Chapter 32: Blood in the Water

ALEXANDER

“Is she okay?”

Alexander detached himself from the door, his shoulders sagging as he turned to Maya. “She’s not talking much. Do you know what happened?”

He shook his head in response.

“Judging by the marks on her back and the hand-shaped bruises on her neck, I’d say that jerk attacked her.”

But why?

He could think of a million reasons why a maniac like him might lose it, but he couldn’t pinpoint ~which~ one had triggered him. Was it because of Alex? Had he provoked him and caused him to take it out on Olivia?

He wanted Olivia to see Will’s monstrous side, but he never wanted her to get hurt. He was on the verge of losing it when he walked away from Will. He reassured Jason that he was okay, but then he secluded himself.

For Olivia’s sake.

He’d already made enough mistakes with her. He couldn’t risk losing control again.

He didn’t anticipate her absence when he returned. He didn’t realize how long he’d been gone.

In fact, he was on his way to her place when she called him. He wanted to explain the mess he hadn’t cleaned up. Instead, he found himself dealing with a bigger one.

The smell of blood hit him the moment he stepped out of the elevator, and he immediately imagined the worst.

Relief was an understatement when he discovered all that blood was from the beta.

She was a sobbing, inconsolable wreck. He could only make out a few words, but nothing made sense. One thing was clear though.

Something she hadn’t grasped yet. She couldn’t return.

He packed as many of her belongings as he could and loaded his car with them and her. She wasn’t in a state to process that kind of information.

It was a conversation for another time.

He wasn’t a miracle worker. He couldn’t erase all evidence of the blood. He wasn’t from the human world. He couldn’t fix everything for her.

Once they arrived back at the pack house, he guided her to the shower. Where she remained.

“Jason mentioned—”

“~Maya~.”

She sighed, lowering her head. “Just answer this—is he still alive?”

He ran his left hand through his hair. “Barely.”

“~Bastard~,” she mumbled under her breath. “What if—”

“Mason’s handling it.”

Thanks to previous chats with Olivia, he knew Will had a cozy little ~dungeon~ complete with chains and soundproof walls.

Since Maya had picked up Olivia near his house before, it wasn’t difficult to trace the path back to his place.

There was still the issue of his girlfriend, but that was going to be complicated.

They didn’t have time to iron out the details. They’d improvise as they went.

It didn’t matter.

The only thing that mattered was Olivia’s safety.

Did he want to pulverize that damn beta with his bare hands? Absolutely.

Did he want to watch the life drain from his eyes? Definitely.

But he had to restrain himself. Because Olivia needed him more. And now, he’d have the opportunity to ensure the beta’s death was slow and agonizing. ~Extremely~ agonizing.

“She’s been in there for a while.”

“I’m aware.”

“Maybe—”

“~Maya~.”

“Listen,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “Girls talk. I know you’re trying your best. I know it’s tough. But you weren’t exactly a knight in shining armor at first…”

So he’d screwed up a bit. How the hell was he supposed to know she wouldn’t react to typical werewolf behavior? He was the alpha.

He didn’t have to earn things. He thought if he kept pushing, if he kept asserting his dominance, she’d learn to obey and listen. He was wrong. He had realized that.

He had been trying, restraining himself… He wasn’t fucking perfect, and sometimes he lost it.

He was aware of that.

“I’m not in the mood for a lecture, Maya.”

“She’s counting on you,” Maya murmured. “This is the moment to be assertive. She’s fragile. She’s lost her footing. I’m not suggesting you be a jerk, but she won’t reach out to you. You need to go to her.”

She’d been in the shower for quite some time. What if something had gone wrong? Had she slipped?

No, he would have heard her…

“Don’t make me go in there. She’s like a hurt cub. If I go, she’ll cling to me for solace. She’s overwhelmed with feelings. Her instincts are going to take over. She’s an omega, your mate.

“You’re the alpha. Use the fact that she will seek comfort from you to your advantage.”

Maya had a point. The shock hadn’t subsided yet. She’d gotten into the car with him without asking any questions.

She’d allowed him to take her hand and lead her away.

She wasn’t herself at the moment. She might never be as much of a ~wolf~ as she was right now.

He didn’t want to exploit her, but it could be a good opportunity to teach her to trust her instincts.

Will had deceived her, ensuring she’d never see through his lies. Alex wasn’t like him. He wasn’t lying to her.

He wanted to help her accept the part of her she’d kept hidden for so long. It wasn’t the same. He wasn’t like that jerk.

“~Go~,” Maya instructed as she reached for his bedroom door handle and opened it for him.

She winked at him before pushing him inside.

A sense of defeat washed over him as he made his way to the bathroom door. He pressed his ear against it, listening to the sound of water cascading from the showerhead.

She was still in there, still washing away the blood. He lightly rapped his knuckles against the wood, knocking softly before waiting for a response.

He didn’t get one.

He tried again.

Nothing.

“Livy?”

Silence.

“Olivia?”

He pressed his lips together, turning them pale, before flaring his nostrils. “Livy, I’m coming in.” She couldn’t say he hadn’t warned her.

The door creaked as he slowly opened it, the steam billowing out of the room.

He expected her to react to his presence by now, but nothing. He stepped into the room, glancing at the shower curtain.

He could see a silhouette but one quick glance was enough to tell him she wasn’t standing.

A pang of pain hit his chest as he reached for the curtain and pushed it aside.

There she was, huddled at the bottom of the tub, her arms wrapped around her knees, her face buried in her thighs.

Her hair was spread around her, flowing down her back, sticking to her skin. The water from the showerhead was clear, but the water in the tub was tinged red. He leaned back, noticing the marks on her skin.

The fragments from the mirror. The shards had cut her.

He dropped to his knees, examining the wounds. They were bleeding, but it was probably because the hot water had reopened them. They weren’t deep.

He’d have to clean them. As the urge to lick her skin surged in his chest, he dug his nails into his palm, reminding himself to be careful.

“Livy,” he coaxed, reaching for her hair and tucking the wet strands behind her ear. “You okay?”

Her movement was slow, but she did respond to him this time. She lifted her head, looking into his eyes. “A-Alex.”

There it was.

That tiny twinge. The one that pierced his heart every time she said Alex. It was how he had known something was amiss before she had even asked for help. It made him ~yearn~ for her.

“Need help?”

She shook her head, and he doubted she had done anything but sit there, letting the water wash away the evidence of what had transpired. But it wouldn’t. It was more than skin deep.

He didn’t know what had happened between them.

He didn’t know what Will had done. But it was enough to shatter Olivia. How much did she know? He wasn’t sure. He wanted to ask. He ~needed~ to know.

“Are you done?”

She nodded.

Part of him wondered if she realized she was naked.

But he wasn’t there to gawk. That beta didn’t deserve the love, the trust, and the care she’d given him.

Here he was, fighting for scraps, suppressing his instincts, who he was... and she’d never looked at him the way she had looked at Will.

He pushed the thoughts away as he reached for the faucet to shut off the water.

He spun around, snatched a towel, and draped it around her while she sat motionless.

~But~ she didn’t stir. She didn’t attempt to stand. Alexander extended his arms and enveloped her in his embrace.

He slipped one arm under her legs, hoisted her from the tub, and carried her to their bedroom.

Her scent was pure, ready to be claimed, while her petite frame nestled against his larger one. He didn’t want to release her.

He yearned to lay her on the bed, his fingers weaving through her hair, his legs entwined with hers. He longed to explore every inch of her skin until he memorized every curve, every hollow.

~Bad thoughts, bad thoughts~.

The urge to possess her was thundering within him.

His arms trembled as he gently placed her on the bed, sitting upright.

He held his breath, resisting the temptation to breathe in more of her scent, as he forced himself to pull away from her.

He hadn’t brought her clothes upstairs. It didn’t matter. He didn’t want her to dress in her clothes.

He wanted to see her in his clothes. He rummaged through his drawers, pulling out a plain black T-shirt and a pair of checkered boxers.

“Here,” he said, handing her the clothes.

She clutched the towel at her waist, concealing most of her body. Olivia glanced at the clothes, then at him. She studied his eyes for a long moment, and he didn’t dare break the gaze.

Her body finally relaxed, and she reached for the clothes.

She pulled the T-shirt over her head, and once it covered her, she let the towel slip further down. She repeated the process until she was fully dressed.

He never turned his back.

“I’m tired.”

It was the first thing she’d said since whispering his name.

“Let’s get you to bed.”

His room. She wasn’t permitted to be anywhere but in his bedroom.

Alexander moved around the bed, shoving the pillows aside so he could pull back the blankets. She crawled across the bed until she reached the spot.

For a moment, he thought about covering her and leaving, but he knew he couldn’t. Pain and sorrow clung to her skin.

At this point, he had two options: unleash a killing spree to maintain his control or allow himself a small indulgence.

She hadn’t pushed him away. She hadn’t flinched from his touch.

Of course.

Her world was in ruins, she was in pain…

And deep down, a part of her recognized he was her mate. None of her instincts were resisting him. No part of her would be screaming at her to ~not~ trust him.

He was the safest choice. She didn’t consciously realize it, but her body did. Her wolf did. Alexander joined her in the bed, snuggling close to her.

Olivia clung to his shirt, nestling against him, and he immediately wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close. Her head was tucked under his chin, her damp hair dripping on him.

He stroked her lower back, feeling her body tremble as she began to cry silently in his arms.

“Is he?”

He shook his head.

“It-it was him.”

His heart skipped a beat.

“He bit me.”

There were many things he wanted to say, but he held back. He had never liked him, but now he loathed him on a whole new level. He understood the inner conflict she felt about her transformation, about everything.

And he was the cause.

Alexander held her tighter, quelling his fury by savoring the feel of her petite frame nestled against his.

For her sake, he’d remain cool and composed.

But now he had a fresh list of ways he was going to make Will pay for his actions.