seen. Heard. Respected. I really thought Cole was different. I thought he was beginning to see the real me; to treat me as an equal

32

COLEA dull humming sound rouses me from sleep, and when I force my eyes open, the light spilling into my bedroom through the cracks in my blinds is brighter than it usually is. It takes me a second to realize it’s because I must’ve forgotten to set my alarm again, and I’m immediately brought back to the last time I forgot to set it and accidentally slept in.I woke up with Juliet in my arms that morning. I’d spent the night buried inside her, finally giving into the temptation I’d been resisting since the day she arrived and making her mine in every sense of the word.Was that really just days ago?So much has happened since.I roll over to find the other side of the bed cold, feeling her absence profoundly. It’s no wonder I was drawn to Juliet like a moth to a flame; that I was powerless to resist the pull between us. She’s my fated mate. My other half; the one person who was meant just for me.And I fucked it all up.The humming sound starts up again, a buzzing that I realize is co

33

JULIETI have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never been the type to run away from my problems, but I was so overwhelmed last night that I couldn’t see any other option. So I called and asked Jax and Quinn to come get me, blaming it on homesickness.I should’ve known they’d see through my lie.As soon as Quinn and I get into my room, she pulls me over to sit on the bed with her and asks me what’s really going on, and I come clean about all of it. About the crush I had on Cole and the way I pursued him. How I kept flirting with disaster until he finally caved. How I fell for him, gave myself to him completely, and how much he hurt me when he said I wasn’t what he wanted. How I ended things between us the night before last, then we discovered that we’re fated mates.I didn’t think I had any tears left to cry, but somehow, they still come. It’s cathartic in a way to let it all out. I tell Quinn everything, and when I’m done, it feels like a massive weight has been lifted. She doesn’t respon

34

COLEBlonde hair whips around Juliet’s face as she screams out in anxious excitement and pushes off from the platform to sail over the trees. She kicks out her dangling legs, screaming and laughing as she builds momentum, rapidly disappearing from view until she’s little more than a speck in the distance.The video ends and I immediately replay it. I’ve already watched it at least ten times since Jax sent it to me, soaking in the bright smile on Juliet’s face, the joyful sounds she makes as she flies over the trees on the zip line. The three of them have been out all day doing touristy things in the area and I can’t say I’m surprised that ziplining made the list. It’s the perfect fit for Juliet’s reckless, wild nature, as evidenced by how much fun she’s having in the video.I replay it again.She looks beautiful. Free. Completely in her element as she rides the wave of adrenaline.Breathing a heavy sigh, I toss my phone onto the pool lounger beside me, leaning back and throwing an arm

35

JULIETI close my eyes as I step underneath the stream of hot water cascading down from the rainfall showerhead, tipping my head back and combing my fingers through my hair to wash out the shampoo. It smells like Cole, and so did the body wash. It’s a little ironic that I decided to take a shower so I didn’t walk into breakfast reeking of him, but by using the products in here, my scent is still a dead giveaway as to where I’ve spent the night. Part of me likes that. My wolf preens at the thought of everyone knowing I’m his. That he’s mine.I hear the shower door open behind me, resisting the urge to squirm under the weight of Cole’s attention as I hear him step inside. With my eyes still closed, I may not be able to see him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel the weight of his stare practically eating me alive.His feet slap against the tile as he moves closer, and despite the temperature of the water and the thick steam surrounding me, a shiver runs down my spine. My inner animal s

36

COLELife has a funny way of working out. When I look back on how things were when Juliet first arrived in Denver, it’s crazy to think how far we’ve come. Back then, I wanted nothing more than for her to turn around, go home, and stop disrupting my life. Now, I can’t imagine it without her.My mate.A grin spreads across my face as I watch Juliet from where I’m parked at the curb on Denver U’s campus. She’s chatting with a few other students, including Tobias, as they exit one of the school buildings and start down the walkway. My possessive side flares as she laughs at something Tobias says, but I try to tamp it down quickly, not wanting to put a damper on her first day because I can’t control my own jealousy.I shouldn’t be jealous. Juliet’s mine, and Tobias wouldn’t step a toe out of line with her unless he had a death wish. Still, I can’t help but want to be the only one who makes her laugh like that. The only one who captures her attention.As if she can read my thoughts, her gaz

37

JULIETMy heart’s beating so fast that it feels like it’s going to lurch out of my chest. The interior of Atlantis nightclub is dimly lit in hues of blue and purple, the bass beat from the music pulsing into the soles of my feet as I stride through the main floor toward the VIP area. Although this whole plan was hatched from my idea, every angle examined to ensure it’ll be executed seamlessly, I’m still jittery with anticipation as I take the first steps to put it in motion.The bouncer at the entrance to the VIP section is tall and stocky, dressed in a well-tailored suit with his hair slicked back neatly. He gives me a once-over as I approach with confidence, my tight red dress accentuating every curve and my stiletto heels clicking against the floor, then angles his chin down to murmur something into the microphone on his lapel. Pressing a finger to the earpiece he’s wearing, whatever response he receives has him drawing back the black velvet rope and stepping aside to grant me entr

38

COLEThe shrill scream that pierces the air makes my blood run cold.I was just thinking that it was taking Juliet way too long to come outside, but I wouldn’t allow myself to jump to the conclusion that something had gone wrong.Then that scream…Something primal deep within me knows right away that it’s her. My wolf thrashes within my chest, biting and clawing to get free. My body trembles with the effort it takes to keep him contained as I throw open the door of the Camaro, leaping out and abandoning my vehicle on the curb.I take off in a dead sprint around the dark building beside Club Atlantis, guided by the sharp tug of the mate bond being pulled taut. Even though we haven’t sealed it yet, the bond snapping into place on the night of the full moon is strong enough to guide me to the side alley between the buildings. Just as I round the corner, I hear Juliet cry out in pain again, and the sound of it is enough to send my wolf hurtling forward again, my shift imminent.It’s a mir

39

JULIETMy adrenaline must finally be waning, because exhaustion hits me like a lead weight when I park the Camaro in the underground garage at the packhouse and head inside. My mind feels a little fuzzy, my neck and shoulders stiff. The muscles in my thighs burn as I ascend the stairs from the garage, my breathing labored by the time I reach the landing at the top. I practically sigh in relief when I step through the door into the familiar foyer, hardly remembering a time I felt so glad to be home.Home.If Cole and I seal our bond, that’s what this packhouse will become to me, permanently.No more Westfield. No more six-pack. When I return there, I’ll merely be a visitor. An outsider, like I was when I came here. Like I still feel I am.On the precipice of such a major life change, I feel like I’ve got one foot in each world, struggling to decide which way to jump. I know how I feel about Cole, but it’s everything else that goes along with being his mate I’m unsure about. As Alpha, h

40

COLE“What do you have for me, Rico?” I ask as my head of IT steps through the threshold of my office at the packhouse, pausing from my discussion with Sam to give him my full attention.“We wiped everything,” he replies, a flicker of pride shining in the rich brown of his eyes. “Shame it turned out that way, because we pulled some pretty damning evidence off of the guy’s phone. For a man involved in organized crime, Holley sure was sloppy.”“Prison would’ve been too good for him,” I mutter, tossing a crumpled piece of paper into the wastebasket. “You’re sure you got all the cameras?”Rico arches a brow. “Do you really have to ask?”I don’t. The IT team that works for my pack is good at what they do; they leave no stone unturned when I set them on a task. This time, it was locating and hacking into any surveillance cameras in the area of Club Atlantis last night to wipe the footage. If the bodies are ever found, the cops will have a hell of a time trying to piece together what happene

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