Chapter 15 - Breakfast

***Hopes pov***

I open my eyes, close them, and open them again.
The light in the room is weird. I feel so sleepy I close my eyes again. Maybe just a few more minutes. This pillow feels amazing, so fluffy.
What was that? Snoring? I lay still listening. Yup, definitely snoring. My eyes flung open and I sit up. This is not my pillow, not my bed, not my room! My heart is pounding in my chest. I’m still dressed, that’s a good thing. I look around, its a really big room. Curtains cover the tall windows and dim the light in the room, making it difficult to distinguish the details. I rub my eyes and try again. There are four doors, I’m guessing one leads to a bathroom. God, please let it be a bathroom, one probably leads out of the room, next one a closet maybe? I dont have a clue about the last one. My eyes keep wandering. A large bookshelf, a small table with four tall chairs around it, I guess that comes in handy when you have a visitor and don’t want to leave your bedroom, I blush a little, shaking my head and moving on. Two armchairs, a coffee table, a couch and the source of the snoring sound. My eyes widens. I look at the sleeping man on the couch, he is lying on his chest, resting his head on his arms, nothing but sweatpants on, his muscular back on full display. While I sit there watching and admiring him, he turns on his back, showing his broad chest, a solid six, no eight pack, and..my cheeks heated as I se the big bulge in his pants. He is still sleeping, and then I recognize him. It’s my sidekick from yesterday, I almost smile before I start to panic. Yesterday, what happened yesterday? Was it even yesterday? I search my mind, trying to remember.
I met this man by the wolves, he helped me get in. We then helped the Alpha female deliver the pups. Oh, the pups! Five of them! How did I do that? I know nothing about that stuff. I remember feeling strong, at the same time I was feeling the alpha female like we were one and the same. I rub my face, this is so weird. I had my hand in a wolf and helped five new fur balls in to the world. I smile at the memory.
Then what? I can’t remember anything after that. I was exhausted. Did I pass out? Did he bring me here? Why? For how long was I out? I look around in search of my bag. I find it on the floor next to the bed. Digging around, I feel my phone and pull it out. Shit, it’s dead. A clock. There must be a clock somewhere. I scan the walls, the nightstands and all places that would fit any kind of timepiece, but there is nothing. What kind of person doesn’t need to tell time? As if on cue, an alarm play and I freeze. I see the light from a display on the floor beside the couch, the man’s phone, I guess. It plays a melody, stops only to start again a little louder. He doesn’t wake up.
How can he sleep through that sound? I pick a pillow off the bed and throw it at him, and regret it immediately. What if he gets mad? What if he is some kind of psycho who brought me here to rape and kill me? Would he leave my clothes on and tuck me in if he was? The pillow lands on his face and I hear him groan. It’s the sexiest sound Ive ever heard and I feel a tingle in my lower belly. What? What am I thinking? Whats wrong with me? Without removing the pillow on his face he reach out and search for his phone, finds it and turns off the alarm. He lays there for a few seconds before he rapidly sits up and looks at me, eyes wide and awake. I get a little startled and press myself against the headboard of the bed. This is it. This is how I die. I can just see the headlines and the flyers with my face on it. Missing, have you seen her? Call this number.
“Hey you..” I hear his voice say. I look at him, a careful smile on his face.
“Hey yourself..” I answer, a bit uneasy.
“How are you feeling?” He ask.
“Confused I guess. Where am I?” I start to relax a little.
“You are at my place. I brought you here after you passed out, I couldn’t get you to wake up but you didnt seem sick or anything, you were just sleeping and I dont know where you live and I did not feel like leaving you with the staff at the zoo, who looked very confused seeing me carrying you around by the way so I brought you here. It may seem like a weird move, and it probably was. Sorry about that.” He answers before taking a deep breath to replace all the oxygen he just wasted.
“Oh..” I really don’t know how to respond to that.
“Yeah..so that’s that” He says., wiping his hands on his thighs. Obviously as uncomfortable as me. We sit like that for a few minutes, not knowing what to say.

“Wait, did you throw a pillow at me?” a little smile playing in the corner of his mouth.
“Yes..” I say cautiously
He takes the pillow and stands up, walking towards me, he’s eyes never leaving mine. He moves slowly and the air thickens with tension.
“Why?” He ask, he’s voice low.
“The alarm, you didnt wake up,” I answer, holding my eyes locked on his so they don’t wander down over his naked chest. Which I am very aware of, by the way.
He stops in front of me, puts a hand on my shoulder, and makes me lean forward and then put the pillow behind my back.
“Sorry about that, I’m usually an easy sleeper but it was a long night.” He smirks and head for what I assume is the bathroom.
There is a knock on the door and someone turns the door handle, trying to open it, but its locked. Do I open it? Do I wait for him to finish in the bathroom and let him open it?
Another knock
“Alpha, I have your breakfast,” I hear a woman’s voice sing out. He has a woman? Is that why he locked the door? To hide me from her? And what kind of name is Alpha?
I feel a string of jealousy in my chest. But why would I be jealous? I don’t know this man.
Alpha comes out of the bathroom and head for the door.
Shouldn’t he tell me to hide? I’m in his bed!

He opens the door and a woman, maybe fifty years old comes in. She puts a tray on the small dinnertable and walks right back out, doesn’t even spare me a glance.
“Thank you, Greta” The man closes the door behind her.
Ok, so he’s got his own staff. I should have known he was a wealthy guy with a bedroom as big as my apartment.
“Are you hungry?” He asked
“Huh? Yeah, I guess” I said when he snapped me out of my thoughts.
I climb out of the bed and get on my feet, just to sit right back down. The room was spinning.
“Hey, are you ok?” He rushes over to me. “Dont pass out on me again, please” He says, and he actually looks and sounds concerned. I felt a ping in my heart. Stop it! I think to my self and clear my throat.
“ I’m fine, I’m ok, just a little lightheaded, I guess” I answer, trying to sound convincing.
“Is that the bathroom?” I point to the door he came out of just a few minutes ago.
“Yes it is” he says, taking my hand in his, helping me stand up.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m exhausted or because he’s holding my hand, but the room is still rocking. I squeeze his hand, silently telling him not to let go. He puts his other hand at the small of my back and slowly leads me to the bathroom. When we reach the toilet, he lifts the seat cover and I stop him.
“I got it from here, thank you” My face turning pink.
“Are you sure?” He carefully lets go of my hand, watching me so I dont fall.
“Yeah, I’m sure, I feel much better,” I say, urging him to leave the bathroom.
“Ok, good! Can I ask you not to lock the door? I would hate to break it down if you pass out, I promise not to come in if you dont!” He gives me a smile.
“Ok, fine, just get out so I can..just get out please” I plead.
He barks out a laugh and leave, closing the door behind him.
I sit down and look around. Who is this guy? This bathroom is fit for a king! Large tiles of polished gray marble on both the floor and on the walls. A jacuzzi that could easily fit four people, a wall to wall shower screen in front of two showers integrated into the wall. A waterfall shower head in the ceiling. A big double sink on top of a base cabinet, all in white.
I stand by the sink in front of the mirror. I’m relieved to see that even though I feel like Ive been awake for a week, I look rested. In need of a shower maybe, but rested all the same. I splash some water in my face and rinse my mouth, I could really need a toothbrush.
“Are you ok in there?” I hear Alpha call from the bedroom.
I dry my face on a towel next to the sink and walk out.
“I’m fine, mutch better thank you.” I give him a smile.
For a few seconds, he just looks at me before snapping out of it. What was that about?
“Good, come, eat!” he motions to the table and the plates.
I sit down on the opposite side from him, my stomach growls at the sight of the food, It feels like I havent eaten in a week, and I feel my face blush, but he doesn’t seem to notice. There are eggs, bacon, bread, cheese, juice, fruits and coffee. Coffee!! My mouth watering at the sight. I start stuffing my face, totally forgetting both my manners and my company. I eat bacon, put egg on a bread bun, eat that too, drink two cups of coffee, moan as the caffeine works through my veins. I dig in to the cheese and fruits. I close my eyes as I feel the juicy flesh of a strawberry in my mouth when I bit it in half and savoring the taste.
As I lick the grease off my fingers, it occurs to me that the man hasn’t made a sound during our breakfast together, so I look up.
Is he angry? His blue eyes are darker than normal. He has his jaw clenched together and I can see the twitch of his tense jaw muscle, and if he doesn’t put the fork down, he’s going to bend it. Shit! Did I eat to mutch?
I slowly pull out the finger that is still in my mouth, lick my lips and swallow hard.
His dark eyes follow my every move.
“I’m sorry”. I say, not really sure what I am apologizing for, the food was there, he told me to eat.
He is not moving.
“Alpha?” I say, trying to get a reaction.
“Huh?” That was the reaction I got.
“I said I’m sorry. I didn`t mean to overindulge. I guess I was hungrier than I thought I was”… a nervous smile on my face.
He finally snap out of it.
“Why did you call me Alpha?” the question surprises me.
“Thats your name, right? I heard the woman say your name.
As realisation hits him, he smiles.
“Callum, my name is Callum and you can eat as much as you want” He keeps smiling while putting his coffee mug to his lips. God, that’s a sexy smile.
“Do you know what time it is” I ask
He looks at his phone
“Its 8 pm,” He answer and put the phone back on the table.
“8 pm?!” “Shit, I start work in thirty minutes!” I shout out.
“I got to go!” I say wile I’m looking for my things. Then I realize, I don’t know where I am.
“Where am I?” “Am I still in the city?” I turn and look at Callum, because apparently that’s his name.
“Hope, please sit back down. I need to tell you something,” He says in a calm voice.
I frown but do as he ask.
“Ok, dont freak out, please”” He starts, makes me feel like freaking out.
“You are not in the city..I live outside the city” He says.
Ok, that wasn’t so bad I think.
“Can you drive me?” I ask
“Well, I could, but the thing is, I dont live outside your city, I live outside Great Falls and you have been out for five days, I answered some texts saying you had the flu…” He says.
“Five days??? Great Falls?” “Thats almost four hours away!” I shout, freaking out. I stand up and start pacing the room. What was this? Five days and I am not a vegetable??..
“What were you thinking?” “ You can’t just take someone and drive them four hours from their home and keep them for days without consent!” I scream, losing my mind.
Callum is standing up, holding his hands up and is just about to say something as we hear a soft knock on the door. He runs his hands through his hair before answering.
“Come in”
The door opens and a little boy comes in, behind him a little girl is hiding.
“I’m sorry Alpha, I didn`t want to bother you but she keeps nagging me about it, she really wants to she you.” The boy stutter. The little girl peeks out from behind him, looking up at Callum.
“Thomas, Anna!” he calls out and the little girl runs and jumps up in his arms hugging him.
“I missed you guys! Is everything ok? Do you like your room?” he ask them.
My nerves calm down at the sight, and I sit down.
He hugs the girl and ruffles the boy’s hair, listening to them telling him about their room that has its own bathroom, and about all the Rocky Road they’ve been eating and the football game the other children showed them. He laughs loud and from the heart, enjoying their company. After a while the woman from earlier, Greta, shows up.
“There you are. Ive been looking for the two of you.” She says with a warm motherly voice.
“Now come on, lets not disturb the Alpha” She takes the girl from Callum.
“I'll come see your room later” he promised them. “And Thomas, dont ever be sorry for wanting to se me, you two are my favorite people” he winks at the boy
“Who’s she?” the little girl asked, pointing at me with a little pout on her cute lips.
Callum looked at me, his beautiful deep blue gaze burned through the last of my anger and I couldn’t look away. With his eyes still locked on mine, he answered the girl.
“This is Hope. She’s sort of a new friend”
We stayed like that after Greta left with the children. Looking at eachother. Finaly I broke the silence.
“Do you have a charger?” I ask
“A charger?” He seemed startled, being forced out of our silent eye contact.
“Yes, I need to charge my phone so I can let my boss know that I still won’t be coming in for work,” I said
He pointed to a cord on the bookshelf and I plugged my phone in.
After a few minutes I sent a text to my manager at the daycare center, telling a lie about still being sick. I then sent one to Maya, telling her not to worry, as I know she will, slipped in a lie that my phone was out of battery but I was to sick to care.
I walked over to the couch and sat down. As I took one pillow to hug in my knee I notice it smelled like Callum and I took a deep breath, enjoying it.
“Your name is Callum right?” I said, not waiting for an answer. “Why do they call you Alpha?” I asked looking up at him.
A smile tugs at the end of his lips, and he comes and sits beside me.
“Callum is my name, Alpha is what I am” He says, turning so he is facing me.
“What you are?” An Alpha? Like in, an alpha male? I laugh at the thought looking at him for answers.
“What do you know about werewolves?” He ask and I’m not laughing anymore.