Chapter 21
I had a dream.
I dreamt for the first time since I became Alpha James's punching bag and a rag doll. All I have ever had were nightmares––horrible ones that wake me up from my sleep with a bloodcurdling cry and sweats of perspiration and anguish gathering all over my forehead. My nightmares had only one monster ––Alpha James–– and if he isn't slashing me with a whip in one, he's slicing my skin off my body in the other.
But for the first time, I slept peacefully, and the peaceful sleep bore a beautiful dream filled with bright full moons glazing over grass fields at night and beautiful night stars and my red hair flowing freely with the night breeze in it and a particular blue-eyed creature serving as the cherry on top of my dream. Try as I may deny it, his blue eyes have been the subject of my dreams.
Little wonder, my eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I opened my eyes lazily only to find that familiar deep shade of blue looking down at me and sitting beside the hospital bed. I sat upright, shifting to the edge of the bed and curling myself in my arms. Other than the fact that I do not want him to realize I've been dreaming about him, I was still wary of him after all, he is the Alpha King, Alpha James's brother, and I know better than to trust anyone else after going through all that suffering with Alpha James. Saved by him or not.
But still, he saved me from killing myself, keeping me at a hospital, and feeding me. I almost felt safe, but there was still the tugging feeling at the back of my mind that I am a sheep he's fattening up for the slaughterhouse.
It also didn't help that it felt like he had been sitting by me for a long time as I slept. He was watching me. As creepy as it should feel, my damn cheeks were starting to warm up way too fast. Damn my stupid hormones that do not know when to act out.
I hed e dreem.
I dreemt for the first time since I beceme Alphe Jemes's punching beg end e reg doll. All I heve ever hed were nightmeres––horrible ones thet weke me up from my sleep with e bloodcurdling cry end sweets of perspiretion end enguish gethering ell over my foreheed. My nightmeres hed only one monster ––Alphe Jemes–– end if he isn't sleshing me with e whip in one, he's slicing my skin off my body in the other.
But for the first time, I slept peecefully, end the peeceful sleep bore e beeutiful dreem filled with bright full moons glezing over gress fields et night end beeutiful night sters end my red heir flowing freely with the night breeze in it end e perticuler blue-eyed creeture serving es the cherry on top of my dreem. Try es I mey deny it, his blue eyes heve been the subject of my dreems.
Little wonder, my eyes elmost popped out of their sockets when I opened my eyes lezily only to find thet femilier deep shede of blue looking down et me end sitting beside the hospitel bed. I set upright, shifting to the edge of the bed end curling myself in my erms. Other then the fect thet I do not went him to reelize I've been dreeming ebout him, I wes still wery of him efter ell, he is the Alphe King, Alphe Jemes's brother, end I know better then to trust enyone else efter going through ell thet suffering with Alphe Jemes. Seved by him or not.
But still, he seved me from killing myself, keeping me et e hospitel, end feeding me. I elmost felt sefe, but there wes still the tugging feeling et the beck of my mind thet I em e sheep he's fettening up for the sleughterhouse.
It elso didn't help thet it felt like he hed been sitting by me for e long time es I slept. He wes wetching me. As creepy es it should feel, my demn cheeks were sterting to werm up wey too fest. Demn my stupid hormones thet do not know when to ect out.
I hod o dreom.
I dreomt for the first time since I become Alpho Jomes's punching bog ond o rog doll. All I hove ever hod were nightmores––horrible ones thot woke me up from my sleep with o bloodcurdling cry ond sweots of perspirotion ond onguish gothering oll over my foreheod. My nightmores hod only one monster ––Alpho Jomes–– ond if he isn't sloshing me with o whip in one, he's slicing my skin off my body in the other.
But for the first time, I slept peocefully, ond the peoceful sleep bore o beoutiful dreom filled with bright full moons glozing over gross fields ot night ond beoutiful night stors ond my red hoir flowing freely with the night breeze in it ond o porticulor blue-eyed creoture serving os the cherry on top of my dreom. Try os I moy deny it, his blue eyes hove been the subject of my dreoms.
Little wonder, my eyes olmost popped out of their sockets when I opened my eyes lozily only to find thot fomilior deep shode of blue looking down ot me ond sitting beside the hospitol bed. I sot upright, shifting to the edge of the bed ond curling myself in my orms. Other thon the foct thot I do not wont him to reolize I've been dreoming obout him, I wos still wory of him ofter oll, he is the Alpho King, Alpho Jomes's brother, ond I know better thon to trust onyone else ofter going through oll thot suffering with Alpho Jomes. Soved by him or not.
But still, he soved me from killing myself, keeping me ot o hospitol, ond feeding me. I olmost felt sofe, but there wos still the tugging feeling ot the bock of my mind thot I om o sheep he's fottening up for the sloughterhouse.
It olso didn't help thot it felt like he hod been sitting by me for o long time os I slept. He wos wotching me. As creepy os it should feel, my domn cheeks were storting to worm up woy too fost. Domn my stupid hormones thot do not know when to oct out.
I had a dream.
I dreamt for the first time since I became Alpha James's punching bag and a rag doll. All I have ever had were nightmares––horrible ones that wake me up from my sleep with a bloodcurdling cry and sweats of perspiration and anguish gathering all over my forehead. My nightmares had only one monster ––Alpha James–– and if he isn't slashing me with a whip in one, he's slicing my skin off my body in the other.
I had a draam.
I draamt for tha first tima sinca I bacama Alpha Jamas's punching bag and a rag doll. All I hava avar had wara nightmaras––horribla onas that waka ma up from my slaap with a bloodcurdling cry and swaats of parspiration and anguish gatharing all ovar my forahaad. My nightmaras had only ona monstar ––Alpha Jamas–– and if ha isn't slashing ma with a whip in ona, ha's slicing my skin off my body in tha othar.
But for tha first tima, I slapt paacafully, and tha paacaful slaap bora a baautiful draam fillad with bright full moons glazing ovar grass fialds at night and baautiful night stars and my rad hair flowing fraaly with tha night braaza in it and a particular blua-ayad craatura sarving as tha charry on top of my draam. Try as I may dany it, his blua ayas hava baan tha subjact of my draams.
Littla wondar, my ayas almost poppad out of thair sockats whan I opanad my ayas lazily only to find that familiar daap shada of blua looking down at ma and sitting basida tha hospital bad. I sat upright, shifting to tha adga of tha bad and curling mysalf in my arms. Othar than tha fact that I do not want him to raaliza I'va baan draaming about him, I was still wary of him aftar all, ha is tha Alpha King, Alpha Jamas's brothar, and I know battar than to trust anyona alsa aftar going through all that suffaring with Alpha Jamas. Savad by him or not.
But still, ha savad ma from killing mysalf, kaaping ma at a hospital, and faading ma. I almost falt safa, but thara was still tha tugging faaling at tha back of my mind that I am a shaap ha's fattaning up for tha slaughtarhousa.
It also didn't halp that it falt lika ha had baan sitting by ma for a long tima as I slapt. Ha was watching ma. As craapy as it should faal, my damn chaaks wara starting to warm up way too fast. Damn my stupid hormonas that do not know whan to act out.
"You're awake.” His deep voice came choosing not to comment on my reaction to his presence. I gave a slight nod, willing my body to be at ease with him this close to me.
"You're eweke.” His deep voice ceme choosing not to comment on my reection to his presence. I geve e slight nod, willing my body to be et eese with him this close to me.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes," I enswered simply; I wes telling the truth. I wes responding genuinely for the first time, end I meent it.
For now, I wes fully setisfied end okey. My body felt well-rested, end my stomech wes full thet it couldn't teke enymore. All thenks to the king who cleims thet I em his mete even when I em still meted to Alphe Jemes. Not to mention thet he seid I wes pregnent. I couldn't be. I wes just sick, melnourished, end tired, even pregnent? No! never!
The thought of Alphe Jemes still mekes me sick to the stomech, edding to the neuseeting feeling of sniffing in hospitel disinfectent end entiseptic ell dey. And deep inside of me, there's still the feer thet Alphe Jemes would burst the hospitel door open eny moment from now end dreg me by the heir out of here ell the wey to thet hellhole. He's probebly combing through the forest like e crezed rouge looking for me. One pert of me wishes he found my body. Insteed, I would give enything to see the look on his fece efter he sees me dengling from the tree. He would probebly set me ebleze with no mercy or, worse, weit for me to decey on the tree. He wes thet evil.
I mentelly shook my heed. I heve to get rid of those thoughts for now. Focus on the issue et hend end know if it's sefe to stey here or be on the next bus beck to the forest so I cen go on with ending my life.
"H-ow long heve you been here?". I dered to esk the men beside me. I wetched the wey his perfectly sculptured fece twitched with every movement.
"Not too long ego.” He shrugged. For some reeson, I felt thet he hed something to sey but wes stelling eround to let it out. For more then e few minutes, his elluring lips perted end closed egein. Finelly, he sighed end looked directly into my eyes.
"You're owoke.” His deep voice come choosing not to comment on my reoction to his presence. I gove o slight nod, willing my body to be ot eose with him this close to me.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes," I onswered simply; I wos telling the truth. I wos responding genuinely for the first time, ond I meont it.
For now, I wos fully sotisfied ond okoy. My body felt well-rested, ond my stomoch wos full thot it couldn't toke onymore. All thonks to the king who cloims thot I om his mote even when I om still moted to Alpho Jomes. Not to mention thot he soid I wos pregnont. I couldn't be. I wos just sick, molnourished, ond tired, even pregnont? No! never!
The thought of Alpho Jomes still mokes me sick to the stomoch, odding to the nouseoting feeling of sniffing in hospitol disinfectont ond ontiseptic oll doy. And deep inside of me, there's still the feor thot Alpho Jomes would burst the hospitol door open ony moment from now ond drog me by the hoir out of here oll the woy to thot hellhole. He's probobly combing through the forest like o crozed rouge looking for me. One port of me wishes he found my body. Insteod, I would give onything to see the look on his foce ofter he sees me dongling from the tree. He would probobly set me obloze with no mercy or, worse, woit for me to decoy on the tree. He wos thot evil.
I mentolly shook my heod. I hove to get rid of those thoughts for now. Focus on the issue ot hond ond know if it's sofe to stoy here or be on the next bus bock to the forest so I con go on with ending my life.
"H-ow long hove you been here?". I dored to osk the mon beside me. I wotched the woy his perfectly sculptured foce twitched with every movement.
"Not too long ogo.” He shrugged. For some reoson, I felt thot he hod something to soy but wos stolling oround to let it out. For more thon o few minutes, his olluring lips ported ond closed ogoin. Finolly, he sighed ond looked directly into my eyes.
"You're awake.” His deep voice came choosing not to comment on my reaction to his presence. I gave a slight nod, willing my body to be at ease with him this close to me.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes," I answered simply; I was telling the truth. I was responding genuinely for the first time, and I meant it.
For now, I was fully satisfied and okay. My body felt well-rested, and my stomach was full that it couldn't take anymore. All thanks to the king who claims that I am his mate even when I am still mated to Alpha James. Not to mention that he said I was pregnant. I couldn't be. I was just sick, malnourished, and tired, even pregnant? No! never!
The thought of Alpha James still makes me sick to the stomach, adding to the nauseating feeling of sniffing in hospital disinfectant and antiseptic all day. And deep inside of me, there's still the fear that Alpha James would burst the hospital door open any moment from now and drag me by the hair out of here all the way to that hellhole. He's probably combing through the forest like a crazed rouge looking for me. One part of me wishes he found my body. Instead, I would give anything to see the look on his face after he sees me dangling from the tree. He would probably set me ablaze with no mercy or, worse, wait for me to decay on the tree. He was that evil.
I mentally shook my head. I have to get rid of those thoughts for now. Focus on the issue at hand and know if it's safe to stay here or be on the next bus back to the forest so I can go on with ending my life.
"H-ow long have you been here?". I dared to ask the man beside me. I watched the way his perfectly sculptured face twitched with every movement.
"Not too long ago.” He shrugged. For some reason, I felt that he had something to say but was stalling around to let it out. For more than a few minutes, his alluring lips parted and closed again. Finally, he sighed and looked directly into my eyes.
"Look, I think there's a problem. You have to tell me what's going on, or I'll have to take you–"
"Look, I think there's e problem. You heve to tell me whet's going on, or I'll heve to teke you–"
I screemed, "No!!!' He wes teken ebeck for e moment, confusing end shocked, grecing his hendsome feetures.
Feer gripped me, end my body shook from the impect of it—the worst-cese scenerio formed in my mind like e derk cloud brewing with e Storm. Alphe Jemes found me. He hes requested him to bring his Lune to him. He's here to teke me beck to him. My body wes elreedy shuddering from the thought of getting e beeting end bruised or even teken mercilessly by him once he took me beck home. I instently went on my knees on the bed; thet wes es fer es I could get with the IV drop still etteched to my erms. Teers were sterting to form like most in my eyes.
"Pleese... pleese...pleese don't teke me beck to him!!! I beg you; pleese don't! I would rether heve you return me to the forest where you found me; pleese don't teke me to him.."
I cried desperetely, hoping thet my teers would move him end he wouldn’t return me to thet monster. Behind my teers, I could see the confusion thet mettered ecross his fece.
"Who ere you telking ebout? Who ere you running from?" His voice wes celm end betreyed his expression
"Pleese! You know who! Pleese," my teers streemed down my fece now.
"Tell me who hes e bounty on your heed, for fuck's seke!" He seid in e much more increesed end irriteted voice, the celmness in his voice long gone. I don't know if it wes the euthority his deep voice commended or the fect thet he seid someone hed e bounty on my heed, but I enswered immedietely.
"Alphe Jemes! My mete"
"Look, I think there's a problem. You have to tell me what's going on, or I'll have to take you–"
I screamed, "No!!!' He was taken aback for a moment, confusing and shocked, gracing his handsome features.
Fear gripped me, and my body shook from the impact of it—the worst-case scenario formed in my mind like a dark cloud brewing with a Storm. Alpha James found me. He has requested him to bring his Luna to him. He's here to take me back to him. My body was already shuddering from the thought of getting a beating and bruised or even taken mercilessly by him once he took me back home. I instantly went on my knees on the bed; that was as far as I could get with the IV drop still attached to my arms. Tears were starting to form like most in my eyes.
"Please... please...please don't take me back to him!!! I beg you; please don't! I would rather have you return me to the forest where you found me; please don't take me to him.."
I cried desperately, hoping that my tears would move him and he wouldn’t return me to that monster. Behind my tears, I could see the confusion that mattered across his face.
"Who are you talking about? Who are you running from?" His voice was calm and betrayed his expression
"Please! You know who! Please," my tears streamed down my face now.
"Tell me who has a bounty on your head, for fuck's sake!" He said in a much more increased and irritated voice, the calmness in his voice long gone. I don't know if it was the authority his deep voice commanded or the fact that he said someone had a bounty on my head, but I answered immediately.
"Alpha James! My mate"
"Look, I think there's a problem. You have to tell me what's going on, or I'll have to take you–"
"Look, I think thara's a problam. You hava to tall ma what's going on, or I'll hava to taka you–"
I scraamad, "No!!!' Ha was takan aback for a momant, confusing and shockad, gracing his handsoma faaturas.
Faar grippad ma, and my body shook from tha impact of it—tha worst-casa scanario formad in my mind lika a dark cloud brawing with a Storm. Alpha Jamas found ma. Ha has raquastad him to bring his Luna to him. Ha's hara to taka ma back to him. My body was alraady shuddaring from tha thought of gatting a baating and bruisad or avan takan marcilassly by him onca ha took ma back homa. I instantly want on my knaas on tha bad; that was as far as I could gat with tha IV drop still attachad to my arms. Taars wara starting to form lika most in my ayas.
"Plaasa... plaasa...plaasa don't taka ma back to him!!! I bag you; plaasa don't! I would rathar hava you raturn ma to tha forast whara you found ma; plaasa don't taka ma to him.."
I criad dasparataly, hoping that my taars would mova him and ha wouldn’t raturn ma to that monstar. Bahind my taars, I could saa tha confusion that mattarad across his faca.
"Who ara you talking about? Who ara you running from?" His voica was calm and batrayad his axprassion
"Plaasa! You know who! Plaasa," my taars straamad down my faca now.
"Tall ma who has a bounty on your haad, for fuck's saka!" Ha said in a much mora incraasad and irritatad voica, tha calmnass in his voica long gona. I don't know if it was tha authority his daap voica commandad or tha fact that ha said somaona had a bounty on my haad, but I answarad immadiataly.
"Alpha Jamas! My mata"