|10|
"Eve."
I sat up in bed, my eyes trailing over to the door where a figure stood, hidden in the shadow. It wasn't difficult for me to know who it was, being in the same room as him made me heat up.
"Alpha Stone," I breathed, as he took determined steps towards me. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, like a feral animal caged. My chest heaved in anticipation as he reached me, his height meaning he towered over me, his eyes ablaze with lust.
"I need you," he stated; his fingers danced around my face, pushing strands of my raven hair behind my ears. I gasped in surprise as he leaned down and lifted me into the air, my legs wrapping around his torso instinctually.
His hot breath fanned over me as he leaned in, his lips only inches away from mine.
Desire surged through me and I breathed in his woodsy scent, so intoxicating that I found it hard to breathe. I reached up and grabbed his hair, tugging it slightly.
His eyes narrowed and his breathing fastened. He leaned in and I closed my eyes waiting for his lips to touch mine.
"Eve"
"Eve."
"EVE!!"
I shot out of my bed in shock as someone's hands tightened around my shoulders, their fingers digging in.
"What the hell!" I yelled in shock, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I panted like I had ran a marathon.
"That exactly what I should be saying to you," Kate yelled back, her eyes wide as she watched me struggle to catch a breath.
"I've been trying to wake you up for the last fifteen minutes," she explained while I ran my hand through my hair, damp with sweat.
I caught her eyes as I took a seat back on my bed. What the hell was that dream about?
My cheeks reddened with embarrassment as my thoughts flicked back to my dream. I can't believe I had a dream about Alpha Stone, especially one like that. How could I have had such a dream about the man who was keeping me hostage?
"-clearly you were having some kind of sexy dream."
My eyes shot up to meet Kate. "No what-no I, it wasn't a sexy dream!" I exclaim back. My response only makes Kate burst out laughing.
"Oh shit!" she screams. "You were having a sexy dream."
My head falls into my hands and I try to block out Kate's screeching from beside me. I was mortified. How could I have even considered Alpha Stone in that way?
Kate plops down beside me on the bed, a smirk still etched onto her face.
"You alright?" Kate asks when I suddenly start to breathe heavily. My skin was on flames and it felt like my insides were boiling.
"I'm fine," I say, swatting Kate's hand away from my forehead. Mortified at this whole situation and perhaps a little hot but I was fine otherwise.
"Oh hell no you're not fine," Kate says, her voice worried, "you're burning up, Eve."
I stand up, creating some space between myself and Kate. I ignored how it felt like millions of hot needles were pricking my skin.
"I don't think you noticed, Kate. But there is no window in this bloody room, hence no ventilation. That's why I'm burning up," I explain and for a second I not only convince Kate but also myself.
Kate keeps her eyes trained on me.
"Carla was worried when you didn't come down to help with breakfast, so that's why I came up to check on you," Kate explains.
Recently I had become slightly more accustomed to my life here in the Red Moon Pack. I would wake up in the morning and go downstairs to help Carla make breakfast. I didn't do a lot, just stood around, washed some dishes and stirred a pot once or twice, but it gave me something to do and kept me from going crazy looking at the four walls in my room.
Alpha Stone had seen me in the kitchen on numerous occasions and hadn't stopped me so I took it as permission to continue.
"I'm sorry," I whispered as I dragged a hand down my face.
Kate shrugged her shoulders. "Oh please, Carla couldn't care less whether you came down to help her or not. She was just worried you were ill."
Ever since I told Carla about my failing health she worried over me like an overprotective mother. It reminded me of my own mum, so I couldn't help but smile whenever she placed her hand on my forehead to check if I had a fever or when she constantly hovered around me, telling me to sit and to eat and drink.
"Give me five minutes, I'll be down soon," I said, shooing Kate to the door when she stopped and checked me over once more, worry clear in her eyes.
"Are you sure you're alright, Eve?" Kate asked once again.
"I'm fine," I replied, despite my skin feeling like it was going to peel off.
★?★
"Are you okay Eve, you look a little flushed," Carla asked as I walked into the kitchen.
I nodded my head. "I'm fine. I'm just sorry I didn't help you with breakfast," I replied, watching as Carla dried the last plate and put it to the side.
She swatted her hand. "Oh don't worry about it. There wasn't a lot to do anyway," she lied.
One thing I learnt whilst helping Carla in the kitchen was that feeding over six hundred hungry werewolves was not an easy job. I didn't know how Carla managed it on her own.
"Here," Carla whispered as she walked over to the microwave and brought back a covered up plate, "I managed to save something for you." She smiled.
I uncovered the plate and my mouth watered at the sight of scrambled eggs and bacon.
"You spoil me Carla," I say as I take a seat at the counter and gratefully dig into the food, moaning at how good it is.
Carla giggles but sits down opposite me, her eyes happy as she watches me eat.
"Ladies."
I choke on my eggs at the sound of his voice. Oh god, not again, I beg internally as Alpha Stone stands behind me, his presence strong enough for me to notice without even looking at him.
My hands become clammy and my cheeks are on fire as my mind drifts back to my dream.
Does he know what I'm thinking about? I wonder as he steps into my view and his eyes lock with mine.
I look away quickly and notice that there are two other people in the room with us - Kate, who was smirking, a knowing look on her face, and Taliya, the doctor who had given me the blood transfusion.
I raised an eyebrow when Alpha Stone turned to Carla.
"Carla we need you to go and find some herbs."
It was a bizarre request and even Carla looked confused.
"I'm sorry?" Carla questioned meekly.
"I have a patient who is critically ill. He has ingested a poison which can only be treated with this wild plant. Unfortunately I don't have any in stock of it," Taliya explained, she placed a photograph of a purple flower on the counter in front of Carla.
"I was wondering if you would be able to search the forest for it. I heard from the Alpha that you have some knowledge about such plants."
Carla glanced at the photo and seemed to recognise the flower.
"A genie pod?" Carla asked in surprise and Taliya nodded, impressed that Carla recognised it.
"Do you think you can find it?" Alpha Stone inquired, his voice cold and rough.
Carla nodded, already getting ready to leave.
"I think Eve should go with Carla."
Everyone stunned by Kate's statement looks to her, even I.
"What?" Alpha Stone questions his sister, annoyed.
Kate shrugs. "I don't know, I thought it would be good for Eve to get some fresh air. Don't you agree Eve?"
I shoot lasers out of my eye at her. I mean I would love to go out for some fresh air but I think she forgot the whole 'prisoner thing.' I wasn't here for a freaking holiday, I couldn't jus-
"I'll get Pierce to go with them," Alpha Stone says abruptly before he storms out of the kitchen.
Wait, was he actually letting me go?
I turn to Kate who winks before she saunters out of the room.
"How are you doing Eve?" Taliya asks, her eyes fixated on me. I pushed aside the current feeling of being burned alive and forced a smile.
"I'm doing fine, thank you."
She returned a smile and thanked Carla before following Kate out.
★?★
I assumed Pierce was one of Alpha Stone's men. A well built, highly trained guard he would send to watch me and Carla closely to make sure I wouldn't try to run away again. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to throw me to the ground if I even took a step in the wrong direction.
But the Pierce that joined us outside was completely the opposite to what I had imagined.
The Pierce that was standing in front of me was hardly even eighteen. I mean the poor lad looked like he had barely finished high school. He was tall and lanky and wearing a grey t-shirt and jeans. His hair was long and fell across his eyes and he barely looked up to make eye contact.
"Hi Pierce," Carla greeted cheerfully and Pierce nodded back in reply.
I was still in shock wondering how Alpha Stone had come to the decision of sending this boy to guard Carla and I, when Carla linked her arms through mine and started pulling me towards the forest.
"Don't let his appearance fool you," Carla warned in a whisper as we continued to walk.
I turned to Carla, wondering what she meant by that.
"The boy's a fucking psychopath," Carla stated. "A lovely kid but a bloody psychopath no matter."
My eyebrows furrowed as I continued to walk beside Carla, suddenly becoming ever more aware of the lanky werewolf trailing a short distance behind us. I could feel his gaze burning through me.
"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to hide the anxiousness in my voice.
"He went crazy a few years back. He killed his whole pack, I mean it was a small pack of around fourty wolves, but yeah he just went crazy and killed them all."
I stopped dead in my track. That boy - that tall, lanky, awfully shy looking boy was a cold blooded murderer?
I was speechless and too scared to even look back in his direction. Carla began to pull me, making me walk again.
"Oh God," I whispered under my breath.
I had always believed myself to not be a judgemental person, but this new discovery made me tremble in fear.
"This is how far you can go," Pierce said, making me jump. I glanced back at him and he avoided my eyes, instead staring down at the ground.
"Alpha Stone said you can only go this far," he explained quietly.
Even his voice was so young and part of me feared the kid while the other half wondered how such a shy, sweet looking kid had such a dark past.
"That's alright, I'm pretty sure it's around here anyway," Carla states, letting go of my arm to search the ground.
It was nice to be outside, to feel the fresh air, to smell the earth but standing next to Pierce and knowing what I knew, I felt more suffocated than when I was in my room.
I breathed out a sigh and placed a hand on my chest, feeling it tighten. My head was spinning and I wasn't sure whether it was due to my mixed emotions about Pierce or because I felt like someone had just dunked me in hot boiling water.
"Oh God," I rasped, my throat dry, my hands trembling. I really wasn't feeling well anymore. I looked up trying to spot Carla but I couldn't see her.
"Carla!" I tried to call out but it only came out as a loud whisper. I started panting, my clothes feeling suddenly two sizes too small for me. My hair stuck to my neck and it felt like sweat was dripping down my face.
What was happening? I had never felt like this before. It was almost as if I needed to rip my skin off.
Clearly noticing my distress, Pierce stepped closer, his eyes wide in confusion and worry.
"Miss?" he asked, still keeping a good distance between us.
"P-pie-Pierce-" I struggled to speak. The whole day I had been feeling hot and uncomfortable but right now it was unbearable.
"-I need help," I whispered, just as Carla walked up. The plants in her hands dropped to the floor when she noticed my sweaty, flushed state.
"Eve!" she screamed, running up to me, but before she could even touch me, Pierce lifted me up in his arms and raced back to the pack house.
★?★
I was still in a trance-like state, shifting between consciousness. I could hear voices, one was calm and clear, the other frantic, loud - desperate.
"Help her!" he screamed while the other tried to keep calm and reason.
"I'm trying but there is nothing I can do to help. I explained the risks to you before I gave her the blood transfusion. I told you that werewolf blood and human blood aren't compatible together."
"What do I have to do?" Both voices were familiar but this one was urgent.
There was silence and just before I drifted back into darkness I heard what promised to be remarkably unpleasant.
"You need to mark her."