The Sweetest Alpha | H.S.

Chapter 7

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"Raina, you can cover for me tonight, right? I've got two weeks' worth of soaps saved on my DVR and since Matthew will be out with friends, this is my chance to watch them. You understand, don't you?"

Raina stopped Angela before she could rush off to tell Matthew, Sr. that she was leaving. Though she was asking Raina for a favor, Angela barely paused by the table Raina was cleaning. "Angela, I can't. I have a date."

Angela's blue eyes widened behind her glasses. "A date? With who? Please, tell me it's not with Levi. He's never going to leave Amy for you."

Ignoring the pity in the other woman's eyes, Raina shook her head. "No, it's not with Levi."

She was beginning to believe she would have to leave this town or her name would be forever linked with Levi's. It was as if no one noticed that she wasn't pining away for him. She'd dated since their breakup. None of her other relationships had been as serious, but it wasn't her fault.

Unfortunately, she seemed to attract jerks. Which made her question her decision about allowing Harry to come over to cook her dinner tonight. He seemed perfect. Too good to be true. Probably a jerk in disguise. She really didn't want to get her hopes up, but that was difficult to do when he made her so... happy.

After weeks of talking to him on the phone, she knew him better. It appealed to her to have a handsome guy so into her, but she didn't know if she was willing to change her entire life for him. She liked the way he made her feel like she was the center of his universe, but she wasn't in love with him yet. That "yet" surprised her.

She was so set against him on the basis that he was a werewolf. But talking with him made her see him as more than just a scary mythical creature. He was Harry. Her Harry. Because whether or not she was ready to commit to being his, he'd committed himself to being hers. She couldn't help but feel something about that. She just wasn't sure what she felt.

Occasionally, she questioned whether or not she'd allowed Harry to steamroll her into agreeing to this date. And though he wasn't a complete stranger because of all those conversations they'd shared, she couldn't read body language over the phone. She needed to look into his eyes as he spoke to her to judge his honesty.

She'd agreed because she was attracted to him in a way that she'd never been attracted to another man. Also, Harry wasn't taking no for an answer. He wasn't even asking. He demanded.

"The werewolf?" Angela gasped. "Oh, shit, girl, I didn't think you'd take me serious when I said—"

"This has nothing to do with anything you said." She rushed on. "Anyway, I can't cover for you tonight."

Then she walked away, leaving Angela with her mouth hanging open. It felt so good to say no to her. She really should have done it a long time ago.

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"What are you doing here?" Raina asked.

She didn't have time for this. Harry was due to arrive in less than an hour and her hair was being less than cooperative. It was straight in sections and curly in others. She couldn't decide whether to go casual with jeans or if she should wear a dress. For the moment, she was sticking with a comfortable pair of jeans and a one of her best blouses—a pale pink chiffon with a ruffled bodice and lace cuffs.

"We're your chaperones." Maisie announced, giving her a brief hug and then brushing past her with her friend—Celine—in tow. "Close the door. It's chilly out there."

Her mini skirt and thin floral print top belied her words. But at least she had on knee high boots. Maisie was dressed like a nun in comparison to Celine who wore a cropped tank and an even shorter skirt. If she bent over, all her secrets would be revealed.