Alpha's Redemption

5 years later

Emma's POV:

The night was cold, and I felt a little depressed. Mentally, I was exhausted, the last five years had taken its toll on me. My grandmother’s death being, my low point, then having to live with an aunt and uncle who barely tolerated me. At least I was on my own now, but I was also lonely. I needed one night to just let go of all my pent-up frustration. I felt that old familiar feeling hit the back of my neck, it was like someone was watching me, the feeling was always there, but I brushed it off like I usually do.

I was a little late for my shift at the pub. I ran into the restaurant and grabbed my apron, I threw down my bag. While greeting my fellow employees, I grabbed my pen and paper and ran to my first table. Four guys looked as if they had just knocked off work and came for a quick pint.

“What can I get you guys?”

They gave me the once over and I saw that all too familiar flair in their eyes. I sighed as I knew what was coming.

“Are you on the menu Darling”. Did I just hear a growl? I shook it off. It must be my imagination.

The one who said that gave me a wink.

“You can’t afford me. So, what can I get you guys, preferably something on the menu”?

“Four lagers please darling.”

I shook my head and walked off. The one who spoke to me gave me a smack on the ass. I closed my eyes because of the frustration I felt. How do these guys think they have the right to do this? I turned back to him but before I could even say anything, someone grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back. The guy looked shocked. I followed the hand, up to the arm and then to the person's face. I inhaled sharply; I was shocked. “Josh”. He looked at me with a confused face. Memories of the last time we had together assailed me. We had a strong connection, and I could still feel it. I cleared my head and turned to the offender.

“Please don’t do that again.”

He looked at Joshua. “Sure no problem.”

Joshua let go of his hand. I stared at him, and he guided me to an open table. I waved at my boss, and he gave me the 5-minute sign. I hadn’t seen Josh in it must been five years, but I had never forgotten him. That day when he left, it broke my heart, there was something between us, something deeper.

“I wasn’t sure if you would remember me.”

I just stared at him. “You always seem to save me”. I waited a few seconds before I asked him “What happened to you that day, you just left?”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter”. He quickly changed the conversation. So how have you been? “

I kept staring at him and I didn’t want to let the subject go. “You know I sometimes thought I saw you in a crowd, but when I looked again, you were gone. That was you right?”

I could see he was uncomfortable.

“Look, can we talk when you get off shift? I promise I will try and explain as much as I can.”

I nodded my head and got back to work.

My eyes kept darting towards Josh. I couldn’t concentrate, he was very handsome, and he was extremely tempting, with those dark brown hair, curling at his collar and those grey eyes, with a perfectly chiselled face. Oh my god, and then he went and smiled. I saw two amazing dimples with perfect straight white teeth. Most of the women who came in were staring at him, and I felt a bolt of jealousy hit me.

My shift finally ended at 2am. I greeted the last customer and then I walked over to Josh, the way he looked at me gave me butterflies. “Ready”

He gave me a dimpled smile. “Where would you like to go?”

It was raining outside, so I suggested my flat. “We could go to my place”. I trusted him; I didn’t know why, but I did.

He ran his hand through his hair, he looked a little unsure. “Sure, let’s go.”

I felt his hand on my lower back as he guided me out the door. I could feel electric sparks running up and down my back, the last time I felt that we were running in the alley.

As we got outside, he took my hand and we started to run towards my flat. Luckily, I didn’t live that far away. The strange thing was, that he knew exactly where I lived.

As I got to my door, I looked at him and all rational thoughts flew out of my head. The rain had wet his shirt and I could make out his muscular outline, he was chiselled to perfection, hard as rock. He noticed my stare and he smiled at me. He took the key from my hand, put the key in the lock and opened the door. He waited until I walked in.

I felt a little uncomfortable, we stared at each other, and we both just started laughing. When we finally stopped, we just smiled at each other. I walked over to my fridge.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

He ripped out his phone. “Why don’t I order us something? I am sure there has to be a 24-hour pizza joint somewhere”

I took a seat on the couch. “Fine”

He placed an order and took the seat across from me.

I cleared my throat. “I have so many questions for you.”

He sat closer to me and took my hands in his. I felt those familiar tingles. “Look, I would love to answer all your questions but that’s impossible.” He smiled at me and rubbed my hands in between his. “Why don’t we just start with one first”

“Agreed. Where have you been, these last couple of years?”

He looked down at our hands. “That is a hard one.”

I thought about it. “Okay, let me try another, easier question. What brought you to Dublin?”

He inhaled deeply and sat back in his chair; I immediately felt the loss of his hands on mine. “Someone very dear to me died, so I just wanted to get away from everything.”

I felt the heaviness in the room and decided to lighten the mood, but I was saved by the buzzer. Josh went down and when he came back, he was carrying the Pizza with some drinks.

We spent the next hour just chatting and eating pizza. It felt like talking to an old friend, like we’d known each other for years. I told him my life story and how much I missed my mother and grandmother. He listened to me, he hugged me closer and kissed me on top of my head. I snuggled into him. I felt so connected to him.