Alpha Noah

~Abella

“Going somewhere?”

Pausing in my step, I glance over my shoulder to see who has interrupted me. Evening as set in to its darkest point, so I assumed I could sneak out of this building without alerting the other girls. The last thing I need is for them to know I’m going out to dinner with Noah. I’ll never here the end of it.

A girl whose name I hardly remember stands behind me, three of her friends with her. They work the laundry area, I believe, and is constantly wondering how best to get past the Alphas assistant and right on his lap. I’ll be cast out if they find out.

“I’m just heading out,” I tell them, wrapping my coat around me. She raises a blonde eyebrow, looking me up and down sceptically.

“Why are you dressed like that then?”

Glancing down at myself, I feel my stomach recoil in embarrassment. I’ve dressed better than I usually would, pulling out a nice, simple dress. You can’t just show up to an Alpha’s dinner and not look somewhat decent, even if it is meant to just be about a promotion. Nevertheless, seeing each girl look at me makes me rethink my decision.

“Me and my friend are going out to dinner,” I tell them. I don’t know why I have to validate myself to these girls, but it almost feels naughty, what I’m doing. None of them have the opportunity to have dinner with the Alpha…

I turn to walk out the door, listening to them whisper as I leave. None of them believe me. I’m not sure how they get so suspicious, or even found out this in the first place.

Either way, that’s not something I need to worry about right now.

This is my second-time walking up toward the front door is just as daunting as the last. I’m concerned about my last encounter with his assistant. Her reaction suggests something sinister may be lurking behind that door, which I’m walking straight into. And the drawings…I have them tucked into my back pocket, in case I decide to bring it up to Noah over dinner. I’m worried about his reaction, but I can’t get this out of my head.

Noah answers after two knocks.

All the tension leaves my body the moment I lay eyes on him. I expected to be nervous, after his earlier appearance in my room, but for whatever reason, the fear of arriving here completely vanishes. He holds the door open for me, smiling at me with the softest smile.

I’m not sure how he manages to make everything about him so effortlessly beautiful, but he manages it expertly. He’s dressed so neatly, but not too formal. His hair is mussed, his skin glowing. It’s just not fair.

“You look great tonight,” he breathes, his voice sending chills right down my spine. I want to reprimand him, to keep this strictly business, but I won’t lie, it feels good to have his attention on me like this. It feels devious, almost.

He leads me through the home, towards a dining hall with a table already set for us. I look around, feeling the emptiness of this place weighing on my shoulders.

If no one is here, then who knows what could happen.

“No assistant?” I ask lightly, as we sit down opposite each other. I didn’t expect other guests, necessarily, but I thought at least his assistant would join us. I wanted to speak to her about her strange reaction last time, as if her every move is being monitored by someone. More specifically, Noah.

“You know I like my privacy. If you’re wanting to talk to her, since you will be working for her starting next week, I can arrange that,” he tells me, settling his palms on the table. I stare at the ring on his finger, glinting against the light.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I smile tightly. “That would be great.”

Right now, I’m trying my hardest to relax. The silence, the way he looks and the situation altogether is making me anxious. To add to this, Noah stares intently at me, as if he is surveying every inch of my face.

“Ican sense that you have a lot on your mind. I would like to think we are friends, so if you would like to talk, I would love to listen,” he offers, leaning back in his chair.

Exhaling, I consider his offer. It’s as if he can read me completely. Walking in here, I still haven’t been able to get the thought of Cian out of my head. The two know each other, and I want to know why, and how. I also want to know why Cian is so uneasy about talking about Noah, and his reaction to me working for him as he rather hostile. Also, with no one else to talk to about this part of my life, I’m willing to get this off my chest.

“Do you know the Immortal, Cian?” I ask. “The Sin, Greed?”

Noah takes a long, lingering pause that leaves me wondering in this moment whether I asked a question that has offended him. “I know of him.”

“Turns out him and I are mates. Odd, but there’s no arguing it. The touch and everything,” I admit. It feels good to say it aloud, for someone else to hear it. It makes it real, in a relieving way. I’m still struggling to accept that it is real.

Noah pauses again, blinking rapidly for a few seconds before he closes his eyes. His reaction isn’t what I expected. For some reason, I thought he would be openly happy about this like Sam. He doesn’t seem angry, as all the colour drains from his face. It’s like he’s angry…is it because he’s interested in me, or is this just me looking too deeply into it?

“Is that right,” he comments.

I swallow, but my throat is completely dry. “You don’t look so pleased.”

“Are you pleased?” he asks me.

The question catches me off guard. I’ve thought about this recently, but the way he presses the question takes me aback. Under the strong emerald gaze of Noah, I realise that maybe I haven’t been out of place to worry about being mates with Cian.

“I’m not sure how to feel if I’m completely honest. On one hand, it feels good to have a mate, but his lifestyle is so different to mind. I haven’t given him much of a chance but honestly something doesn’t feel so right,” I admit. Being with Cian is like being trapped in a lie. As much as he excites me, I won’t pretend it feels as though I’m in the wrong place in the wrong time.

“Why do you think that is?” Noah asks. If I weren’t so immersed in how I feel right now, I would question his probing questions.

I shrug my shoulders hopelessly, knowing he probably thinks I’m insecure and overthinking something that is no big deal. “I’m not sure. I just wanted to talk about it to someone, and I don’t have any other friends here so I figured maybe you could help.”

Noah finally looks away from me, deep in thought. “I don’t think I’m the best person for this…”

“Why? Because you’re a lonely Alpha who stays up here with no friends to speak of but a million girls swooning after you? I’m not asking you to be experienced with this predicament, I just want you to tell me it’s okay,” I admit. With shaky hands, I take a sip of my drink. There is food laid out in front of us, but it doesn’t seem like either Noah nor I have the stomach to be eating any of it.

“You should listen to how you feel. I just… you know what, never mind. He’s Greed, a Sin. In no instance, could you ever trust him. I don’t want to make decisions for you, but I would like to mention that I don’t see it as a great idea,” he tells me.

His eyes turn cold, his tone stern and lowered. It makes me flinch, seeing him react to my life like this. Maybe I’m way in over my head consulting with an Alpha on this sort of issue.

“I’ve been having similar thoughts-“

“Because just when you think you can trust him with just one secret, one promise… he makes you realise you can never truly believe someone like him can be good,” he mutters, more to himself than me. He lowers his head, looking down at his hands which fidget with a napkin on the table. It suddenly comes to my attention that maybe this isn’t about me at all. This is about Noah, and something that has happened to him in the past.

I wait until he raises his gaze to talk. “Sounds like he’s done something bad you the past.”

“No, sorry. I got carried away. Shall we eat?” Noah asks, suddenly changes tact. As he reaches for a platter of food, I eye him carefully. I strung a nerve. Those two do have a past, and by the way both of them react, they aren’t going to share it with me very easily.

More secrets. Now I’ve had enough. I’m not leaving here, until I find out what Noah and Cian are hiding.