Chapter 10
~Abella
With the notes shoved in my pockets, I make my way up.
The moment I walk through the mailroom door and into the hallway, Heather steps out in front of me, questioning me on where I’m heading. Digging into my pockets, I tug out the two letters, showing them to her. I’m hyped up on bothered emotions, so when she looks up at me and raises her eyebrows, it only makes me angrier.
“They’re love notes. Don’t tell me you’re jealous of the affections he receives from all these girls,” she says, the smile on her face framed with pure amusement. I grit my teeth, knowing for a fact that I’m not anything like jealous of this.
“I need to see him right now. It’s no acceptable that he’s getting these letters and just throwing them out,” I tell her, brushing past her.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
She follows me. “Sorry, but you can’t.”
This place, of course, is completely unfamiliar to me, but that doesn’t stop me from rushing through the hallways of the lower area, looking for the stairs that will take me up to the main floor. This place might be big, from what I’ve seen from the outside, but I’m sure I can find Noah wandering around here.
“I’m going to lose my job anyway, so I would rather do it by having a last word,” I tell Heather, as she struggles to keep up with me.
“You don’t understand, I can’t let you go up there. No one is allowed on the main floor without being authorised, and you’re only authorised for this floor. Go up there, and the consequences could be worse for you then losing your job,” she tells me.
I pause for a moment.
I’ve found the stairwell, tucked neatly near where I had my first interview. Heather doesn’t grab at me, simply standing close with a concerned expression across her face. She isn’t about to attempt to restrain me knowing she might not stand a chance. She might come off aggressive, but already I can tell she doesn’t like conflict.
“Where is his office?” I ask her.
“I’m not going to tell you. There are guards up there who will detain you immediately. You’ll never make it up any higher than the first floor,” she tells me. She’s standing back, wary, as if she thinks I’m completely out of my mind that maybe I would attack her if I wanted to.
I probably am out of my mind, but knowing I’m about to lose this job is the fuel to my fire. And so is the frustrating with everything going on recently.
Ignoring all of Heather’s warnings, I rush up the stairs.
She’s initially wrong about all the guards I assumed would swarm to grab me as I step out into the first floor. It’s opened up into a back room which I assume is hidden back here so guests don’t have to see it when they arrive.
Heather hasn’t followed me up, thankfully. It gives me room to approach the exit to this room carefully. The last thing I want to do is catch the attention of everyone roaming around the floor at this time. When I open the door, there is nothing but a long hallway with a door at the end that I’m hoping isn’t locked.
These people here like their secrets.
Stalking down the hallway, I let the plush carpet absorb the sound of my footsteps while I search for an idea of what to do next.
Confidence is the key here. If is stride out, looking like I belong here, maybe no one will question whether I’m authorised to be on this floor. I’ll just walk on out, and if I come across someone, I’ll ask them where Noah’s office is.
Pushing the door open, I keep my chin up and walk out. The most difficult reason why I, for a moment, nearly broke my facade, is because of the room I’ve emerged into. I’ve come through the side of the main foyer. Two guards are posted by the front door, who barely even cast me a glance as I walk out, shoes tapping against what must be marble beneath my feet.
It’s beautiful in here. Sunlight streams through the window, reflecting off the floor and all the ornaments set upon tables, all immaculately laid out. Either Noah has great taste, or someone else is in control of the decorating in here.
But I’m not in here to admire his interior design.
“I have an important letter for Alpha Noah. Where is his office?” I say, folding my arms over my chest, as if them hesitating is a waste of my time.
It works. One of the guards motion for me yo the stairs before muttering, to the right once I get to the top. Heading his advice, I stride up the stairs. I can hardly believe this is working right now. They didn’t even question me, most likely assuming I have a right to be here. It’s only a matter of time, though, before Heather alerts them.
His office, much to my luck, is stuck behind a multitude of doors. At the first one I knock on, I’m greeted by a women.
“Who are you?” She asks immediately.
It’s occurs to me, that this is Alpha Noah’s assistant. I’ve seen her make appearances on televisions before, but she’s much prettier in person. She has the sleekest, longest brown hair I’ve seen in my life, and deep brown eyes so large and searching, it’s unnerving.
“I’m here to deliver a message to Alpha Noah,” I tell her, trying not to be intimidated by the glistening jewellery around her neck and in her ears.
“You’re not authorised to be up here,” she says firmly, piercing lips covered in glittering lip gloss. My stomach flips over of course, of all people, she would be standing in front of me, ruining my one last chance.
Too bad there’s not much her small build can really do.
Pushing past her, I walk through her office, and to the door I know Noah hides me. Sure enough, when I burst through, he is sitting behind his desk, working on something. He doesn’t even flinch when I burst in, however, his brow does crease as he comes to look at me. I bet this is the last thing he expected.
“You need to leave right now,” the assistant says frantically. I’m not here to make her lose her job or anything. “I’m sorry Alpha, she just pushed right past me.”
“It’s okay, Gia. Abella, why don’t you sit down so we can talk?”
Obliging him, I sit down in the chair in front of his desk. When I glance behind me, Gia, the assistant, seems angry, her glare pointed at the Alpha before she turns and walks out the room. The last thing either her or I expected was for Noah to be so calm about my arrival. I came into this thinking I would have to yell my point at him while being dragged away by guards.
“This is unexpected,” he comments. “Did you come up here to tell me you’ve accepted my offer and are willing to live in given accommodation?”
Shaking my head, I pull the notes out of my pocket, laying them out on the surface of the desk in front of him. He picks one of them up, taking him time to read it through. I watch each pass of those emerald eyes across the paper, thinking of the girl who wrote it.
“What’s this about?” He questions, confused he reads the other one quickly, before focusing all this attention back to me.
“Don’t you feel bad for them?”
Noah studies me for a moment, like he can’t understand me. I can barely understand myself right now, considering why I’ve managed to pull off. Usually I would have never have had the confidence to do something like that, but I was fueled by emotion. Now I’m sitting here, slowly deflating.
I watch him get up from his seat, moving around his desk. For a moment, I’m almost certain he is going to grab me, and hurt me. Instead, he walks to the door, and I hear the faint click of a lock.
I’m locked in.
“These girls are two on many. There is nothing harmful, about a crush, trust me,” he muses. His tone has lowered, sounding smoother than honey. It makes me shiver. I’m unsure if I like it or not.
“I know, but my point-“
Noah cuts me off, as he casually sits on the edge of his desk, right in front of where I sit on the chair. I look up at him, paralysed in my seat. He’s intimidating, looking just me, unrelenting gaze studying me silently.
“I’ve had plenty of crushes, and they have never harmed me,” he comments, that smile holding a lot more weight to it then he is making apparent.
I doubt these crushes have harmed him because any girl would take him without a moment’s hesitation. Especially that assistant outside, if the rumours about her and the Alpha are correct. Just considering that makes me stomach feel queasy.
“Now, I’ll get this accomodation ready for you personally. And I hope with this job, you don’t go through my mail again,” Noah tells me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “As much as I like your curiosity.”
I suck in a breath. It doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice now.