shyness or arrogance

Claimed by the Arrogant Alpha

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Chapter 5: shyness or arrogance

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Jessica scowled. “I am washing this off this instance.”

“It will take at least a day to get an Alpha’s scent off,” Tasha stated matter of fact.

“I’ll make it come off,” Jessica hissed adamantly.

She said as she stood up, feeling flustered when an angry growl interrupted her and Jessica turned around to see the alpha who claimed her with an angry expression on his face.

She had half a mind to smile and try appear like she wasn’t just about to punch him when Saint walked over with the remaining Alpha and she paused. After all, Saint was her friend and like her elder brother.

Saint was beaming but one sweep of Jessica’s expression and he knew teasing her was out of the question.

He cleared his throat. "Hey, uh, this is Yves.” He gestured to the Alpha who raised a hand.

“Hi.” He smiled, dimples showing.

His aura was completely different from the other Alpha’s. He seemed open and friendly.

See? Why couldn’t the other Alpha be like this?

Then maybe Jessica would have at least considered him. “Hello.”

Tasha waved as well. “I’m Tasha! And Jessica here will be an Alpha’s future mate.”

Jessica glared at his grinning best friend.

Saint chuckled behind a hand and Yves rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, yes, Kai.”

“Kai?” Jessica repeated unintentionally.

So that’s his name.

Her stomach clenched and her wolf wagged her tail.

“Yeah, Chadwick Kai. A little troublemaker that one is,” Yves laughed, looking a bit puzzled for some reason, but brushing it off.

“Chadwick?”. Tasha sputtered and jumped to her feet. She grabbed Jessica by the shoulders and shook her. “Like incredibly rich, incredibly high profile Chadwick? The Chadwicks are powerful as shit. Right? Are we talking about the same Chadwick?.”

Who were the Chadwicks?

Jessica blinked and she felt even worse about the burning feeling left on her chin.

Yves nodded with a grin. “Yes. He’s only twenty-one but he’s working in his father’s company – he’ll be taking over a few departments next year.”

Tasha gasped, hands flying to her mouth. “Jessi, you’ve snagged yourself a tycoon.”

Jessica wriggled out of Tasha’s harsh hold. “It doesn’t – doesn’t matter. Okay? Because we’re not… I’m not… I’m going back home. See you.”

Yves smiled and nodded his head.

Jessica glanced at Saint who was gazing affectionately at the latter.

Yep, he had most definitely fallen.

Jessica sighed and bowed before walking away, taking quick steps.

Natasha made kissy sounds into her ear as she passed. She punched her arm lightly which only amused Tasha more. She didn’t know why she was friends with her sometimes.

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That night Jessica curled under the blanket, seeing the quiet Alpha’s face every time she closed her eyes.

In her dream she heard a smoky, husky voice saying her name and felt large hands trail up her arms, down her stomach, across her back.

In the darkness, Jessica reached for something and her fingers curled around a broad shoulder.

When her grip faltered and slipped down, it closed around toned biceps.

Eyes the colour of earth, with specks of vibrant topaz, gazed at her with indescribable affection, so much it seemed he would smother Jessica with it.

Jessica breathed in a heavy scent, fresh but biting, soothing her into a heavenly state, sinking into her every pore. He said something that Jessica didn’t understand, too blissed to comprehend language by that point, but her wolf was at ease and her body pliant and responsive to every heated touch.

Then there was a sharp pain in the curve where her neck met her shoulder and Jessica jerked and cried out.

She woke up, sweating profusely.

Her blanket was twisted around and half falling off the bed. Her pillow had been pushed right up to the headboard. Jessica reached for her neck and fingertips grazed smooth, unblemished, unmarked skin.

She exhaled heavily and felt a sinking feeling of loneliness and emptiness pool in her stomach.

She had felt like this before – yes – but never this deeply. This time she felt abandoned, isolated, unloved and only realised she was crying when she tasted salt trailing into the corner of her mouth.

She wiped her eyes, confused, dejected, upset and tried to go back to sleep, aching for someone she never even had to begin with.

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Jessica’s eyelids felt heavy as she raised a cup of coffee to her lips, willing himself to swallow.

She hadn’t been able to fall back asleep, plagued by a sense of yearning and mind filled with nothing but her strange dream.

Her parents shot her another worried look, trying to decipher why she had bags under her eyes and seemed as if she’d roll onto the floor unconscious any second.

“Jessi, how are you feeling?” Her father finally asked, a question he and his wife had been holding inside for a while now. “Did something happen yesterday?”

Jessica shook her head sleepily. “I just didn’t get a lot of sleep. A lot was on my mind.”

It wasn’t untrue.

Her mother made a sound of sympathy and wrapped her arms around her. “Oh, sweetie, I know this is stressful. I know you want to find your mate, but be patient. They’ll come eventually,” she smiled and kissed her temple.

“Thanks, mom,” Jessica replied, eyes forming crescents.

Her mom ruffled her hair but then her hand froze in her strands unnaturally.

She frowned. “You smell different.”

Jessica bit her lip. “What?”

“You have another scent on you,” she spoke slowly and then clasped her hands, mouth dropping open. “Did you find a potential mate yesterday?”

Of course his scent was still on her.

“I put some cologne on - it’s not what you think,” Jessica began but she was already fawning over her, brimming with excitement for her only daughter who wanted to disappear into the ground and not show her face for a few days.

“Mom, please.”

“Alright, alright,” she conceded, but still clearly imagining scenarios in her head. She sat down next to her husband who was reading the paper, tuned out of their conversation.

Jessica gulped the rest of her coffee and placed the empty mug into the sink. She turned the tap on and hastily rubbed at her chin and jaw – as if thinking that would make the scent disappear.

She didn’t want to be marked by an Alpha she barely knew. She wiped the water with the back of her hand and practically ran to the door when Tasha entered, forgetting to knock as usual.

“Hey, Jessi,” She greeted, sounding joyful. Her eyes twinkled with amusement and she smirked. “Do you still smell like –”

“We are going now, bye mom,” Jessica pushed her out and hastily waved to her parents. “Bye dad.”

They perplexedly waved back.

“But I haven’t had breakfast yet,” Tasha argued.

“Eat at your own house for once!” Jessica argued back.

Tasha pouted. “Can I please just get an apple or something?”

“Ugh, fine, but one word to my parents about this and I’m never letting you into this house again.”

“Whatever, not like you’ll be living here much longer any – ow – okay!”

Jessica didn’t think this day could get any worse.

Firstly, as soon as she and Tasha stepped out of the house, every passing Beta and Omega not so discreetly glanced at her.

Jessica hated being in the spotlight like this, especially for something she never asked for.

Tasha was cackling into her palms whilst Jessica wanted to drown in her sweater. She tugged the sleeves to cover her hands and dropped her head.

It was just so annoying.

Who did this Chadwick Kai think he was?

Coming here and making her life difficult?

Chadwick or not, it didn’t change a thing.

“There’s no way I’d agree to be his mate,” Jessica grumbled, eyebrows drawn. “He hasn’t even tried to talk to me. He just struts around with that high and mighty attitude of his. Who could want him as a mate?”

Tasha pondered for a second. “Yves told us that he’s just shy.”

Jessica’s eyes widened and she almost scoffed.

“Shy? Then what was his entrance yesterday? He didn’t seem to care about all the attention on him. And why was he soaked anyway?”

“He went swimming,” Tasha replied like that was totally normal - like everyone did that in late autumn when winter was fast approaching.

People only went swimming at this time when they wanted to catch a cold – and sensible people just don’t do that.

“Besides, possessiveness probably trumps shyness in that case – he’s an Alpha, after all. Also, think about how he was raised. His family’s so respected and he probably had maids and butlers and everyone looking up to him – it would be kind of hard not becoming a little big-headed. But Yves said he’s not insufferable – gloats every now and then but never to the point he insults or is rude to anyone. Apparently, he’s just not good at talking to new people, but once you get to know him he’s loud and funny and sweet. That’s why he was surprised when Yves did what he did. He must really like you.”

Jessica flushed.

She could definitely see how that sort of upbringing would affect the way one would perceive themselves. She could forgive that a bit. However, Jessica had trouble matching the rest of these qualities to the Alpha she had encountered.

“I don’t know Tasha… he seems like trouble.” She didn’t want to get her hopes up again, then be left saddened when she realised he never wanted to mate her.

She didn’t want to go through that again.

Tasha looked guilty and her eyes softened, turning serious. “I know last year was terrible but, you can’t let that stop you from trying to find your mate. I thought you liked Kai, or were attracted to him, at least, and even if that’s all it is right now it could become something more. He’s not going to be here long. If you feel something, you have to act on it.”

Jessica’s cheeks burned.

She couldn’t deny that Kai was tempting, something about him allured Jessica despite his attitude.

“Well…”

Out loud she could easily say she’d reject the Alpha, that there was no way he’d accept her as a mate, but those words always left a bitter aftertaste and a tightness in her chest that wouldn’t disappear.

“I don’t know, Tasha,” She admitted, voice soft.

“Okay, you have time to figure it out. Just don’t rule him completely out yet,” Tasha said gently.

‘I don’t think my wolf will let me.’

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TBC