Page 10 of Alpha Ruined
“Okay,” she replies, because what else is she supposed to say? She isn’t leaving Green Woods until she conducts that interview.
“Helene shouldn’t have done that,” the man continues, as if talking to himself. “She knows better.”
“We’ll be fine. Thank you.” She begins to shut the door, and the older man sputters.
“Wait! Did your husband do that to you?” the man points at her arm, and Bree flinches.
She didn’t put on a sweater before she answered the door.Fuck.
“Goodnight,” she blurts, shutting the door and locking it before he can say anything else. Then, she grabs one of the knitted throws off the couch, wraps it around her shoulders, and heads back upstairs.
She enters the office and sits at the desk, watching as the man walks away, muttering to himself.
She can’t see a car. He must have walked here, which means he lives close, much to her chagrin.
Opening her laptop, she shoots an email to the property owner, detailing her encounter.
She can practically hear Carl in her head sayingI told you so.
Maybe she shouldn’t have come here alone despite how beautiful Green Woods is.
But she told the guy that she’s with her husband, so maybe he won’t bother her.
She wraps the throw tighter around herself, frustrated that he saw a part of her she keeps hidden.
The scars are jagged and still an ugly deep pink, despite being from years ago.
They didn’t heal the way she had hoped, and they’re usually the first thing people notice besides her mating gland.
And unfortunately, her creepy neighbor saw them.
She shakes her head and heads into the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed and eyeing the pink succulent on the desk.
At the last minute, she decided to take it with her. Dorothy was kind to her, and the gift was heartfelt.
She reaches out to brush one of the dainty leaves and strokes it between her thumb and forefinger.
She’s never been great with plants. Thankfully, succulents are almost impossible to kill, according to both Dorothy and the internet.
She planned on taking a long, luxurious bath, but after her encounter from earlier, she opts for a hot shower, steam billowing off the white tiles and fogging the mirrors.
By the time she’s out and wrapped in her robe, her stress from earlier is all but forgotten.
She takes her suppressants, readies for bed, and pulls down the comforter and covers. But before she climbs into bed, she locks the bedroom door, and jiggles the handle for good measure to make sure it’s truly locked.
Nothing and no one will ruin this trip for her.
Not even creepy drunk neighbors.
CHAPTER 4
BREE
She’sup in the early morning, marveling at the sunrise. It slowly creeps over the top of the trees, casting the town in light. In the distance, she can see a handful of cabins, each with stunning craftsmanship.
Bree sighs as she peers out the window. This is herliferight now. She gets to behere, waking up to the beauty of nature and a stunning sunrise.
The only oddity is the dark, square building ofGreen Woods Facilitythat looms in the distance.