Chapter 6 My Curiosity

• Harper’s [POV]
• Beau and Grey must be the Alphas I saw in the garden earlier.
• “Do they live here?” I ask softly.
• Charlotte politely pulls out a chair for me, and I sit. “They did at one point,” she says. “They’ll stay here occasionally, now. One of them watches the place while the others stay at their own homes.”
• I nod. Something is off in the way Charlotte speaks again, but I can’t quite place it.
• I don’t ask about the Alphas anymore.
• That’s a mystery I don’t need to solve.
• “I’ll go check on breakfast,” Charlotte adds quickly. “Coffee? Tea?”
• “Coffee sounds great.”
• She leaves me alone in the dining room, and I exhale slowly.
• I haven’t stayed anywhere by myself since the car accident. He’s been by my side every night, making sure I’m taking my medicine and holding me while I sleep.
• It was the first night sleeping by myself in a long time.
• Unless you count Wilson, who makes a surprise entrance. He jumps onto the fireplace mantle, weaving himself carefully around the decorative silver candelabra, and plops down, his green eyes slowly blinking at me.
• “Good morning,” I mutter, and he yawns. Despite all my time with him, I still don’t feel any sign of allergies.
• “Wilson,” a low voice warns. I stiffen at the sound.
• There’s the snapping of fingers, and the feline immediately jumps off the mantle and scurries out of the dining room.
• The air changes and I feel a pair of eyes burning into my back.
• A scent hits me, so surprising and delicious that I almost turn around to find the source.
• Spice. Chocolate.
• Alpha.
• His shadow is behind me, and I’m frozen where I sit. Power exudes from this man, his energy radiating throughout the room.
• And God, he smells insanely good.
• Footsteps approach behind me, and I stare at my hands in my lap, too anxious to look up. His looming figure takes a seat in front of me, setting a coffee mug on the table.
• I look anywhere but at him. I study the intricate details of the dining table, counting the ridges and grooves.
• Why sit directly across from me when there are at least twelve open seats?
• “Good morning.” A low rumble sounds from him, and I force my eyes to look up.
• It’s the Alpha from earlier the one in the garden who looked at me with disdain.
• He’s wearing that same look now, and my heart pounds in my chest.
• James looked at me with hunger.
• This one looks at me with coldness. His eyes blazed into mine, rich emerald irises full of intensity. Up close, I can see the slightest bit of grey in his perfectly styled dark brown hair.
• Just like James, he’s striking.
• “Morning,” I mutter, looking back at the table, praying Charlotte returns with food soon.
• This is so awkward.
• “Welcome to Aurora Inn,” he says in between sips of coffee. “Are you enjoying your stay?”
• You don’t care, I want to say. Since you’re looking at me like I’m scum on your shoe.
• “It’s wonderful,” I admit begrudgingly. It’s not like he deserves to know how much this place already means to me.
• “Eyes up here, Harper.”
• I snap my head up, my mouth falling open in shock. “Excuse me?”
• What thefuck? Who talks to someone like that?
• And I haven’t even introduced myself to him. How does he know my name?
• “Do you not know how to have a conversation?” he continues, taking another sip, one brow arched.
• I sputter for a moment, incensed at his attitude. But then Charlotte arrives, wheeling in a small cart. My attention turns to her, but I can still feel his eyes on me.
• “Alright, Harper,” she says, and my mouth waters as she places a plate in front of me. “Eggs benedict, on an English muffin. There’s also wheat toast with local honey and jam.”
• She sets a carafe in front of us, pouring a cup of hot coffee into a delicate teacup that matches the plate in front of me.
• It’s lovely and decadent.
• I temporarily forget about the asshole sitting across from me until Charlotte turns to him. “Nothing for you, Grey?”
• Grey.
• So, the one that smiled at me must be Beau.
• His eyes are just as cold when he turns to Charlotte and I feel a brief sense of relief. So he’s not just like that with me.
• “No, Charlotte. Thank you.”
• The silence is long and uncomfortable between us as the two of them share a look.
• “Thank you,” I say, desperate to relieve the tension. “Eggs benedict is my absolute favorite.”
• Charlotte beams at me while Grey scoffs.
• What the hell is his problem?
• “I’m glad, Harper. The chef will be happy to hear that.”
• I refuse to look at Grey as she wheels the cart away, instead focusing on my food.
• And yet his eyes are still staring at me through each heavenly bite.
• Finally, in between swallows, I wipe my mouth with the cloth napkin and meet his gaze.
• “You’re not eating,” I say, breaking the silence.
• He motions to his cup of coffee, deliberately taking another sip. “I don’t have to eat to sit at my dining table.”
• His voice is rough and low. In any other circumstance, it would be sexy.
• But something feels off about him, just like James.
• Stupid Alphas.
• Why is Grey bothering me, anyway? Doesn’t he have an Omega to go to?
• “Do you know the story behind this table?” he asks me suddenly, and I scrunch my face in confusion.
• “There’s a story?”
• “It was custom built,” he continues, his eyes never leaving mine. He speaks in a hushed tone as if it’s a secret. “The person who designed it dreamt it up, then sketched it out the next morning.”
• “Oh. That’s interesting,” I say. “It is stunning.”
• And there’s that look again. He looks haunted, taking a deep breath, and his eyes search mine. “Yes. The designer was quite imaginative.”
• “Alright.” This is fucking weird, and I shove a forkful of eggs benedict into my mouth and focus my attention on Wilson, who trots back into the room with an arrow.
• Grey frowns and turns his attention to the furry lump. “He shouldn’t be in here.”
• “Oh, it’s fine,” I say. “Unless he’s bothering you.”
• Which I can’t imagine, as Wilson flops onto his back, showing off a small white patch of stomach between the black fur.
• He’s the friendliest thing here besides Charlotte.
• Grey’s eyes flick back to mine. “I thought you were allergic,” he says carefully. His lips form into a thin line as he regards me. “Unless James is mistaken.”
• “Do you gossip about all your guests?” I quip before I can stop myself. Grey raises an eyebrow, amused, and I sigh. “Yes. Um, I supposedly am. I haven’t been around cats in a while. And he hasn’t affected me so far.”
• “What do you mean ‘supposedly?’”
• I clench my fork.
• He doesn’t deserve to know.
• What’s happened to me is no one’s business.
• But I’m never going to see him again after this week. Would it hurt to unload on a stranger, even if the stranger is a dick?
• I stare at my plate as I move the egg yolk around and take a deep breath.
• “Forgive me,” he says suddenly. “That wasn’t my place.”
• Surprised, I glance up. His eyes are the color of the forest, the green blazing with intensity.
• Just like James, he’s ridiculously handsome.
• With his sliver of earnestness, I decide to tell the truth.
• The truth I haven’t shared with anyone.
• “I was in a car accident a while ago,” I confess, setting my fork down. “Hence, this,” I motion to the scar on my face, still visible with the makeup. “And I forgot some things about my life. So, other people have had to fill in the details for me.”
• That’s all I’ll share. If I bring up him, I’ll cry, either from shame or anger.
• Grey is careful, his face giving away no emotion. “How long ago was the accident?” he asks quietly.
• The room is silent for far too long, and I choke down a sob that threatens to escape my throat.
• I will not cry in front of him.
• “About two years ago,” I admit. “And that’s all I’m going to say about that.”
• He looks like he wants to ask more.
• Why he would care, though, is beyond me.
• Unless his life is so boring that I’m somehow interesting to him.
• His hand clenches the mug tightly as he brings it to his lips again.
• “I’m sorry.”
• I shrug. “Could be worse. I could have more than just an ugly scar.”
• “It’s not ugly.”
• My chest tightens at his words, and a blush spreads across my cheeks.
• “Okay.”
• I resume eating in silence.
• Grey stays with me for the rest of my breakfast, and I pretend not to notice him staring at me.