ALPHA WAVE

Chapter 7: Moment of Clarity.

The driver looks him up and down, sizing him up. "Who the hell are you?"

"Trust me ten minutes with her and you'll beg me to take her back."

I glared at him. Jerk.

The driver shifts his gaze to me, eyes lingering on my mouth and hips making my skin crawl. Unconsciously I moved closer to Ivor.

"I think I'll just keep her." He shifts to the side to walk past Ivor, but Ivor steps in his way.

"Can't let you do that mate."

"Wasn't askin' Mate." He laughs. He goes to pass Ivor again and he stepped in his way once more.

"I don't think you heard me," Ivor said, his patience wearing thin, claws elongating.

"Oh, I heard you," the driver retorted flashing his deadly fangs, stepping up to him until they were toe to toe, each looking menacingly at the other. Each over seven feet tall and built like a house.

"You don't want to do this," Ivor said coolly.

"And why wouldn't I?"

Ivor hands me the bag he had in his hand, and before I could even blink, he turned around and delivered a solid blow to the man's gut, leaving him winded. Then, with lightning speed, Ivor followed up with a knee to the face, breaking his nose, blood gushing down his face. The man stumbled back, clutching his broken nose, while his friend wisely took a step back, raising his hands in a defensive mode.

"What the hell are you doing just standing there?" the man growled at his friend. "Get him!"

"That's Sever, man," he said so low I barely heard him.

A glimpse of fear and recognition flickered across his face as he snaps his nose back into place. To my surprise, his nose had already healed.

"I don't want any trouble," the driver said backing up slowly. "You can keep the girl."

They quickly got back into their truck and left. Ivor removed the nozzle and shut the gas tank as I stood there in shock, not sure what I witnessed. Infected aren't afraid of anyone.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

Honestly, I was a bit terrified to sass him, so I decided to see what he snagged. Two bottles of water, chips, peanuts and beef jerky.

Nutritious.

Of course, I check for the expiration date.

"You don't have to be afraid of me," he said.

From the surprised look on his face even he didn't expect himself to say that.

"I'm not scared of you."

His eyes drop to my mouth momentarily before turning to go to the truck. His fists clench by his side. "You need to learn to lie better than that."

"Well, maybe you need to work on your people reading skills. Because I'm not lying." I lied again. I cringe inwardly.

He turns around scowling at me. "I don't need to work on anythin'. You reek of it."

Reek? I had on deodorant. I did a quick pit check as soon as his back was turned.

"That's no' the scent he was referrin' to, lassie," chuckles an old man with a deep Scottish brogue. His craggy face lights up with a smile as he catches sight of us, with a paper bag in his hand. My cheeks flush with embarrassment as I'm caught pit-checking. "If ye dinnae mind, when ye see ma lad, could ye pass this tae him?" He hands the bag to Ivor.