16. This crackle of attraction.

Elena.

"I'm so sorry about all of that, Elena. Do not take any of it to heart, Mia can be rude and cranky while Sofia can be... uh... Sofia. More time here and you'll get to know more about how to relate with her, she can be unbearing but she's not that bad, trust me." Mrs. Cali said to me as she went about her kitchen duties.

I noticed how some other people of both genders joined her, some were cleaning while other washed. I didn't need anyone to tell me that they are the cleaners.

I remained seated beside Camila who looked at me with concern, "Are you sure you didn't get told all of these though? Sofia seems so confident that she told you and gave the book to you." Camila said and I shook my head vehemently.

"She really didn't. At least, I don't remember hearing her say that ot even handing a book to me. This makes no sense at all, I would never have overslept if she had told me, why would I want to jeopardize my first day at work and my chance at a new life like that? I would never!"

"Welll then, its fine. We'll just assume that it's a case of misunderstanding, although to be honest, even if that was the case, Sofia would never take any part of the blame so its all on you and the Alpha doesn't take things like this lightly. He likes when things are in order so let's just hope that he doesn't uh... fire you." Camila said to me and my heart sank.

I felt so stupid.

Hours later, I was in my room when Sofia knocked, "the Alpha wants you right now, Elena." She said blankly with an attitude and then left.

I sighed, seeing the way she had been acting since the whole fiasco this morning, one would think she's the kid's mom or something. Even though I've only been here for a day, I can't help but notice how she acts like she's somewhat a boss in this house rather than a worker in the pack like the rest of us. One would think she's the Luna around here.

Ugh!

Speaking of the alpha asking to see me, my heart couldn’t help but sink instantly, is this going to be the end? Am I going to get sent onto the streets I had been running from? Did I just blow the last chance at a new life that has been bestowed upon me by the moon goddess?

Will I even be given the chance to get thrown out? Or will he just have me locked up for weeks until he decides on what to do to me? This which might include cutting my limbs or even tearing my flesh?

On thinking of the gory sights of what I had been thinking, I shook my head vehemently. He wouldn't do that, right?

Minutes later, I was in Mr. Deangelo's study. It was like the room was built with fresh air and health as a priority. As such, air from the outside arrived in floor vents and left through the ceiling directly above. I took a set as he had asked me to.

I sank into the chair and watched as he poured some alcohol over his ice, and then took a seat opposite me. He rolled his lips and took a sip. “Elena,” he started while I breathed out.

“This is never going to work out. First you brrak into my home and I accepted you into my pack after hearing your story, then you go ahead to trespass in my room, yet I gave you a second chance and now you oversleep and make my kids late for school for the first time in their lives?" He said calmly, slicing my thoughts in two.

"I'm really sorry sir. I know I've done so bad and I deserve whatever you throw at me right now but I swear, I am so sorry, all of these will never happen again." I wwhispered.

"You said the same thing last night. I'm starting to think that you have the thing for fucking up and then apologising afterwards and honestly, Elena, I am not a patient man, at all. I do not condone idiocy and things like this, infact, I don't understand why I'm condoling it right now. Sofia said you must have intentionally woken up late because you didn't even seem fazed and sorry this morning." He said and I was immediately confused, again.

"What? Sofia said that?"

He gave a subtle shake of his head. “This won't work, so it's better you take the chance to just get out of my house now because when i get more angered, you will—”

"Sir... please. I know that tresspassing was my fault and I honestly apologize for that but the waking the kids and getting them to school part is never my fault, I swear. Sofia never told me anything about waking the kids up yesterday. Even the book she claimed to give me, she didn't, it's not even in my room, I do not understand why she thinks she did."

"Are you saying she's lying?" He asked with a raised brow.

"I... no sir. I honestly do not know, all I know is that I honestly had no idea. I feel line there's some kind of mixup somewhere." I said, holding on to my chance as much as I could.

“Elena, I deal with liars and thieves all day. I don’t have the energy to have someone living under my roof who I do not trust, someone who doesn't know where to step and where not to. Someone who doesn't understand the job that she has been accepted for.” He said as he stood up and walked to a sink right at a corner of the big room. One that I hadn't noticed before.

He cleared his throat and started to rinse his cup. “Sure. Everybody makes mistakes now and then, but that seems to be the only thing you've been making since you got here, I mean, its just one day.”

I sat there staring at his muscular back, at the width of his shoulders, at the snug fit of his jeans on his butt and then he turned so suddenly and it felt like I had been caught doing something wrong again. For a moment, he was all heat and hunger, so focused on me that I thought that he was about to lunge across the room and eat me whole.

Nothing else in the world existed, just me and him and this crackle of attraction electrifying the air between us. This little bubble of wanting and need. I was holding my breath. I wasn’t even sure why, but it was something about the way he was looking at me. And the tension in his body— the taut muscles in his neck. The grip of his fingers on the edge of the sink. The set of his jaw. It gave the impression of restraint. Like he was holding himself back. Something unfamiliar hummed in the air between us.

Men have beaten me, abused me, threatened me, and lied to me. Every bad thing that has happened to me has been at the hands of men. Except for one thing. This, what I was feeling right now felt so unfamiliar, so wrong, I had never felt like this for any man. For any person even. I don't even know what it was.

He opened his mouth to say something… but stopped. His full lips tightened. His mouth took on a ruthless slant. The warmth leached from his eyes until he was staring back at me in flinty coldness. It was like watching a door slam closed.

"I'll give you just two more weeks to change my mind about you, Elena. To show me that you deserve to stay in my pack, that you will not defy me again, and if you fail this time, I won't want you begging me, infact, you will not be allowed to beg because the place you'll find yourself instantly is on the streets." He threatened and I swallowed.

I stood up immediately. “Yes, of course. Thank you, Uhm... Mr De--."

"It's Alpha to you." He corrected.

"Uh... thank you so much, Alpha. I really do appreciate you giving me another chance. You will never find me in your bedroom again, nor will I ever oversleep.” He licked his bottom lip as he watched me intently.

Now sitting back on his chair, in his casual sleeveless top with his just beautiful hair, he looked nothing short of dreamy. Electricity zapped between us, and we stared at each other for an extended moment.

He then spoke abruptly. "You may leave now."

“Of course, thank you. Enjoy your night, sir.” Without looking back, I scurry to my bedroom. Once inside, I lean on the back of the closed door. My heart is pounding in my chest.

Why do I feel this way whenever I'm with him?