Behind The Alpha Book 5 Deacon

Chapter 4

(Chapter song ‘Wild World’ by Mr. Big, ‘Romance(Ava Maria)’ by Jan Mulder,  ‘Love Game' by Lady Gaga)
JENNY

The next two days of my drive were uneventful.  I got a lot of planning done in that time. 
Judging from the pictures the realtor sent me, I have a lot of work ahead of me.  The stores been through so much, I hope I have enough to cover the repairs. 
I pull off the interstate and read a sign that says ‘Welcome To Upton'.  Underneath the blue words on the white sign is ‘Beacon Of Hope’.  This makes me smile.  That’s what I need.  Hope. 
I take the desert road to the main road entering the town. 
I turn on my navigation and follow it through town.  “It’s adorable.”  I grin as I look at all the small buildings lining the main street.  All of them look almost brand new and all different colors.  Most are three and four stories.  There’s all kinds of stores here.  From bakeries to clothing.  It looks like you can get anything here.  There’s quite a few sport shops too.  They must like working out. 
I follow my navigator and turn east.  Slowly, I enter into an old neighborhood that has lines of brownstone buildings.  My new home is in here. 
It isn’t long before I see it.  My very own bookstore.  I pull up in front and see a man standing in the doorway.  I had called Gabe, the realtor, when I was close and he’s meeting me to give me the keys.  I’m so excited, I try to contain it, but it’s hard.
He’s very tanned with sandy blonde hair that hangs down around his ears.  He adjusts his black suit as I put the car in park and has a beaming smile when he greets me.  He looks like he’s posing for a real estate billboard.  I kind of chuckle at the thought. 
I get out of the car and walk up to him.  I look up to the old brownstone building.  I freaking love it.  It’s decorative and looks historic.  The store itself is beat up, but looks beautiful.  The green paint around the windows is peeling and the glass is dirty, but it’s fine.  I can fix this.
“You made it!  How was the drive?”  Gabe smiles as he meets me on the sidewalk.  He’s a very boisterous person.  I didn’t get that from him on the phone, but OK. 
I run through my encounter and almost dying, I grin.   “Wasn’t bad.  It’s kind of relaxing driving through the country.”  It was sort of true.  Once my nerves settled and things stopped scaring the bejeezus out of me, I did relax and enjoyed the scenery as I drove through it. 
“Great!  Welcome to Upton.  You’re going to have a blast here.”  He guides me to the door.
“A blast?”  I question as I adjust my glasses. 
He nods.  “Yep.  Non stop here.”  He laughs. 
I arch a brow and look around.  “Doesn’t seem very blasty to me.”  I look up and down the quiet, empty street.
He shakes his head.  “Not here.  Mostly downtown and around the Alpha, but he’s gone for most of the week so, it can get quiet.”
“The Alpha?”  I ask.  His photos didn’t seem like he would be the sort to disturb the peace.
“I won’t spoil the surprise, but I’m sure you’ll just love him.”  Gabe chuckles as he unlocks the door.  “Now, like I showed you, the store will need a lot of love, but meeting you now, you seem like right girl for the job.”
My mouth falls as I step in.  The smell of old books hits my nose and I’m in love.  There’s an undertone of must and mold, but that can be washed away. 
It's two stories tall.  The second floor is only half of the length of the main floor.  There’s a beautifully elegant winding staircase up to the second floor and the book shelves go all the way up to the ceiling.  Book ladders are on either wall.  The floors are wood and all the shelves, stairs and tables look handmade with scrolled designs and trims.  Most is a dark red color.
The place looks like time stood still, though the damage from the attack is evident.  There a window broken and also a pigeon somewhere.  He let’s out a coo every once in a while. 
The floor is covered in books as are the walls.  The books that stayed up are dusty and dirty.  I’ll have to go through them all to see if they’re still OK. 
“The building is structurally sound and all repairs to it have been made upon your father’s request.  We left this store for you to assess yourself.  The apartment has been cleaned and you can move right in.” 
My heart thumps in my chest, my happiness is through the roof.  I cannot believe I’m standing here right now.
I spin around.  “It’s mine.”  I grin with elation.
Gabe smiles back.  “It’s yours.”  He says with a chuckle. 
He walks the keys over to me.  He holds them up and shows me, “This one is the front door and this one is the apartment.  If you need anything give me a call.  I took the liberty of putting a list of contractors on your counter by the till.”  He drops the keys in my outstretched hand.  “Good luck.” 
“Thank you.”  I take another look around.
The next thing I know, I’m grabbed in a excited, intense hug.  “I’m so happy for you.”
My body tenses and my eyes widen.  He’s touching me and I’m internally freaking out.  All I can mutter is “Thanks.”  As my arms remain stiff at my sides and his huge arms around hug me. 
He pushes me back just as fast.  “Welcome to Upton.”  He says overly enthusiastically.
I nod with a tense smile.  “Thank you.” I push my glasses back up.
In my head, I scream, please leave. 
He let’s me go.  “Oh, before I forget.”  He pulls out papers.  “I need you to sign here.”  He hands me a pen. 
I look them over.  “Here?”
“Yep.  Sign there and its officially Jenny’s bookstore.”  He points to the dotted line.
I click the pen and sign the paper.  I hand them both to him. 
“Congratulations.   This store has a fine owner.  I’m sure of it.”  He sticks the paper in his briefcase.  “We should have a party to celebrate.  You can come over to my house tonight.  My mate makes excellent hot tamales.   We could toast the store…”
“That is a wonderful idea, but I have so much work to do.  Thanks any way.”  I spin him around and escort him to the door.
“Oh, OK.  Another time.  We must get together soon though.  You’d love my better half.”  He preens.
“I’m sure I would.  Have a good day."  Once my nerves start going haywire, it’s time to remove the bad situation. 
Gabe is still going on about his mate when I push him out the door.
“Bye and thank you.”  I wave.  I don’t even wait for an answer.  I just shut the door and turn into the store, taking deep breaths to calm myself.  I’ll have to remember to avoid him as much as possible.  
I turn and look over the big challenge ahead.  “Well, it’s not going to clean itself.”  I put my hair back up in a messy bun and get to work.

****

The next two weeks were busy, to say the least.  Between moving my things in and trying to sort through the mess of books, I’ve had little time for anything else if I want to open in time.
The Alphas Beta has been trying to get me to come to the pack house, but I just don’t have the time or the want.  I’m not ready for the meeting pack members right now with my life in an disorganized mess. 
He's visited twice and sent extensive messages.  I know I should, but meeting new people turns my stomach.  I need to prepare myself for that which is not in my mindset right now.  So the Beta can wait. 
It doesn’t help that I keep getting distracted by the fabulous books in this store.  It has everything and from what I can tell, barely any are damaged.  Only a few have bookworms and look to be easily replaced.
As far as subject matter goes.  A to Z, if the book you need isn’t here, it doesn’t exist.  Excluding any modern books of course.  Fiction and non fiction are on every shelf.  It’s all carefully organized and cataloged.  Whoever owned this store took care of it with great pride.  It shocks me that they would just walk away. 
I cleaned the shelves on the walls, making lists of books to get and researching what new ones have been written.  With my librarian degree, I think I can bring this store up to an upstanding standard in the literary world. 
Once I hit the fantasy section, that’s where my mind wandered. 
Sitting on the floor in my Jean shorts and t-shirt, I found a book that looked interesting.  ‘Rowans Conquest’.  A harlequin romance.  I only dabble in romance novels.  I’m more of a science fiction horror fan, if I had to put a label on it, but if a book looks good, I’ll read it.
This one didn’t disappoint.
Rowan is a knighted prince who’s kingdom is threatened by his love interests jealous brother.  Scarlet, the beautiful daughter of a tyrant, just wants Rowan to love her and not give in to her brother for fear war will break out.  Nail biting to say the least. 
Surrounded by stacks of books, I chew my finger nail as I read…

‘Rowan, please stop.’
The gallant man turns.  His luscious, golden locks float on the winds as his mysterious dark eyes stare at her with strong determination. 
He stands grand and tall.  ‘I must, Scarlett.  My kingdom depends on the death of Murray.’
The tears fall like soft diamonds from her ocean blue eyes.  The winds blow her silk dress and her hair, as dark as night, flows around her shoulders.  Her pounding heart breaks as she pleads with her regal prince.

I raise my head from my book.  “No, you idiot.  She doesn’t care about stupid Murray.  Murray’s a horses behind!  Ugh…men.” I  mutter as my eyes widen.  I drop my eyes back to the words.

‘My brother will kill you.  Please don’t go.’  Scarlet runs to her brave and powerful lover.  He flexes his large pectoral muscles as he holds strong to his murderous conviction.
‘Scarlet, I love you, but I love my crown more.’  His deep voice penetrated her chest like his broad sword.  He flips his long, blonde hair over his massive shoulder with sex driven passion.  ‘I cannot allow a woman to get in the way of my ultimate greatness.  My powerful reign must be protected.  Your luscious lips and ample bosom cannot distract me.’

I lift my head again.  “Forget Murray!  Kiss her already!”  I ball a fist and yell at the fictional characters in my head.

Scarlet turns away.  Her sobs ride the winds through the tall grasses of the fields.  ‘If you go.  That will only mean you don’t love me as much as you say you do.’  She cries into her sensitive hands.

“Ooo…Good one.  That'll hit ‘em.”  I mumble as I tug on my ear.

She sobbed so hard, she didn’t feel her white knights presence behind her.  He scoops her into his arms with possessive force.  ‘Don’t you dare presume me not to love you.  For you are the only one my heart beats for.  I will kill Murray in your honor and you will worship my sword and my heart because I give them both to you.’
His domineering lips command hers to open as he takes her heart and her soul.  His gigantic, manly hand caress her supple skin and takes possession of her hair like a cup of warm ale.
He rips his majestic mouth off hers.  Her breathless stutter makes her bosom heave with lust.  ‘I love you, Rowan Riptorn.’
‘I love you, Scarlet Thorndrake.’  He deepens his voice and takes her lips again.

I raise my head as my eyes well.  “Awe.”  I whine.  Why can’t all guys be like that?  I pout.
“What are you reading?”
My head whips to the voice that just brought me from my fantasy to the reality that I was trying to avoid for the day.
I suck in a breath as my eyes travel from strong legs in athletic shorts.  Thick biceps in a cutoff, black tank top.  Strong, chiseled, stubble covered jawline.  Tanned skin, tattoos and a black skull cap. 
I release the air I was holding.  I try to keep composed as I stare at the solid muscular man standing in the aisle between my bookshelves. 
“Are…you ok?”  He turns his head slightly.  His brown eyes meet mine and I freeze. 
“Hello?”  His voice snaps me out of my stare and my nerves shoot through the roof.  I stumble as I try to recover my book I almost dropped.  “Um…Yes…I’m fine."  I adjust my glasses.  “I-I’m sorry we’re closed.”  I blink at his brown eyes as we connect.
He smiles.  His gruff exterior is nothing compared to the God like heroes in my books, but his face lights up so much I can’t help but fall into another stare.
“That’s too bad.”  He says, looking the store.  “I’m kind of looking for a book and I was hoping you could help.”  His lips part into another white, toothy, charming smile. 
I get up off the floor and dust myself off.  Pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose, I clear my throat.  “Of course…Wh-What book?”
My body heats as he steps closer.  “You…got anything about…cats?”
I give him a confused look as my eyes give him a once over.  “Cats.”  He doesn’t seem like the type to be interested in that.
He grins.  “Yes, cats.”  He takes another step and my heart skips a beat.  “I like cats.” 
My mouth goes small as I feel his eyes on me.  I clear my throat once again and look away.  I dart past him, walking up the aisle.  “Um…yes…Animals are this way.”  I lead him around the corner and a few aisles over.  “I’m sorry the place is in such disarray, we’re not supposed to be open for another week.”
I search the spines as I feel him stop beside me.  My head is screaming for him to change his mind and leave.
“That’s alright, Miss…”  In the corner of my eye, I see him lean to see my face.
I swallow.  “Jenny…Jenny Clark.”  I whisper so low I can barely hear myself.
He smiles again as I glance and look away from the man that’s shattering my introverted nervous system. 
“Jenny.  That’s…really pretty.”  He leans on the shelf and his flexed arm is at eye level with me.  My middle does flips as I watch his large, strong hand pick at the books on my shelf. 
I pull out a book and hand it to him.  “Everything about cats.”  I give a little half smile trying to be as professional as I can be while I’m being bombarded by this muscle bound invader.
“Thank you.”  He takes it and tucks it under his arm. 
“You’re welcome, Mr…”  I wait for a name. 
“Deacon.  Alpha Deacon Riley.”  He extends his hand.
“A-Alpha?”  My lips drop and my eyes grow as I assess the fact that I didn’t sense his Alpha gene at all.  Why didn’t I feel it?  This is not the Deacon Riley I’ve seen in the photos.  He looks like a totally different person.  The professional I saw in the articles is nothing like the forward man in sports clothes I see in front of me.
He chuckles.  “No need to be nervous.  I’m not a dick.”
This snaps me out of my shock.  “No!...Oh God, no…No, I didn’t mean to insinuate…I’m just surprised…I get like that sometimes…Totally not you…I swear…God…I always do this…It’s so stupid…”  I flail my arm to my side and hold my forehead as my face turns a million shades of red. 
He laughs.  “It’s OK.  Really.  How much do I owe you?”
I stop and try to catch my breath.  “Owe me?”
“For the book?”  He tilts his head to me.
“Right!  The book.”  I giggle nervously and push my glasses.  “You know what, keep it.  It’s fine.”  I nod with a smile.
“I couldn’t…”  He says.
I turn him and practically push him out the door.  If I don’t get him out of here, I’m going to explode.  “It’s fine.  Totally.  I have a million books.  I want you to have it.”  I open the door for him.
“OK, but that’s not the only reason I came…”  He says as he steps out.
“I would love to talk with you, but I’m really busy right now.  Can you come back next week?”  My blue eyes lock with his.
I have two voices in my head.  My desperate self is screaming “Say yes!”  whereas my shy, nerve ball, awkward self is screaming “Go away!”  Ugh.  I hate being me. 
“Sure.  I’ll come back when you have time.”  He smiles that smoking hot smile of his and I internally whine.  “Thanks for the book.”  He turns and heads down the street.  I stick my head out, my long blonde hair swings off my head as I watch him saunter down the sidewalk.
I pull myself back in, shut the door and lock it.  I slam my back on it and blow out a breath.  I turn my head to where he left.  My body’s still sweating, my hearts pounding and my hands are clammy.  I wring the door handle as I picture him in my head. 
I thump the back of my head against the door.  “Holy Riptorn.”  I say as I blink my eyes and fan myself to relieve the heat.