Lewis's POV
I watched her sleeping form intently. Her soft ginger hair fell lightly over her face and her chest rose up and down as she breathed steadily.
I had Karen, one of the pack healer to tend to her back and also help her change into something more comfortable. Then I carried her into my room laid her down on my bed, not wanting to leave her alone in a compromised state.
I've never brought a girl in to my room. The thought of the scent of some female wolf in my personal space disgusted me somehow. I inhaled through my nose and didn't found Victoria's scent. In fact it was hollow, almost as if she wasn't in the room. Something I haven't noticed before.
Her physique looked even frailer now that I could see her in broad daylight. When she fainted last night, the guilt. It hit me.
I'd admit I was part driven by how fucked up my life was and the alcohol. My wolf and I went crazy last night and all I could think of was how to punish her. I could have raped her.. or injured her badly. The thought was unsettling. She would have been scarred forever if I had taken advantage of her.
I sat on the edge of the bed and held my head in my hands. I hated myself. She didn't deserved this. No one deserves this.
I felt her stir on the bed and heard her murmur incoherently. She had a slight frown and her eyes were a little teary. Unable to look at her, I mind linked Karen to come up and change her bandages and check on the wounds.
'Lewis. There's a problem here. A girl was reported missing from last night and Keith Adams is looking for her. The Alpha King gave orders for you to handle the case.' Sawyer mind linked me. I growled disapprovingly.
'No need to look. She's with me right now.' I mind linked back.
'You know who I'm talking about?' He replied.
'Yes.' I replied back, then blocked off the mind link. I stared at her again as Karen entered the room.
"Alpha Prince, may I?" She asked gesturing to Victoria. I nodded and turned around, giving them some privacy.
"Is she alright? How's the wound?" I asked Karen.
"She's healing. But slowly. She'll be fine in a day or two." She replied.
Then Victoria began to open her eyes and looked around in a daze. When she locked eyes with me, she immediately scoot further away from me to the other side of the bed. Her eyes widened with fear and she wrapped her arms around herself unconsciously.
"W-where am I? My back.. it hurts." Her voice croaked when she asked Karen.
"You'll be fine dear don't worry." Karen packed up her stuff and was prepared to leave.
"You're leaving?" She looked to and fro between me and Karen uneasily, seemingly wanting to say something.
I sighed and reached my hands out to her, only to find her cringing away from my touch.
Soon after, Keith came barging into the room and looked around frantically. He looked like he didn't sleep the whole night before. Then he visibly relaxed when he saw Victoria sitting in the corner of the bed.
"Keith!!" She exclaimed with a relieved look on her face.
"Oh god, Victoria thank god you're alright..!" He ran over and gave her a hug before she started to sniffle loudly. "Shh.. you're gonna be fine." He looked at her, checking for anything amiss. I frowned at his action. He doubted me openly, his alpha.
He growled and walked over, glaring hatefully at me. Then a sudden punch to the face caught me off guard and I fell backwards due to impact.
I wiped off the blood from the corner of my mouth and returned a punch to the jaw with as much intensity as him.
"Stop it!" She shouted.
We glared at each other, still in a fighting stance, but Keith decided otherwise. He went back to Victoria and picked her up while she wrapped her arms around his neck securely, pulling her frame closer to him. He whispered to her and scrolled out, but not before turning to say, "This isn't over yet Rowan." I growled loudly at him as he carried her away. I then grabbed a towel on the side, roughly cleaning off the blood on my face.
I inwardly growled and clenched my fist at the thought of him holding her in his arms that way. I don't know why but I wanted her forgiveness.
I wanted her to.... like me and not be afraid of me. I shook my head, laughing at my own thoughts. I can't. I have my mate who is waiting for me to find her.
Then I collapsed on my bed and fell into an uneasy sleep.
Victoria's POV
As Keith carried me down the stairs gently, I kept thinking about how Lewis and I met overnight in the most bizarre manner. Prior to the party, we have never talked to each other before. And now he had already seen me half naked.
The images of him kept flashing through my mind; how he stood at the doorsteps, how he held me against the wall, how he hit me, and the guilt on his face..
It was all so confusing to me. The lady just now, she must be the pack's healer. He must have instructed her to attend to my wounds.
Then I realised I was still in his shirt when I awoke, which came down to my mid thigh since he was so much taller and bigger than me. I could still smell his faint musky cologne on his shirt.
"We were all worried sick for you Victoria.. You didn't have your phone with you and your pack couldn't mind link you.. When you didn't came back yesterday, Megan and Heather were so worried." Keith explained.
I nodded. "Are they okay?" I asked.
"They're fine, although they threw a fit after the royal guards escorted all the guests out of the mansion. Your luna practically had to drag them back. So I tried looking for you instead. But I only managed to contact Sawyer this morning and he told me that Rowan had you. Did he.. did he do anything to you Vicky?" He asked seriously.
"Erm.." I didn't know how to explain.
"Do you want to tell me?" He adjusted his grip to carry me properly. "Um." I cringed when his arms tightened around my back.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt??"
"No I'm fine." I reassured. "No you're not." He put my down and touched my back. I clenched my teeth hoping he wouldn't notice. "He hurt you??" He questioned, anger slowly rising in his eyes.
"Keith relax. I'm fine now look at me," I smiled, but it probably looked like I was crying.
"Besides you already taught him a lesson back there."
"Vicky.. he can't just hit a woman like this! And to think he is going to be the next Alpha king? I guess it runs in the blood." I agreed with Keith. His father had a bad history of being cruel and unmerciful when it comes to enemies or traitors.
He implemented harsh punishments even to his own pack members when they commit some mediocre crimes.
He sighed in defeat. " C'mon, let's get you back home now."
He wasted no time to put me carefully on the passenger seat and buckled me up before he drove me back home. We reached the Rising Crescent pack around the late afternoon and the sun was already setting. Keith carried me up to the porch and Megan was first to open the door to give me a bone crushing hug.
"VICTORIA DUNHAM! You scared me to death don't you ever do this again!!" She shouted, her eyes brimmed with tears. I tried to smile back and ignore the pain. I looked over her shoulders to see Heather, Megan's and my parents standing there.
Mom and dad looked worn out and I could see her eyes were red and puffy. Soon after seeing me, silent tears rolled down her face once again. Keith slowly let me down and I went over to my parents to hug them, but my sobs were stifled. They were probably so frightened from the thought of what could've happened to me.
We bid farewell to Keith as he had to return home before it got dark outside. I thanked him once more before he drove away. Then Megan helped me to the sofa and I started to explain what happened at the royal mansion, similarly to what I told Keith, but I left out some details. I didn't want them to worry, they already had enough.
Megan and heather helped me to my room afterwards.
"Spill it." Megan said.
"About what??"
"Please we didn't became your good friends for nothing.. You're hiding something Vic.." Heather questioned. I gulped and wondered if my face was that easy to read.
I contemplated with the idea of telling them everything. Finally I gave up and let out a heavy sigh before filling in the details I previously left out. I knew I can trust the both of them to keep it between us.
"What!! No wonder I found it weird that you would borrow Keith's shirt to wear.. So the shirt actually belonged to Lewis?" Megan asked and I nodded.
"But he didn't do anything more right? But gosh Vic you know how serious this is??" Heather whisper shouted, and I nodded again.
Then they looked at each other strangely before looking back at me. I raised my eyebrows at them.
"Oh it's nothing Vic. So what are you gonna do about it now?" Megan asked.
"I don't know.. I don't think I could face him without cowering..." I replied as I laid back down on my bed and stared at the ceiling above.
Why must it always be me who is the victim?