Alpha's Eyes [My One and Only]

[Chapter 5] Caught by the Eyes

Augustus’ eyes glowed in fascination. He was hypnotized by her much like she had been by him. He barely registered the arrival of the ambulance and medics. They were desperate to make sure she was alright. That was, after all, their job. But they waited for him to give the go ahead. He may have only lived in the town for a little over eight months, but they knew to seek permission from him.

“Sir,” the medic asked, his voice cracking and showing his anxiety, “May we take a look at her, sir?” 

Augustus shook his head with a clipped, “No.” 

He leaned back, the action causing the medical team to back away quickly. Augustus pulled the girl up into his arms, the weight of her against him surprisingly comforting to him.

His back pocket vibrated, indicating his phone was being called. Unfortunately, his hands were full....unfortunate for whoever was calling, not unfortunate for Augustus. His greatest blessing was now in his possession. How could he ever be called accursed again?

A buzz began to fill the parking lot, the blaring sound of fire trucks and police grew near. Students crammed at their classroom windows to watch the busy scene with wide eyes and dropped jaws. 

Augustus felt them coming and turned to meet them head on. They approached him in a horizontal line, fluidly, oldest to youngest. They: his brothers, his families. Some of their eyes were on the crushed cars, a couple on the law enforcement, a few stared at the girl in his arms. Only one met Augustus’ strong gaze. Addison.

Augustus took deliberate steps in their direction. Addison’s bright blue eyes stared into Augustus’ with matching intensity. Augustus may have been the oldest of their group, but everyone knew Addison was the strongest. When the group of seven young males was close enough to hear each other over the chaos but not be overhead by outsiders, they began to speak.

“You were late to class,” Addison began, putting Augustus on the spot. Only those in the group could catch the amusement he expressed. His eyes were hard, his face a wall a stone. His voice gave nothing away. Only his families saw and heard what was beneath the surface.

Augustus’ lips curled into a pleasant smile. “I was, yet for my tardiness, I was rewarded.” He adjusted the girl’s body in his arms so that his friends may see her face, so that they would know who she was. Whose she was. After they committed her face to their memory, Augustus tapped two of his brothers gently with his leg. When they looked into his face, he gave them a specific look and jerked his head toward the scene of the accident. 

The two guys nodded, accepting clean up duty for the accident’s mess. They were the most extroverted of the group, appeared the most normal and could come off as safe (but every suspected that just because they could come off as safe didn’t mean they were). They approached the policemen, noticing the unhappy faces of the cops and firefighters. No one wanted to talk to any of the seven Alphas, but in this moment, they had no choice. 

“I assume you’ve begun her binding?” Addison asked, seeking confirmation. The group made their way over to Addison’s truck. The younger Alphas were listening intently, eager to observe and learn. After all, they hoped to find their prize someday too. Augustus’ own car was too damaged from the accident. Augustus was unsure if it would ever run again. 

“I did, and I can already feel her breathing in my veins. I doubt she’ll remember. She was delirious before I got to her.”

The youngest of the seven was staring at her with an intense scrutiny. “Are you sure you made the right choice? You’ve never talked about her before.”

Augustus nodded, placing his girl’s limp body gently in the passenger seat. Shrugging his leather jacket off his shoulders, he draped it across her chest and tucked it in behind her back, hoping to keep her warm and comfortable. 

“She had caught my eye the moment she crossed into the county. I’ve been content to watch her, but I did not want to mention her until I knew for sure.”

“And now you know?” the third youngest spoke in genuine curiosity. Addison had taken about four months before he knew. If Augustus was telling the truth, he decided in only a week.

Addison’s laughter filled the air in response to the question. He slapped his hand against Augustus’ shoulder. “Of course he knows,” he answered for his brother. “It’s one thing to catch the alpha’s eyes–” he paused and let Augustus finish the thought.

“And another for the alpha to catch hers.”

 “You caught her eyes?” one of the brothers asked.

 “It’s more than that,” Addison answered, his voice turning sentimental at the memories that filled his mind. His heart could not help but soften. After all, he had gone through what Augustus had just started. Addison was still going through it. He was the first of the seven to gain a prize.

Augustus’ throat tightened. Looking at the peaceful face of the girl laying in the car seat, he ran his finger down the soft slope of her cheek. He could see her eyes in the image of his mind. Beautiful.

There was a popular slogan the seven Alphas had heard during their time amongst the humans: the eyes are the window to the soul.

No one knew the truth of this more than the Alphas. For they additionally knew the secret of opening that window and going inside. They understood how to securing the eye, the soul, and the body. 

 His voice tight, Augustus forced himself to respond for the sake of his brothers. “Any human here could catch attention from a pair of eyes, but only we can truthfully claim a prize.”

He rubbed his thumb over the girl’s mouth and traced her jaw. He leaned in, applying just enough force in his fingers to open her mouth. Pressing his lips to hers, he wholly covered her mouth with his and exhaled. He could feel her chest expanding with what he gave her. They were already bonded. There was no need to give her more, but he could not help himself. He wanted to be absolutely sure. He wanted to know that he knew that knew. He needed no doubts. He needed her bound to him.

The girl groaned, and Augustus pulled back. Her eyes fluttered but did not open. Augustus kissed her left eyelid once, lightly, and then kissed the right. Seven days. He had seven days until he could see her beautiful eyes again. The eyes of his prize, his little love.