TWO

~Abella 

I didn’t leave my house for a few days. 

What Cian said to me plagued me. I’ve always been a rather anxious person, only doing things I know I’m comfortable with, living through my outgoing friend, Sam. My apartment is the one place where I feel the most safe, so I keep myself here when things aren’t going right. And to say the least, nothing is going right at this point. 

“What is going on? Two guys stalking me in one week? No one has ever looked twice at me before, so what’s changed?” I complain, holding the phone to my ear. I haven’t allowed Sam to come in, since that means unlocking my door. So the phone will have to suffice.

“I personally think you’re being over dramatic,” she comments. “I mean, maybe you heard him wrong? He was probably just looking for your number.”

You can run all your like Abella. I’ll always find you.

“I’m not being over dramatic. Trust me, the guys a total creep, and I hope I never see him again,” I mutter. Getting up from my seat, I wander over to the window. Pulling back the curtain, I look at all the other apartment buildings, lights off, curfew in full effect. Everyone is leading the perfect lives promised to us here in the Harmony Pack. 

“You have work tomorrow. Promise me you’ll go,” Sam says softly. My weekend is over, meaning I’ll have to step foot outside of this apartment and live my life. I’ll have to set aside more of my savings money for taxi rides home from work every night. 

Closing my curtain again, I sigh deeply, walking into my bathroom to turn the shower on, balancing my phone between my ear and shoulder. “Yes I will. Okay?”

We say our goodbyes promptly. 

Going to work the next morning wasn’t as difficult as I assumed it would be. Through the taxi window, I didn’t see no golden hair man with a flashing gaze. It was a welcome reprieve to be in the back of the mail room, sorting through mail that isn’t for me, but for wealthier people living better lives.

Jeffery, the mail delivery guy pops his head into the room around noon. He has a painted look of excitement on his face that unmistakable. “Abella. I have some big news that I think you would be interested in finding out about.”

I pause my sorting, looking up at him. Jeffery and I have never really spoken much. So him coming into this room calling for my attention is strange. 

“What’s so interesting?”

“We’ve been asked to hand deliver a package to the Alpha’s estate. It has been requested that you come along with me also to ensure it is delivered safely, and promptly,” he tells me. I almost drop the package I was holding, unsure if I heard him right. Jeffery is old, so maybe his hearing isn’t the best. 

Jeffery walks into the room, holding something. It’s a small, matte black box with a emerald green ribbon tied around it. He holds it as if he is the most delicate, expensive things he has ever touch. If he is right in it being for the Alpha, then he is probably right. 

“Are you sure? We have had things being sent to the palace all the time,” I comment. It is usually given to a worker there, and from that point I assume it’s given to the Alpha. 

“No, I received a call that requested this be hand delivered. By you.”

Blinking a few times, I try to wrap my head around that concept. It doesn’t seem right, considering the fact that I doubt anyone even close to the palace knows I exist. We may be the only post shop in this small town, but it’s one of many in the Harmony Pack. Why would he chose this one, and why would he decide for me to go?

“You must come, no excuses. The regional manager requests it, alone with, well, Alpha Noah. I’ll see you here tomorrow at 5 AM. Don’t be late,” Jeffery tells me, before he rushes back out the door. He has a job to do too. 

I just stand here, dumbfounded. This is either a joke put together by my co-workers who want to wake me up extra early. 

Either way, I’m going to have to go if I want to keep my job. 

In my head on the way home from work, I ran over my job for tomorrow, considering what it might entail. What if I get to meet Alpha Noah? We are delivering it right to him, although I doubt he will have time to deal with us. I’m shamefully excited to see his estate, and the lavish lifestyle he must lead.

“Thank you,” I murmur to the taxi driver, slipping a few cash on the centre console of his car before getting out onto the street. The brisk air blows against my arms. I should have grabbed a jacket on the way out of work. 

Someone holds the apartment complex door open for me, which I thank him gently. I take a few steps in, before I realise something is off. I turn around. 

It’s Cian, standing inside my apartment complex.  

Part of me wanted to scream, but the other part knew he would silence me the moment I did. He stands there, a soft, slight smile on his face. That strange, golden strand hair glistens under the dull lights before it fades into the shadows of his tunic. Unnervingly, I see the outline of toned muscles under the shirt. Those could hurt me. 

“Good evening, Abella, he comments. My heart rate accelerates to unhealthy levels, my feet stepping behind me, one at a time. What is he doing here? He truly is a stalker, finding me here, where I live. Where I thought I was safe…

“Get away from me,” I growl. He follows me, hands shoved casually in his pants as if all is well and right in the world. He has something seriously wrong with him. 

“I’m not here to hurt you.”

There is no way I’m going to believe him. He may approach me calmly, looking like a friend who wants to have a chat, however, I know better. Who is he, and where did he come from? These are all questions I want to know, but am too scared to ask. I have a feeling the answers aren’t what I want to hear. 

“Why are you stalking me? These cameras will pick up your face and the authorities will find you, I promise you,” I tell him. We still walk down the hallway, elevators passing us by that I consider diving into. I’m running out of room, the wall coming up behind me.

“Stop running, and I’ll stop chasing,” he tells me softly, biting the edge of his lip. “It’s that simple, my love.”

I wish he would stop calling me that. My love. 

“Tell me what you want with me? Do you want to kill me?” I question, my gaze fluttering up to the camera’s littering the ceiling. It’s debatable how many of those cameras work, but at least one must be catching this. “I promise I have no money. Like no money at all… Not that you look like you need money.”

Looking at him, his fingers are littering with simple, silver band rings that I would assume are worth more than my entire years wages on one hand. He has come from wealth, clearly, which confuses me all the more. Why am I interesting to him?

“Your money doesn’t interest me. The lack thereof does. Do you need help?” he asks me. I furrow my brow at him, but shake my head. 

“That’s beside the point. Why are you here?”

“Why don’t we go out for dinner one night? In a public place until you feel safe. I didn’t mean to scare you, you’re just so beautiful, I had to get to know you,” he tells me earnestly. I’m not sure how truthful he is being, however, his explanation does make me feel a lot better. Maybe he isn’t just a creepy stalker.

I release some tension from my chest with a breath. “I’m not interested in getting to know anyone yet. I’m so busy with work, and if all goes well I might be getting a promotion soon, so I’m sorry.”

A muscle in Cian’s jaw flinches, but thankfully, he nods, taking a few steps back to give me space. It’s a relief, considering I thought he was going to follow me all the way to my apartment. 

“Good luck with your job then,” he says gently. 

He turns to leave, however, I find myself calling to stop him, as if him accepting my rejection so simply bothered me. Plus, I have one more question that I must ask before he disappears forever. 

“Are you from the Desire Pack. You look foreign...Almost,” I say. Cian turns back to look at me. He takes a suspiciously long time to answer. 

“Something like that,” he breathes. 

I watch him walk away, ensuring that he is actually leaving before I return to my apartment. I feel less stressed, as if I’ve gotten rid of a plague in my life. Once I reach my apartment door, I even crack a smile, until I kick something by my door. It’s a black duffle bag with golden handles. Looking around, I notice no one is around. 

Immediately, I know who did this. Cian. 

Unlocking my door, I drag the bag into the apartment. It’s unbelievable heavy, leaving me with no other choice but to pull it along the ground rather than pick it up. It drifts into my mind that I might be unzipping a bag that has a dead body in it. It doesn’t smell though, so curiously, I sit down and tug the zipper open. 

I go slowly at first, part by part, until it pulls back, revealing something green within. Fully pulling it open, I reveal something frankly mortifying. 

Money. And a lot of it. 

Plucking a note that sits innocently inside, I look at it. 

My love,

I know this is unexpected, but it has occured to me you have money problems, and rent is due. Please accept this, as I don’t doubt you need it. 

Also, I hope you’ll meet me tomorrow night for dinner. I’ll be waiting for you outside your apartment. 

You are truly beautiful.

Cian.