Little Alpha (Book 1)

Chapter 13

I sighed when I felt him behind me and held my finger to his lips, pulling him down as they turned. "The kid is close, should steer clear."

When they were out of sight, I giggled and looked at where to go next. He grabbed my hand when I went to move. "This isn't a game."

I smiled. "But..."

The urgency in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "They want to hurt you."

I nodded. "You're here, so all good." I tugged his hand and went down another path. Again, getting distracted by another flower. I whipped my head up when I heard their footsteps. I dragged Ezekiel into a tight cutout and peeked around to watch them pass.

"Smells like... hell, I don't know anymore. Her scent is too much like these damned plants."

I jumped when a finger slid down my face and frowned. "No... you smell much nicer."

Only then did I realize we were pressed against each other and rushed out when the opportunity presented itself. He followed, watching as I stopped to look at or smell something. I felt warmth close around me and looked up at him. "Harder to smell you..."

I smirked, put my arms in his jacket, and kept going. They were coming close again and I saw a bridge. I held my mouth as we ducked under it to hold in my giggles. They looked pissed and perplexed. "That damn girl... shouldn't be so hard to find. We should just go back. We've wasted enough time."

I sighed as they headed back towards the house. I tensed when arms wrapped around me. "You are very, very good at this..."

I shook him off and frowned. I climbed up to the top of the bridge and crouched on the railing, looking into the water. "Be careful."

I giggled and stood on the railing, twirling and walking back and forth. I gave him a little bow and paused at the look in his eyes. "We don't fall."  I narrowed mine as I knelt to his level, looking at them. "Dark green, with flecks of gold..."

He blinked. "What?" I pointed at his eyes and looked back at the water. I forgot I still had his jacket until I saw my reflection and started to pull it off, but he stopped me. "It's chilly out here."

I tilted my head and shrugged. "The fish are so many different colors..."

"Fish?" I smiled and nodded, pointing one out and following it with my finger. "You can see them?"

I looked at him curiously, then behind him, and smiled. I dropped to the bridge and pulled Xavier to look, crouching down and pointing into the water. "Nice... I've never seen a lot of these before..."

I smiled up at him and nodded. "Came to make sure you were okay because mom asked and what do I find, but a group of disgruntled men saying they couldn't find you. Then you, on a railing, with a man, in his jacket, looking at fish."

I giggled. "He wouldn't take it back."

I tilted my head as I heard the men again and ran to hide on the other side of the bridge behind a pot. Xavier frowned as they approached. "Can we help you?"

They were glancing around. "Did you guys see the little piano player around?"

Ezekiel crossed his arms. "No, but what do you want with her." They all froze and turned their attention to him, making me smirk. As they were distracted, I slipped into another row of flowers.

***

I couldn't get enough of watching her. She seemed to enjoy playing around with her safety, but this was the closest I've gotten to her. I couldn't resist touching her when she would pull us into tight spaces to hide. It made my chest warm to know she felt safe around me.

She would giggle every so often, and the sound made my heart flutter. It was beautiful music to my ears. Finally, the guys seemed to give up their search, and I hugged her in relief as she seemed disappointed. "You are very, very good at this..."

She was out of my hold in an instant and on the railing of the bridge looking at the water. When I asked her to be careful, she began to show off and signed something to me with confidence. Really need to study some more...

Then I could feel her breath on my face, making mine stop. She signed again, and I understood green and gold. "What?" She was so close as she pointed to my eyes, I leaned forward, but she went back to looking at the water and then tried to take off my jacket.

I refused it, making any excuse so she would keep it on. I liked her wearing it, and it masked her scent. Again, her hands moved, and she pointed to the water when I didn't understand. Her finger followed something where I only saw black, and I realized she was talking about the fish. "Fish... you can see them?"

She looked like she didn't understand why I couldn't, but the moment passed as she disappeared behind me. I withheld my frown as she pulled her brother to look, mildly surprised when he said he'd never seen some of them before. How can they...

Again, we were interrupted. The ones that were following her were back, and she went to hide on the far side of the bridge. Now I was pissed. They should've stayed away. It wasn't until they were on their way again that I realized... I lost her again.

***

I came to a fountain surrounded by a flower I couldn't quite smell. I paused when I saw a purple and white one. I lightly touched my hair... or the wig over it.

I already knew he was watching when he knelt beside me. "An orchid..."

"I can't really smell it."

He chuckled. "It does smell a lot like you." I frowned at him and smacked his hand when he went to pluck it. "You don't want it?"

I shook my head. "It will die... let it grow."

He nodded but kept staring at me until I pursed my lips at him. "It's the same as your hair."

I blinked and stood abruptly. "Is not."

He smiled softly. "I saw you in the kitchen before..." He gestured to the wig. "Why do you cover it?"

I frowned. "You can tell no one."

He sighed. "Why all of this secrecy?" I looked around. "He went to tell your parents you're fine." I took off his jacket and handed it to him, then wrapped my arms around myself to go back. He gently caught my arm. "What are you hiding?"

I shrugged, and he sighed. "I won't tell."

I sighed. "I really don't know... it doesn't matter anyway."

He blinked. "Why?"

I looked back at the house. "He'll be taking us away after this..."

I snapped my head in his direction as he growled. "No."

I stepped back. "It's not our choice."

He looked up at the house and grabbed my hand. I tried to pull away, but he held tight. I made a sound of discontent, and he paused, shifting his grip so it wouldn't hurt. I attempted again, and he stopped to look at me. "You know nothing about yourself. They make you hide... everything about you, they take you away when people get too interested?"

I lowered my gaze. "It's not okay... hell... you won't even tell anyone your name." I pouted, and he forced my chin up to look at him. "Do you want to go?"

I looked into his eyes and felt something shift in me again and tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me. "What you're feeling inside... she dies if you don't shift by the time you turn eighteen. Do you want that?"

The sadness in his voice took me off guard. "Tell me... are you sure you want to go?" I gulped and shook my head. "With your voice."

My breaths started coming short, but I was trapped. "I want to stay..."