Too Beautiful For the Alpha

Chapter 17

"Rae!" My mother suddenly calls from downstairs. "Aren't you coming back down?"

Frustrated, I call back, "Yes, just-just give me a second."

My head spins as I look back to James. He sits on the edge of my bed. "I just want you to be happy."

I near him. "I'll be happy if you treat me how you want to treat me, not what you learned from your father."

James tenses and I realize what I had said. My eyes glance over to the diary on my desk and I hope he doesn't see it, I hope he's never seen it in his life.

"What did you just say?"

He doesn't sound angry, but rather caught-off-guard. I drag my bottom lip through my teeth discreetly, fighting the need to bite down and pay for what I had said. "Theresa and Gail told me you are like your father, I just—"

He stands up from my bed. "Don't lie to me. Where did you hear about my Father?" He's bringing out the Alpha in him.

Part of me is annoyed by the plethora of times he's lied to me, but I hold it back for another day. "I just assumed."

"Rae?" My mother calls again, slicing through the moment.

I groan and head to the door. "Just wait here. I'll be right back."

Before James can protest, I slip through and close the door behind me. Now worked up, the sight of my mother and her friend and Noah irks me. I wish I could yell about how I'm dealing with something important upstairs. They smile. "You're not even changed?" My mother points out the obvious.

"I know, I was thinking about taking a shower actually, the dirt is just everywhere," I mutter and make a quick move to leave, but my mother reels me back.

"Well if you're not coming back down, say goodbye."

I take a steady breath. "Of course. It was nice meeting the both of you, hope we can really get into things next time. Sorry for my spotty presence." The two look somewhat pleased. "I better clean up now. Have a good night."

Just before my escape, my mother snatches me back. "Your towels are in the laundry room. I cleaned them."

I nod and dash off, not wanting to be stalled any longer while James is in my bedroom alone. I rush up the steps and collect myself in a flash before gently opening the door. He is sitting on the bed again with something in his hands. My heart thumps hard when I realize it's the diary. He doesn't look up from the pages when he asks, "Where did you get this?"

I feel the door against my back. "I found it in the house."

"Where?"

Not sure if he is upset or not, I proceed cautiously. "In the library."

"The one that is blocked off by a bookshelf?" He finally looks up at me, only making my heart race even more. "You went into a blocked off room and took her—what—her diary? Does that not seem like a boundary to not cross?"

"I was upset. I was looking for anything to distract myself. You're the one who just showed up in my bedroom unannounced."

James closes the diary and tosses it beside him on my bed. "Your bedroom is different than my dead mother's diary, Rae. And if I remember clearly, you came into my bedroom unannounced first. Now how much do you know?"

"About your mother?"

"Yes, about my mother. You've been reading her struggles for entertainment for a while now."

I step forward. "Entertainment? That diary is the only thing that gave me a sense of clarity. It was someone to relate to while you stomped all over me."