Why Me, Alpha?

Chapter 16

Lia opened the box and found a silver chained necklace, the pendant was a tasteful onyx stone, not too small to be deemed cheap, but not too big to seem tacky. It was perfect.

“The stone is a sort of tracker and panic button, if you press for more than three seconds, it will quickly send a signal to us, and we will immediately get to you.” Steven said as he typed up something on the computer. “As soon as you have the slightest indication that you’re in danger, press it. Do you understand, Luna?” Steven said, looking at her.

She nodded. Steven took his job seriously, though he was quite candid and easy going when he was around close friends, which didn’t include her as of now.

“You cannot leave the building without informing us first, and either Lincoln, Taylor and I will be escorting you to wherever it is you need to go to.”

There was some more talk, and by the time she got to Flos Solis, she was thoroughly informed of the measures taken for her safety. And she was quite sure Marcus was paranoid.

Steven brought her up to her floor and left, saying that he’d come back for lunch.

All the employees started clapping when they saw her, glad that she had returned from injury.

“What an awful thing to happen!” Clarrise said, hugging Lia.

Clarrise worked in the cubicle next to Lia.

“Break ins are so scary! Dear God, I hope you’re not too traumatised about it.” Clarrise said as she brought Lia to her cubicle.

“If investing in alarms and locks is what you’d call traumatised, then I am thoroughly traumatised.” Lia replied as she took her seat.

With happy greetings of her recovery, here and there, plus the occasional retelling of her ordeal – which she had fabricated before hand – the day was enjoyable. There were starting to prepare for a show, and Lia had come at the right time when assignments were being dished out.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Lia.”

She recognized the voice immediately, filling her with warmth, and bringing a smile to her face.

“How’ve you been? When are you coming home?”

“I’ll be home tonight.” There was something wrong with his tone.

She couldn’t contain her smile as she broke away from the table she was seated at with Steven, Lincoln and Taylor. It was a tiny bit noisy in the diner they had decided to have lunch in, and Lia decided to step outside to hear Marcus better.

Steven signalled Lincoln to follow her.

“What’s wrong, Marcus?”

“Just feeling very tired.”

“Okay,” Lia sighed, looking down. “You’ve been sleeping, right?”

“I honestly can’t sleep knowing you’re so far away.”

Lis smiled, a blush creeping up her cheeks. She missed him, too. Even though things weren’t well between them didn’t mean that she didn’t miss him. Quite contrary, she’d missed him quite a lot.

She didn’t tell anyone, but she’d been sleeping in his room since he’d left because the scent in the pillows and the sheets comforted her and managed to lull her into sleep, albeit agonizingly slow.

“Me, too,” Lia managed to say.

“I heard you’re back at work,” Marcus said.

“Yup!”