My Female Alpha

THIRTY THREE

emery

I wake with a yawn and a stretch, smiling as I reach across the bed. The expected warmth my creeping hand seeks is missing. My eyes peel open. The room is dark, but I don't see or sense anyone in the bed. I sigh.

How can we have such incredible sex and then she just leaves? I don't know how I fell asleep again, but she wore me out! I don't know how she can do just as much as me and then go off to work. Well, she isn't human. I guess that's how.

My stomach grumbles. I realize I haven't eaten all day, which is very weird considering I never miss meals. If only she'd let me go to the store . . .

I pull on some sweats and a baggy shirt before leaving the room. The house is quiet enough that I assume most people are sleeping. A few distant sounds of laughter come from a floor shove, putting me a little more at ease. This big old house can be so creepy without people walking around.

The kitchen is desolate when I get there. I rifle through the cabinets until I find the only edible thing aside from condiments: a package of rigatoni noodles. It'll have to work. I set a pot of water to boil on the stove and stare out the window above the sink.

They keep saying that this thing with the rogues isn't over. I don't understand what we're all waiting for. How can we just go about like normal until a pack of crazy wolves launches an attack? That seems so dangerous. I shiver, peering into the sightless dark. Even the moon is hiding beneath a film of milky clouds tonight.

Once the water is rolling, I dump all the noodles in. I stir them and stare at them. My thoughts are wandering elsewhere. What could Lenora possibly be doing at this hour? My fingers drum along the counter. Maybe someone is having a bad night? I know many wolves were injured in the fight. My stomach clenches. I hope everyone is alright.

After a few minutes, the noodles are pliant in my mouth. I drain them and dump them in a bowl, adding only salt. This feels like a college-budget meal. I make a mental note to talk to Denver about getting groceries since apparently he is allowed to leave.

My eyes roll on their own accord. I should also be able to go as I please—I'm the Luna. So there. Lenora can suck it.

I slurp down a noodle and smile at the thought. She has sucked it, actually, and she's very good. I carry the bowl around the corner to the library. It's already lonely eating dinner alone; I can't stand the thought of sitting at that big dining table by myself. At least in here, I can distract myself.

Setting the bowl on a study table, I wander over to a shelf and pluck one hefty book off. I flip through it while I eat. Most of what I'm seeing are pictures. I'm too tired to try reading the content, though it seems to involve many letters of the Greek alphabet. Just as the last noodle glides down my throat, I hear a noise from somewhere close. It sounds muffled but I can tell it's Lenora's voice.

I set the book down and look in the direction of the sound.

It's just a wall, though. I'm hearing her through the wall.

Just as I've decided to read again and try not to eavesdrop, I hear a loud clap. A slap.

The chair falls as I fly out of it. All I can see is someone laying a hand on Lenora. A well of unfamiliar feelings eats through me. My hands curl into fists.

I run out of the library to where the room next door should be. But it's just the staircase. There's no room or door where her voice came from.

My protectiveness rolls over to curiosity. I march back into the library and go to the wall. Then I realize that the wall doesn't look right. It's uneven. My hands move to the cleft of the wall and find that a part of the bookshelf is a door.