Beyond the Curtain

19 | rule 24

"Rowan," I raised my voice as I wrapped my hands around me. "Stop the car."

His foot pressed harder on the gas pedal.

"Rowan," I said, this time more authoritative, but my change in demeanor seemed to have no effect on him. "Rowan, stop the fucking car."

Putting my head in my hands and rubbing my eyes, I put my hands on Rowan's forearm, and he finally turned to look at me. With his attention on me, I yelled, "Stop the car."

He gulped, and I watched as his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down. Slowly, his foot released pressure on the gas as his breathing began to normalize.

"Rowan, you can't just go after Miss Nymphadora," I exhaled, thrusting my head into the headrest behind me.

"I'm an A—"

"You're an Alpha. I get it," I said, my fingers sinking into his skin. "But you can't just go after her and don't give me any of that mate bullshit."

"But you are my mate," he gruffed, giving the gas a little more pressure.

"Rowan." I slumped into my chair. "You can't just make unilateral decisions like this."

"She needs to pay for—"

"And I believe she will," I swallowed. "I think the universe will have something terrible in store for her, but you can't just go after her like this."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not being rational," I countered, pulling at the root of my hair. "You're letting her get to you."

"I don't care," he said through gritted teeth. "She still has a hold on you, Olive."

"And it's been like that my entire life," I sighed.

"It shouldn't have been."

"But it was," I said firmly. "And I wouldn't change it. I'm not just saying that because of how you're acting. Rowan, all you've done is see the bad in the circus. You hear one thing, and then assume the worst."

He blinked, rolling his shoulders as he looked over at me.

"Find her if you must," I said, folding my arms over my chest. "But take me back to Nightfall first. I don't want to be a part of some manhunt when you're acting like this."

"Olive." His face softened. "I just—I just feel so helpless. I'm not used to feeling this way."

"Because you're an Alpha?" I asked with my eyebrows raised.

"Precisely," he grinned. "If she was a member of my pack, she would pay for what she's done."

"She's not a member of your pack," I reminded him as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"I know, but, Olive, she can't just get away with this," he said, tensing up once again.

"I get that you're used to being in control, being an Alpha and all, but you can't just Alpha your way through life and expect everyone else to just agree with you," I said, nibbling on my lip.

"I know."

"You also shouldn't be making decisions when your emotions are running so high," I warned with a small smile. "Miss Nymphadora has been, in some way, controlling my life shortly after I was born. She's gone, left, and I'm not quite ready for her to control my life again, which is what would happen if you go out searching for her."

"I know," he reiterated. "But not doing anything, not making her pay—that's not what an Alpha would do."

"You're not my Alpha."