Blood Alpha (Chosen Mate Series 1) [Complete]

Chapter Four

I slowly walked down the stairs, making sure my feet were light and gentle. I didn't want Layton to hear me. He already found out about Donald and thought I was odd, if he knew about my compulsions to check locks; he would think I was insane. I was worried if he found out just how screwed up I was, that he would no longer want me. That he would send me away.

I crept through the lounge, before I saw the front door. Walking up to it, I touched the lock – cringing at the cold metal. It was locked – so I unlocked it, then locked it. Then, I unlocked it once more, just to lock it again. Satisfied, I turned away. Then a little voice spoke up in mind; you did lock that after you unlocked it, right?

The little voice made me doubt myself, so I turned back and unlocked and relocked the door six times before I was satisfied. I nodded at the lock, happy it was secure, before I turned around. As I prepared to go back to Layton's room, his voice filled the room. "Do you intend to murder me or something?"

I spun on my heel, to see Layton leaning against a lit doorway – behind it I got a small glimpse at the kitchen. Layton held a crystal glass in his hands, it looked like it contained some kind of alcoholic substance. He looked casual – posture relaxed, leg slouched and eyebrow quipped. I would have said his emotion was slightly amused, but I knew that he never showed any emotion.

"What?" I asked, heart thumping. I was both scared and embarrassed for being caught locking the doors obsessively.

"You seem to be making sure those doors are locked" he commented, placing the glass down, "I was just wondering if you were planning to murder me. Or, at least, take advantage of me".

I blushed furiously, "of course not, Alpha Vetteriano. I just wanted to make sure that the door was locked". It sounded like a pathetic excuse – even though it was the truth.

"Layton" he growled out, walking over to me. I gave him a look of confusion as he walked up to me. "My name" he said, taking my face in his hands, "is Layton".

"Sorry" I whispered, voice coming out thick. It was only being so close to him that I noticed how his inked tattoos evaded the edges of his neck – a small bit of black ink edged out from the collar of his shirt. But, I couldn't work out what the design was.

"Gemini?" Layton questioned, his hands still clasping my face. His hold was firm, but there was an odd tenderness to his large, rough, hands.

"Yes?" I replied, my grey eyes meeting his beautiful green eyes.

"That male wolf, the one who tried to claim you as his – even though you are mine – was he your boyfriend?" He was trying to keep his voice normal, and calm, but I could hear the slight growl of possessiveness in his words.

"No" I shook my head negatively. "He was best friend, but it was never any more. I've never had a boyfriend".

"Good" Layton nodded. There was a quiver of his lips, which some people may have thought was a smile, but it didn't last long enough for me to be able to tell. "Now, you haven't slept. Off to bed with you". He stepped away from me, dropping his hand. His cold, frosty, attitude returning as quickly as it had shattered.

"I can't sleep without Donald" I admitted, shifting uncomfortably on my feet.

"It's just a stupid bear, go to bed" Layton snapped aggressively, a slight anger to his harsh voice. I frowned deeply, trying to hold my tears at bay. I had cried enough in one day, and I had worked out – pretty quickly – that Layton had a short temper, and it angered him when I cried.

"I can't" I whispered. He didn't understand what Donald meant to me – what he was for me. He was my friend, my protector; the remembrance of my late father. "I know it seems weird to you, and probably to most people. But Donald is special to me, and I seriously can't sleep without him".

Layton looked at me for a minutes, studying my face as if I were joking, then sighed heavily when he realised I wasn't. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Layton closed his eyes and paused. I stood frozen, awaiting the large snap from him. But it never came.

Instead, he walked out the room and through a door – which led to a downstairs basement. There was few bumps and crashes, before Layton emerged out. He looked annoyed, but didn't say anything about it. He simply walked over to me and held a teddy bear out to me. I looked at it in shock.

It was a tattered bear, obviously not been used in a few years, and one of its ears was missing. It was a beige in colour, with darker patches from obvious spills and damages; and a few small bits of stitching from where someone had to try repair the rips in it. It looked like a very used bear. Loved, but used.

"It can be Darius number two" Layton grumbled, looking frustrated.

"Donald" I corrected him. "But I think that your teddy suits Darius better".

"Whatever" he shrugged, "now go to bed, Gemini. I am not playing this game, it's late and you'll be tired in the morning if you don't go to sleep".

"Night, Alpha Vetteriano" I said, turning away from him as I cuddled Darius to my chest. It smelt of Layton.

"Layton" he shouted after me, as I reached the stairs. I mentally scolded myself for getting him name wrong, again, but was too scared to say anything else. But I was becoming more desensitised to Layton's anger. Because I could see he didn't mean it all; he was hot headed, and short tempered, but he cared – in his own, weird, way.

It made me smile to know that he cared for me enough to give me a teddy bear. I knew it was childish of me to need that comfort of Donald, but he was my emotional rock. The part of my father I held onto to. I liked that Layton had given me Darius – who obviously used to be his own toy – it made me feel special. Although it crossed my mind that he only gave it to me, to keep me quiet.

I went back to bed, snuggling with Darius until I feel asleep. Darius wasn't Donald though, and no matter how many times I woke up – I still sort the familiar comfort of Donald. However, when I realised that Donald wasn't with me, I got nervous and I had to keep getting up to check the locks.

Every time I got up, Layton would get up too – from his room on the opposite side of the corridor. At first he would come racing out, eyes crazy and ready for a fight. Then after the third time, he would just walk down with me to the door – watch me obsess over the lock – then lead me back to my room. The following morning, we were both tired.

A knock came on my door, close to eight am, before Layton popped his head inside. "I have work to do. Don't leave the house" he told me bluntly.

"Okay, Alpha Vetteriano" I said, through a yawn.

"Layton" he growled, annoyed. His lack of sleep did nothing to improve his mood – if anything it just made him even more unhospitable. Which up until that moment, I hadn't thought that to be possible. But it was, he seemed even more snappy that usual.

"Okay, Layton Vetteriano" I replied – too tired, in my fatigued state, to really understand what I was saying. I heard Layton sigh heavily, before he left my room. A few minutes later, the front door closed.

When I got up a few hours later, I heard a knocking at the front door. Frowning I walked over and glanced through the peep hole. On the other side of the door, stood a pretty woman. Her hair was a deep red colour, and her eyes a dark brown. She was model material – with a bust that was obvious to her thin waist. Her curves were too die for, and her face was that of an angel. I felt self-conscious, and suddenly didn't want to open the door. But, I knew I had to.

"Hello?" I questioned, staring at the beautifully intimidating woman.

"Gemini, I presume?" she stated, turning her nose up at me. I glanced down at my baggy white night dress, and large fluffy slippers. I looked like a small child, I knew that; and it made me tug on the cotton material slightly. I felt so plain next to the woman.

"Yes" I stuttered out. She gave me a small smirk – one of disgust and amusement. The next words to come out of her mouth, made my eyes bug and my heart pound terribly.

"My name is Andrea, and I'm Layton's girlfriend".