ALPHA BECK

CHAPTER 9

            Millie waited by the front door just a few minutes before Beck had said he would pick her up. She kept peeking through the curtains, feeling like a puppy, eagerly awaiting the return of her person. Inside her chest, her heart was pounding away, so loud she could hear it in her ears. In the mirror hanging opposite the front door she caught sight of herself. Her short dark hair was left in its natural waves that fell to her shoulders. Her cheeks were bright pink, contrasting her naturally dark pink full lips that couldn't stop smiling. She had applied some mascara and a little lip gloss but ultimately decided to keep in light. Millie had chosen her dark washed Wrangler jeans and a chunky cream sweater to wear. Despite her flushed cheeks, her fingers and toes were freezing.

Outside, her heightened hearing picked up the engine of a car pulling into her driveway. Once again her heartbeat kicked into overdrive and she peeked through the curtains. Beck was in the process of putting his dark blue truck in park. It was weird to see him driving something somewhere when he only ever usually materialized from the forest. The mundane task made him seem suddenly concrete. For some reason, everything in that moment felt so real. He wasn't lying, they were soul mates, she maybe was a wolf in some way, and they had to figure out how.

"Mom, he's here!" Millie dropped the curtain and called back to her mother's room. Beck exited the truck and made his way up the overgrown walkway. A few seconds later, a couple raps sounded on the front door just as Sandra came out of her room.

Millie swung open the front door and smiled at him, a little timidly. His massive stature seemed to dwarf their little rambler from his position on the front porch. Beck smiled down at her without teeth, his dark eyes sparkling. He had shaved his scruff, something Millie was mildly grateful for. It made him look younger, for her mother's sake.

"Hi," Millie said, hyperaware of her mother coming up behind her. Beck's eyes were hard set on her for a moment, his brows twitching together slightly. Millie could easily tell something was wrong, she felt it. But the expression was gone as soon as it came.

"Hi," he responded with another tilt of his lips in the upward direction. His gaze refocused over her shoulder where Sandra stood waiting.

"I'm Sandra," she stuck her hand out to shake.

It took Beck a half second too long but he managed to shake her hand with his much larger one. "Beck, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," her eyes rolled over down his features, taking note, assessing him. "I can't say I've heard much about you."

Beck laughed a little, "That's alright. This is all..." He looked over at Millie who looked at her mother with a disappointed frown. "New."

"I suppose it is," Sandra smiled tightly before she went entirely serious. "You take good care of my girl. If I don't hear from her, I'm coming for you. And don't think I can't track you down."

"Mom," Millie started, sighing as she rubbed a hand over her forehead.

Beck nodded, not at all fazed. "I understand," he said, his shoulders tense.

A genuine smile spread on Sandra's face, "Good. Well, have fun you two. Remember, Millie, text me when you get to Tara's. Not a minute later."

"Got it," Millie nodded, scooping up her backpack and looking to Beck. "Ready?"

He smiled down at her and nodded.

"Give us a moment, Beck?" Sandra spoke up, taking ahold of Millie's wrist.

Beck's eyes didn't miss the hold, but he nodded and turned away to walk back towards his truck. Millie knew he could still hear, but she didn't think she could explain that to her mom.