Chapter 40 Before #4 - Thea
It’s been two months since the stalking started, and two weeks since the letters began arriving at our apartment.
Just like with the flowers, I’m getting the letters three to four times a week.
Some are worse than others. The worst are the ones that come with a “gift.” That’s the kind that arrived today.
After that first letter, I was so overwhelmed with fear and panic, I kind of shut down by the end of that day.
The longer this goes on, the angrier I get.
I feel like this asshole has hijacked my life.
It’s all I worry about now. I should be helping Connor plan our trip next month to North Carolina. Where we will finally bond.
After that first letter and with the second one arriving only two days later, we came up with a plan so I wouldn’t be home alone for the time being.
I still don’t have a job, which at this point I don’t know how I could feel safe going to work somewhere again.
For now I’m helping Max at his gym, working in the office.
It’s not so bad, plus during any downtime, I work on possible marketing for the gym. He desperately needs a revamp.
It seems to bother Connor that his parents are helping us with this. I think it’s because we don’t have a pack. I’d imagine they’d be the ones helping, not his parents. I’m not complaining. Max may come off like a grump but he’s really not that bad.
I kind of want to hide the letter and “gift” that came today before Connor sees it.
It’s the worst one he’s sent to date. The others have been various things I like: favorite flowers, music, books.
Things showing he knows me, which is unnerving to say the least. Today though, it was a sex toy.
Not just any toy, he apparently used one of those kits and made a mold out of his dick in order to create a life size replica in toy form.
I threw up when I read his letter explaining the toy and what he wanted me to do with it.
Connor will be home any minute. Since I started helping at the gym we get home around the same time.
Max usually brings me home, just to be safe.
He did today and when we saw the package waiting, he made sure to stay with me until Connor arrived.
I’m pretty sure he read the letter when I was throwing up because when I came back into the living room, a low persistent growl was coming from him.
It doesn’t bother me. I know why he’s reacting that way.
Connor really is the spitting image of Max.
They both have similar heights, muscular builds, dark brown hair, angular jaws.
The main difference is the color of their eyes.
Where Max has blue eyes, Connor has hazel ones like Sophie.
The lock of the front door sounds as Connor comes in.
He initially has a smile when he sees me but it’s quickly wiped away at my worried expression.
“Another letter?” he says, frustrated.
Before I can say anything Max bites out, “And a ‘gift.’”
Connor looks to me but I don’t have the energy to summarize it all.
Max hands him the letter and Connor’s face goes from frustrated, to angry, to livid.
His face turns red as he reads and a growl slips out, joining Max’s persistent one.
I think this might be the one that pushes him over the edge into a full-on rage.
That more than anything is why I’m glad Max is here.
If anyone can help bring Connor back from an alpha rage, it’s him.
“What. The. Fuck,” Connor growls out in a voice I’ve never heard from him before. His alpha side is clearly riding him hard.
He’s looking around the room like he’s trying to find something. “Where is it?”
I don’t need to ask what he means. It’s still in the box on the kitchen table.
Bile rises in my throat at the thought of that thing in the kitchen where we eat.
It belongs in an incinerator. Connor doesn’t wait for a reply and just starts looking for it himself.
It doesn’t take him long to find it and the resulting yell of frustration feels like it shakes the walls.
The numbness overtaking me feels both like a blessing and a curse.
Max goes to the kitchen quickly when we hear a loud bang. Connor flipped the table. He’s heaving big breaths, looking kind of out of it. “That’s it. Thea, get your things we’re going back to the gym and I’m not leaving you here alone,” Max orders.
I do as he asks, not voicing any objection. Whatever his plan is, it’s to help Connor.
It’s been two hours of Connor and Max in the boxing ring at the gym.
Connor doesn’t appear fatigued at all. Mateo came by an hour into this and has been keeping me company while Connor works out the rage.
We’ve been playing gin rummy to pass the time.
All the while I keep checking on Connor.
Mateo is an alpha but he’s always had the calming presence of a beta to me.
Maybe that’s because of how he helped me after my dad died.
Out of the four of them he helped me the most. He notices my line of sight and says, “Don’t worry, they’re almost done.
” I don’t understand how he can tell, maybe it’s an alpha thing.
“Has he ever dealt with an alpha rage before?” I ask, knowing in the time I’ve been with Connor he hasn’t.
“No, but Max has. That’s how he knew to bring him here and work it out of his system.”
“It’s my fault. I should’ve just thrown the package away along with the letter. If I didn’t catch this psycho’s attention none of this would be happening,” I mumble softly, looking down at the cards in my hand.
Mateo reaches over to hold my hand, getting my attention. “Nothing about this is in anyway your fault or Connor’s. The person to blame is the one writing these letters. We’re all worried for you, but don’t think for one second anyone blames you,” he says intently.
Not knowing what to say, I just nod in response.
Just then the sound from the ring quiets.
Glancing over I see Connor striding over to me and picking me up in the tightest hug, as if he let go, I’d disappear.
“I’m so sorry.” His voice shakes. It nearly breaks me hearing him like that.
That anger comes creeping back up. What this asshole is doing to us. It’s not fair.
It’s just us here by the ring. I don’t know where Max and Mateo went.
Pulling back to look at Connor, my eyes trail over the silent tears running down his face.
I can feel my own wanting to fall. My alpha, my rock through everything, is crying.
He lets out a breath as if he’s been holding it in as he rushes out, “I’m failing you.
I don’t know how to protect you and end this for good.
He’s winning. Every letter we get, it’s like he digs the knife that much deeper. I can’t lose you.”
“He’s not winning. We’re still here together, fighting together. You’re mine and I’m yours, nothing will change that. Nothing,” I say as he rests his forehead against mine. “I love you more than anything, Connor. He doesn’t get to take that from us. He doesn’t get to win. Deal?”
“Deal,” he answers with a tender kiss we both need after today. I believe what I said but I also don’t know how we end this. The light at the end of the tunnel seems nonexistent right now. We’ll get through this though, somehow.