Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson)
“What do you mean?” With his hands on my waist, he turned me back to my locker, motioning for me to gather my books.
“Why did he look so freaked out? And why did he say he ‘understood?’”
Ace shrugged and picked up the piece of hair he was playing with before, licking his lips. “Not sure.”
I arched a brow. Ace’s casual energy was throwing me off. He only acted this way when he was up to something.
“He didn’t do anything to me, Ace. He defended me yesterday. Please tell me you didn’t threaten him.”
“Of course not. Ron’s a good guy. I’ve always liked him. And Madoc already told me he tried to help you yesterday. I’m not sure what his problem was.”
There was something he wasn’t telling me. I felt it in my gut.
Ace looked down at my open backpack. “Did you get everything you need for class?”
I huffed. “No.”
Ace leaned his massive form back at the body while I stuffed more books into my bag.
“Are we going to my house or yours after school today?” I asked. “Elliot hasn’t stopped talking about how excited he is to play Mario Kart with you.”
My eleven-year-old brother was obsessed with video games and loved it when Ace played with him.
Ace straightened his spine. “I can’t today,” he replied stiffly.
“Oh, that’s okay. Elliot can wait. So, you want to go to your house then?” I asked, dropping my books into my backpack.
“We could finish the movie from last night while we study for that history test on Monday. I fell asleep before the end, and I doubt you were paying attention. You were on your phone the entire time.”
I put my last textbook in my backpack and closed my locker before facing Ace. I found him frowning, his jaw clenched tightly. The air around us grew tense.
I took a step back. Did I say something to upset him?
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
He dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m only dropping you off at your house after school today. I can’t stay,” he explained. “I have something I need to do tonight.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ace and I always spent our evenings together after school. The only nights he wasn’t with me were Tuesdays and Thursdays when I had dance practice.
There were some days I ended up at Marta’s house, but she’d been recently cast as a lead in the school musical and was busy rehearsing most evenings.
I was so grateful for Marta. She was my best friend before I came to Embermoon.
That she had ended up moving from Massachusetts, too, was nothing short of a miracle for me.
When I moved to Colorado, everything was so different. New school, new house, new people—and eventually, a new stepfather.
Needless to say, my move to Embermoon was a hard transition to make.
As a six-year-old, my entire world was flipped upside down. I had Ace by my side, but there were times when even that wasn’t enough. I was homesick. I missed Massachusetts.
So, for Marta’s father to be offered a position at a law firm only twenty minutes away from us, well, I was ecstatic.
Ace still took up most of my time, but I hung out with Marta whenever I could, and she knew how important she was to me. I told her everything I couldn’t tell Ace.
Plus, she seemed normal to me, while everyone else in Embermoon was just so strange, perplexing.
They had their own little culture that I had never been able to understand. I still felt like a bit of an outsider, even after living here for eleven years.
Marta felt like my equal. I didn’t feel small or different when I was with her.
But Marta was busy tonight. And Ace had plans apparently. He never had other plans. I was convinced that the only other person he hung out with was Madoc. He didn’t like anyone else.
What am I going to do tonight on my own?
“What—?” I started to ask.
“Alpha,” a voice said from behind us.
Ace growled and swung around, shoving me behind him so quickly that I was surprised I didn’t get whiplash. I had to grip his shirt so as not to topple over, and my face was pressed against his back.
“Ace!” I admonished, shoving him.
He ignored me, keeping me huddled against him with an unyielding grip.
“Clara,” he said.
His rigid muscles loosened as he regarded her, and I was able to shift enough to peek around him.
This Clara, apparently, was one of the most gorgeous women I had ever seen—
gobsmackingly so. She was tall and slender, with sleek brown hair and hazel eyes.
Her long legs looked like they went on forever in her dark skinny jeans and heeled, leather boots. Her brown leather jacket and high ponytail made her look mature and badass.
I swallowed, intimidated by her easy confidence, while at the same time, eager to be her friend. It was a confusing combination. I wondered if she had this effect on every person she met.
She smiled brightly at Ace, obviously excited to see him. “Today is my first day at Embermoon High. I was wondering when I would see you.”
Ace smiled back—something he didn’t do often around others. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot you were coming today. I wish I could have been here this morning to show you around, but I was occupied.”
My brow furrowed. Yeah, occupied with me.
“It’s good to see you,” Ace continued. “How was the move?”
“Fine, but long,” she responded. Her eyes met mine. She tilted her head with curiosity, and her smile widened. “Oh, my gosh. Is this your—”
“Friend,” Ace interrupted, his tone clipped. “This is Dorothy Kennicott, my friend.”
Those words were like a sucker punch straight to my midsection. I’d never heard Ace correct someone about who I was to him so quickly before.
Is it possible that Ace is interested in Clara? Is that why he hid me away when she approached?
“Oh,” Clara said. Her eyes widened a bit. “Oh. ?Right.” She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Dorothy. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Clara Hernandez.”
I stepped out from behind Ace. He put his hands on my shoulders, making me feel a little more anchored—which was good, given that the ground felt like it was crumbling out from underneath me.
I offered Clara a handshake. “Hi. It’s really nice to meet you.” I did my best to return her smile as she shook my hand.
When I glanced back at Ace, I noticed him watching Clara with a weird intensity in his gaze. His grip on my shoulders tightened slightly.
What the hell is going on with him? If I didn’t know any better, I would think he was nervous. Is ?she~ making him nervous?~
I leaned back against him a bit, hoping my touch might bring him some comfort, the same way physical contact with him always helped me.
I cleared my throat. “So…how do you two know each other?”
Before either of them could respond, Ace whirled me around so I was facing him.