Not My Alpha (Completed)

Chapter Fifty - He Cares

A picture of Samuel, shaking his head in agony, made its way to the forefront of my mind. I tried ignoring it like I'd been successfully doing all day, but with Raven sitting at the bottom of my bed, continually reminding me, the image refused to pass.

A weight began to settle on consciousness. It dripped into my soul like a leaking faucet at first, before it advanced as a raging storm. Then, everything hit. The numbness I'd succumbed to the entire day cracked away, and its place was every emotion I'd tried to suppress. Each one tore at my heart as a gust of torrential wind, ripping me in half time and time again. 

Raven stared at me, watching the battle rage. Her eyes drooped and she licked her lips. "Do you want to talk?"

My mouth pressed into a firm line and I shook my head. She nodded and pushed the mug of tea closer to my hand, warming the skin. I lowered my gaze and took hold of the cup, embracing the added warmth it provided my suddenly cold body. 

"Drink. It'll make you feel better." Raven raised her own cup to her lips. I mimicked her actions, letting a small sip of the brown liquid enter my mouth. It was sweet and instantly livened my senses. 

"See?"

I sighed and gave a slight nod.

She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "It's okay, you know." When I was silent, she continued in a soft voice. "It's okay to hurt."

The tears I'd been fighting began falling down my cheek, dripping into my cup. I opened my mouth, but words refused to come out. Raven saw this and slowly reached her hand toward mine. 

"Can you sit up?"

I nodded, blindly following her request. As I did, Raven placed her cup on the floor, replacing it with another ice pack. 

"Here, take this."

Before I could protest, she took my cup away and placed the ice pack in my hand. I looked at it for a moment, before moving away countless blankets and fixing it gingerly over my swollen ankle. The purple skin was met with immediate relief.

I sighed, then slowly brought my gaze up to Raven, raising an eyebrow.

"You're not getting rid of me yet." She pointed her finger at the pile of food beneath us. "You have to eat, first."

My gaze fell on the food and my stomach churned. I licked my lips and cleared my throat. "I'm not hungry."

She smiled. "Then I guess I'll be here a while."

I sighed. The deep breath caused a coughing fit to rack my lungs. Raven quickly gave me the mug of tea, at which I took a grateful sip. When it was finished, I placed it back on the ground and gave her a sympathetic look. 

"You can leave, Raven. I'm sure Samuel won't care if I eat, or not."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's a good thing Samuel isn't the one who told me to come in here, then." When I met her statement with confused silence, Raven continued, smirking. "I can think for myself, sometimes."

"But you said-"

"I know," She laughed, softly. "I made myself a rule that I couldn't leave until you ate or drank something."

I stared at her for a moment before an unwilling smile crept onto my face. "Won't they notice you gone?"

"Everyone is a bit preoccupied, at the moment."

I nodded, adjusting the ice pack on my ankle. Raven looked at it for a moment before twisting her fingers together and pulling on her shirt, glancing in my direction.