Alpha Alexander

Chapter Eight

I took the hot plate down the hall and counted three doors, standing in front of the third, a set of double doors I hadn't seen since yesterday, which felt like a millennia ago. My hand raised to knock, but it was suddenly thrown open. Vance sauntered out of the office, sparing me a quick glance, his lips rising in a smirk. "Looks like you got a visitor, Alpha," he called over his shoulder, stepping around me and fading away in my peripheral.

"Enter," Alpha Alexander called from his desk. I took a deep, hopefully full of bravery breath and stepped into the office. When I entered, he didn't bother to look up from the paper he was writing on.

I approached the desk hesitantly.

"What can I do for you?" he asked smoothly.

Without saying anything, I set the plate down—directly on top of the paper he was writing on. His gaze flew up, meeting my eyes. Surprise fell over his expression as he glanced from my face to the plate and back. "I thought you might be hungry," I said softly.

He blinked. "Thank you."

I didn't say anything. I straightened my upper body and spun on my heel, intent on hurrying out the door to find my bedroom and bury my head under the covers. Maybe I shouldn't have brought him dinner. Maybe he likes to eat later. Maybe I'm stupid. Maybe he thinks I'm foolish.

Maybe, maybe, maybe . . .

I almost reached the door when he said, "No. Stay."

I paused mid-step, glancing over my shoulder. His gaze was fixed on the plate, pulling it closer to him and picking up the fork. I tried to tell him that I had homework to do, or that I had to help clean the kitchen, but every excuse died on my lips.

"Um, sure." I returned to the desk silently, reaching for the chair across from him.

"No," he said again. "Here." He pointed beside him, where no chair sat. He expected me to move the chair to sit beside him? Not gonna happen—where this chair is now, I have a nice large desk that separates us.

"I'm good right here."

His eyes flickered to mine. "Are you going to disobey everything I request of you?"

I dropped myself into the chair. "Probably."

He stabbed a piece of chicken, lifting it to his mouth, chewing slowly. His jaw became more pronounced as it worked; I found myself staring at him as he ate. I quickly looked away when he glanced at me. My eyes landed on a bookshelf in the corner. I stood and walker over to it, examining the titles on the book spines. They were all classics; Homer, Dante, Payne, Sir Walter Scott. Several were modern books, textbooks on certain subjects—accounting and other boring titles. But one stood out above all others. I pulled it out and laughed harder than I had in days. I spun around, holding the book up to show Alpha Alexander. He glanced at the cover and then returned to his plate, forking up some green beans.

"You know I have to ask," I chuckled.

"A joke, from my mother."

"Your mother?" I asked, approaching the desk.

"Open it." His eyes locked onto mine.

Hesitantly, I flipped open the cover, reading a handwritten message on the first page:

Find the truth in this and laugh to your heart's desire.

I love you, Gabriel.

-Your mother

I reread the inscription. His first name is Gabriel?