Not My Alpha (Completed)

Chapter Fifty-Five - Unless I'm Not Alpha

After a few silent minutes, I let out a defeated breath. "I think I understand what you're saying."

Samuel gawked. "You do?"

"Don't give me that look," I snapped. "I'm capable of changing my mind, too."

A slow smile crept onto his lips. "I'm sorry, I was just expecting a different reaction. A fight and yelling, maybe. But, not this."

I rolled my eyes and tried to keep the smile from my lips. Samuel looked too relieved for his own good. "Yeah, well, I decided it wasn't worth it."

"I agree."

Before I could say anything else, Samuel stood and gathered the pictures that littered the floor and coffee table. He placed each photo in its rightful place inside the cardboard box, arranging them so they wouldn't break. When everything was put away, he folded it shut, and disappeared into his room. 

While he was gone, my thoughts wandered back to his revelation. It was still hard to believe what he'd told me. I tried to tell myself it didn't change anything, but in all honesty, it did. Somehow, I felt more comfortable with Samuel, knowing that he used to be like me. I didn't know if it was right to feel that way, and I didn't know what all those feelings entailed, either. I did recognize that where my thoughts of him used to be filled with hatred, now there was something more than tolerance. 

Samuel startled me by flopping back onto the couch and swinging his legs onto the coffee table. He laughed at my reaction, taking another swig of his water and looking at me. 

"What are you so deep in thought about?" He paused, then smirked. "Me, I hope?"

I took a calming breath and rolled my eyes. "You sound too much like Riley."

He laughed. It was loud, full, and similar to a bark. I'd only heard that sound from Samuel a small number of times, so I couldn't keep a smile from leaking into my annoyance. 

"Well, Riley and I did grow up together," Samuel shrugged. "You know we were close."

"Maybe a bit too close."

He laughed again, and I beamed. Leave it to Samuel to turn a previously tear-filled and bleak evening into one consumed with laughter. 

When his laughter died off, I shook my head, remembering my thoughts from earlier. "Can I ask you a question?"

Samuel folded his hands behind his head, a smile still lingering on his expression. "You don't have to ask permission for anything, Samantha. I think we're past that."

"Sorry. Habit." 

He shrugged, then looked at me with raised eyebrows. 

"Why now?" I paused, gathering my thoughts. "Why share  all of this information with me now, if you were just planning on letting me and Will leave?"

Samuel sighed, the smile disappearing. "You need somewhere to go. You said you wanted away from the wolves. I thought my mother might be your best option."

"How could she help Will, though? Isn't your mother human?"

"She was. Is." He groaned, taking his feet off the table and setting them on the floor. He leaned forward and ran a hand across the back of his neck. "She always helped the newly shifted wolves in my father's pack. Don't ask me how she did it, I don't know. All I remember is that she helped them. She can do the same for Will." He glanced at me. "If we can find her. If she's alive."

Samuel's last sentence was spoken with such nonchalance that anyone else would have bought the uncaring tone. However, I had seen his mask too many times not to know when it was being put on. He was worried, there was no questioning it. He just didn't want me to know.