Chapter 291 The Alpha Princess
Logan
“Ready to go?” I finished clasping the necklace onto Ella’s delicate neck, taking note of how my hands threatened to shake just from our close proximity.
Ella nodded, grabbing a small purse. She followed me out the door and down the steps of her apartment building, her heels clicking in the quiet atmosphere of the building’s hallways.
“So,” I said as we descended through the narrow stairwell, “that dress looks lovely on you, just as it did when you bought it.”
Ella blushed slightly. “Thanks. And thank you. for the necklace.”
I shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. Consider it an… apology.”
“An apology?” Ella chuckled wryly as we walked down the stairs. It was an oddly charming sound that I had gotten all too familiar with over the past weeks, ever since I met her. The Alpha Princess had a sarcastic air about her that was honestly a nice reprieve from all of the giggling and useless conversation I had become used to with the sort of women who were interested in me.
“Yes, an apology,” I replied. “For being an ass. And for coming at you with this event last minute.”
Ella said nothing, but I could see how she surreptitiously reached for the opal pendant around her neck, touching it delicately. In the dim light of the stairwell, I could see how her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink upon touching it. She didn’t want to admit it, but she did really like it. And it suited her..
“I do have to ask, though,” I said, not wanting to come across as abrasive with my next question, “but there are going to be a lot of events like this in the future. Do you have any other cocktail dresses, or do we need to buy you some more?”
Ella’s face turned a little more red. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Is this one and the white one not enough?”
“Well, no,” I replied, then saw how she shot daggers at me with her eyes. “I mean, that’s not what I meant. I only mean to say that you’ll need more than two dresses. As lovely as you look in the two we bought that day, outfit repeating is… not looked upon very well by the people in my circle.”
“Well, maybe the people in your circle aren’t worth having in your circle, then.” Ella stopped at the bottom of the stairwell, her hand resting on the doorknob to the outside.
I let out a soft sigh.
“She can say that again,” my wolf said.
“I know.”
I liked how blunt Ella was. It was… refreshing, to say the least.
Going into this whole fiasco, I had thought that Ella would be just another spoiled princess. A vapid, entitled woman who would jump at the opportunity for a free chance at moving up in the world. A woman who only wanted to be spoiled by her man as a replacement for her father.
But now that I was actually in it, I realized just how wrong I was. Ella was different, and not in the cliche sense. She overturned many of my expectations, and exceeded the rest of them. I was impressed.
“You’re right,” I said, managing a smile in response to her cold look.
We stepped outside. The evening air had a gentle chill, a perfect backdrop to Ella’s radiant beauty.
I watched her from the foot of her apartment’s steps as she locked her door, thinking how the soft glow from the corridor lights perfectly outlined the silhouette of her dress, shimmering ever so slightly.
That emerald green dress-the one we picked out together that day we went shopping-clung to her form in a flattering manner, making it impossible for me to tear my eyes away.
“You know, staring is impolite,” Ella teased, sauntering down the steps.
Chuckling, I retorted, “Can you blame me? Besides, that dress… The green really brings out your eyes and your hair. You can’t fault a man for wanting to bask in your beauty.”
Ella flicked her blonde, almost white, hair over her shoulder. It was a playful, flirty gesture, although something told me that it wasn’t intentional. “You know what else likes to bask?” she asked. “Lizards. On rocks.”
“Very funny,” I muttered. Ella smirked. “And to follow up on your previous question, no, I don’t have any other dresses.. Not here, at least. I left most of my cocktail dresses at home, in my parents’ house.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I didn’t think I would need them here,” she replied as she walked down the steps and followed me to the car. “I figured I’d be spending most of my time working, not… going to events with a mafia guy.”
At Ella’s words, I felt a warmth creep into my face. I dreaded hearing that word: mafia. It was a constant reminder of my status in life, of all of the luxuries I had afforded because of crime and violence. But Ella was right.
I opened the passenger door of my sleek black sports car for her. “So, do you have any other leisure pursuits apart from work?” I asked, wanting to change the subject. As Ella settled into the plush leather seat, she replied, “I hike on Saturdays.”
My curiosity instantly piqued. “Interesting,” I said with a smirk as I started the car. “That must be why you’ve got such toned legs.”
“Logan!” She shot me a playful glare, but I caught a hint of a blush on her cheeks. There was a pause, during which she seemed to be debating between saying something or not. But then, she licked her lips and spoke. “Speaking of hiking…” her voice trailed off, growing more somber. “I had an… encounter today on the trail.”
I started the engine, merging onto the bustling streets of the city, which were alive with the neon hues of billboards and the honking of impatient drivers. The soft hum of my car’s engine and Ella’s sudden hesitation filled the space.
“What happened?” I asked, concerned, tinging my voice as I navigated through the sea of vehicles,
“Some men harassed me on the trail,” Ella began, her voice shaky. “And then this stranger, out of nowhere, put his arm around me and claimed I was his girlfriend and scared them off.”
A rush of jealousy and protectiveness surged within me. “You shouldn’t be out alone. And letting random men touch you, even if they’re ‘helping’, isn’t a good idea either.”
She scoffed. “You’re overreacting. I can handle myself.”
But the cityscape outside, with its towering skyscrapers and endless sea of cars, was a constant reminder of the dangers lurking in every shadow.
“Listen, Ella,” I began, glancing at her before turning my attention back to the road, “your safety isn’t a game. You have a target on your back. Either I can accompany you or I can hire a bodyguard you don’t know. Choose.”
She sighed, her fingers drumming on the door handle. “Are you doing this to prove you’re not a coward?”
“That’s not the point. It’s about your safety.”
She paused, then whispered, “Alright. You can come. But you’ll have to keep up.”
I smirked, the city lights casting a warm glow inside the car. “Challenge accepted.”
