Leah

It had been a week since Alex's memorable dinner date. I was remembering it so often it was like a continuous loop in my head. A dirty loop that I couldn't think about around other people because according to Alex, people could smell what I was thinking about. Alex had been very busy since, but he always made sure to eat breakfast with me and was in bed before I was asleep. He seemed a little stressed, but didn't talk much about it. I tried to spend time in his office when I could. I thought it would annoy him but he said it helped him to relax.

He's so sweet.

I was staying busy, helping out in the pack. Penny was quickly becoming one of my new best friends and Jon always bugged me to do things like watch movies or binge tv shows with him. I think he liked the human world almost as much as the werewolf world. I was on my way to see Penny when I heard a throat clear from behind me. I turned to look and a beautiful she wolf with long, shiny brown hair, legs that went on for miles and a perfect figure smiled at me, but it didn't hold any of the warmth I was used to.

"Oh look. It's our little pet human." She says with a humorless laugh. I furrow my brows in confusion, but decide to shrug off the insult.

"I'm Leah. Nice to meet you." I say and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm Justine." She says and I nod. "It's nice to finally see the woman that has our Alpha all tied up in knots. I have to admit you're a little... underwhelming." She says nastily and I feel myself blush, but square my shoulders.

"Well, lucky for me I don't give a shit what you think." I say and she laughs at me.

"Such sharp claws. Like a little kitten. A kitten doesn't stand a chance against a wolf though, does she? Just a word to the wise, enjoy your time as the Alpha's plaything. It doesn't last forever. I should know." She says, looking away sadly. Confusion and suspicion burrow into my mind at her words.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, less venom in my tone. She sighs before looking back at me.

"Not long after his mate died, the Alpha took a liking to me as well. I never found my mate, I assume he was killed at some point. The Alpha spoiled me, took care of me. I thought we were on our way to being choice mates. But then all of a sudden he got bored with me. Stop spending time with me. It was like I never existed. I was devestated." She finishes her story and nausea creeps up my throat.

"I just didn't want the same thing to happen to you that happened to me." She says sadly.

This is exactly what I was worried about in pursuing things with Alex. That he would get bored, change his mind, or decide that I wasn't good enough for him. Why would someone like him want me anyway? He's beautiful, absolute perfection. But on top of that he's kind, sweet, thoughtful and loyal. I could never be so lucky. I take a deep breath and start to walk away.

"Thanks for warning me." I say to Justine, who nods and walks away, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

I mind link Penny that I'm not feeling well and decide to go to my room to digest this new information. I'm not sure what to do or what to believe. Alex has never given me a reason not to trust him, or to doubt his feelings for me. But it just doesn't make any sense. He and I together, it's not a good idea. I'm just a human and he's a powerful werewolf. He should have a strong she wolf at his side. One that can help him protect the pack, build it and make it stronger.

The realization causes pain to shoot through me and my eyes to fill with tears, because I know it's true. But he's the first person to show me kindness. To be generous and warm. To make me feel loved. And that's what he did. He made me love him.

The first sob breaks just as I hear heavy footsteps walking down the hall and stop at my door. It creaks open slowly and Alex peeks his head in.

"Leah? Are you ok? Penny said you weren't feeling well." He asks. When he sees me crying his eyes widen in surprise and he crosses the room quickly, sitting next to me on the bed.

"Is it your period again? Do you need some chocolate?" He asks, tucking my hair behind my ear. I shake my head and pull away from him, trying to stem the flow of tears.

"What's wrong, little one?" He asks quietly and my resolve breaks, tears fall freely down my face and he reaches up to wipe them away, but I push him away gently, in case what that woman said is true. I will need to learn to find comfort elsewhere if I can't rely on him for it.

"Please, Leah. Just talk to me." He begs and I heave a few deep breaths, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

"A woman stopped me today. Justine." I say and he snarls a little at her name, surprising me.

"What did she say?" He asks, his face hard. All of the concern and emotion from before melts away making me scared to tell him. He must sense that because he takes a deep breath and runs his fingers through my hair.

"Please, just tell me what she said." I take a few more deep breaths and nod.

"She said that after your mate died, you and her were together. That you liked her and she thought you were going to be choice mates. But that you just played with her feelings and dropped her when you were bored. And that you'd do the same to me." I finish quietly, unable to meet his eyes.

He growls loudly, so loud I feel it reverberate through my body. He snatches me from under the covers and hauls me to his chest, making me grunt at the impact. He breathes in my scent, his arms held tightly around me. I'm not sure what to do, so I sit quietly while he composes himself.

"She lied." He says after a long while.

"About what?" I ask and he scoffs.

"All of it." He says, and I look up at him. His jaw is clenched and his eyes are firm, a storm of anger swirling in their depths.

"You're scaring me a little." I tell him and he takes a few deep breaths before loosing his grip.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean too. I'm just very angry that she lied to you like that. That she made you doubt my intentions." I nod and reach up to run my hand along his cheek. He closes his eyes and leans into my touch, some of the tension releases from his body.

"Why would she say those things?" I ask.

"She's jealous." He says, opening his eyes to look at me.

"Of me?" I ask incredulously and he nods, a small smile breaking out over his face.

"I'm quite the catch. Most women would be." He says and I scoff before smacking his chest playfully. He chuckles a little before sighing, his eyes turning sad.

"After Julie died, I had no interest in women. None. Until you. Some women didn't believe that and tried to get themselves into my good graces. Justine was the most... aggressive of them all. I walked into my room one night to find her naked in my bed." My mouth drops at that. How desperate do you have to be?

"I never showed any interest in her. I did not lead her on. I was honest and firm from the start. We never spent time together like you and I. All she wanted was to be Luna. That much was obvious. She was always rude and catty to Julie as well. I probably should have warned you about her, but it's been nearly a decade since I've had issues with her. I thought she was over it by now, but apparently not. I'll have words with her. She had no right to tell you those things. To upset you. To make you cry." He says harshly, tightening his grip again.

I wrap my arms around him and tuck my face into his neck like he always does to me. We sit quietly again for awhile and I soak up his closeness. He's been so busy these quiet moments, just the two of us, have been hard to find. I peek my eyes up at him and he smiles at me affectionately before he speaks.

"Why were you crying?" He asks gently and I sigh.

"I was just thinking... that I'm not good enough for you. That you should have a strong she wolf as your mate. Not some little human who can't do much more than clear a virus off of a computer." I say, avoiding his eyes.

"Leah." He growls a little. "How many times have I told you? You do so much for this pack. You have brought us together. You make us laugh, you remind us to stop and enjoy the little things. And you've made my life so much better. I look forward to every day again. You make me smile, you make my world so much brighter, little one." He says firmly and I feel my eyes begin to brim with tears again, but for a different reason this time.

"Really?" I ask and he nods with a small smile. "So you're not going to get tired of me?" I ask a little teasingly. He shakes his head before sighing heavily and pressing his forehead against mine.

"Really Leah? Do you not see it?" He asks and I look at him confused.

"See what?"

"How much I love you."