Chapter 49: Chapter 49

Humming, I take a long shower. When I come back out, the sky is thick with dark clouds, I see the lightning flash in a distance. Luke isn’t back yet.

Combing my fingers through my wet hair, I wonder if I should go down to meet the others.

Seven teams made it back, six excluding us. Luke told me Ethan and Tyler made it back and so did Joseph and

Freddie. The others I don’t know, but I do want to meet my friends.

My mind made up, I make my way towards the stairs and go straight to the first floor. I reach the first door and raise my hand to knock when the realization hits me.

I have no idea which room they’re in.

Muttering a curse, I move the gears in my head.

Just then, a maid goes past me, an idea hits me like lightning. The sound of thunder in the background only adds to create the effect.

“Wait,” I quickly walk to her, she raises an eyebrow at me in confusion “Do you know where Alpha Parks’ room is?”

“Sure, Ms. Attwood.” She nods “The second last on the left.”

“Thank you,” I grin at her but just as I take a step forward, she speaks again

“If you are hoping to meet him, Ms. He’s not there.” She tells me “He left for a jog with his beta just five minutes ago. They said the rain wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Oh,” My shoulders drop “And Alpha Vanderwood? Where is he?”

“He just asked for coffee in the library.”

With a smile, I nod at her and turn to the stairs again. Soon enough, I reach the library on the second floor.

Without knocking, I slip inside. Using my ninja maneuvers, I quickly detect a mop of dark hair against one of the couches.

I slowly creep forward, making no sound whatsoever, finally, I am close enough to the couch to scare the shit out of him when I hear;

“And you said I’m creepy.”

“Seriously?” I frown at him, peeking from behind the couch “What is it with everyone knowing I’m there?”

“Your scent is strong, Attwood,” Joseph looks up from the chessboard in front of him on the table “And every

Lycanthrope here is either Alpha or Beta, except you, of course.”

I huff “Yet I’m the one who won.”

“Winters won.”

“Same thing.”

He gives me an amused look “What are you doing here?”

“Cant I check up on my housemates to know if they’re alive?” I give him a look, propping myself on the couch

“I appreciate the concern,” he says with a quirk of his lips “I’m surprised you’re alive, Elise. Heard you took a silver bullet.”

“Who told you?” my eyebrows shoot to the sky

“Parks wanted to see you, Winters said you’re still recovering.” He says, moving a piece from the black’s side and then moving one from the white “By the way, how are you now?”

“I’m good,” I say cheerfully “Never been better.”

Joseph casts me a sideways glance, his lips curve in a smirk “So, you and Winters?”

I raise an eyebrow at him, hoping he can't hear how my heart has started to gallop.

“What do you mean?” I play dumb, faintly aware of the splatters of rain on the windows

“Don’t give me that look,” he rolls his eyes “I know about his curse.”

My mouth falls open “What, how?”

Joseph takes a moment to think, then moves the black’s queen, knocking over white’s king. Checkmate.

“My father attempted to kill him.”

“What?”

Joseph picks up his coffee mug and takes a sip, leans back in his seat.

“He came to our pack some four years ago, talked to my father on some matters.” He tells me calmly “He and his little crew of warriors were to leave in a few days, my father told me we would finish them off in the night. I asked him the reason. He told me.”

He takes another sip of the coffee and looks at me with those too clever forest eyes “I don’t think I’d ever forgotten the night a single Lycan killed ten trained warriors.”

A beat of silence passes and then I’m compelled to ask;

“What about your father?”

“Gone.”

My eyes widen in horror “Did he, Did Luke—

“No,” Joseph says “He’s not dead. He’s in exile for planning an attack on your pack a few months later. He helped some rouges, the Alpha Supreme found out. He was exiled without trial, no one bought his story of the boy beast.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, Joseph exhales a laugh.

“You’re acting as if it would’ve been bad if Winters had killed him.” He says

“How can you say that?” I ask applauded “He’s your father!”

“A father who killed his two older children to save his title.”

I’m openly gaping at Joseph. He rolls his eyes at me.

“Get yourself together, Attwood.” He says lightly, but I detect the careful warning in his voice, telling me not to show sympathy “Things happen, people go on. I don’t remember much of it anyway.”

I decide to change the topic to “Yeah, Luke and I.”

“Knew it,” he flashes me the usual self-content smirk “I must admit, Winters is a lucky bastard to get to stay with his mate the entire Hunt.”

“You must be missing you mate too, huh?” I ask, then a grin comes to my lips “I’m sure she’s glad to have you away for a while.”

“Penelope adores me,” Joseph huffs “And she shares my admiration for chess.”

I find myself genuinely smiling at him “I’m sure she does.”

“Now that you’ve given me the official title of being your housemate,” Joseph says “I expect you to have the first official dinner at my pack.”

“Official dinner?”

He nods at me as he stands up “The new Alpha Supreme receives a lot of invitations for an official meeting with other packs.”

I stand up as well “I expect a grand feast.”

Joseph gives me a little bow “As you wish, your highness.”

I smile at him, only to realize a moment later that he probably has to go and I’m standing just in front of him. He’d have to move around the table to leave, or I could just step back and save him the trouble.

In my haste to move back, my foot hits the table’s leg and I lose my balance. Instinctively, trying to hold something for support, my hands find Joseph’s arm, causing him to fall with me.

The mug slips from his grip and shatters to the floor as we both fall on the couch. Joseph manages not to crush me by holding himself by the arms. I almost cringe at the awkward position.

Before either of us can move, a low growl reaches my ears.

The next instant, I hear a crash as the table is tossed away, its glass top shattering with an ear-piercing sound. Joseph has hauled off me, and I hurriedly scramble up to see him being held against a shelf.

“Stay away from her,” Luke’s lips curl in a snarl, displaying his elongated canines, his hand clenched around Joseph’s throat

I stare at Luke, petrified in my place, if he tightens his hold he’s going to kill him. Something hits me like an iron fist in my guts.

“Luke, let him go,” I scurry off the couch and towards them, trying to pull him back from a struggling Joseph

His head snaps to me for a moment, eyes dark like obsidian, rage swirling in their depths. Without thinking twice, I step back.

He turns his face back to Joseph, whose face is turning red, his own hands have shifted, trying to claw off Luke’s grip in vain.

“She’s mine,” Luke growls at him

I flinch at the raw possession in rough his voice. My heart starts to pound hard against my chest. Something is very, very wrong here. This is not Luke’s voice, it cant be.

Internally shaking myself, I grab his arm yet again, trying to pull back.

“He knows that,” I say, desperation taints my voice like poison “He has a mate, remember!”

His chest rises and falls as quickly as Joseph’s, a few painful seconds die in the process of his hand leaving Joseph’s throat, who quickly pushes Luke away from himself, drawing in sharp breaths.

Two burning arms wrap around me in crushing hold, reminding me so much of the last full moon.

“Don’t touch her again.” Luke’s voice rumbles with a growl

I cant see Joseph’s face, but he says nothing. I feel a face pressed in my hair, taking a deep breath.

“My mate,” A rough voice whispers “Only mine.”

I manage to snake my hands between us, hopelessly trying to push him a bit away. Finally, relenting, Luke pulls away just enough to look at me. Anger, possession, and adoration all mixed up in his eyes. My brain jams in place, unable to comprehend what’s happening.

Something in him snaps, clearing away the dark mist to give way for the stormy blue.

Luke’s eyes widen a fraction, eyebrows pulling together as he abruptly lets go of me. I hear the sound of a door slamming shut as he leaves.

I whirl around to see Joseph, leaning against the shelf, the bruises on his neck already fading.

“Are you okay?” I ask

“Fine.” He nods, still staring at the door “You?”

“I’m okay.” I let out a breath “Joseph, I’m sorry, my clumsiness got this messed up.”

He finally looks at me again and shakes his head “This is expected. Lycans are possessive even these days, and he

is… something ancient.”

“This isn’t,” I swallow “Always going to be like this, right?”

Joseph keeps staring at me for a while “I don’t know.”

I try to swallow the lump in my throat “I should go.”

“Elise,” Joseph calls as I near the door, I look over my shoulder “Give him time, this must be new for him too.”

I give him a quick nod “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I quickly make my way to my room, when I throw the door open, I can't see him anywhere. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed.

I bite my lip in thought. Should I look for him? But Luke will come back when he’s done processing this right? I should give him time.

I sit, pace, lay down, and pace again in my room as the minute's tick by. The rain outside gets harder. He doesn’t come back.

Finally, when it's past midnight, I decide that’s this is enough. Leaving my room, a storm of thoughts swirls in my head.

I don’t know if I want to have this conversation. I’m sure Luke doesn’t want to have this conversation. But we can't avoid this, I refuse to let a dumb incident be a hurdle between us.

I go to his office and without knocking, go inside. Blinking, I look around. He’s not here. I close the door and look through the other rooms.

The thunder roars, illuminating the otherwise dark hallways. I contemplate calling out his name but I don’t want to risk him walking away.

Looking inside each room, my disappointment increases. But he should be here! Unless he went out. But he wouldn’t go out in this weather, would he?

My feet accelerate their pace and so does my heart and I silently pray to the Goddess for him to be here.

I reach the second floor and just as I quickly pass a balcony, my steps falter.

I step back, slowly, hopefully, and there, standing in the pouring rain I see a tall, dark silhouette.

The thunder roars again, I quietly step out into the rain, biting back a gasp as the icy water hits me. My hand reaches out to touch him but I hesitate before pulling it back

A whisper leaves my mouth “Luke.”

Impossibly, over the sound of the splashing rain and rushing wind, he hears me. He whirls around, eyes wide a

fraction, muscles taut.

For a moment, we just stand there; in the pouring rain under the dark sky, looking at each other, asking a thousand

questions in the silence that envelopes us.

My feet move forward, my hands reach up to hold his face and I vaguely wonder why he seems so taller than usual.

Tenderly, my freezing fingers graze his burning skin. His stormy eyes burn with deep regret, a pain ages old.

Breaking the spell of silence, my mouth opens and words tumble out;

“Why did you leave?”

Luke snaps out of his trance, he briskly steps away from me before turning his back at me once again.

“Why are you here?” his voice is harder than it’s ever been before

“You just took off and you’re asking me why I’m here?” I say

Another flash of lightning illuminates the balcony, I notice his hands digging into the railing.

“You should go.”

I gape at his ripped back, feeling irritation and confusion arise in me. Why is he acting like this? I didn’t do anything

wrong!

“Do you think I came here at this hour of the night, in the pouring rain, just to turn back?” I ask, my eyes narrowed

His neck muscles tense, other than the sound of thunder, I get no response.

“Luke, look at me,” I say in a firm voice

He doesn’t move an inch. Closing the distance between us, I take his arm and force him to look my way.

“Do you have any idea,” I jab a finger at his chest “how worried I was?”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Hazel.” He looks away

“Luke, what are you talking about?” I stare at him, brows furrowed in confusion

“Monsters are not to be worried for,”

“You’re not—

“I saw the way you looked at me,” He steps away from me, a strange sort of restlessness on his features

I stare at him, wide-eyed and stunned. Getting no answer out of me, Luke runs a hand through his hair, pushing the dark strands away from his face.

“You looked at me like you want to run away,” his eyes clench shut as if he’s in too much pain “as though I terrify you.”

My heart falters, crushed with an unknown pain, and my shoulder sag under its weight.

“You don’t scare me.” I say, my voice hushed in the rough winds “You never will.”

“How can you not be afraid,” he asks, staring down at his hands— claws “Of what might surface through me?”

I step forward and hold his face. Luke’s eyes gravitate to mine, looking like shattered glass after a storm.

“How can I be afraid of someone I love?”

Even in the pouring rain, his body radiates heat. Standing on my toes, I hook my arms around him, his arms wrap around me, holding me as though I might vanish any moment.

“This won't happen again, Elise.” his voice is so low I almost don’t catch it over the sound of the rain “I swear.”

“I know,” I whisper, then little smile tugs at my lips “But I kinda really like hugging in the rain.”

His shoulders relax slightly, Luke presses a soft kiss to my temple “This won't happen like this again.”

I nod “Yeah, there should be a garden and background music.”

He smiles then. The first deep smile I’ve ever seen him give after the one on the finish line. It melts my heart as I look at him, really look at him. At a man who’s been told of the monster he might become his whole life and yet he had the strength to take that title down and build a new one.

Goodness, I have fallen hard.

I lean forward to lock my lips with his, Luke instantly returns the gesture but I stop before that. A strange feeling crawls up my body, my eyes widen in realization and I turn my face just in time before—

I sneeze.

Sniffling, I turn back to Luke with a sheepish smile.

“Come on,” He smiles, his hand seems to engulf mine on a whole new level

Luke guides me back inside and passing through the dark hallways to my room before flickering on the lights I had

turned down before leaving.

“You should take a warm shower, Hazel.” Stepping away from me, Luke opens the closet and takes out a long sweatshirt

Taking the shirt from him, I look up—way up at his face “And you?”

“I’ll take a shower in the other room,” Luke says

Nodding, I step away from him into the bathroom. Taking off my soaked clothes I take a quick warm shower.

Sneezing a few times, might I add. Then I dry off and put on the dry shirt.

My mind wanders back to what happened not so long ago. I know the full moon is coming, but Luke was fine just before… Korra removed my mark. But that can make him go so out of control was unimaginable.

Korra had warned me, maybe I should’ve been more careful. But what about a full moon? Is Luke going to shift during the ceremony? What about me? He won't try to mark me, would he? It’s not like I don’t want him to, but I don’t want it to be like this.

With a storm of questions, I step back into the room. My eyes instantly land on Luke sitting on the bed. I focus my eyes on his face, his damp hair, and his dark stormy gaze but he looks calm, not as guilt-ridden as he did a while ago.

My gaze travels to his hands and, for a millisecond, I freeze. They’re still not back to normal.

Surprised, I walk up to him and curiously, cautiously hold his hand in mine. It should be back to normal, every other time it happened, it goes back in a while.

He waits for me to speak and I do too, but no words come out of my mouth. I look up and my eyes meet his tired ones, a note of worry in them.

A small smile tugs at my lips as I interlock his fingers with mine.

“Let’s sleep, yeah?” I ask

Luke presses a kiss on my forehead and nods.

I have so many questions, so many queries and yet I can't make myself ask him anything. I will, of course, but not now.

Now is not the time for that.

Luke lays down on the other side of the bed, a little away from me. Both of us lay on our sides, I curled up and his ramrod straight, staring at each other.

“Luke,” I say after a moment “I’m feeling cold.”

“Strange,” he says, “I think it’s warm.”

Well, if that’s the case. I scoot over to him. In an instant, his arms wrap around me so his head falls against my

chest, no doubt hearing my fast heartbeat.

The thunder roars again, rain splatters on the glass windows and my body relaxes completely in Luke’s hold. I nearly drift off to sleep before realizing that he was still awake.

“Can’t sleep?” I ask quietly

Silence. Then;

“Yes.”

I tilt my head to look at him, a little sleepy smile on my face.

“You have me here and you still can’t sleep,” I say, hushed amusement in my voice “I have the right to know why.”

Luke shifts his hold on me so we’re on eye level, in the dimly lit room I make out the slight furrow between his

brows, not a wink of sleep in his eyes.

“Elise, if I ask something of you, will you grant it to me?” He asks, his voice quiet in contrast to the storm outside

I ignore the worry in my mind “If you ask me to kill you again, I just might.”

He doesn’t find that funny, instead, his fingers interlock with mine, engulfing my hand in warmth.

“Don’t give up on us.”

I blink, confused at what he just said. He presses on;

“I will not lie to you, Hazel. Even after I become Alpha supreme, even after I mark you, I might not be able to control my shift on a full moon, I might not be able to hold back my instinct when another man comes close to you,” Luke says

“But I swear, Elise, I will never hurt you. I will get this under control. I—

I press a kiss to his lips “Shut up,”

A small laugh escapes me at his bewildered expression “You worry way too much, Luke.”

I pull my hand out of his and trail my fingers down the side of his face, along his jaw “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You kept no secret about yourself, I fell in love with it all. I’m not going to take the good you offer and frown at the bad. I know you will work this out, and I’m always happy to help.”

I can almost feel him relax, he buries his face deeper in the pillows, hooded eyes staring at me.

“Maybe after so long of having everyone fear me,” he says softly “I keep worrying that you might fear me too.”

I snuggle closer to him, tucking my head under his chin. His scent and warmth engulf me in comfort, I can hear his rhythmic heartbeat as I close my eyes.

“I’m here,” I whisper “Don’t ever forget that I’m here, Luke. You’re not alone anymore.”

“I know, love.”