I'm the Alpha's Crush

Chapter 24

My nose tickled with the scent of sheets that weren't mine.

Breathing in, I could smell that they were clean, but something about them - the detergent, maybe, or the fabric softener - was definitely unfamiliar.

Not entirely...

The fragrance tugged at my memory as I lay there, eyes closed against the fading afternoon light.

And then, it hit me.

I'm at Malcolm's.

Suddenly awake, I sat up. The room around me had a kind of bland pleasantness; minimal decorations, white walls, and a matching bed and dresser set that looked like it was straight off of a showroom floor.

Smirking, I thought, It probably was.

I couldn't imagine Malcolm carefully planning out and purchasing his furniture. He struck me as the type to walk into a store like a man on a mission and pick out what he needed right there on the spot.

As I swung my feet over the side of the bed, I picked up my phone, scrolling through half a dozen apologetic messages from River.

Replying, I typed, "Don't worry about it - shit happens. Just a heads up, I'm at Malcolm's place, and we're getting dinner, so I'll be back later."

I hit send, then after a moment's thought, I added, "P.S. - *when* I get back, we are absolutely revisiting the expectations for common areas."

About to close my messages, I noticed a new one from Evie.

Opening it, I saw a mirror selfie of my baby sister looking ecstatic in a softly floral tea-length dress.

The caption was two words: "Found it."

I smiled, imagining her wearing that as she and Cora formally announced their mate bond to the Pack.

The Pack...

Looking away, I felt my pulse race, thinking about Evie's request.

Could I really do it? Could I face them all again?

Closing my eyes, I forced my panicked thoughts away.

We are going to deal with this later.

Typing quickly, I wrote, "You look stunning - Cora will love it!"

With a button press, I locked my phone, setting it aside before standing and walking toward the door.

Out in the massive, open living area, Malcolm had his back to me, blue spray bottle in one hand, paper towel in the other, wiping down one of the south-facing windows.

Crossing my arms, I leaned against the wall at the end of the hallway. "Are you... cleaning?"

For a brief second, he froze, then tossed the bottle aside. It landed behind the wood stove with a muted, "thunk".

Turning, he greeted me with a broad, slightly panicked smile, "Oh, hey! I didn't hear you get up."

I shook my head as I crossed the room toward him, "You really didn't have to clean for me."

"What? I- I don't know what you're talking about."

Glancing down, I watched as he tried to sneakily stuff the paper towel in the pocket of his grey sweatpants.

"Uh huh." My eyes narrowed, "Then why does it reek of furniture polish and Windex in here?"

He grinned, "Total coincidence - I swear."

"Sure."

Sighing, Malcolm said, "Look, it's better than 'bachelor stench' - trust me."

"'Bachelor stench'?" I asked.