Page 20 of Alpha Ruined

The dim prison lights downplayed his looks.

His eyes are an endless light blue, burning with intensity as he smiles at her. Up close, she can see light lines around his eyes, but it only adds to his charm as they crinkle.

“Hi, darling,” he says playfully, and she almost chokes.

Eugene pauses when he sees the Alpha. “Oh, so this is your husband, huh?”

She pauses for a moment, caught between the stranger’s stare and Eugene’s question.

“No—” she says, but she’s interrupted.

“Yes, I am,” the stranger says confidently, placing his arm around Bree’s shoulder. She stiffens at the contact, mortified. “Cole,” he says, nodding at Eugene.

The Alpha in front of her, who is nowpretending to be her husband, is named Cole.

Cole’s hand is warm as he grips her shoulder, tugging her possessively toward him. “You two have spoken before?” he asks the drunk man pointedly.

“Yeah…uh, showed up the other night,” Eugene grumbles, taking a step back. “Surprised she didn’t tell you.”

This isn’t happening, Bree thinks to herself.This is just a bad dream.

“Well, since we’re on the topic,Eugene,” Cole says with a hint of malice, “if you have anything to say to my wife, you can do it through me from now on.”

His fingers gently stroke her shoulder in what would be a reassuring, soothing touch if it was done under any other circumstance. “She’s lovely and far too polite to tell you to fuck off. So, I will.”

Bree’s stomach flips as she takes in a sharp breath.

Eugene has the good sense to look chastised and takes a step back. “Look, I’m not trying to cause trouble?—”

“Then don’t, by leaving her alone. Am. I. Clear?” Cole growls.

The Beta man backs up slowly. “Yeah, sure,” he mumbles. “Sure.”

And with that, Eugene leaves the café as the customers watch.

Once he’s gone, Cole crosses to the opposite side of the booth so he’s facing Bree, who stares at him in shock.

But he looks just as smug as he did that morning.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” he says.

CHAPTER 8

BREE

“What are you doing here?”she whispers.

His smirk doesn’t falter. “Protecting you from unwanted attention. Isn’t that obvious?”

You’re the unwanted attention,she wants to snap, but knows she shouldn’t.

Cole did her a favor.

“How did you know his name?” she asks suddenly.

“Hmm?” He places his elbows on the table and leans his chin on his hands, watching her, amused.

“You called him Eugene. How do you know his name?”