Never trust your tongue
when your heart is bitter.
I sprinted down the steps and into the dining room, following the sounds of a struggle. At the bottom of the stairs, a vase had been broken - a little ironic seeing as how I just wanted to break one in my room. I leaped over, dodging the few scattered pieces, and peeked around the corner.
The sight before me left me speechless. My stomach took a turn and I almost had the urge to throw up.
A woman who looked no older than I, was pinned against a welcome table. The vase, she knocked over trying to get away. The man above her was working on removing his shirt, distracted with running his mouth along her skin to notice me.
"Hey!" I yelled, my voice sounding scared, but I was determined to intervene. The man didn't spare me a glance. He was big, but I knew that if it had to come to it, Andrew could beat him. That, and he was the one in charge around here. "Get away from her!"
I silently prayed that he would burst through the door any second now and help me. I can't fight a werewolf.
The lady moaned softly when he trailed his fingers down her arms. It stunned me to see her reaction. I would think anyone in this situation would have the opposite effect, but she seemed to be enjoying this. Her shudders were very clear, and even across the room I could see them, but they looked vaguely memorable.
It reminded me of - when Andrew touched me.
She looked over at me then, her hand reached out for me and another cry broke the air. A vein exposed itself against her neck. She made a silent groan when his hand roamed her body.
What is this? Soft porn?
I didn't know what to do other than to interrupt what was going on and hopefully be in the right.
I ran towards him and shoved him hard with my body, making him lose his balance and take a couple of steps backward.
It took a few seconds for him to adjust and find me with his eyes. I cowered behind the woman hoping she would now find the strength and in return, save me.
"Who in the hell do you think you are?" He snarled, clearly livid at my disturbance. His claws were extended and teeth bared. He resembled a starved animal.
His eyes were filled with anger and greed, he was hungry. Even from a bystanders point of view, I could see his intentions were only concerned with her.
What did she mean to him?
I looked over to where the woman once was only to find her sprinting outside and for the woods. My heart sank at her retreat.
Thanks for the help.
My fingers began to shake as I stood before him, trying my best to look threatening. My vision shook slightly as it dawned on me that I was in the presence of a monster with the intentions of hurting me greatly.
My attention was brought back to the beast when he growled a warning, his eyes chasing after the woman running away from him. I heard a low whine rumble from his throat.
The time to explain was sparse as he began advancing, now angrier that he had been separated. "What pack are you from, outsider?" His nostrils flared and he began to smell for my scent. "Why do you smell like - ?"
"I'm his mate -"
"You don't belong here, rogue." He had tried to grab me gently at first, but I had dodged him and pushed him away to create distance.
He reached for me again, quicker and with more aggression, thinking I was a wolf and could fight back against him. He swung at me but missed due to my clumsy but life-saving, unbalanced feet. As I tried to balance myself, a hard shove came from my side and I was shoved to the floor. I fell onto the tile, landing hard on my knee and elbow.
I was cut off once more when the man grabbed a fist full of my hair and brought my head back so he could examine. His teeth were exposed as a boiling rage brewed within him. "You're trespassing into our home."
I'm trying to tell you!
"I'm -"
"Alpha Andrew's mate!"
The snarl made my body shake, my vison fading for a moment. I didn't think I could stand due to so much power and possession that leaked from Andrew. It was overwhelming.
And a great turn on.
My attacker let go of me and dropped to his knees, face against the floor as he showed his submission. I almost wanted to do the same.
My eyes drifted towards the door where a very pissed Andrew stood with the lady from earlier at his side. In the end, she had helped me. She had received Andrew.
She dismissed herself, falling forward to wrap her arms around the man on the ground. I thought maybe she would beat him for taking control of her a few moments ago, but now it looked like she would shield him from punishment.
"Leave woman." The threat rattled within his chest as Andrew raised his head a bit higher.
The woman looked torn between following the command or staying by his side. "Alpha please -"
"I meant now!"
I had to look away from Andrew, his voice making me jump but the sight of him making me want to move closer. I tried to keep my thoughts in control, hoping that if he had heard them, he wouldn't tease me about it later.
The young woman left the room grudgingly.
"Alpha! I was just - your mate?" The wolf stumbled over himself as he lifted his face from the floor to sneak a glance at me to confirm.
"Stay down!"
He fell back to his earlier position.
Three men came right behind Andrew, filling the room. One was the same man Andrew had been in such deep discussion with at breakfast. Their eyes moved from the man to Andrew and back, waiting for the orders they needed to be given.
"Take him away. I'll be there shortly. "
"Alpha Andrew, please! I apologize greatly!" The man yelled his testimony. I was still held with the restraints Andrew commanded.
My body was stiff and it was extremely hard to breathe. I could hardly watch the scene.
As the man passed, Andrew could no longer contain himself and grabbed the man by his shirt. He swiftly left damage to his nose, demonstrating that he didn't have much restraint.
The sickening crack made me scoot across the floor in the opposite direction. This feeling was not so pleasing anymore.
His pleads were still being spit from his mouth as he was carried down the hall and away from our site.
A touch against my arm now was my concern. I pulled away like I had been burned. "Don't touch me! Not yet."
"You do not command me!"
I watched him shake, the tremble of his skin reminded me of someone shivering. His face got really close to my neck, his teeth taking a soft bite before he pulled away. Andrew's breathing fluctuated as he tried to gain control.
I turned, looking upward so I could give him my full attention. My legs were still shaky and he didn't help now with the way he was looking at me.
"Andrew -"
He apologized for the previous scene, his hand running across his face.
"I shouldn't have said that to you. I shouldn't have treated you like that - like you are below me. I shouldn't have left you alone."
He embraced me into a small hug, and it took me a second to react back, my arms folding around his neck. The tingle, I now could describe, felt as if my whole body was asleep and I was trying to wake it up. Every touch, sent a wave of tingles from every hair on my head, to every nerve in my toes.
"I'm okay," I promised. I didn't feel okay, and my body continues to burn like fire. He lifted my leggings up and examined my knee, his nose twitching at the smell of blood. His hand raised my arm so he could examine my elbow. It was hardly anything to worry about, but Andrew rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"You've got to be shitting me - I'm going to kill him." He growled, eyes tossing to the side as if he were contemplating going and hitting the man again. I figured it was best for me to try and move, to show him it was okay so that no murder was made on my behalf. Andrew noticed me moving and helped me up.
"It's really nothing."
Andrew clenched his teeth. "It shouldn't have happened."
The fabric around my leg felt tight, so I unraveled my pant leg back down to my ankle. "But I'm fine."
"You could have been killed." We stared at the other again, like we only now noticed the other was standing in front of us. He pulled away first, tugging my arm to get me to walk with him. I thought he was going to lead us back upstairs to my room, but instead he turned the opposite direction and led me down a hallway. I rested my cheek against his arm and followed him obediently.
Andrew's head lowered to my hair, his nose nuzzled against my ear in apology. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"It's okay," I muttered, smoothing my hand over the curve of his back. "It's not your fault."
He sighed again and rubbed my back with his hand as well. A visible shudder was made on his part. "You're my mate, my lover, my woman. I should've been here - right by your side." He made multiple sounds within his chest, trying to regain his control.
"Are you still mad at me?" I glanced at him, then decided it was best to look down at my feet, afraid that we would make eye contact that I wasn't ready for.
He looked down at me and pulled me closer to his side.
"I wasn't mad at you, to begin with."
I tugged on his shirt a little making him stop walking and face me. His hands brushed my arms, trying to rid them of their shake when really he was the one who caused them.
He felt guilty
"I'm sorry, for everything. For what happened earlier and what happened downstairs, I just -" I began my apology but couldn't seem to finish. There was so much I needed to take back and make right. "Though you and I have our separate opinions, I shouldn't have grown so angry and immature. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings."
Andrew pulled me into a hug and wrapped his arms around my waist. "The disagreement earlier is not something you should apologize for. I as an Alpha and as your mate, should've kept my temper and stayed with you. Things would've gone much better."
He was taking all the blame and not giving me the chance to carry any of it. "You couldn't have predicted this, and really, I'm fine."
His fingers trailed my jaw, before running his thumb down my neck.
"Emily, I want you to be honest with me at all times even if you think it will make me angry. Come to me if you need to talk." It almost sounded like a plea. "Please don't let the argument from earlier push you away from me."
I pulled away from the hug to look up at him, the physical contact not helping with the tremors running up my body. "You promise you aren't mad at me?" I questioned again.
He nodded his head, a soft look shadowing the previous anger. "I promise. Are you upset with me?" I shook my head 'no' and grabbed onto his arm so we could walk down the hall again.
He wasn't acting lovey dovey towards me and though that time would come eventually, I'm glad he didn't bombard me with the feeling of being trapped. The feeling of being controlled kept me from having long term relationships before, leading me absolutely no where for advice. My inexperience danced away in the back of my mind. Deep down I knew, I didn't know how to be with Andrew.
I hope he finds what he's looking for.
He cleared his throat, bringing me out of my thoughts. Andrew continued to pull me along at a steady pace. "Let's go see the pack doctor about those scrapes."