An Alpha without a Pack

Chapter 17

"Hey, Rick, have you seen Sophie? I went to go wake her up for breakfast, but she wasn't in her room."

Katie's voice stirred me from my dreamless slumber. I peaked out from under the thick blankets to see Rick standing at the door with Katie.

"Yeah, she's in my bed asleep," Rick replied with sleep still evident in his voice.

"She slept with you?" My cheeks instantly began to warm.

"Calm down, nothing happened. She came to me in the middle of the night saying she was tired of being alone or something."

Well, I um..." Katie was at a lost for words. "Thank you for making her feel safe last night," she said gaining her composure. "When she wakes up, can you send her to the dining room? There is some business we need to tend to."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

The two of them said their goodbyes and Rick closed the door silently. I pushed myself up onto the plush pillow, resting against the headboard and tried to remember last night. I remembered having the same dream with the cave and the catcher except when I went to go use the catcher, Jake had lunged at me and dug his claws into me. I had jolted awake and saw glowing red eyes watching me from the foot of the bed. The eyes were gone by the time I had lit a lantern, but my fear still lingered. After gaining the courage to pull the covers back, I crawled out of bed, snuck into Rick's room, and laid next to him. He had stirred from sleep just enough to ask me what was wrong, and I told him I feared to be alone. Then he wrapped his arm around me lazily, pulled me against him, and went right back to sleep. Being in Rick's arms made me feel warm and safe that I quickly went back to sleep.

"Earth to Sophie, are you there?"

I snapped back to the present to see Rick had sat in front of me on the bed trying to get my attention. "What?" I asked.

"I asked how you are feeling today?" Rick repeated.

"I feel more rested now than I have been in the last week or so," I sighed stretching. I looked around the clean but bare room. Hardly any furniture other than the necessities. "I guess I should go and meet with my sister. She did say there was some business that needs to be taken care of."

"I have some stuff I need to do, too." Rick stood from the bed and went to rummage through a worn pack that sat at the foot of the bed. "I need to get out there and help patrol the perimeter to make sure that you really are safe here."

I stood from the bed and walked towards Rick. I wrapped my arms around his waist and placed my forehead between his shoulder blades. "Thank you for letting me stay with you last night. Will I be able to see you today?"

"I should be done with my shift by dinner," he said sounding hopeful. "Would you like to have dinner with me, Ms. Sophie?"

"Of course, but what is with the formality?"

"Instinct, mainly. You are an alpha."

I pulled away and began to walk towards the door. "I may carry the title of one but to be a true alpha I have to have a pack."

"Maybe that will change soon."

I smiled at the handsome man over my shoulder before leaving. There were a few wolves, members of the Emerald and the Sapphire packs, in the hall, all who bowed their heads as I passed. I smiled politely at each of them as I walked towards my room. On my bed were some clothes, a nice light blue blouse, some nice dark pants, and black flats. Beside the outfit were some beauty products.