Page 112 of My Shy Alpha
As soon as the Alpha is gone, I give my coat a hearty shake. I hope Noah was too busy to notice how skittish I was despite my legs still quivering. Our picnic sack is abandoned in the leaves, toppled onto its side after my careful effort to hold it upright. I quickly hook its tied corners back over my bottom jaw.
I’ve been dying to complete this daily run with Noah for so long. If my annoying, lingering trauma symptoms sour the moment, I don’t think I could hide my disappointment.
But as Noah flips one ear back at my approach, glancing at me in his peripherals, he gives an irritated sneeze. Why they choose to come at me while I’m with my most precious wolf is beyond me. They’re not getting soft Noah.
My tail wags, grateful he’s lifting the mood for us. Are you okay?
I’m okay as long as you are. He studies me closely. I lower my head on instinct, sensitive to my Alpha’s stare.
I’m okay, thanks to you.
In case he’s not convinced, I drag myself along his windblown fur, relishing in the icy chill feathered through it.
At my touch, Noah’s excitement skyrockets. Before I have time to pant in adoration, his zoomies send him racing for the den. I’m forced to chase him, but I adore it, relishing every second of our combined thrill gracing my bones.
Wait, where are we going? Don’t we still have to finish our perimeter run? I ask.
Noah peeks at the sky, then back to me. We traced a little further than my section for today since you seemed so excited. It’s already been an hour.
My ears flip forward. An hour?! Are you sure you’re not just shortening it for me? I’m okay, really–
Noah gives a brief howl, sending birds flying through the trees a half mile ahead of us. As a few neighboring howls echo in the distance, Noah’s sprint boosts, sending his tongue out sideways. I slink into the ground, stretching my neck and limbs with every leap to catch up with him. What I’m sure about is that you’re fast as fuck. Faster than Yas, even. Look at you - you’re living for this. When he peeks over his shoulder, his fiery eyes send a jolt through me. It’s been that long because you’re a natural, Omega.
I’m so shocked that I lose my stride, slowing to a regular run. Noah adapts like it’s nothing for him. After a quick, pouncing circle around me, he yips in excitement at my frazzled stare and bolts on ahead.
Could I really be a natural at something? Is that what this feeling is? Air flows through my outstretched paws, lifting my heart up with it.
But I can’t relish in too much happiness; a twinge of unease stations itself at the base of Noah’s emotions. Noah tries his best to bound through the forest with his usual spritely mayhem, but he can’t hide the subtle droop in his ears.
His paws slow at the riverside, guiding us through the riverbed flora without crushing any of the early summer flowers. Noah peeks at me, allowing me to pass first.
I know that look, I mindlink. But I humor him anyway, ducking my head into his den. He boops my butt with his big nose on the way into the cave, and I whip around to give him a playful nip. Noah dodges it, as usual, prancing just out of my reach until I give up, shifting back.
I laugh. “You’re the biggest, most adorable goofball I’ve ever seen.”
He puffs his chest, standing with pride as he moves to block the cave entrance for my naked body. I can’t stop giggling as I rummage through our picnic blanket. My blue and white floral crop top is only slightly wet from my wolf’s drool, taking most of the hit for my long A-line black skirt.
By the time Noah slips on loose, gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt, we can’t stop smiling at nothing and everything, thrilled to just be here together. We spread our green, fleece picnic blanket over the cool stones only to huddle on one little corner of it. I take a deep, blissful lungful of Noah’s leafy scent, melting into his arms.
As we discuss the upcoming week, updates on Rainn, Amy, and Yasmine, and what we’ll cook for dinner tonight, Noah eventually fades into silence, preferring to listen. Our silences have a warm comfort to them, but today, subtle tension traces Noah’s brows.
It pains my heart to think he’s hurting in silence, especially when his smile stops reaching his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I blurt out.
When he doesn’t answer right away, I sit up properly, tucking my feet beneath me. Just when the tension becomes too much to bear, Noah glances at me with heavy concern.
“Y-you don’t have to worry I’ll snap at you.”
My eyebrows raise. I didn’t expect him to say anything near this, shocking my brain into taking a moment to process.
Noah rubs his temples with one wide hand. “Fuck, that came out weird. I’m sorry, it’s just–”
I drop my stare to the blanket fibers beneath my knees with a stinging heart. It sounds like he’s made some assumptions about my past relationships, but he’s not wrong. Could he tell what I was really asking? That my check-ins are out of habit, preparing myself for one of Steven’s old “moods” whenever he showed the slightest hint of upset?
Before I can spiral into my own assumptions, Noah rubs my arm.
“I’m sorry, Aliya. I just felt you get so fucking scared when I snapped at that asshole today on our run, and I felt so bad–” Noah cuts himself off as my shoulders soften.