Love Me Alpha

Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Holly’s Pov

To say Adrian was tense would have been an understatement. Every single muscle seemed to be clenched tightly under his tanned skin as he helped me out of the car after we pulled into the driveway. It didn’t escape my attention that he made sure I was always behind him, that he would be able to protect me if it actually came down to it.

It didn’t complain.

In fact I made sure to tell him that I appreciated the gesture a lot more than he probably thought I was. I wasn’t like most girls in the pack who were utterly independent, I liked leaning on my mate as he leaned on me.

It was us, and it worked.

“Are you sure about this, Sweetheart?” He gave me the opportunity to back out.

I nodded, shooting the pack a sad look as I saw they looked just as tense as my man did. I didn’t blame them, their Alpha wasn’t happy so as a result neither were they. While they had no idea of how this pack was linked to my past, that didn’t change the fact I knew they would act just as strongly as Adrian had.

They were family, and family cared.

“Fine,” I heard him sigh before he headed up the small steps at the front of the porch with the rest of us in toe.

“They could have started by selling the cars,” Ryan grunted as he took in the sports cars and vast number of highly expensive vehicles. I agreed with him, it was unnecessary. Some of them looked like they had never even been driven, so what was the point in having them? To show off? If so, to who and for what purpose?

Knock

Knock

Knock

I jumped slightly when the door quickly opened, my breath catching in my throat as I caught sight of the man I hadn’t seen since I had ran away from this hell hole.

He hadn’t changed, his hair and eyes still dark as his gaze trailed over Adrian while trying to hide the fact he was clearly nervous. My mate’s reputation was known throughout our entire species after all.

I was proud of him.

“You must be Adrian,” my brother, and I use that term loosely, smiled charmingly as he held out his hand.

Adrian reluctantly took the offered gesture, but everyone seemed to cringe when my brother yelped as the sound of crushing bones could be heard.

I didn’t blame him, but ouch.

“And your name…”

“Charlie,” he stuttered out, holding his wounded hand to his chest. “Please, come in and meet the rest of the pack.”

I was thankful for Adrian’s gentle but firm hand around my waist, keeping my mind in the present. I appreciated the gesture more than he could ever know, it helping to keep me grounded.

“Thank you,” I whispered as we made our way inside.

He grinned. “For breaking his hand?” I shrugged. “He deserved it.”

“I know,” I muttered, looking around.

I was surprised to find that nothing had changed, but as the rest of the familiar pack came into view and began to introduce themselves they seemed stunned and taken aback when Adrian refused to let them talk to me.

Did they really not know it was me?

I knew appearance wise I looked completely different. I wasn’t so thin that you could see my skin and bones, and me being pregnant with my mates child gave me a certain glow according to everyone else. Personally I didn’t see it, but I didn’t doubt that they were telling the truth.

But my scent…they should recognise it shouldn’t they?

Or did me mating with Adrian alter that? I smelt mostly of him now, my original scent almost non-existent now. Was that the only reason they appeared so friendly, because they didn’t know who they were being friendly to?

It was almost serial being back here and not being constantly put down.

I must have tensed or breathed too unevenly for Adrian’s liking as he pulled me closer against him, burying his nose against my neck and laying one of his large hands against my stomach in what I knew to be a protective manner.

“Are you ok, Sweetheart?”

I nodded. I figured I was doing alright, I hadn’t broken down in tears so that had to be something, right?

“What’s next?” I wondered out loud.

“Usually, I would go speak with the Alpha on my own, but I am not about to leave you unprotected with these…” he sneered, “…people.”

Those who heard looked shocked to their core at how he was speaking to them, probably asking themselves what they had done to offend him in such a way. It seemed they had no idea that they were acting as if nothing happened to the male alpha who was my mate, my other half and protector. Of course he wasn’t going to like them, they made my life hell! What did they expect?

My brother cleared his throat. “I am sure the girls can keep your mate company. They will take good care of her, of that I can promise you.”

I stiffened uncomfortable, shifting on my feet as he gestured to a group of highly primed females. Clearly word hadn’t got out yet that Adrian was no longer single, but mated with a child on the way, since it looked like all the single females had dolled themselves up for his visit.

He was mine!

“She will not be leaving my side,” Adrian told him bluntly. “I have more than a few words I need to get off my chest, but let us start off with the cars in the driveway shall we?”

The current alpha cleared his throat uncomfortably. “What about them?”

“You ask me for help, advice if you will, and yet even with your financial difficulties outwardly you do not appear that hard done by.”

Charlie frowned. “I-I don’t understand.”

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying his discomfort just a little bit; it was nothing short of what he deserved. I didn’t see myself as a vengeful person by nature, but this was the flesh and blood that had tormented me instead of protected me.

“The sports cars out-front, they are yours?”

He nodded, sighing in understanding. “We don’t want to appear weak-“

“You never came across as strong,” Adrian cut him off causing the entire pack to wince. “You have your guard down, you are recklessly spending money, we came in here without being checked or identified and expect me to leave my mate with you unguarded? Do you have no respect, or are you just stupid?”

“The fact we like nice cars-“

“Which you can’t afford.”

He got a scoff in return. “And you can? I saw what you came in, second hand?”

Were they really arguing about cars?

Adrian’s nostrils flared and I saw Ryan along with the rest of the pack cringe out of the corner of my eye. Clearly everyone else had caught onto the fact that my mate wasn’t one to be taunted, or criticised by how he ran his pack. To say something that could be applied as such to a powerful alpha was a big no no. Even I knew that. He would fight back; he had more reason to than anyone in this room right now.

“My pack isn’t struggling to look after themselves. My pack doesn’t have financial difficulties. My pack cares for each other enough not to be falling apart at the seams!” he snarled.

“Hey! We look after our own!” my brother defended and that seemed to be the final straw, since the next thing I knew I was gently pushed into Ryan’s and Jakes arms as he grabbed Charlie by the neck and threw him outside before shifting much to my old packs horror.

They didn’t stand a chance.