Page 27 of Her Knotty Alphas

And I was. Hannah was smart and funny, and I had the most fun talking and laughing with her than I had in years.

I think that was the first time she looked at me with stars in her eyes.

Things had become more familiar with us after that. When I got my drivers license, I picked her up and we went and got milkshakes. Kieran was supposed to come with us, but then got detention after school. We spent the afternoon in the car, dipping curly fries into our chocolate milkshakes, and I realized I was…starting to have feelings for her. Or realized I already did have feelings.

She was too young for me though, barely a freshman and I was a junior. Not to mention she was my best friend's sister. So I had kept things friendly, even though I could see she felt the same way about me. Then, the summer I turned seventeen, I came back from basketball camp, and it was like the puberty fairy had hit her with a drive-by hormone-bombing. Where there had been awkward angles and knobby knees, there were now soft curves and shapely legs. Everything she did was suddenly filled with grace and poise. She carried herself with more confidence, like someone comfortable in their own skin.

The vultures descended.

Every male on campus suddenly realized what a catch she was, and Kieran and I did our best to squash the more lecherous advances, all in the name of brotherly protection, of course.

It wasn't anything else.

Itcouldn'tbe anything else.

I was in denial until she confronted me about it one day.

"Why do you guys keep scaring away guys that show any interest in me? I'm not a kid anymore Charlie, I can take care of myself!" Her pale cheeks are flushed pink, tears lining her eyes.

The school hallway is empty around us, deserted. I don't even know what she's doing here so late, but I'm glad I stumbled upon her and Joseph Kimble as I was leaving basketballpractice. Little Joey is now in a corner somewhere, licking his wounds after I got a little handsy with him.

"He should have known better than to touch what doesn't belong to him," I growl, startling myself. Her eyes flash with anger.

"I belong to myself, Charlie Williams! And Iwantedhim to kiss me! Youruinedit!"

Fuck yeah I ruined it. Came by and pulled little Joey off my girl by the back of his shirt before he could defile her pretty lips with his.

"Youwantedhim to kiss you?" I arch a brow at her, crossing my arms. "Do you even like him?"

Apparently I've said something unexpected, because she sputters. "What—I'm not—that's not the point, Charlie!"

"Then tell me, what is the point, mags?" I challenge, puffing up my chest a little. I'm not an alpha, not yet. But I can feel the stirrings of a…possessive beast starting to grow inside me. The beast that I first became aware of when Hannah took a ring off my finger to play with—he liked that she wanted our things.

"You and Kieran scare off any guy who even looks at me twice, and here I am, a fifteen year old who's never even been kissed!" Her cheeks are scarlet now, more likely out of embarrassment than anything else and she dejectedly slams her back against the lockers. "He's cute, and nice, and he…he…he wanted me, Charlie!"

I roll my eyes. "Please, mags. Every guy in this school wants you. I'm sure I'll have to pull ten more guys off you before there's one who is actually worthy of kissing you."

Lies. Nobody is worthy of kissing you.

She sniffles, wiping her eyes. "That's not true."

"Oh yeah? You're funny, smart, kind to everyone—even those bitchy step-sisters of yours. You're beautiful—"

A sharp inhale of breath has me realizing that I tucked a strand of hair behind her as I was talking. Her lips are parted slightly, and she's looking up at me with those big, green eyes.

Like she can't quite believe I just called her beautiful.

Like it isn't the one thought that plays on repeat in my mind whenever I'm in the same vicinity as her.

My tone softens, my eyes darting between those emerald pools and her soft-looking lips. "Anyone would be an idiot to not want you, Hannah."

Her bottom lip gets trapped under her front teeth, but before I can pull it free, she's looking at me, her eyes hardened. "You don't."

And there it is. It's time to make a decision. Do I continue to let her think that I only see her as my best friend's little sister? That I don't imagine what her lips taste like every time I look at them?

Or do I tell her the truth?

My heart is pounding in my chest as I place one hand next to her head, bracing myself against the lockers, and arch a brow at her. "I don't?"

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