The Alpha's Expectations | Completed ✔️

Chapter 28

I rolled my eyes and followed him back to my house. 

***

ALEXIS

"How many sugar cubes would you like?" I asked Lacey gently, noticing how she was very tense in my presence.

She cleared her throat and bounced her leg nervously, "Two, please."

I smiled at her and dropped the two cubes into the cup before giving the liquid a quick stir and handing it to her.

"Thank you," she said, taking it with shaky hands.

"Anytime. Brielle, would you like milk or hot chocolate?"

The adorable little girl pursed his lips and thought about it like it was the most important decision she would ever make, "Hot chocolate, please."

"Good choice," I winked, pulling the kettle out to heat the water up.

It was quiet as Lacey sipped her coffee quietly and Brielle played with her teddy-bear. I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but I didn't want to startle her. It was best to make her comfortable first.

As bizarre as it sounded, I trusted the two of them. There was just something about them that made me know they wouldn't betray us. My wolf wasn't even unsettled in their presence so that counted for something as well.

"Uh, Luna," Lacey started, "Why are you being so nice?"

I plopped down on the barstool next to her and shook my head, "You can call me Alexis. And why should I be rude? You haven't done anything to me."

She pursed her lips, "Well, griffins and werewolves don't exactly get along, you know? Griffins are cruel creatures."

"Perhaps, but just because a few griffins are cruel doesn't mean all griffins are cruel. I have the feeling you're quite the opposite."

Lacey chuckled humorlessly, "Believe me, I'm probably the only sane one. They're all bonkers." 

"Lacey, excuse my bluntness, but are you running away from them?"

Her head snapped up again, and I gave her a sheepish smile.

From what Lacey said, I was assuming that she didn't like it there and left for a better life for her and Brielle. If I was right, hopefully she would stay because Matthew needed his mate. The Moon Goddess knew the man needed to smile more.

"Pretty much," she said softly, making sure Brielle couldn't hear her over her conversation with her teddy-bear.

"They were abusive to women, mostly the women they thought were the underdogs. They didn't hurt Brielle, but I was worried that if we stayed any longer, they would hurt her too."

"But they hurt you," I stated gravely. 

It was awful to know that people still treated women poorly. Just when we thought the world had changed, it was like we took two steps back. I was lucky that the werewolves I interacted with didn't believe that women were property and treated women with respect.

She winced a little and looked away. I decided not to push her to talk and changed the topic, "So  how old are you?"

"Twenty-three. Brielle's four."

"That's one hell of an age-gap."

She laughed and nodded her head, "I know. A lot of people think she's my daughter when they first see us."

"How ab–?"

Hudson's voice cut my question off as he walked closer to the kitchen, "Fruit Loop?"