After One Night with the Alpha (Brad and Elle) novel Chapter 24

**The Billionaire Who Claimed My Heart and Who Broke Fate for Me**
**Chapter 24**

**Elle’s POV**

I found myself staring at Brad, a wave of embarrassment flooding my cheeks. Just moments ago, he had made a rather blunt remark about my homemade spaghetti, calling it awful.

Yet, in an astonishing contradiction, he was shoveling the very pasta he had just insulted into his mouth with an alarming fervor. Fork after fork disappeared as he methodically polished off his plate, his gaze averted from mine as if the act of eating might somehow absolve him of his earlier critique.

“What the hell?” I muttered quietly, my irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.

He briefly glanced up, those piercing eyes flickering my way, before returning to his meal without a word, as if my comment hadn’t registered.

I was mesmerized by the way he devoured every last morsel, then finally set down his fork with a definitive clink. The stark contrast between his words and his actions left me utterly baffled.

“Would you like to try some of mine?” I offered hesitantly, nudging my half-eaten plate toward him. “Though, I can’t promise it’ll meet your standards either.”

Brad fixed his gaze on my plate for what felt like an eternity. A flicker of something—curiosity, perhaps?—crossed his features. To my utter astonishment, he reached over and took my plate, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Thank you,” he replied, the words tumbling out stiffly, as if they were foreign to him.

My surprise was palpable. Even during our brief time together, I had become acutely aware of Brad’s almost obsessive need for cleanliness. He wiped down doorknobs after anyone touched them, and sharing utensils or food was simply not in his playbook. Yet here he was, eating from my plate without a hint of hesitation.

Before I could fully process this unexpected behavior, the sound of footsteps interrupted my thoughts.

Alex appeared in the doorway, and when he spotted Brad devouring my pasta, his eyes widened comically, as if he had stumbled upon a rare spectacle.

“Sir…” Alex’s voice was hesitant, almost stuttering.

Brad set down the fork with an abrupt clink. “What is it, Alex?”

Alex cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting into something more serious. “I have urgent news. The Frostclaw Pack has sent an emergency communication.”

“I’ll let you two talk,” I said, sliding off my stool, feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. “I’m done eating anyway.”

As I made my way toward the door, I heard Brad’s voice drift behind me, laced with a teasing edge: “It really was awful.”

I rolled my eyes, the corners of my mouth twitching upwards, but I didn’t turn back.

Once in the hallway, I was met with the sight of Brad, now clad in a sharp black suit that accentuated his tall frame.

“Whoa,” I exclaimed, instinctively taking a step back. “You clean up fast.”

My tongue flicked out to catch a droplet of water from my upper lip, and I noticed Brad’s gaze following the movement with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. For a fleeting moment, something wild and primal flickered in his amber eyes before he blinked it away, masking whatever emotion lay beneath.

“I need to leave immediately,” he stated, his voice carefully measured. “I’m heading to Canada to meet with the Frostclaw Pack.”

“Oh,” I replied, a knot forming in my stomach. “Is everything okay?”

“Pack business,” he replied, adjusting his cuffs with practiced precision. “I can’t say when I’ll be back.”

“That’s… fine,” I stammered, unsure of how to navigate this new territory in our relationship. Were we at a point where I should be concerned about his travel plans? “Be careful, I guess.”

A flicker of surprise crossed his face at my words, as if my concern had caught him off guard.

Suddenly, a twig snapped behind us, and I turned, startled yet unafraid. A massive wolf stood at the edge of the clearing, its fur as dark as midnight, streaked with silver at the ruff. Its amber eyes glowed in the darkness, intelligent and fixed solely on me.

As I watched, the wolf’s form began to shift and blur, bones cracking and reshaping until a man stood where the wolf had once been. Brad stepped forward, naked and unashamed, his powerful body illuminated by the moonlight.

“Elle,” he said, his voice deeper and more primal than I had ever heard. “My mate.”

He reached for the baby—our baby—with gentle hands, his expression softened with a love I had never witnessed before.

I jolted awake, my heart racing against my ribs, the dream so vivid that I could almost smell the forest and feel Brad’s warmth against my skin.

“What the fuck?” I whispered, pressing my palms against my flushed cheeks. “Why am I dreaming about Brad like that?”

I glanced at the clock—3 AM—and flopped back onto the pillows with a groan.

“I’m losing my mind,” I muttered, rolling onto my side and curling around my still-flat stomach. “Pregnancy hormones must be messing with my head.”

Morning arrived with brilliant sunshine streaming through the windows I had left uncurtained the night before. I stretched lazily, soaking in the warm light on my skin, before sitting up with renewed excitement at the realization that I was still alone in the house.

Another day of freedom!

I rummaged through Brad’s closet and pulled out one of his crisp white business shirts, slipping it on without a second thought, leaving off any underwear. The shirt hung to mid-thigh, more than decent enough for my private lounging.

After a quick detour to the kitchen for a glass of orange juice, I wandered out to the expansive terrace that overlooked the gardens. The morning air was crisp and invigorating.

I spotted a watering can nestled near a collection of unusual silvery-blue plants. Setting down my juice, I filled the can and began carefully watering each plant, humming a Taylor Swift song under my breath, reveling in the simple joy of the moment.