The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper novel Chapter 4

I finish out my school day and head for my locker. Jason is my ride today, as we take turns driving to school. This is his week. I’m rearranging my books to take home what I need for my homework when a shadow falls over my locker. I look up into the glacial blue eyes of Alpha Rik. Great! What does my future alpha want? 

I reign in my impatience and aggravation. No use pissing off the one I’ll most likely be bound to for my entire life. 

I take a deep breath, “Alpha, how can I help you?” Personally, I think I did a great job of acting uninterested while still being polite. 

“Hey there beautiful, I don’t believe I’ve seen you around before.” Seriously? This is his opening line? Like we haven’t gone to the same schools our ENTIRE lives? 

I put on my best fake smile, “I guess you haven’t. It’s a bit hard to see past all of your adoring fans.” I close my locker and lean my shoulder against it, facing him. I decide to have a little fun and bat my eyes. “You ARE an alpha right?” I ask, making sure to give him my best wide-eyed, star-struck look. 

“I am sweetheart, but don’t let my aura intimidate you. I hear it can be a bit overwhelming.” Wow! This guy certainly thinks highly of himself. Even Artemis snorts in my head. The joke’s on him. Guardians are completely immune to the Alpha aura or command. My father says it’s because, in the past, alphas started to care too much for their guardians so they would command them to stand down in a fight allowing their Alpha to be injured or even killed. Over time, the Alpha command no longer worked on us. I guess I won’t ever have to worry about that with this alpha, not like he even knows who I am or appreciates my family’s sacrifice. 

And while I can feel Rik’s aura, it washes right over me. But I have no intention of letting this douchebag know who or what I am. 

“Oh wow”, I bring my hand up to my heart as if I’m trying to hold my palpitations at bay, “It’s really nice to meet you.” 

Artemis snickers in my head, ‘Laying it on a bit thick aren’t you?’ 

Maybe I am but, honestly, an alpha should know his pack members. It would be insulting that he doesn’t recognize me under normal circumstances, but the fact that my family has given so much for his and he doesn’t even know who I am? Well, it just grinds my gears. 

He puts his hand out to shake mine, “I’m Rik, Alpha heir of the Canyon Ridge Pack, maybe you’ve heard of me?” I move my mouth into the most convincing ‘Oh’ I can muster and attempt to look even more flustered. “Oh, oh wow, nice to meet you”, and I shake his hand. 

What I didn’t expect was to feel a jolt, like an electric current going through my hand, making the hair raise up and down my arms. It wasn’t unpleasant, but very much unexpected. Rik looks startled for a moment and I wonder if he felt it too. Weird. Maybe it’s static electricity from the locker. 

He’s holding my hand and looking at me expectantly. I’m wondering what he’s waiting for and why he’s not letting go of my hand when he finally speaks. “It’s customary where I’m from to introduce yourself after someone introduces themselves to you”. He gives me a charming smile, as if making females speechless is an everyday occurrence for him. And possibly it is. He is surrounded by dimwit followers all day every day, it can’t be that hard to make them speechless. However, I am not one of his merry menagerie, so I’m about to introduce myself when I’m saved by Jason. 

“Hey Ca-”, I cut him off before he can say my name. “Hey Jason, do you know Alpha Rik?” I ask and give him a glare that I hope he interprets correctly. Jason gives me a ‘what the hell?’ look before turning to Rik. “Of course. Alpha Rik is from my pack and is my future alpha.” I’m SO thankful for Jason right now. He may not know why I am acting stupid, but he’s going along for the ride. “Alpha” he acknowledges Rik as he inclines his head showing his neck in submission. 

“Jason”, Rik nods his head to Jason. “I was just introducing myself to your friend here.” He turns back to me. “So, sweetheart, what’s your name and what pack are you from?” 

Ok, so now I’m getting pissed. He really doesn’t have a clue as to who I am. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jason flinch. Time for me to move this along. “What makes you think I’m not from your pack?” I raise an eyebrow at him, moving past innocent toward snarky.