At the threshold, I snatched my keys and purse from the table before opening the door and heading out.
Unlocking the SUV, I went to the hatch, opening it and tossing the duffel bag inside. Placing my purse next to it, I closed the door.
With my phone and keys in hand, I rounded the vehicle and climbed into the driver’s seat. Placing my phone into the cup holder, I buckled up and shifted gears.
I pulled out of the hotel parking lot, turning down the road toward Alaric’s to pick him up. Making a last-minute decision, I did a U-turn and headed toward Liam’s territory instead.
I needed to check in on Grandpa and Eric before I left.
When I stopped at a lone red light between me and the highway, I grabbed my phone and dialed Liam’s number.
“Hey, Dahlia,” he said, exhaling into the speaker of the phone like he was exhausted. “What’s going on? It’s 8:30 in the morning.”
“Well, I just wanted to come see Eric and my grandfather before I leave. I hope you don’t mind.” I knew what he was going to say but I felt I should ask anyway.
He laughed lightly. “You know you don’t need to ask. You and your pack are always welcome here. I wanted to see you off tonight anyway, so I was going to invite you, Nathan and Alaric to dinner.”
I frowned at his comment about dinner but I shook my head, choosing to ignore it. “It’s out of respect, Liam. I’ll be over in a few.”
I had turned off onto the highway exit toward his territory, setting my phone back down, never taking my eyes off the road.
The next few days would be nerve-wracking and awkward... But Nathan had to understand this was my choice, just like it was my choice to break up with him. But now, I have Alaric, my mate, so I knew Nathan would be all right. His own mate was out there somewhere.
I pulled up to the main gate of Liam’s territory, where the guard smiled before waving a hand to the man inside the small station while the gate buzzed and began to open. Around me, the fields were dry and yellow while the trees were bare and hibernating for the winter.
“Alpha,” he greeted, bowing his head slightly.
I nodded to him as I drove through the now open gate.
The light breeze flew across the dirt road in front of the vehicle bringing leaves and dust with it.
Driving past Liam’s pack house, his Beta, Terry, stepped out onto the porch with a gorgeous brown-haired woman wrapped in his arms. He wore a blue shirt and jeans while she had on a red plaid shirt and blue jeans. He nodded his head at me before gently placing a kiss to her forehead.
It was always peaceful here. I hoped to the Gods’ it stayed this way.
I shook my head, chuckling.
Parking in the hospital lot, I reached over to grab my phone and the keys from the middle console before climbing out. Locking the SUV behind me, I tugged at my yellow blouse as I got closer to the hospital entrance.
Inside, I saw Liam chatting away with a nurse who sat behind the desk. He smiled, motioning for me to follow him to the elevator. He wore a black t-shirt and gray jeans with black converses.
At his side, I smiled back at him. “Dinner, huh? Is that a good idea?”
Slowly, he nodded. “Yes, that way Nathan and Alaric both have to behave. You guys head off right after so you need a decent meal before you leave for who knows how long.”
His response made sense.
I shrugged, reluctantly agreeing. “Works for me.”
In the elevator, he continued after pressing the button to go up. “I’ve got a rental car on its way. You can leave the SUV here for the time being. My Beta will show you the equipment you’ll take to restrain him.”
“Awesome, sounds like a plan.”
I grinned at him, as the elevator doors opened. Walking out, we headed to room 213 first.
At the door, I knocked before entering.
Liam silently followed in behind me.
“Grandpa,” I whispered, my voice disappearing as fast as it came, while I stared at him. He lay there, his chest slowly rising and falling. His once tan, healthy skin was now a pale, sickly white, while he had even more machines hooked up to him since the last time I saw him. He had oxygen tubing running from a machine to his nostrils, giving him air.
I felt the tears sting my eyes, as I took the chair beside his bed. Reaching over, I gently took his hand in mine.
I looked out the window for a second, allowing myself to take a deep breath to calm myself.
“How are you doing, Dandelion? I haven’t seen you in a while. I’ve missed you.” His soft voice spooked me, making me jump in my chair.
I smile slightly. “I’m doing good, Grandpa. I’ve been pretty busy with my Alpha duties. We have to go on a trip for a few days, so I won’t be able to come see you until after that. I’m sorry I haven’t found Grandma yet. I’m doing my best to track her down.”
He gripped my hand weakly, his eyes never leaving mine. He took a deep breath before speaking again. “I know you are; that’s all you can do. I am proud of you, Dandelion. I know your grandmother and your parents are too. I know they look down on you with love. Now,” he pants, releasing my hand. He gave me a weak smile. “It’s time for my nap, I love you, Dandelion.”
Now the tears flowed freely, as I stood from my seat and moved closer to him, so I could lean over and kiss his cheek. “I love you too. See you soon, Grandpa.”
Liam walked to the door, holding it open for me, as I turned away from grandfather and wiped at the tears that still fell.
Out of the room, Liam cracked the door as he looked at me with concern.
“Let me go wash my face before I go see my Gamma,” I muttered to Liam, looking away from him then heading in the direction of the bathroom.
Closing the door behind me, I went to the sink and turned the faucet on. Letting it run, I looked at myself in the mirror. My puffy red eyes stared back.
I blinked, sighing before opening my eyes again. I nearly screamed and jumped from my skin while staring at the gray eyes that replaced my light blue ones. I admired my eyes, gasping.
Those are our eyes, Eva suddenly spoke.
Where have you been, Eva? I scowled, washing my hands and face.
She yipped with a laugh. I was giving you time to deal with shit on your own without me interfering but I’ve been sleeping, trying to save our energy for this trip. We’ll need every bit we can get. I doubt we’ll be sleeping much. She grew quiet after that.
Sighing, I took one last look at my eyes before closing them.
Letting out a calming breath, I pressed my hands to the sides of the sink, slightly leaning against it, before opening my eyes again.
I was relieved when I saw my light blue eyes instead of the gray.
Drying my hands and face, I threw away the paper towel before turning back to the door.
Closing it behind me, I saw that Liam had leaned against the wall next to the door that led to Eric’s room.
He tilted his head as I walked over and stood in front of the room’s door
I gripped the handle, my knuckles turning white from the pres- sure, as I knocked gently.
“Come in,” a soft female voice echoed through the room. I opened the door, walking in, closely followed by Liam.
Further into the room, Liam closed the door gently, as my mouth gaped open when I recognized Alaric’s little sister, Rylan, sitting beside Eric, their hands entwined. She wore a blue dress with her dread-locks pulled back into a neat ponytail; her makeup was light but nice. She smiled at me, saying, “Good morning, Dahlia. How have you been?”
I was suspicious of Rylan, but I decided to keep the peace by smiling back at her before turning to Eric, who was completely enam- ored by her presence, his love-struck stare like that of a child’s. He was totally in love. He looked good; his bronze skin glowed with health and his black hair was recently washed.
“Alpha.” He turned his attention to me, bowing his head slightly with a smile on his face.
“Gamma, I see you’
re recovering nicely. I hope you aren’t in too much pain anymore. When do you get discharged?” I looked between the two. They looked happy.
“Well, it should only be a few more days. Have you met my mate, Rylan?” he asked, motioning to his mate, who sat beside him.
I nodded. “Yes, at the meeting a few days ago. How long have you known about being mates?”
Rylan gave me a sad smile. “Since you were admitted to the hospital. The first day actually.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Oh. Well, I’ll be away for a few days with Nathan and Alaric. We’ve been assigned to capture the man who attacked me.”
“Alaric?” Eric asked, looking at me with curiosity. “Rylan’s older brother?”
I smiled, my thoughts instantly going to the dark-skinned, deli- cious and utterly perfect man. Just thinking about him made my cheeks flush. Shaking my head, I said, “Yes. Well, he’s my mate.”
Both of the Gamma’s eyebrows shot up. “What about Nathan? Wasn’t he your boyfriend?”
Rylan gave me a death glare, her smile changing to a frown of disgust.
I raised my hands up in defense, shaking my head. “I broke up with Nathan. That didn’t work out. Like I said, Alaric is my mate, so we’re working things out.”
Rylan let herself relax, while Eric nodded contently. “I under- stand, Alpha. I hope you have a quick and safe trip. I’ll be back on duty when you return.”
I smiled but before I could say anything, Rylan spoke quickly, “I also wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier; it was out of line. Travel safely. You better take care of my brother.” Her expression grew serious for a moment. Her blue eyes grew dark. “Or you’ll deal with me.”
I smiled, nodding. “Of course, don’t worry.”
I SAT OUTSIDE on the porch steps, watching the last few leaves fall from the naked trees. The scent of the coming rain filled my nose. I smiled, the wind carrying those leaves into the distance.
“What are you smiling about, my love?” That velvety voice came out of nowhere, causing me to jump out of my skin. Alaric’s blue eyes were filled with amusement as he stood there studying me.
I growled, standing with my hands on my hips, as I rolled my eyes at him. “Don’t do that, Alaric! You almost gave me a heart attack.”
He laughed, his hands on his stomach as he bellowed over. It was light and airy. He wore a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt. His muscles underneath rippled as he laughed. His hair was pulled over his shoulders, making him even more sexy and demanding. His blue eyes gleamed with laughter. “I’m sorry… you just look adorable staring off into space like that. I could watch you forever.”
He closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around my waist, careful not to bump my scar. He looked down at me with a soft and lustful expression as he took a deep breath. “God, you smell delicious. I could just take you right here.”
My mouth dropped, a huge blush forming on my face, as I squirmed out of his arms before I playfully slapped his chest. “Really?! That’s embarrassing, especially with Liam right inside and I don’t think you’ve earned that right just yet.” I winked at him, before dashing off in the opposite direction.
His playful growl erupted behind me as I continued running. When I looked back to try to locate him, it was like he disappeared into thin air. He was gone.
My feet kept running, but I came to an abrupt stop when I smacked straight into a hard object while arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer with a low whisper to my ear. My breath hitched and my whole body shivered from the light touch of hot breath that warmed my cold skin. “I got you, my love. You can’t run from me. I’ll always catch you.”
I looked up into his blue stare as he bent down to make eye contact with me, and the next thing I knew, his lips crashed against mine. Sparks erupted and I found myself melting into him, with my arms resting against his chest. I could stay like this forever.
When he pulled away, he gently bit my bottom lip, as a soft moan escaped my lips. He chuckled, resting his forehead against mine and trying to catch his breath before speaking. “I’ll work hard for you, Dahlia. And when we finally make that connection, you’ll love every single minute of it. Just you wait, my love. Just you wait.”
I smiled at him, as a set of footsteps approached us.
A loud growl came deep from within Alaric, as he crushed me against his chest, his strong arms smashing my body against him. My scar immediately throbbed, the pain shooting through me and making me whimper.
Nathan stood there; anger flowed through him as he watched us with lifeless emerald eyes. He looked rough, with long shaggy hair as his face sported a half-grown beard. His gray shirt was covered in dirt and his jeans had holes in them. With his hands in his pockets, he stared at me. If he could burn holes into me with this stare, he would have.
I couldn’t take the pain anymore, crying out against Alaric’s chest, “Let me go, damn it! I need to get some ice for my arm.” The tears began to free fall now.
He gently let me go, breaking his gaze from Nathan. His eyes were clouded with concern, as he watched me hold my right arm gently. He sighed, placing a hand on the small of my back before leading me into the house, not giving Nathan the satisfaction of looking back at him, or muttering a word to him.
Inside, he lifted me up onto the counter with ease. I was hurting too much to protest.
He rummaged through the drawers and cabinets looking for anything he could fill with ice. Finding a gallon-sized Ziploc, he went to the freezer before proceeding to fill it with ice.
He stood between my legs, as he pulled my arm over gently to press the ice pack against it. I sighed at the relief, which was sending my body into relaxation mode.
I leaned my head on his shoulder, as he held me close.
“I’m sorry,” he said, sadness and regret dripping from his voice.
I lifted my head, raising my free hand to rest against his cheek. The look in his eyes made me sad. “It’s okay. I am fine. No harm done.”
He scowled, rolling his eyes. “I felt you wince in pain outside; you are not okay.”
I didn’t say anything more, just continued to rest my head against his shoulder, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Half an hour later, more and more bodies started to pile in. They were here for the dinner party.
Alaric kissed my cheek before he helped me down from the counter and threw away the melted bag of ice. We washed our hands and followed them into the dining room.
This room was large; an oak table that could fit forty people comfortably. A mahogany table cloth over the top of it with mahogany curtains over the windows. They were closed, with two large chandeliers above the table; the light was bright but it made the room cozy.
Liam and Amy sat at the head of the table, with his Beta and his mate on their right. Liam saw me, waving us over.
Taking the seats beside him, I smiled. “Thank you for inviting us, Alpha Liam.” I bowed my head, as the last of the people walked in. I was expecting Nathan to look the same when we saw him earlier, but when he walked in, he had showered and had gotten fresh clothes and cleaned up nicely.
He quietly strode around the table, calmly taking the seat beside Alaric. To my surprise, he talked and smiled like nothing bothered him. He caught me staring—the look in his eyes was filled with sadness—but he quickly shook his head and smiled at me, all emotion now gone. “Alphas,” he muttered, a smile on his face as he bowed his head.
“So,” Liam started, taking a drink of his wine and ripping my attention from my Beta. “I’ve got some files you can take with you. It contains the coordinates you can punch into the GPS, while showing the distance between the house and where you stop. I’ll show you the equipment you are taking, and my Beta will help you load everything into the trunk. Any questions?”
We shook our heads, as the aroma of carrots, potatoes, celery and roast beef filled the air, making my stomach growl with hunger. Omegas carted in a large pot with bowls, spoons, and
homemade rolls.
They began to dish everyone out when I felt Alaric’s hand rest on top of my thigh. I felt how tense he was—how tense we both were. Just as simple as the touch was, it calmed us. I placed my hand over his, entwining his fingers with mine, as steaming bowls of roast were placed in front of us. Fresh rolls on platters were stationed in the center of the table.
Turning back to Liam, I asked, “How long does it take to get wherever it is we’re going?” I picked up my spoon, blowing on the hot liquid, before I took the bite. It melted in my mouth; the sweetness of the carrot mixed with the saltiness from the roast and the celery was divine. Perfect for a very filling dinner.
He took another sip, stating, “Three hours.”
I choked on my food, coughing, while Alaric gently patted my back as he held my water for me to take. Once I was better, he went back to eating, silently listening to our conversation. “Okay. Are you sure there isn’t anyone nearby or even living in the house with him?”
I had finished my food, setting the bowl away from me, when an Omega came by and replaced the bowl with a plate of chocolate cake.
I turned to Alaric, who smiled at me as he eyed the delicious gooey piece of cake.
I laughed, grabbing my fork and taking a piece of it for him. He licked his lips before taking the bite, and a low rumble formed in his chest, kind of like a purr. I shook my head, as the same Omega placed a huge plate of cake in front of him as well.
Liam cleared his throat, making me look at him again. The expression on his face was full of love and curiosity. “You guys are adorable. Yes, he is alone. I’ve been told he hasn’t left in a few days and no one has come in or out. That, and he lives seven miles up the mountain; I don’t think he gets many visitors.”
I nodded, savoring the delicious chocolaty goodness in front of me.
AFTER DINNER, ALARIC, Nathan, Liam and I made our way to the shed on the right side of the house. I hadn’t noticed it before. Maybe that was because it was hidden really well, or the fact that there wasn’t any reason for me to find it.
Rise of the Alpha (The Rise Series Book 1) Page 19
