Alpha Bounded (Alpha's Little Secret Universe)

Chapter 25: Confrontation

Walker's P.O.V

I could feel the tension radiating off Malachi, an intense energy that hung heavy in the air between us. Every furrow of his brow, every clenched jaw, spoke volumes of the inner dialogue within him. As we stood there in the midst Etienne telling Aryan and Oliver about some random coincidence he just had, I sensed Malachi's frustration. I could feel it pressing against my own chest, urging me to reach out, to offer quiet comfort in any way I could. So, I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close, hoping that it was enough to calm him. It was all I could do in that moment without making things dramatic or awkward in front of everyone.

When he finally led me outside to the peaceful embrace of the quiet beach, I felt the ocean breeze grace my skin as we both strolled across the sand in silence. With the ocean waves crashing gently against the shore, I took his hand in mine, feeling how tense he was.

"What's wrong? You've seemed off since this morning," I blurted out, unable to contain my concern any longer. Part of me knew I shouldn't have left him alone, but I had assumed he was just worried about me. I didn't expect to come back to him feeling off. He had cancelled his plans to go ATV riding with Oliver, so that only added to my worry.

The seriousness in his eyes bore into mine, sending a shiver down my spine. And when he finally spoke, his words struck me like a lightning, inflaming a rage and regret in me that I didn't think I'd ever feel.

Malachi, my alpha, my boyfriend, confided in me, revealing that Dior couldn't be trusted. He described her as being a predator, a sickening development that had caught me off guard. I felt betrayal gnawing at my insides. I struggled to comprehend how someone could be so bold and callous. She was supposed to be my friend. I told her everything about Malachi when we first started dating. She knew how I felt about him. She knew how much I loved him. A part of me didn't understand why she would do such a thing, but it made in sense I guess. Malachi was a catch. A guy who most omegas and female betas wanted. He was the kind of boy you wanted to marry.

As I looked into Malachi's eyes, I saw the raw fear that lurked beneath his face. It was a fear born of uncertainty, of the unknown, of the countless ways in which Dior could wreak havoc on our lives. And as he confessed his deepest fears, I felt my heart shatter.

"I'm scared she'll make up lies about me, like saying I tried to do something to her," Malachi confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. His words hung in the air for a moment, casting a shadow over us. And in that moment, I realized just how vulnerable he truly was, how fragile and insecure he could be. How he could be a target too. He had protected me because that was expected of an alpha. But he needed to be protected too.

So, without hesitation, I reached out and touched Malachi's face, tracing the contours of his cheek with trembling fingers. Our eyes met, and in that silent exchange, I promised him that I would do whatever it took to protect him, to shield him. No words were exchanged, but through our glances I knew what he needed from me.

I stood on my tippy toes, pecking him on the lips. The alpha smiled against the quick kiss, his hands finding my hips as he lifted me up a little. I quickly wrapped my legs around him and nestled my head into his neck as he continued to walk along the beach.

"I love you," he said to me. There were still many emotions that were filtering through me, one being extreme worry. What if Malachi had taken the bait and slept with Dior. I knew it was something that would never happen, but Dior was gorgeous. She was the kind of girl who was confident and could take whatever she wanted when she wanted.

Then there was Aryan. How was I supposed to tell him that the love his life was attempting to cheat on him. Or maybe she already was. Aryan was much too sweet to be lied to about this. He did everything for her.

"Is it even worth it to confront her?" I asked.

Malachi sighed, completely understanding the predicament I was in. This could ruin my friendship with Aryan. I didn't care if Dior never talked to me again, but I did care about Aryan.

"I think Aryan deserves to know the truth before things get to complicated," Malachi replied. He sounded unsure too, but what else could we do. Dior had caused this and the only way to deal with it as to go about it the hard way.

•••

I kept it a secret when we got back, holding my tongue as Dior acted as if she didn't do any thing wrong. In fact, she was all over Aryan. The alpha looked physically distraught as she pulled on him and kissed along his neck. I felt sick. How could she possibly live with herself knowing what she did?

"Can you two get a room," Oliver joked. Dior rolled her eyes, finally taking her seat across from Etienne. I glared at her intensely, hoping she could feel just how much I wanted to tell everyone what a good for nothing slut she was. The fact that she even had the audacity to put her crummy little hands on Malachi made me furious.

"Ou byen? (Are you okay?)" Etienne asked. The Alpahs eyes seemed to notice me glaring at Dior, catching on to the fact that I was upset.

"I'm not,"I answered truthfully. Dior finally acknowledged me, seeming to instantly recognize where my anger was coming from. Did she think Malachi would tell me? She probably thought that I would be too passive to say anything. I was nothing of the sort when it came to Malachi.

I looked at Aryan, feeling my heart drop as I began to speak. "When we left this morning Dior decided it was a good idea to shoot her shot at Malachi," I exposed without hesitation. "She tried to get him to sleep with her and..."

I'm the midst of me explaining everything Aryan stood up banging his hands on the table as he looked at his girlfriend. I had never seen him angry before. It was like watching everything you knew about a person change before your very eyes.

"Aryan, he's..."

"Don't you dare fucking say he's lying! Is this why you wanted to come on this trip last minute? You wanted to get cozy with Malachi?!," Aryan shouted.

"Aryan, that's not..."

"I'm not stupid Dior! I know I'm not the perfect guy, but I'm not fucking stupid! This is the first time in forever I get to spend time with you and you try this shit! Not only did you do this shit to me, but you did it to Walker. He's our friend!"

We all watched Aryan break down in front of us, tears rolling down his face in anger. Etienne was first to intervene pulling Aryan into another room, Oliver blocking Dior from getting to him.

Dior seemed hysterical as she began to act. I always knew when she was acting because her movements weren't natural and seemed forced. "I was just feeling pressured. Malachi was all alone and..."

"Bullshit! You know how I feel about Malachi. To think that you'd even try it lets me know that you don't care about me at all," I said, confronting her.

"Walker, you don't understand. He's irresistible. He's literally perfect. How can..."

"I think you should get on the next available flight out of here." Malachi spoke with a danger that scared me a little. There were probably two things that could ever get him to hurt someone. Me being one of them.

"Walker please..." Dior begged.

"You heard him. Just leave...before it gets worse for you."