Desperate Times

RHEA

Mr Sexy stared at me like I'd gone insane. His lips suddenly curved into a dark smile that sent chills crawling down my spine in a good way. He grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. Then, he whispered into my ear. 

"Last time I checked, you stole from me. It's only fair if I take what belongs to you." 

I gulped nervously as I blinked at him. His eyes...they have a way of making me feel all kinds of things. They made my heart flutter in my chest and they also made me want to hightail it out of the freaking bar. At the moment, running far away from him seemed to be a great idea. Still, I needed my necklace. It was a family heirloom. I couldn't just leave him with it. He could suddenly turn into a frog overnight. Dreadful boils might appear on his body, overnight. Okay, that was a little bit of an exaggeration. I guess I don't like to be the victim of theft. 

If only I hadn't been stupid and careless enough to have forgotten my most prized possession with Mr Sexy.

Someone walked in and that someone, was the man whom I suspected to be the beta of Mr Sexy's pack. His green eyes were cold and his face was expressionless. Rich golden brown curls sat on his head, a single strand falling over his forehead. He was wearing a white T-shirt, black ripped jeans and brown timberlands. When his gaze met mine, the corner of his lips twitched, his eyes darkening.

"What do we have here?" He said when he finally got to us. "Are you here to return what you stole?" He asked and I clenched my fists, frustrated. 

"Can I talk to you outside, for a sec?" I said through gritted teeth. Both men stared at me so intensely, I started to feel really hot. 

"The both of us?" Mr Green eyes said. 

"No. Just..." 

Mr Sexy raised a dark brow, amusement swimming in his eyes. "Who?"

They seemed to be enjoying my discomfort.

"Mr Sexy" I said through gritted teeth. Both men stared at me, trying to hold back their laughter. 

"Just get up already. You know yourself" I mumbled and Mr Sexy rose to his feet. I was reminded of how tall he was. To be honest, he was my ideal type, and that was what made this situation a dangerous one.

We made it outside the bar and Mr Sexy leaned against the wall, one foot planted on the wall. 

"Where is the necklace you stole?" He demanded and I huffed in frustration. 

"I..."

"The credit card as well"

My eyes widened in surprise.

"What? I think you're mistaken. I didn't steal a credit card, I swear"

"Yeah, right. Hand it over. It belongs to the woman who lent you her clothes. Hand over the necklace as well"

My frustration was growing. Trust me, it wasn't a good feeling. I had nowhere to go. The credit card was pretty much all I had at this point. 

I parted my lips to say something, but the look in his eyes, told me he didn't want to hear it. 

So, I took out the necklace from the small bag I'd bought. It was a silver necklace with the initials 'J.S'. He slid it into the pocket of his jeans and held out a hand. I hesitantly took out the credit card and put it in his hand. He took out my lotus necklace and handed it to me. Once he turned away, my anxiety skyrocketed.

"Wait!" I cried out, not stopping to think. Mr Sexy spun around, an inaudible question flashing in his eyes.

"What is it?" He questioned with a tone of impatience. 

"I have nowhere to go. I have no money and I am utterly helpless. Would you be so kind to let me stay with you until I can recover from my loss?" I asked and he stared at me for a moment, an unreadable look in his eyes. I could see the wheels of his brain spinning, and I hoped he would give me a positive response. 

"No," he droned. 

"What?! Why not?! Please, help me. I swear, I'm telling the truth"

"I know you're telling the truth. But, I can't help you. If you didn't notice it last night, the pack house is not somewhere a human would want to live in. Trust me, you don't want to live there" he emphasized.

"I don't mind staying in the storage room. I won't steal anything, I swear. I'll do anything. Just let me come with you"

"You barely know me."

"Reading people is one of my skills. I know you won't hurt me." 

I was desperate now and whatever rubbish I was spewing out of my mouth was uncalculated. I just needed food and a roof over my head. 

Mr Sexy stared at me for a moment. He seemed to be having an internal battle within himself. 

"Fine. Come with me"

I followed him out of the alley. Then, we made our way towards a sleek black BMW. "Where are we going?" I questioned as I slipped on my seatbelt.

"My house."

....

I stared at the building standing in front of me, impressed. The house was huge and there was a beautiful garden in the compound, as well as a swimming pool. The architectural design of the house was jaw dropping. 

"So, this is your personal house?" I asked and he gave me a strange look. 

"My Beta and Delta sometimes come here to stay" he uttered.

My eyes went wide.

If he wasn't a Beta, Gamma or Delta, he was definitely the Alpha. How did I miss that? Everything about him screamed Alpha. 

He led me into the house and took me to the basement of the house. I was in no position to complain. The basement was clean and nice. It had a small bathroom which was okay if you ask me.

There was a bed, a TV, a table and a chair as well as an Xbox in it. So far, it seemed comfy. 

"Thank you so much, Mr..."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Jaden Blackwood" 

"Nice to meet you, Mr Blackwood. My name's Rhea Stone" 

He nodded slowly. 

I'd told him my real name

It was the first time I wasn't using an alias. He'd given me a place to stay, I owed him that much honesty.

"While you stay here, you have to be careful. It's for your own safety. By midnight tonight, rut season begins. Do you know what that means?" He asked and I frowned. 

"No, I don't."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated.

"I thought you know a lot about werewolves."

"Yeah, I do know a lot about werewolves. But, I don't know everything," I retorted.

"Right. Rut season is when a male werewolf feels a strong urge to have sexual intercourse."

"Oh. I thought that was an alpha thing."

"It used to be. Alphas, Betas, Deltas and Gammas who are males all go through this. They usually mate with Omegas."

"Where does the Luna come in?" I asked and he frowned.

"A Luna is the helper and soulmate of the Alpha of any pack," he told me, a gruff expression on his handsome face. I could see the pain in his eyes. This made me think about the fact that he might have lost his Luna. I didn't want to dig up old memories or open up old scars, so I let it slide. 

"I get it. I will remain in here until when it's safe for me to come out," I said and he nodded. 

"It usually lasts for a week."

"I'll stay in here for two weeks," I stated and he stared at me with his captivating eyes again. I couldn't do anything but stare. He was certainly a beautiful creature, one who seemed to awaken my inner Belle every time. His sexual appeal was so strong. 

"Stop it, Rhea! He's totally off limits! Get your mind out of the gutter!" I mentally reprimanded myself. 

As if he'd heard me mentally scream at myself, he suddenly stormed out of the basement, leaving me to gawk at the stairs he'd just ascended. 

I was prepared to stay down the basement just like he'd told me to. But, you see, I'm like a magnet to trouble. No matter what I do, it always comes knocking. 

...

JADEN

"You took her to your house? You mean, she's right here in this house?" Trisha said, her eyes wide. I clenched my fists, not liking the tone of her voice. She lowered her gaze when she saw the look in my eyes.

"I apologise, Alpha" she said, through the mindlink.

"I know it sounds like risky business. I'm being careful this time," I said, emptying my glass of cocktail. 

"I understand, Jaden. That woman is someone you can't say no to. No matter how hard you try. She has a certain charm that you lack, Trisha" Klaus said to Trisha who scowled at him. 

"Let's face it, Klaus has a point there" Darryl shrugged and Trisha chucked a folded piece of paper at him. 

"She's just a human girl--"

"Incorrect, Trisha. We don't actually know what she is, yet," Darryl stated and her scowl deepened. 

"So, where is she now?" Klaus asked. 

"In the basement," I responded. 

"Okay. She'll be safe down there, if she follows your instructions."

"I hope she does."

"Uh- excuse me?" 

We all turned at the sound of Rhea's voice. 

"I'm sorry to bother you. But, where can I get tampons?"