Twisting You

by Simone Elise

  He knew I wasn’t here to tutor. I was here to protect her from him.

  I cockily smirked at him as I got up. His glaring daggers didn’t threaten me.

  “So are you, um, staying the whole day, Alec?” Chloe tried to sound like our relationship was professional. Perhaps it was because we had an extra set of ears listening.

  “All day, every day, babe.” I winked at her. Screw pretending to be professional in front of the douche. He made his bed. He can lie in it. “So, what is up next?”

  “Um, recess.” She looked very uneasy and a slight blush was blossoming on her cheeks. “Then, um, Math.”

  “Well, we both know which one of them two you will be best at.” I smirked. To be flat out honest Chloe wasn’t good at math. Saying she was bad was putting it kindly.

  “Chloe, can you stay behind? I need to speak to you.” Xavier was standing in front of the door, like the cockhead he is.

  “About?” I asked, looking at his stern face with a smile.

  “Regarding your absences. You have a lot of work to catch up on.” Xavier looked at Chloe. Automatically his face softened towards her.

  Chloe wouldn’t have seen it though; she was glaring into the carpeted floor. She was feeling trapped, pressured.

  “Well, then, you can tell me all about it. Go on, Chloe, don’t waste your break.” I pushed her forward slightly.

  Her head snapped up. Panic was written on her face. “No, I can’t leave you and—”

  “Go, Chloe.” I made my voice firmer. I didn’t want her thinking that she had to protect me. Chloe nervously pulled her books closer to her chest, and being the stubborn woman that I had fallen in love with, shook her head.

  “Please.” I added. Xavier stepped out of the way and I lightly guided her out the door with my hand on her lower back.

  “Go on, Chloe. I’ll only be a minute.” I winked at her and she gave me a pleading look as I closed the door.

  “I didn’t want to talk to you.” Xavier’s voice was harsh growl behind me.

  Smirking, I slowly turned around, meeting his deadly eyes. “I didn’t want to speak to you either. I wanted to warn you.”

  “Warn me?” Xavier arched an eyebrow. “Are you forgetting who you are talking to, little boy?”

  “Little boy?” My lips twitched. “I think Chloe would disagree.”

  Xavier’s hands curled into clenching fists. While Chloe and I haven’t had sex, it was worth lying to see Xavier’s bloodthirsty eyes. He loathed me. I had the feeling that if he could, he would have killed me.

  “Now where was I?” I tightened my face. “That’s right. I was reminding you to stay away from Chloe.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do,” Xavier spat.

  “No, but I can tell you this.” I stepped in closer, lowering my voice to a threatening hiss. “If you go near her, touch her or even think about hurting her any more than you already have, I will ensure that you and your little human play toy are run out of town.”

  “You speak like an alpha.” Xavier’s gave me a challenging look. “But I think you are forgetting you’re not.”

  “You’re right. I’m not. But you seem to be forgetting Chloe’s Dad is.”

  “So you speak for Chloe’s Dad now.” Xavier chuckled, as if the thought was amusing.

  “You know you’re an insult to our kind?” I crossed my arms, leaning back slightly with a smug expression. “You’re the only alpha in the world to have his packed wiped out. To choose a human over your mate, to hurt Chloe the way you have.” I shook my head. “You’re disgusting.”

  “Leave.” His teeth were gritted, and his skin radiated heat.

  “Go near Chloe, and you will regret it.” He would regret it. It wasn’t just me who was sick of Xavier. Chad was ready to throttle him as well and Dan wanted to run him out of town.

  I turned my back on Xavier. “Don’t forget what I said. That was your only warning.” I yanked the door open, making it shudder.

  Xavier might be older than me, but I didn’t care. He wasn’t getting near Chloe. Not while I was alive. He didn’t deserve her, but, most of all, Chloe didn’t deserve him.

  She deserved to be cared for, and Xavier would never do that.

  Chapter 31

  Alec

  I watched Chloe pull her books out of her locker. She was chewing her bottom lip. I wondered what she was thinking. I strolled up to her. She wouldn’t look in my direction but I knew she knew I was there.

  “Hey, Stranger.” I leaned against the locker beside hers.

  She shot me a dry look before slamming her locker shut and walking off. Looks like someone is angry. Rolling my eyes, I followed her, accidently shouldering people as I attempted to catch up to her.

  “Chloe,” I called after her, slowly losing her in the crowd of busy students. “Chloe!”

  The calling was unneeded once I saw her standing outside a classroom with a bored expression on her face.

  “What the heck, Chloe?” I said hotly under my breath, trying to avoid stirring up any more attention from the students in the hall and the others walking past us into the classroom.

  Why were all the girls looking at me like a piece of meat?

  “We have class.” She glared at my feet.

  Frustrated, I exhaled sharply. Damn it, I had just put up with her mate. Would it kill her to be at least kind to me? I wasn’t scared of Xavier. But still, he wasn’t someone I would normally want to tick off.

  I hadn’t done anything to deserve her anger! I showed up in this hellhole of a place to look after her and then I threatened her mate to protect her. It clicked. She had been listening.

  “You overheard my conversation with Xavier, didn’t you?”

  “Conversation?” She arched an eyebrow, finally looking me in the eye. “Is that what you call it?”

  “You’re mad at me over that?” I couldn’t believe this. Goddamned women!

  “We have to get in the classroom,” Chloe huffed. I glanced at the teacher who was clearly waiting for us to enter. I reached in and closed the door, rudely.

  “After we settle this.” I crossed my arms. “Come on, Chloe. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Her eyes were on fire with rage. Why? Then it began to dawn on me. I had threatened her mate. I had threatened her other half. I knew she cared for him. I knew she always would, but only now did I realize what that meant.

  “Fine. I get it.” My jaw clenched. “Sorry.” I spun around on my heel and began to leave. I had to get away from her.

  “Alec, where are you going?” she called after me. Was she mad? Did she really think I would stay and be her bodyguard after that? She didn’t need protecting. I was stupid to think she wanted me over him.

  “You don’t need me.”

  It was true she didn’t need me. Maybe she never did.

  My cellphone was buzzing in the center console, again. I leaned back into the seat, clenching the steering wheel tighter. Chloe had been calling nonstop since school got out. Why I didn’t know, and I wasn’t planning on answering to find out. I had found out enough today, when it came to her.

  I pulled into the familiar parking lot. It had been awhile. Getting out of the car, I stretched my legs. I was stiff after the four-hour drive. But as I looked up at the familiar hospital, I knew it was worth it.

  I walked the familiar path up to the hospital. It was late. The hospital was dimly lit when I walked in. I knew it was after visiting hours, but it didn’t make a difference to me.

  Taking the elevator up to a ward I had been on way too many times, I knew I would get peace. I always did, even though leaving was always hard.

  The elevator bell chimed and I walked past the nurse’s desk smiling politely at the nurses. They knew me.

  I came to the end of the corridor and stopped at Room 217, staring at the familiar number. I closed my eyes tightly before pushing the door open slightly and slipping into the room.


  And there she was. In the same position I remembered her always being in, lying beautifully on the bed, like Sleeping Beauty.

  Pulling up an armchair next to the side of the bed, I reached out and took Gabby’s hand.

  “Hey Gab. It’s me again. I know I haven’t been for a while.” I looked at the cards that were arranged on her bedside table, the fresh flowers in a vase. “I’ve been busy. I know it’s no excuse.”

  I sighed and stroked her cold hand. “I met someone. Her name’s Chloe.” I looked at Gab’s face, flawless like always. Why was life so cruel? She didn’t deserve this.

  “You wouldn’t like her.” I smiled slightly. “She is an alpha’s daughter and you always said they scared you.” Gab was young when I met her and she was human, and, well, scared of everything. But the alphas really scared her.

  “I miss you, Gab.” I was being honest. I did miss her terribly. “I know you would want me to be happy. But every time I get close to it, I just…lose it, Gab.”

  I slumped back in the chair. “I thought she loved me, Gab. I really did. But I think I was wrong.”

  I wanted Gab to open her eyes. I wanted her to tell me what to do. But I knew that was never going to happen. The doctors said she would never wake up. But still her family wouldn’t take her off life support.

  The car accident robbed her of life and robbed me of a life partner. Even though my mom says everything happens for a reason, it was hard to believe that when nothing really changed. I thought Chloe was the reason why all those terrible things had to happen in my life. But I was wrong.

  Chloe didn’t want to get over Xavier. It was all talk.

  “I don’t know what to do, Gab.” I felt the overwhelming feeling of pain wash through me. What did I do to deserve this?

  I looked at Gab’s lifeless body. When the accident first happened, I didn’t want to believe it. I had only known her for a month. She was here one second and gone the next. For a year I didn’t leave the hospital. My life went on pause and then, when I finally accepted she wasn’t waking up, I tried everything to forget her.

  But I never could and I never would. Gab would always mean something to me. That’s how I knew that Chloe would always feel something for Xavier. It was in our blood to crave our other half.

  “Gab, what should I do?” I started to choke up, like the weak man I was feeling like. Chloe was pulling me apart and she didn’t even know it. Or maybe she just didn’t care.

  I softly placed a kiss on the back of Gab’s hand and gently placed it back on the bed. “I love you, Gab.” I got up from the chair and left her sleeping, like I always did.

  I left the hospital feeling emptier than when I arrived. Usually I would feel peace being with Gab. But for the first time, I felt uneasy, like I wasn’t meant to be there.

  I climbed back in my car. A slow shower was beginning to fall from the night sky. Finally I gave in and reached for my phone, checking the messages. A few missed calls from Chloe like I had expected. But it was Dan’s millions of calls which I hadn’t expected. Why had he called so many times?

  Calling his number I put the phone up to my ear. Maybe Chloe had been asking about where I was and he was worried. But that didn’t sound like Dan.

  “ALEC! Why haven’t you been answering?” Dan roared through the phone.

  “Dan, what do you want?” I snarled back, my ear was aching from his loud voice.

  “It’s Chloe. She’s been in an accident.” Dan gulped. “It’s bad, Alec. It’s really bad.”

  Just like that my world suddenly fell in around me. Not again. This can’t be happening, not again.

  Chapter 32

  Chloe

  Alec slammed the door and the lockers rattled from his force. I jerked slightly at his sudden outburst. He wasn’t seeing reason. Didn’t he see what he did was completely out of line? Stirring Xavier was going to get us in more trouble. Xavier was like a bear and we all know you don’t go poking a bear.

  I glanced at the closed classroom door. I wasn’t going in. I was sure everyone had heard our argument. Sighing, I slowly made my way back to my locker. I didn’t want Alec on Xavier’s radar. He was already making my life difficult enough. I didn’t need him hurting the man I was falling in love with.

  I softly opened my locker, and placed my books in it. Couldn’t Alec see I was only thinking of him? Didn’t he understand how much I cared for him? I just didn’t want to cause more trouble in his life. I ran my fingers over a picture of Alec and me that was glued inside my locker door. Couldn’t he see it from my point of view?

  “Chloe, supper is ready.” My dad leaned into the living room, calling me to the table . I looked up at him, and he must of guessed from my expression that something was wrong. “Ok. Tell me what’s wrong.” He sat next to me on the couch.

  “It’s Alec. He won’t answer my calls.” I turned my phone in my hand, just waiting for him to call back. “We had a fight this afternoon. Well, not really. He just, well, he took off for no reason.”

  “For no reason?” Dad frowned, concerned. “That doesn’t sound like Alec.”

  “Well, I yelled at him because I overheard him threatening Xavier.”

  “Oh.” Dad’s face twisted in an understanding way. “And Alec left after the argument.”

  “Yes.” How did Dad know that?

  “Did you tell him why you were upset about him threatening Xavier?”

  “Well, no. What do you mean?” I was seriously consumed now. Why would I have to tell Alec why I was upset about him threatening Xavier? Didn’t he just know it would cause more trouble for us?

  “Alec may have thought you were angry with him because he threatened your mate. That you became defensive towards him because you still have feelings for Xavier.”

  “WHAT!” I jumped from the couch. “No, Alec knows better than that.”

  “Does he?” Dad shook his head at me, getting up off the couch. “For a smart Chloe, you sure can be stupid.” He patted my shoulder as he walked away.

  Surely not? Surely Alec knows I love him. I dialed his number again, and again it went to voicemail. I looked out the window, seeing a rainy storm. The weather was out of control tonight. A sheet of lighting covered the sky and the cracking of lightening followed.

  Scrolling through my contacts, I dialed Dan’s number.

  “Chloe?”

  “Hey, Dan. Is Alec home yet?”

  “No. He hasn’t been home all night. I think he told Mom he was heading to the hospital. Did you guys have a fight or something?” Dan sounded concerned.

  “Hospital? Why would he go there?”

  “It’s, um, where his mate is, Chloe. It’s in Broke Woods. It’s about a four-hour drive to get there.”

  “His mate.” I slumped down onto the couch, shocked. He had never mentioned that his mate lived so close.

  “Look, Chloe, I thought Alec would have mentioned it.”

  “I have to go.” I closed my phone, cutting Dan off. He had every right to think I knew Gabby was still alive, and living nearby. Opening my phone again, I dialed Alec’s number again, and again he didn’t answer.

  I gulped. How could this be happening to me again? I had lost Dan to his mate. Was I now losing Alec? Had he decided he wanted Gabby after what happened this afternoon?

  This can’t be happening. No, I won’t let this happen. I’m not losing him. I jumped from the couch and scooped up my jacket and car keys. I didn’t care if the rain was hammering down, and the thunder shaking the windows. I needed Alec to know how I felt. He needed to know the truth.

  I ran to my car. I was dripping wet by the time I got in it. But that wasn’t important. What was important was Alec.

  I slid my car into drive and took off.

  My windshield wipers were going flat out, and my vision was limited. It wasn’t the best night to be heading out on a four-hour drive. But I had to fight for him. I would claw his mate from him if I had to. I didn’t care if he
wanted her more than me. I wanted Alec and I wasn’t letting go of him.

  I dialed his number one more time and put the phone up to my ear—again I got his voicemail.

  “It’s Alec. Leave a message.” Exhaling slowly, I said, “Alec, it’s me, Chloe. Please don’t make any decision until I get there. I’m coming, Alec. I’m not letting you go. I love you.” I shut my phone, placing it in the console.

  I hope he got my message in time. I attempted to suppress the feeling that he had already made a decision. A loud horn got my attention, and I saw bright headlights coming at me. Shit. I pulled hard on the steering wheel. How had I got on the wrong side of the road?

  The car lost traction and flipped onto its roof, sliding towards the embankment. It happened in a split second. One moment I was heading towards the embankment and the next the car was tumbling down it. My body was flung from one side to the other, whacking my head on the shattered front windshield.

  Finally, the car came to a stop. I groaned, placing my head back on the seat. I glanced down at the steering wheel, which was pinning me to the seat, crushing my lungs. I was struggling to breath.

  The car was beginning to sink. I felt the water beginning to fill the car. I was going to drown. I was pinned here. I couldn’t get out. This was how I was going to die.

  Chapter 33

  Alec

  The hospital doors slid open and the smell of disinfectant was thick in the air. I was dripping wet after running back, my muscles aching from such a long run. But it would have taken me longer to get here if I had driven.

  I spotted Dan right away, sitting at the back of the emergency waiting room.

  “DAN!” my voice boomed across the room, and his head snapped up. I knew I looked a mess. I was only wearing a pair of shorts, which I had stolen. I was still breathing heavily. But I didn’t care. I would do it again. All that mattered was Chloe.

  “Where is she? Is she ok? Is she stable? Where are her parents? What is her condition?” I spoke so fast my words were linked.