Chapter 2

I rubbed my eyes hard and the pain that went through my body made me wince. I frowned and looked at my arm at the fresh bandages. What happened?

I sat up with an effort and looked around the unfamiliar room I'd woken up in.

The room seemed huge, certainly larger than my bedroom at home. The big pillows around me and the soft underlay invited me to just lie there, but I wouldn't do that.

So, I got up cautiously and analyzed the situation first. Although the room was large, it didn't have a lot of furniture. Bed, armchair, closet and chest of drawers, that's all.

I was still wearing my jogging pants, but I had to say goodbye to my sweater. Instead, I was now wearing a t-shirt. So, someone had changed my clothes.

Someone had seen my body.

Oh goddess.

The sound of the door closing made me spin around. I had been sure that no one had opened it, but now a young man with raven-black hair was leaning against the wall. He smiled at me with his bronze eyes fixed on me.

"You're awake, I'm glad to see you."

His voice was dark, but also very melodious.

"How are you?"

I knew I should better answer his question, but I could only stare at him in silence.

I had never felt a presence like his before.

A worried look crossed his face and he pushed himself off the wall to walk towards me. I immediately took a few steps back. It was an instinctive behavior. If I were in my wolf form, I would have laid my ears back and whined. His dominance was obvious.

Clearly dismayed, the man raised his hands and stopped.

"You don't have to be afraid of me."

His voice immediately calmed me down, but I could feel the power he radiated far too clearly.

Without a doubt, I just faced the Alpha.

"Do you feel better now? I got quite a shock when one of my men brought you here."

I tried hard to swallow to at least somehow find my voice again.

"Yes, I'm better."

Even I noticed how low and raspy my voice sounded, but I couldn't help it. My fear of him hadn't entirely gone away, despite what he assured me.

The Alpha didn't seem particularly aggressive around me, which surprised me a bit.

Normally, people, whether human or werewolf, weren't that nice to me.

He actually seemed to be in very good control of himself.

That smile formed on his face again and I just couldn't ignore the fact that he was really handsome. I couldn't remember ever meeting anyone so beautiful.

"Come on, let's go downstairs. I'm sure you'd like a drink and we can talk there."

He held out his hand invitingly and I just couldn't help flinching.

This room was unfamiliar to me, but it was safer than taking him anywhere else. But I knew I had no choice. If he ordered me, then I had to obey.

"Don't worry, we won't be alone if you don't want us to be."

As if that would make it better.

With a last look at me he left the room and let me follow him.

What choice did I have? So, I slowly followed him out of the room.

The alpha stood waiting at the stairs and went down with me. Meanwhile I looked around. The house was, as expected, really big and frighteningly familiar.

When we arrived at the bottom, my suspicion was confirmed. I knew this house more than well. It was my alpha's house. Panic rose inside and I could hardly stop it.

Why did he have to bring me here so badly? In that awful house of all places?

The alpha seemed to sense my panic because he frowned at me.

"What's happening? Are you in pain again?”

It’s a simple question but I couldn't answer. It wasn't physical pain, but my soul burned.

He couldn't have known. From where? Any normal person wouldn't panic if they were in their childhood home, but I wasn't normal.

I couldn't stay here, no way. Images of men kicking me, laughing horribly over and over again and my screams pounding in my head.

My legs propelled me forward, closer to the door, but the Alpha grabbed my shoulder and stopped me.

"Wait. Where are you going?”

I tried desperately to free myself, but it was no use, he was so much stronger than me.

His grip even tightened a tad.

"Calm down, it's all right. You are safe.”

I shook my head in desperation and pushed harder against him. Strong arms reached around me and pulled me to a hard chest.

"Dear please. You have to calm down."

He held me with one arm while gently stroking my back with the other hand. Warm lips touched my head and to my astonishment the panic actually seemed to subside a bit. I felt safe.

Was it his aura that affected me like this?

"Please don't get so upset. Otherwise, your wounds could reopen.”

my wounds That explained the hellish burning in my arms.

What a strange alpha. If I were human, I probably wouldn't have even realized he was an alpha.

But I wasn't human and couldn't help but react to his power.

The panic was less, but it still slumbered deep inside me. It took more than a few words and a hug to erase the memories that bound me to this house.

He stroked my back one last time and then let me go. He looked at me with unfathomable eyes, waiting for what I would do.

Again, my gaze wandered to the door and his eyes followed mine.

"You do not have to say anything. Come on, I'll take you away from here."

He reached out for me again and this time I didn't flinch. He wanted to help me. Even though my head didn't understand, my body just wanted to take his hand and leave.

So, I hesitantly took his hand.

As a reward I received one of his warm smiles again and my hand in his started to tingle.

How strange.

I, an unworthy omega, held the mighty alpha's hand as if it were a matter of course.

He led me towards the door. It wouldn't be long before I would be out again. Just get out of here.

My gaze dropped back to the ground, as I had always learned. I had no right to look at the alpha, no matter how nice he had been. He was above me and I couldn't imagine that he would just let my constant disrespect stand. My father wouldn't have done it.

The foyer was large and I couldn't help but revisit the memory of how one of my father's men had dragged me here.

I felt the alpha's gaze on my face very clearly and tried not to let it show. I had already shown enough weakness.

Suddenly I felt warm fingers caressing my hand.

Oh goddess. Why did he do that? We were almost out.

Keeping my eyes on the door, I wanted to quicken my steps when my father's deep voice froze me.

"You want to go already, Alpha?"

The person addressed stroked the back of my hand soothingly and then turned calmly to my father.

"Yes, actually we are on our way. But don't worry Richard, we'll have a long chat before I leave."

It was strange to see a young man who appeared to be a few years older than me talking to my father like that. And the man I've feared all my life just bowed his head in surrender and let us go.

We left the house, but I knew as soon as the alpha left, I'd be died. My father certainly wouldn't let an insult like that just now go unpunished.

What should I do now?

We left the house and walked past my father's bodyguards and I automatically ducked my head even further. I was used to them liking to intimidate me, so the warning growl didn't surprise me. But this time, treating me like that turned out to be a huge mistake.

Before I could even blink, the Alpha had him on the ground and his foot pressed to his throat.

"What was that?" the alpha asked in a low, cold voice.

If he had ever talked to me like that, I probably would have wet my pants.

"I'm sorry," the guard gasped, "I didn't mean you!"

The Alpha laughed coldly.

"I didn't think so either. What gives you the right to snarl at someone under my protection?”

Was he serious? It really seemed so because he looked at the man below him, waiting.

"And where's the apology?"

The poor wolf looked at me with an anxious look.

"Sorry," he managed to get out of his mouth.

Without being able to reply, I looked at him. No one had ever apologized to me for anything.

Especially not for something like that.

The alpha finally let the guard go and then held out his hand to me again. He was surprisingly happy to do so.

"Let's get out of here."

He seems to be controlling his anger, which caused me to drop my eyes to the ground immediately.

I gave him my hand again, what else could I do?

He was the alpha and I was an omega. I would always do what others told me to do. It would never be different.