The Silent Alpha novel Chapter 8

***Natalia*** 

Fk! F**k! 

"KE V scream internally as I clock out and race out of the clinic.I’m going to be late!”

 "Talia, wait!" Travis calls out as I rush past him in the parking lot.

Travis is a tall man with rippling muscles trying to break through his scrubs, with tan skin and the sexiest tattoos on his arms and chest.

He is the cute radiology tech every girl was pinning over.

But like every sexy man, he’s trouble; a known playboy who had all the girls in the clinic wrapped around his finger and for good reason too.

The man knew how to bend you over a desk and make you his slut.

"Sorry, Travis, but I'm late for picking up Dakota!" I call out breathlessly as I scramble to the bike racks.

"Doesn't Sarah usually pick him up?" he chuckles as he trots over and watches me put on my helmet.

"Yes, but she's out of town visiting family for a few days which means I have to pick him up," I smile impatiently, unlocking the bike.

She was actually on business with some werewolves but I was not about to tell Travis that was running from her ex, a dragon King hellbent on dragging her back to his kingdom.

Being on the run, she and I both changed our names.

She was Sarah Davis while I was Talia Ramos.

"Well how about I give you a ride to the daycare center," he says, giving me his mischievous grin.

"And then maybe we can talk about you going to dinner with me tomorrow night? Say 7 o'clock?"

I have to physically restrain myself from reaching over and smacking him over the head with my bike lock.

Travis and I had fooled around a few times before but I had always made it clear that this was just a business transaction.

No feelings, just a good f**k.That was the deal.

"Travis," I sigh, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"We have a good thing.Don’t ruin it, please.I'm not looking for anything else," I shrug unapologetically.

"I'm not interested ina relationship."

"Oh come on Talia," he smirks.

"You know I’m crazy about you...Look I know I have a reputation but I’m not lying.You’re amazing ...different from every other girl in this God forsaken town I frown at him.Does he take me for an i***t? He is literally a walking red flag! “

"Travis, stop it.I’m not interested."

"I could take care of you and Dakota,"

He murmurs, his finger grazing my arms and I shiver in annoyance.

"If you let me.Don’t you want Dakota to have a dad?" anyone to take care of me.

Dakota and I were just fine on our own.

Kota didn’t need a father.He had me...

"I'm sorry, Travis but I really have to go," I shrug, pushing past him and climbing on the bike.

"will you at least think about it?" He shouts as I pedal away and I fail to respond.

Oh Talia....

I mutter to myself.

What the f**k did you get yourself into? I push aside my thoughts about Travis and try to figure out what to do with Dakota while I’m working my shift at The Masque.

The only other people I know are Micah and Niki...

.Does Niki work tonight? f**k i can’t remember.

I arrive at the daycare center, the parking lot completely empty by now.

I curse Mrs.Freedman, my last patient, for talking her head off during her visit, and hurry into the building.

Through the large glass window, I peer into the classroom and see my little boy hard at work on a coloring book, his little red backpack already on his shoulders.

My heart skips a beat as I watch him color, his eyes furrowed in concentration and his little brown curls hanging low over his forehead.

Sensing my stare, Kota looks up at me and smiles with excitement, closing his book and jumping out of his seat.

I rush into the classroom and get down on my knees, spreading my arms out wide to receive him.

He collides right into me, nearly "Mommy, what are you doing here?"He giggles excitedly.

"Where’s aunty Gwen?"

I push back his curls from his face and stare into his beautiful big eyes.

They were unlike the eyes of any other, one eye being a gorgeous shade of cerulean and the other being the envy of chocolate with swirls of brown and amber.

Heterchromia wasn’t all that common and my Kota’s eyes were the talk of the town when he was first born.He was the little blue and brown eyed boy everyone loved.

I hear footsteps behind me and smile apologetically at the frowning teacher.

"I’m so sorry, Mrs.Henry.I had a patient today whom I could just not get rid of!" I chuckle nervously.

Mrs.Henry sighs heavily.

"You are very lucky Ms.Ramos...."

She says sternly before her grin gives her away.

"That Mr.Ramos here," she says, wiggling her eyebrows at Dakota.

"Is a delight to have around and knows how to keep a lady company." Dakota smiles proudly at me as I lift him into my arms.

"Thank you so much, Mrs.Henry, for looking after him," I smile.

"Pleasure," she smiles back as I turn towards the door.

"And Talia?" She calls out.

I turn towards her again.

"Yes?"

"Don’t forget that."

I close my eyes to keep my tears in.It was my biggest fear to fail Kota.He deserved the world and I sometimes felt I could not give him enough.

"Thank you," I whisper, pushing the door open with my foot.

I carry Dakota down to the bike racks, forcing back my tears and putting on a smile for my little boy.

He didn’t need to see his mommy cry.

"Mommy, where is aunty Gwen?" Kota asks as I set him down on the child carrier.

"She, my love, is on a trip," I reply, strapping on his helmet.

"Which means it’s just you and me for a couple of days."

He gives me a cheeky grin.

"Can we have chicken nuggets for dinner?" I smile at him as I pull out my phone and dial Niki’s number.

"Maybe," I grin.

"Hello?" Niki’s voice comes through.

"Hey, Niki, it’s Talia," I sigh, praying to whatever Gods exist that she wasn’t working tonight.

"Do you think you could watch Kota tonight? Sarah is out of town and I need a babysitter."

"I’m not a baby!" Dakota huffs in his seat.

"Right, I need a little man sitter," I laugh.

"Do you think you could love that boy to bits!"

Oh thank the Gods! We make arrangements and I hop on the bike, Kota stretching out his arms to feel the wind rushing past us.

After a quick pedal to the outskirts of Poulsbo, I finally make it to the house.

I pack Kota’s things in his backpack and change out of my scrubs and into an all black outfit.I would change into my uniform once I got to the club.

There was no way in hell I was riding my bike around in a skirt.

Kota comes rushing into the living, his helmet on backwards.

"Mommy, look! I did it all by myself," he smiles proudly.

I can’t help but laugh as I unbuckle his helmet and put it on the right way.

"There we go," I chirp, helping him back into his seat.

"You’re going to Niki and Micah’s tonight, okay? So I need you to behave.Can you do that?"

He gives me a quick nod and I hand him an apple juice.

I pedal down to the town center where Niki and Micah live.

They are two coworkers from the nightclub.

Niki was a waitress like me and Micah a bartender.I pull up to their apartment and help Kota out of his seat.

He skips ahead and knocks on the door while I tie up the bike.How’s my cute little man?

She smiles as she showers his chubby cheeks with kisses.She waves me inside and closes the door behind me.

An incredible smell fills the entire house and I look over into the small kitchen to see a tiny woman hard at work over the stove.She is no more than 5 feet tall, with long dirty blonde hair and dark kind eyes.

The woman notices me admiring her beauty, blushing furiously and waving politely at me.

Realizing I'm being rude, I wave back and introduce myself.

"Hi, I'm Talia, Niki and Micah's friend." The woman smiles and nods but says nothing.

"Oh my bad, babe," Niki laughs.

"This is our friend Agnes. She's deaf and mute so..."