Chapter 18
Delilah
“Not like this,” Coal whispers, dropping his hands, and looking up at me.
“Not your first time.” He shakes his head, and my heart sinks.
“You deserve more. Better than being fucked by the men who made your life a living hell for years. You-” Coal closes his eyes, sighing before he goes on.
“You have to leave, Delilah. You have to walk away. Nothing can change between us. When we see my father on Monday… Nothing has changed. Leave.” He’s firm now, and the hard look in his eyes makes my chest ache.
“You need to keep your distance, Delilah. We’re only so strong, and this could cost you everything.
Please. Don’t throw away your life, after everything we’ve done to keep you safe.
” Quil’s tone is softer than I’ve ever heard it, and I think that, beyond just his words, is what makes me grab his shirt off the floor, and pull it on over my head.
“I’ll be with Dean if you need anything,” I say, as I turn away from them. I can’t look at them again, or my heart will break.
“Delilah?” Dean frowns, opening his door wide, letting me into his room. Matteo is on the couch and perks up when he hears my name, until he sees me.
“What happened?” He jumps up and rushes over to me as Dean closes the door behind me.
“It’s a long story, but it’s probably something you both need to hear,” I sigh. I don’t know how much to tell them. I don’t want to put Coal and Quil in more danger.
Ten minutes later, I’m curled up on the couch in Dean’s clothes, and wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.
“I can’t tell you everything. Some of it isn’t my story to tell. I just need you to know that, whatever you think of Coal and Quil, it’s probably wrong. It’s not them I need protection from.” I sip the tea Dean made for me and watch as they both frown.
“I don’t understand. Aren’t they the ones who’ve been hurting you for years?” Matteo asks, and I tilt my head side to side.
“Yes, and no. They had a reason, and if they hadn’t, I would have gone through worse.” I’m trying to keep the details vague, without leaving them completely in the dark. “For now, I need to ask you both to trust me.”
“If you’re sure,” Dean agrees, and Matteo nods.
It’s Sunday night, and I’m snuggled up to Dean on his couch, reading another book about this bird man mating a Human. Very bizarre. Matteo walks in, and a growl rumbles in his chest. I get up and walk into the kitchen to get a drink.
Matteo lifts his head, sniffing the air, and I glare.
“Oh, my god! Stop fucking sniffing me! You assholes spend way too much time worrying about what I smell like!” I snap, as I get a drink from the fridge.
Dean looks smug, and Matteo is still all growly.
I march over to him, wrap my arms around his neck, and rub myself against him.
I stick my face in the crook of his neck and rub.
I turn around and rub my back against his front, and he grunts.
He grabs my hips and stills my movements, but I don’t care.
“There, now I smell like you too! Stop growling!” I snap at him and try to take a step away, but he pulls me back against him.
He drops his lips to my ear, “If you rub your ass against my dick like that again, I’ll do more than just stand here next time.” The heat of his breath against my skin makes me shudder. Fuck. These men are going to be my undoing. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted you, Delilah?”
“No, I don’t. But I want to. Why wouldn’t you shift?” I whisper, as a sliver of pain creeps back into my heart. Bunny had once been so important to me.
“I wouldn’t have been able to control myself,” he says, and maybe it’s because he’s behind me, but I feel brave enough to say what I’ve held in all this time.
“You broke my heart, Bunny. I wouldn’t have minded if you lost control with me…”
“Young Wolves are driven by instinct and emotion. If Matteo had shifted, he might have done something that can’t be undone, like giving you the mate mark,” Dean says softly from the couch, as Matteo holds me tightly. I can’t see the look on his face, but I can feel the tension in his body.
“I couldn’t risk your life. You were too important to me.
You still are.” Matteo moves, so his arms are wrapped around the front of my body, and I snuggle back into his arms, breathing in his scent as it soothes me.
“When we learned we were being sent to Primal Moon Academy, I knew you’d be here.
I made a plan with Dean to find you and claim you.
But Coal fucked it all up. I’m sorry Delilah, but we’ll find a way to fix this,” Matteo vows, and I nod, staying silent. “We’ll get you out of here.”
Dean huffs as Matteo sits us down next to him with me on his lap. I don’t move as Matteo drops his hands to my hips. I like the feeling of his strong body behind me, and I don’t want to get up.
I drop my head against his chest and look up at him, his amber eyes look just as I remember them. Matteo cups my cheek in his hand gently and presses his lips against mine.
It's a gentle kiss, soft and warm. It reminds me of lying in the sun with Bunny in the woods by the water. He smiles against my lips before releasing me.
Wolves are more open with their bodies, and affection, than Humans. It just feels right, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s to hold onto happiness when you have it because it can be ripped away at any moment.
“I had clothes brought over for the meeting tomorrow. You have to be dressed appropriately. Alpha Michael has a certain expectation of the Humans he sees,” Dean says, looking a bit annoyed. “Unfortunately, you’ll be showing a lot of skin.”
“Okay.” I see the bag on the counter, so I reluctantly hop off of Matteo’s lap and move over to it.
I pull out a black lace dress and hold it against my shoulders, assessing the length.
It's a little shorter than the skirt I’m wearing now but not too bad.
The sweetheart neckline will make my boobs stand out but not offensively.
The dress is nice, nicer than anything I own by a mile.
There's also a shoebox in the bag, so I pull that out and find black three-inch pumps.
Most Humans never really wear heels, since it makes it harder for us to do our jobs, but my mother had some just like these that she wore for Michael.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? I could just stay here in your room,” I offer, hoping they agree. There’s a nervous energy in the air, and I hate it.
“You’re expected to attend. The Alpha’s son claimed you as his Avowed as well as the Alpha’s son of Shadow Moon. Coal’s father will want to see you,” Matteo says in reply, looking sorry.
“Well, fuck sauce,” I grumble.
Both guys chuckle at my response, but I notice how stressed they are. They’re worried about what might happen tomorrow, even if they don’t say it.
“Is the Alpha really getting worse?” I ask the guys, not looking at them.
“Much worse…” They say in unison. Okay. Great. Absolutely awesome. When my mother was his Avowed, he was starting to become angrier. He would lash out at my mother often. She came home many nights with new bruises.
I spend some time getting ready after that. Thinking about Coal and his father the whole time.
Maybe Dean and Matteo can get both my mother and me out of here. I don’t want to think about that, though.
The only thing worse than being hopeless is being hopeful and having that hope crushed.
Monday morning comes too soon, and by now, I’ve showered twice, shaved, brushed my teeth, and done my hair. I want to smell neutral at this meeting, so I apply some of my lavender oil.
When I step out of the bathroom, both men stare, eyes wide. I get anxious, worried something is wrong. I look down at myself and try to adjust my dress. Am I showing too much skin?
“Don’t, you look beautiful,” Matteo says, as Dean adjusts the bulge in his pants, making my mouth fall open in shock.
“Seriously!” I laugh at his obvious discomfort.
“You’re hot,” he shrugs, and I shake my head at the shameless Wolf.
“Let's do this shit,” I say, forcing confidence I don’t feel. As we step into the hall, we all freeze. Coal is there, waiting for us.
“I knew it. Fuckers,” Coal grumbles, not as angry as I was expecting him to be. I told him I’d be with Dean, but Matteo isn’t supposed to be here.
For a moment, no one speaks. We all just stare at Coal. As we do, my heart rate spikes. Is this the moment I’ve always dreaded? Is Coal about to start a fight with one of these Wolves because of me?
“You’re an asshole,” Coal says, pointing at Matteo. He really doesn’t seem all that bothered, though. Coal said nothing had changed, but just a few days ago, he would have been pissed that his friend was conspiring with his rival behind his back. Or would he? I don’t know anymore.
“I’m here to make sure you fuck heads don’t get her killed,” Coal snaps, and moves to stand in front of me, staring down at me with a serious look.
“Don’t speak unless spoken to and try to hold in any snappy comebacks.
Don’t make eye contact with anyone. Not me, or them…
” he says, looking at Dean and Matteo. “No one, Delilah. Keep your head down. My father… is unhinged, and as the years go on, he’s become more… ” he pauses, “unpredictable.”
“You can’t protect me,” I say. It’s not a question. He can’t.
A look of despair falls over Coal’s features, but he clears it quickly.
He looks back over my shoulder at the other two Wolves.
“She needs to stay close to me.” Dean starts to protest, but Coal cuts him off.
“My father isn’t likely to allow her to remain as your Avowed, Dean.
If you can’t let her go, he’ll take her from us both.
Do you want to know what he’ll do with her then?
” Coal snaps, before taking my hand and stomping away from the other two.
“How scared should I be? I thought you and Quil…” I pause, looking over at the other two, “had a way of redirecting him. I’m so confused.”
“Well, keep it in your head for now, please.” Coal seems agitated. I look up at his blue eyes and sandy hair. “Head down, Delilah,” he instructs gently, and I do as he says.
I decide to focus on my feet for now, though. Just walk, walk and breathe; that’s all I can do. Everything else can wait. Coal is scaring me, and now, I’m worried.
Tonight is going to be bad.