My Female Alpha

FIFTEEN

My face feels hot and flushed. I want to be alone.

"It was the truth." Lenora's fingers brush my elbow, but I put away from the static rush of her touch. "That rogue was a threat. Not only to this community but to you."

"That rogue? You mean Brian?" I angrily face her again. "Brian didn't do anything wrong! He was friends with everyone! What could he have possibly done to make you treat him like that? Or Deja?"

She glares with those impenetrable eyes.

I wait for her to say something. To defend what she's done—for any of it. But she says nothing.

"Just . . ." I turn away from her, pressing a hand to my temple. "Just leave. Please."

There's still silence. Her warmth materializes behind me, infiltrating my pores, but I pull away. She can't seduce me out of this. I have enough troubles of my own; her mysteriousness is clearly more problematic than sexy.

"No," I grit out. "If you can't tell me what he did or see why choking Deja was such a bad thing, then I don't want to see you. Please, just go."

Her frustration feels like wool over my skin. I force my breathing steady to keep a sob from escaping. Finally, after eons of our stalemate, the door closes with a soft bang. I look back to be sure she's gone before crumpling to the floor.

I wish Calla hadn't come today. I wish we'd never moved beyond indifferent coworkers. I wish Lenora hadn't choked Deja or been so unrepentant about it. Most severely, most regrettably, I wish I never moved to this goddamned town.

—(—)—

The house smells just like a remember it: cinnamon roll candles and lavender potpourri. I set my weekend bag at the foot of the steps and close the door. Momma is probably napping, so I head to the kitchen to brew fresh coffee. The drive was long and I'm tired, but not enough to sleep.

As the coffee machine grinds the beans and does its work, my phone buzzes. I've been avoiding it for the better part of two days. The night Calla visited and Lenora left, I stopped reading texts. I swallow and pull the device out of my sweatpants.

2 text messages - Lenora

My teeth nibble at my lip. I'm three hours away now. It isn't like she can seduce me from here. Besides, she might want to talk now. As much as I can't be near her, I haven't given her up since then. Her face is a permanent portrait living in my eyelids.

I unlock my phone and open her texts.

Lenora: please call

Lenora: we need to talk

Sighing, I dial her number and listen to it ring.

"Emery," she answers immediately, intense as always.

"Hi," I reply. "What do you wanna talk about?"

She's quiet for a moment and I immediately fear this is melting into our last conversation.

"I wanted to check on you."

I bite my tongue and take a long breath. "Have you thought about our last conversation?"

"Of course. I haven't thought of anything else for two days."

"Why didn't you talk to me that night?"

"Because there are some things I just can't tell you, Emery. That's just how it has to be for now."

My body viscerally reacts even before my tongue, shaking my head. "I'm not doing this. I'm not doing secrets." I lower my voice. "My life is messed up enough and unmanageable as is."

"It won't be like this forever, baby girl. I need you to understand—"

"Call me when you're ready to apologize or explain. Until then, I don't want to hear it."

"Emery!"

"Those are my terms."

She sighs. "I'll come over now. It has to be in person. Those are my terms."

"I'm not at the apartment now."

"Well, where are you? I'll meet you."

"I'm at my parents'."

Her sharpened breath cuts through the line.

"Honey?" momma calls from upstairs. "Is that your car I see?"

"Shit. I have to go, okay?" I say.

"Why didn't you tell me—"

Momma appears in the kitchen doorway.

"Later!" I whisper and hang up. Just as she sees me, I stuff my phone in my back pocket. "Momma, hi."

"Honey!" She runs up to embrace me. "This is such a surprise! Not that I mind, but you could've called, you know."

Squeezing her back, sinking into her squishy motherly love, I sigh, "I know. I know. I just . . . it was a spontaneous decision. I figured I was due a visit."

She holds me out at arm's length. "Is something wrong?"

"No." I bite my cheek and avoid her eyes.

"Emery Leigh."

Drawing in a deep breath, I rub my eyelids with the butts of my palms. "Nothing is wrong. I've just been disagreeing with my new friends."

"Oh. I'm sorry, honey. Anything I can help with?"

"I don't think so, momma."

"Well, I have just the thing to cheer you up at least."

"Hmm?"

"There's some leftover chocolate ganache cake from Aunt Sara's birthday."

My stomach growls. It's not like I came home to lose weight.

I shrug. "I think that sounds like a great idea."