The Alpha Next Door

more. But that’s only because they hadn’t

dy asked coyly. Her perfect profile

g over themselves in agreement. She half-heartedly attempted to wrangle them into submi

ely eyes to cut Stella to the quick. Heart and soul. Her walls cracked. The floo

her usual grace had failed her. What she’d come to rely on most about herself, her own self ea

bably didn’t hurt that the six-foot four demigod living next door, had an athletic build

ng new and horrible popped up every day. Not that sh

ot to tell me everyt

who at that very moment could be lying in bed, a mere hundred feet

t confidence stirred inside her. Someday… It seemed

nd, half-heartedly explaining her silence. “I’ve

azing view of Seattle’s pride and joy,

dy said, her mouth twist

cal

all the details of you getting to know him better.” Her face c

I can’t believe you’re going to leave me all alone he

e halfway to Paris.” Mandy bri

herself. Mandy was a hard worker who deserved the internship of a lifet

ndy reassured Stella. Her brown

rs. The friendship they had

them, how few people St

pretty. But they both knew, how she kept people

e except Mand

e. Whose curious brown eyes

xt door. “Maybe we should just go introduce our

The thought too overwhel

yes tickled through her brain making her skin feel itchy. Her palms sweaty. Not s

road shoulders and gleaming black hair emerged. A tall, lithe woman with aubur

im?” Mandy

N

n from this distance, she didn’t feel that tell-tale jolt of electricity she’d felt the first time she saw him. An

him. Cou

that

ncomfortable and full of jealousy.

d. “People are always coming

got a lot

alked all the way down the driveway to

ends.” Ma

ering more of what she knew about the man next door. “Th

. Top of the Dean’s

it costs quite a lot to make something this beautiful in such a short amount

g around the meager living room where they’d sat drinking coffee,

all the wallpaper and patch the walls, but she’d barely begun to st

she admi

y,” Mandy

ourse, she knew how much Stella wanted to restore h

ly managed to get the words out before her voice broke

eagues while in lockdown. They both knew all too well about the deadly virus that spread

stumbled over the words.

squeezed Mandy’

put herself through graduate school. She’d put in extra shifts as

ckdown, and everyone avoiding restaurants for over a year, the money ran o

oney left for food and utilities. After tha

nd split the money with you? Mandy asked. “We alw

hed you when you couldn’t go last year.” Stella reminded. “Besides, the L

all that pain au chocolat.” She took a deliberately

la reassured. “I will figure

e you’ll tell me every dirty little

to her cheeks at the men

as one she fully intended to keep. “We’ve never k

“Besides, I like seeing how you

secrets truly lay next door

nking about him. And what thinking about him did to he