Damsel in Control (18+ Only) - The Rogue Pack

Chapter 29

"I think that maybe both parties would be keen to arrange a repeat meet-up." And with that I hurry away, barely making it back to my hiding spot before Alice floats in, her cheeks red from the cold as she sweeps off her long woolen coat and matching scarf.

She greets Kenneth with a cheery smile, not even glancing in my direction as she moves through the office. She stops at Maria's desk, and I hide back behind my separator, feeling embarrassment flush to my cheeks as they chatter about something obviously funny. Even with my werewolf hearing, I only catch glimpses of their conversion, the blood rushing through my ears preventing me from being able to listen properly. I definitely catch a couple of mentions of my name, and a quick 'what did she say?', so I assume Maria is filling Alice in.

A flash of red is the only warning I get before Alice comes gliding past my desk, her gorgeous flowy skirt and cropped blouse catching my attention instantly. But she doesn't pause beside my desk as she usually does. Instead she flashes me a brief smile, fingers playing with her hair, as she strides straight past me and drops into her own desk chair mere metres behind me. Safe to say that's my product working hours over and done with.

I spend the rest of the morning on edge and hyper aware of my surroundings, every werewolf sense on high alert for Alice. She shuffles her chair and I'm aware of it. She flexes her toes and I worry she's uncomfortable. She sniffles, and I'm suddenly scared she might be crying. It doesn't help that her desk is slightly off centre from mine, so she's not completely hidden by the desk separators and there's a chance I could actually watch her from my spot. I manage to resist turning around for about a whole five minutes before I inconspicuously swivel around in my chair. Bad luck though, she's leaning over towards her printer, and the only thing I catch a glimpse of is her black Chelsea boots, her lacy white socks peeking out from the top of them. Her feet shuffle slightly as she leans back over, and I quickly spin back around before she can spot me staring.

I manage to wait another fifteen minutes before I spin around again. This time she's intently focused on her computer, teeth nibbling on the corner of her lip as she seems to focus on something, hands frantically flying over the keyboard as if she's mid-flow. Her shoulders are hunched over slightly, her neck elegantly stretched, and I long to walk over and straighten her back, soothing those tired shoulders with my strong fingers. Suddenly she stops typing, flexing her wrists as her eyes skim over what she has just written. The nibbling stops, her lips twisting sideways as she thinks about what she's written, she flips her hair away from her face, her short pixie cut neatly swept behind her ear, before her hands start up again, key tapping in quick succession as she adds her next idea onto the page. As I turn around, a small smile blooms on my face, and I realise I'm just happy to have the honour of watching her.

What the fuck are we doing? To my surprise, Aida is angry inside my head and it takes me by surprise. Then I think back to her last comment, when Maria had entered the room and realise that she had sounded a little off back then too, I'd just been so distracted to notice it. In fact, thinking back over the last couple of days, she's been very quiet. More so than usual. And especially when it comes to Alice.

'Aida? What do you mean?' In response Aida just huffs in my brain. I swivel my chair back around before standing and moving into the break room. I need a bit of privacy to have this conversation.

'Aida? What do you mean what are we doing?' She growls at me and I growl back. I'm not sure where she's coming from at all. Not sure what it is she doesn't understand or doesn't agree with.

What happened to strong, confident, knows-shes-sexy-and-uses-it Reyna? The one who could walk up to any man in a bar and get him to take her home? Where has she gone? Has she been defeated and crumpled up by a little girl? Aida's voice is ever so angry, and her condescending tone is so judgmental it makes me angry in response. But mainly it makes me angry because it's true. With Damien, with my nameless barman, with Cade, hell even with Isaac, I just walked up and got what I wanted. Flicked my hair, sweet-talked them till I got them right where I wanted, swayed my hips till they couldn't look away... I had all the tricks and used them shamelessly. But with Alice. For some reason I don't have that same confidence with Alice.