I'm the Alpha's Crush

Chapter 16

"Okay, so, what's the story with your place?"

Sitting in the truck, I felt the vibrations of the diesel engine rumble through me as Malcolm shifted out of park.

"Well, technically the pack owns it – it's one of the rental properties that Patricia started buying up in her reign – her philosophy is, it's easier to control the human population in your territory if you control the real estate market." Malcolm shrugged as we began to drive away from the house, "For the most part, I agree with her, but this one... this place was pretty isolated, and after a couple of break-ins a few years ago, I decided to move in to discourage prowlers and fix it up."

"Oh?" I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable with the briefcase between my feet.

"It's... it's been a process."

Glancing over, I asked, "How so?"

He sighed, "The last people to break in absolutely trashed the place – busted the windows, graffitied the walls – basically just demolished it."

I felt my eyes grow wide, "And you looked at all that and decided to move in?"

Malcolm nodded, slowing down as we approached one of Syracuse's three stop lights. "The first month was more like camping than living in a house."

"But it's gotten better?"

"Slowly. Between my Pack duties and my less-than-stellar handyman skills, it feels like it's taking forever."

Watching him out of my periphery, I asked, "What percent done would you say you are?"

He frowned, seeming to be calculating as he turned the truck onto the highway, "Eighty?"

"What do you still have left?"

"The basement." Malcolm frowned, "Basically, the entire basement; there's just a lot of junk left behind by previous owners, a shit ton of nicotine-stained wallpaper, and a bathroom that seems to be held together by paperclips and duct tape."

"Yikes."

"It's going to be my summer project – clear out the crap, take down the wallpaper, and repaint."

I took a breath, ready with an offer to help him out.

Don't.

The cozy vision of us working together, laughing and joking as we organized whatever Lovecraftian monstrosity had taken residence in his basement, died suddenly, violently in my mind.

Don't encourage this.

The voice of my thoughts resonated, sharp, harsh and familiar.

Swallowing roughly, I looked away, watching as trees whipped past the window.

There is no universe in which the two of us make sense. He's an Alpha, and I'm, well...

Feeling the cold weight of reality settling down upon me, I sighed.

"Sophie?"

"Hmm?" I turned toward Malcolm, feigning confusion.

His quick eyes studied me. "You know that you can tell me if I'm being boring, right?"

"What?" I asked, my confusion becoming genuine.

"I'm pretty sure I lost you there – you looked like you were a million miles away." Glancing my way, he reiterated, "If I'm being dull, please, let me know – I've got plenty of stories from my teenage years that are way more interesting."

"Like?"

Turning his eyes back to the road, Malcolm shrugged, "Like the time I got dared to skinny-dip in a public fountain and had to outrun campus security - naked."