Taking Down the Alpha

27 Control Freak

"I know who you are."

Al watched me silently. "Who?"

I didn't want to say it. It seemed so absurd that I could barely believe it, but the facts all lined up. I crossed my arms. "Alard?"

He didn't deny it, so I took it to mean that I was right. It didn't make me happy though. It made me feel stupid that it had taken me so long to figure it out. And it made me angry that he had thought he had any right to keep me in the dark about something like this. Screw that surprise nonsense he had been spewing. I didn't like being out of control, I didn't like not having all the information, I didn't like surprises, and I definitely didn't like this one.

"You're part of the freaking royal family. One of the sons."

He rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. "Jessica..."

I scowled at him. "Pretty funny, huh? Keeping me in the dark?"

"It wasn't like that. I told you—"

"Bet you had a good laugh at my expense. Your fool mate who can't figure out that you're part of the principle family. Maybe that's why Monroe doesn't like me, because he thinks I'm just a featherbrained little female who couldn't possibly be anything but a distraction. In fact, I think—"

"Jessica!"

"Don't Jessica me."

"Fine, then, Jess, it's not—"

The audacity! "You know that's not what I meant." I was so irritated I was on the verge of slapping him, so I spun around to leave in the same direction that Munroe had gone. I wasn't going to leave him forever, but I didn't even want to talk to him now because I might say something I would regret.

He tried to grab my arm, but I shook him off easily. I grabbed the handle and wrenched the door open.

It was that one last glance backwards that melted my furious resolve. His frustration and anger at the outcome of the fight were all gone, replaced with something that made my heart twinge uncomfortably. I closed the door with more force than was necessary, then turned around, crossing my arms and scowling at him.

"Alright, talk."

"Jessica, this was never about keeping anything from you or making you look like a fool or laughing at you. It wasn't my intention to upset you. And no one who knows you could think you're anything but a brilliant woman. Monroe'll relax once the final fight is over, and you'll see he's not always so tightly wound."

Instead of saying anything I leaned back against the door with my eyebrows raised.

"I just wanted some time to get to know you before everything came crashing down on us. My position in the family is not that big of a deal, I'm fourth in line. Think about it, if you were mated to the fourth son of an alpha, would anyone care? But I hate the reactions. I mean, look at Kevin. He finds out, and ten seconds later he pulls out of the fight. I wasn't ready for you to act different than when we first met."

The first touches of sympathy were starting to form, but I was still angry. "Why would I act different? Regardless of who you are you're still the jerk of a mate who tried to convince me that keeping secrets was a game. Not a very good one, either. It was frustrating."

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to buy time before I had to deal with everything."

I shook my head. "You should have just told me right away."

"I know that looking back. But at the time...I just wanted it to last a little bit longer."

I hugged myself harder. "Fine. I'll let this go, but if you ever keep anything from me again you won't get off so easily."