The Alpha’s Fated Choice (Alpha's Fated Encounter Trilogy #1)

“Why are you still here?” I demand.

“I don’t want you to get caught doing whatever it is you’re doing,” Alex informs me.

Frustrated, I glare at him. “If anybody’s going to get me caught, it’s you. Go back to the motel.”

However, from the stubborn gleam in his eye, I know he’s not going to.

I don’t have time to argue with him, so I shove my phone into his hand. “If you’re going to be an ass about it, make yourself useful. Point the flashlight toward the keyhole.”

Surprisingly, he complies obediently. Two sets of hands are always better than one, and as I fiddle with the mechanism of the lock, Alex remarks, “I didn’t know you knew how to pick locks.”

“Is that a hint of admiration in your tone?” I murmur, focused on the task at hand.

“Maybe.” Now I hear amusement in his voice.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” I whisper, hearing drunken laughter from the road.

“I’m starting to realize.” There’s a strange undercurrent to Alex’s words, and I spare a glance at him. He’s watching me intently.

That piercing gaze of his makes my mouth go dry, and I immediately tear my eyes away from him. Being in close proximity to Alex reminds me of how his hands felt tracing over my body, holding my legs open. It takes a surreal amount of self-control even to attempt to banish the image from my head.

“I thought we decided to stay away from each other,” I remind him. Alex is silent, and this time when I look at him, he has a guilty expression on his face. A tired sigh leaves my lips, and I lower my hands to my knees, focusing on him. “You’re not making this easy on us.”

There is regret in his voice. “I know. But when I see you, I can’t help but want to follow you around.”

My face feels hot at his confession, and I wonder if he went and hit his head somewhere.

He has always acted so aloof, so cold. So, why is he behaving this way now?

I purse my lips and pick up my makeshift tools again. “You’re making it sound as if you’re in love with me or something.”

I brace myself for a disdainful laugh or a cruel response, but nothing reaches my ears. I fiddle with the lock mechanism, my hands unsteady. Why isn’t he denying it?

Fortunately, we are spared from having to continue this conversation because a satisfying click pierces the silence. I pull the handle on the door, and to my excitement, it opens easily.

Entering the library, I close the door behind us and take my flashlight from Alex. I know where Mr. Felton keeps his keys; I saw him put them in his desk. It’s a huge ring with lots of different keys. But when I open the drawer, the keys aren’t there.

“Damn it!” I hiss. “The old geezer took them with him.”

“Took what?” Alex asks, peering over my shoulder into the desk drawer, which only has a thin file in it.

“The keys to the archive room.”

“What are you looking for in the archives room?” Alex questions me curiously.

“Information about the Silver Wolf.”

I don’t have to look at him to know that he is taken aback by the answer.

“Why are you looking for—?”

“Because you need the Silver Wolf to help your pack.” I flash the light around and find the stairs to the basement. “And I told you that I would help you.”

The door of the archives room is made of cast iron, and the padlock on it is an old one. I’ve never tried to pick a lock quite like this one, but I’m going to have to give it a try.

“Here,” I shove my phone into Alex’s hand as I drop to my knees. I tinker with the lock, my movements cautious. It looks positively ancient, and I’m afraid I’m going to break it. Since I was just asking about the archives room today, I have a feeling that if I wreck this thing, the librarian is going to know exactly who to point the finger at.

“Why are you looking into the Silver Wolf?” Alex persists.