Page 15 of The Alpha’s Promise (Alpha Doms #3)

He watched her return to him then, blinking and losing the faraway stare. Her eyes searched his face with curiosity and it was his turn to sound bitter. “I have some perfect brothers, too. I hate the motherfuckers.”

She laughed, sending relief flapping through his belly.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She shoved open her door and took the cake from her lap before they stepped out.

The darted glance she sent from under her lashes seemed shy, as if she hadn’t expected him to be a gentleman.

Well, why in the hell should she? He’d practically gone out of his way to shock her with his basest manners.

They climbed the stairs—apparently there was no elevator in the place—to the third floor.

The stained hallway walls and filthy laminate tile screamed volumes about the care the landlord took of the place.

Yeah, he didn’t keep his place spic and span, but that was because it was his and he didn’t care.

The houses he rented out or sold to others reflected the pride he took in restoring them, bringing them up to a higher code than people expected. That was what had made him successful.

Melissa knocked on one of the doors and shifted from foot to foot.

He dropped a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

Seeing this vulnerable side of her brought out furious protective instincts.

He wanted to repair every broken piece of her, sand down every surface of her life, to prevent her from ever getting another splinter.

And the urge terrified the shit out of him.

Mad lust for her he at least understood.

She was smoking hot, human or not. But this other instinct—the one that didn’t seem to understand they weren’t in a relationship, weren’t attached in any way, didn’t even like each other much—screamed mate.

Screamed it even louder than the urge to mark her.

The door swung open and a lanky, sullen teen with blue-tipped hair that hung in her eyes peered out. She scowled at Melissa, although he thought he saw a glimmer of interest at the cake.

“Margot, I’m so sorry I missed our date. My house got broken into and I had to move out and… things just went haywire.”

The girl stared over Melissa’s shoulder at him. “Who’s that?”

Melissa bit her lip. “This is Cody. He’s, uh…” She darted an uncertain glance in his direction.

“I’m her bodyguard,” he filled in. “Until we figure out who broke into her place and why.” Stick close to the truth when dealing with humans. That’s the way he’d always played it.

The teenager nodded, absorbing his position as if most people in her life walked around with beefy tattooed bodyguards. She looked down at the cake, then over her shoulder, where a television blared. A pair of feet hung off the edge of a ratty tartan couch. “You can’t come in right now.”

“That’s okay. I just wanted to bring this over.” Melissa handed her ‘little sister’ the cake, then took the gift card they’d picked up at the grocery store on the way over.

The teen switched the cake to one arm and reached for the gift card, finally cracking her first smile. “Thanks.”

“Hopefully we can meet next week.” She shot another glance at him. “But I’ll let you know either way. I have a new number—I’ll text it so you have it.”

Margot narrowed her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I’ll get it straightened out. I’m really sorry about yesterday.” Melissa gave the girl an awkward hug.

Margot stiffened under the hug and ducked her head, so Melissa pulled quickly away. After an awkward goodbye, the door shut and he eyed Melissa, trying to get a read on how she thought it had gone.

She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Thanks.”

Warmth seeped through his chest. It was just one word, but it shivered in the air between them, bare and exposed. She’d shown him her real self today—the one underneath the haughty exterior, and he didn’t take the honor lightly.

He hooked an arm around her waist and started to pull her toward him, when a scent caught his notice. Whirling, his eyes came to rest on the female pup from the mall.

Cody had been about to kiss her, but he stopped and turned. The girl they’d seen at the mall stood behind him, frozen, her green eyes wide.

“Hey.” Cody’s voice was kind—nothing like his usual gruff tones. “Where’s your mom?”

The girl sucked her lower lip into her mouth and didn’t answer.

“Will you tell her I’m here?”

Eyes still glued to Cody, she nodded and backed away from them, running to the end of the hall, where she pushed the last door open and disappeared inside.

Cody exchanged a look with her and set off down the hall, following. Melissa hurried to catch up, but then halted, wondering if she was intruding.

“Should I—? Maybe I’ll wait down in the truck?”

Cody stopped and frowned. “Not safe.” He held out his arm and when she arrived at his side, he tucked her in against him.

It seemed so natural, she almost forgot how strange it was to have the tension between them eased.

She knew she’d thrown him for a loop when she’d lost it back at his place, but forgetting Margot’s birthday had been unforgivable.

She’d worked for months just to get a rapport going with the girl, and to lose it all because she’d been so self-absorbed just killed her.

But Cody had been amazing. She really hadn’t expected him to comfort her or even to take her dilemma seriously. She definitely hadn’t expected him to help her fix things. Maybe she’d misjudged him.

They stood outside the apartment door, but Cody didn’t knock. Instead he leaned a shoulder against the wall, keeping her nestled against his other side.

The door opened as far as the chain lock would allow and the pale, gaunt face of the shifter female peered out. Her gaze swiveled from Cody to her and back to Cody. Her nostrils flared and Melissa knew she must be scenting them.

“Lived here long?” Cody asked when she didn’t speak.

She shook her head rapidly, causing her blond hair to fall in her eyes. “Just a few weeks. We’re new to town.”

Cody waited again, but she didn’t elaborate. When he spoke again, he adopted a tone she hadn’t heard from him before. It was slow, patient. Like he knew the female would spook if he showed too much aggression. “I’m Cody. This is my friend Melissa. We aren’t here to hurt you.”

The woman studied them both a moment longer, then, looking as if it was against her better judgement, slid the lock on the door and let it swing open. “Would you like to come in?” She sounded resigned, tired.

Melissa hid her shock as they stepped into the dingy apartment. There was no furniture in the tiny studio, save a single mattress with a quilt pulled over it. Both children sat on it, watching the newcomers.

“Are you the alpha?” the woman demanded. She sounded slightly bitter rather than submissive, but she didn’t meet Cody’s eye with any kind of challenge.

Cody nodded once and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Melissa marveled at how much less intimidating it made him look.

Rather than pulling the alpha domination bullshit he’d laid on her, he’d reeled it way in with this woman, which warmed Melissa to him even more.

Based on her pinched, nervous expression, the woman was already afraid enough.

She looked like a cornered animal. Which made her possibly dangerous, considering she had pups to protect.

“I’m not staying long,” she bit out. “That’s why I didn’t come to see you.” Her skin had a grayish, malnourished pallor and she was missing two teeth on the top.

Cody gave a nod, which could’ve meant anything. “Where are you from?”

Her shoulders rode closer to her ears. “Here and there.”

“Name?”

The woman hesitated. “Colleen.”

Cody pulled his hand out of his pocket and produced his wad of bills. Without unrolling them, he held them out to her. “Looks like you could use a little help getting on your feet, Colleen.”

She didn’t move to take the money. “I’m not joining your pack.” Though the words were bold, she kept her gaze lowered.

Without taking his gaze from her, he changed the angle of his hand to hold the money out to the children. The boy, who looked to be around ten, scampered forward without hesitation and took it.

Smart kid.

Cody produced a business card. The fact that he carried cards when he didn’t even use a wallet surprised her, but maybe it was for pack business. He handed it to Colleen. “Our full moon run is tomorrow in the Woodland Park area, up Highway 24.”

The children perked up, as if he had said they could go to an amusement park.

Cody smiled. “The pups are welcome, of course. There’s a cabin there you can use any time. Call or text me if you want directions.”

The woman took the card, uncertainty arresting her face. The children had risen from the bed and were crowding her, looking up with pleading expressions.

“Can we, Momma?” the girl asked.

Colleen’s lips pressed together.

“You know how to reach me now.” Cody’s words both acknowledged she hadn’t reached out to him and let her off the hook. He pointed to the card. “Use it if you need it.”

Her expression shuttered, but she tucked the card in the back pocket of her baggy jeans. “I appreciate you stopping by.” She stared at the floor as she delivered this nicety, which sounded like utter bologna.

Cody sauntered toward the door, then looked back at the children, who had been watching him avidly, and now lowered their gazes to match their mother’s. “I hope to see you Sunday. The mountain is beautiful.”

No one answered, but Cody had already opened the door, as if he hadn’t expected one. He let Melissa go first, his hand lightly resting at her lower back. So the guy did know how to be a gentleman, despite his Neanderthal act.

When they climbed in the truck, she said, “That was nice of you.”

Cody stared at the steering wheel, looking grave. “Haven’t had to deal with anything like that before.”

“Like what?” She spoke softly, not wanting to knock him out of this uncharacteristic openness.

“Domestic abuse. I’m guessing she’s hiding from whoever knocked those teeth out.”

Melissa flinched to hear it spoken out loud, but she knew immediately Cody must be right.

She studied his face, seeing him through a different filter.

Cody as alpha—not just the guy who asserted his dominance sexually, but the one in charge of his pack.

He seemed terribly capable. Dangerous, but not in the bad boy way, more in the protective way.

“You can… you’ll protect her, right?”

His beautiful gray eyes stared back at hers, expression inscrutable.

Shit. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked about pack business.

But jeez. She hoped he would help that woman.

He rubbed his face. “If she asks for my protection, it’s hers.

You’ll notice she didn’t ask. She might be afraid she can’t trust me—that I’ll rat her out to her mate, whoever the abusive asshole might be, or she might not think I have enough power behind me to protect her. ”

He started the truck and pulled away from the curb. “You shouldn’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m a fucking hero. Because I’m not. And I like that look on you too damn much.”

Her breath hitched. Cody wasn’t looking at her, but the energy between them sparked.

He was a hero, though. He’d signed up to put his life before hers, without ever having seen her. And now he was ready to protect this other woman, who he didn’t even know.

Unable to think of anything to say, she kept her mouth shut, ignoring the buzzing traveling through her body just at the nearness of Cody.