Chapter 12: Avoidance and Discovery

Will

Olivia, I swear to every fucking God that ever lived…if you don’t answer your fucking phone…

OLIVIA

A grimace crossed her face as she read his most recent text. Not Liv. Not Livia. ~Olivia~. She didn’t even have the energy to scroll up and read the other twenty-three messages he’d sent.

She also ignored the alert showing forty-five missed calls. She was in for a world of trouble when she got home.

How could she explain this one? Claim it was a joke and her phone died? No. That wouldn’t work.

Perhaps she could say she was called in for an emergency shift? She sighed heavily, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

Avoidance.

It was the best strategy.

She clapped her hands together, fingers interlacing.

Alexander had left her alone. Sure, her keen hearing picked up various sounds, reminding her she wasn’t as alone as she might think, but still.

He was out of sight.

A tall blonde girl had rushed in, babbling about an emergency, and he’d left.

He’d clearly told her to stay put…and so far, she had.

Not because she wanted to, but because of that ingrained obedience that kicked in every time he gave her an order.

Her body felt heavy, her feet slow, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t muster the energy to run.

So, there she was, perched on a large chocolate brown couch, waiting for his return.

To say this road trip was nothing like she’d expected was an understatement.

Maybe she should use this alone time to uncover whatever he was hiding.

If she found something, it could end this whole ordeal and she could go home. That was a win-win, right?

“Are you Olivia?”

A small, timid voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to the left. A little girl, probably no older than ten, stood there.

She was hugging a blue teddy bear to her chest. Her black hair was pulled into pigtails with bright pink elastics, a stark contrast to her yellow overalls.

She was biting her lower lip, clearly unsure about approaching further.

Children. There were children here? Olivia cleared her throat and tried to offer a friendly smile. “Yes, I am. And who might you be?”

The little girl tucked her chin into her teddy bear’s head. “Allie.”

“Hi Allie, it’s nice to meet you.”

Olivia started to rise from the couch, but Allie took a few steps back. Her fear kept Olivia seated.

She’d been so worried about ~Alex~ being a monster, she hadn’t considered how the others might view ~her~. “Are you here alone, Allie?”

The reality of the pack was becoming harder to reconcile with her preconceived notions. It made sense there would be children, right? How large was this pack?

In her mind, a pack was a small group of people... was that accurate?

Allie shook her head. “Mama and daddy are outside, working.”

“And you’re inside alone?”

“I’m supposed to play with the other kids. ‘Lex said not to come here.”

Other kids. That implied a large number. Did they all live here? Did they attend school? And Lex? Oh, Alexander. Right.

“Do you always do what... ‘Lex says?”

She nodded. “Mama says we have to—he’s the alpha. He’s nice.”

Nice? That wasn’t the word Olivia would use to describe him. But Allie didn’t seem abused or scared—at least not of Alexander or the pack.

“He got me the bear,” Allie added, holding it out for Olivia to see. As she did, Olivia noticed a dirty bandage wrapped around her wrist.

She frowned. “Allie, did you hurt yourself?”

A hurt child. That fit with her image of a pack led by a heartless dictator. But then again, a child with a bandage was a common sight, even among humans.

The little girl nodded.

“I didn’t mean to,” she said, her lower lip trembling. “Sometimes I turn and I don’t mean to do it…”

“You turn... into a wolf?”

She gave a nod of affirmation. “Mama told me I wouldn’t change back,” she responded, her shoulders lifting in a shrug.

“They didn’t take you to a hospital?”

“Mama says we can’t. We might change.”

“Oh…” That hadn’t crossed her mind.

She had met Alexander in a hospital—she had assumed that meant they sought medical help if needed, but... children? Did children change at any time?

She had always changed only during a full moon, and she had thought that was the norm.

This was news to her.

Will hadn’t mentioned this—then again, he might not remember or perhaps he didn’t think it was relevant to her.

She was nearly an adult when she had the unfortunate experience of becoming a werewolf. It seemed children were a different case.

What else didn’t she know?

Becoming a werewolf had opened her eyes to a whole new world, but now? She felt like she knew nothing about her own kind.

“Does it hurt?”

“Just a little.”

“May I see it?”

She shook her head instantly. “Not allowed.”

Right, she wasn’t supposed to be here... And she was a stranger.

It was natural that her curiosity had led her here, but she probably couldn’t break the rules any more than Olivia could. Olivia didn’t trust them. Why should they trust her? It seemed fair.

“Allie.”

His voice, rich and resonant, made her ears tingle, and Olivia quickly looked up. His towering figure was hard to miss in the doorway, appearing even taller behind Allie’s small frame.

She had taken his tone as a warning to Allie, but the little girl clearly didn’t see it that way. She spun around and rushed to hug one of Alexander’s legs.

“What did I tell you about skipping classes?” he asked, looking down at her while resting his hand on her head.

“I don’t like math.”

His laughter filled the room, but it was different from when he laughed with her.

It was genuine, loud, and filled with happiness. “I know, Peanut. But you still have to learn. Now go on, okay?”

Allie’s mouth turned down in a frown, showing her displeasure, but she nodded anyway.

She gave Olivia one last look before she ran off down the nearest hallway.

Olivia watched her until she was out of sight, then slowly lifted her gaze.

Before she knew it, she was looking into his deep blue eyes.

~Damn it~. Every time something happened, it became harder to hate him. Olivia wanted to cling to her image of alphas. She wanted to hold on to her anger.

It made things simpler. It made it easier to deal with what had happened to her, the life she had lost, the parents that had been taken from Will.

If they were all monsters, it all made sense.

But now, she was seeing glimpses of another life, and it was overwhelming.

“Is she going to be okay? Her hand, I mean.”

He nodded. “She’s a tough one.”

For the first time in his presence, she felt the urge to smile, but she suppressed it.

“Don’t you have someone to take care of them?”

“We take care of them.”

“You’re a doctor now?” she muttered.

His eyes flashed with hurt, and she saw his body tense. “You think I don’t care for them?”

Olivia pressed her lips together, watching as his expression hardened. Questioning his ability to care for them? Definitely a sore spot. So there was a hint of anger in him.

“You won’t take her to a hospital—even though you’ve been—and you don’t have anyone here to treat injuries.”

“Kids can’t control it. They change at will until they hit puberty. We can’t risk them turning into wolves in an exam room, can we?”

~Good point.~ Allie had sort of explained that, but Olivia couldn’t resist ~prodding~ him.

Did she really think that would be enough to make him lose his temper? Reveal a different side of him?

“It seems like you really want to know why I was there that night. If so, Livy, just ask.”

She didn’t like how he could see right through her. “Why were you at the hospital?”

His smile widened. “Was it really that difficult?” He moved closer, bridging the gap between them. “I was out gathering supplies for the house. Some jerk was robbing someone, and I got involved.

“He stabbed me. The police arrived and by then it was simpler to just go with them than to escape. I couldn’t risk them trailing me back here.”

“So, you didn’t intend to stay at the hospital?”

“No, I planned to bolt—until I caught your scent.”

~Desire~. The same kind of desire he had in his gaze that night.

The needy look didn’t linger, but she caught a glimpse of it in his eyes. “Well, I’m not in heat anymore. So, I don’t understand why you can’t just leave me alone.”

He raised his arm, and she tensed.

He laughed and continued his motion, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You really don’t know much about werewolves, do you?”

What was he implying?

They had already established her lack of knowledge, but that didn’t explain why he was so persistent. “I know enough.”

“You believe you do.”

She saw a twitch in his lips, as if he wanted to say more, but he held back. There was a sense that something was missing, but he wasn’t about to fill her in. Why not?

“Anyway, I know alphas have a hard time controlling themselves around omegas. Most werewolves do.”

His eyes flashed red and he pressed his lips together so hard they turned white. “Is that what he told you? Is that how he justified sleeping with you?”

Why did his awareness of her past make her heart pound? Her chest felt tight, each heartbeat straining against her ribs.

How could he possibly know?

It had been so long and she hadn’t told him. She could deny it, but she knew her surprised expression had already betrayed her.

She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling as if the room was too small for the two of them. “That was a consensual night between two adults.”

“Was it really?”

“Will would never harm me.”

If it weren’t for him, she would have hurt someone by now. If it weren’t for him, who knows where she would be? He had picked up her pieces, and guided her through this new world she was abruptly thrown into.

“If you say so.”

“I do. I know him. He’s my family. I don’t even know you.”

“That’s your choice. You’re the one who keeps pushing me away.”

“Because you’re an alpha, you’re a stranger.”

“If you spent less time avoiding me, I wouldn’t be,” he retorted, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

“And why should I?”

“Why shouldn’t you?” He pressed his lips together. “I’m not talking about your little friend. I’m not talking about all the lies he told. I’m asking you. What has been so damn awful that you feel the need to run?”

~Nothing~.

He was domineering; he was insistent; he gave her ultimatums—but overall, nothing screamed danger. In fact, it was frustratingly the opposite.

Her mind argued with her at every turn, but here she was.

Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t about to confess any of this. Especially when she was so close to getting him out of her life.

She would endure, survive today, and then put this entire ordeal behind her. That was the plan.

~Stick to the plan, Liv.~

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re right,” he responded instantly. “I wouldn’t. Because my pack is my life. I can’t comprehend how one claimed beta is enough for you. Everyone here supports each other. We care for each other.”

~How did he know Will was claimed?~ No. It didn’t matter. “Who was looking after Allie when she got injured?”

In a flash, he had closed the distance between them and gripped her shoulders. “You don’t understand pack life. We let the cubs roam free, they have to.”

For a moment, his grip tightened, his fingers digging into her arms. But then, the pressure eased and his hands dropped to his sides.

He stopped. Before she felt any pain.

“You think it’s simple for us to just blend in? To attend school like regular folks? To be part of society? To be away from our pack?

“We don’t have the luxury of doctors and nurses. We learn to take care of ourselves, but it’s not always possible. Some manage, but not all of us.”

She pressed her lips together, the color draining from them due to the pressure.

So, they could get injured and not have access to medical help? His voice was laced with anger, but his eyes held a glimmer of sadness. Was he feeling helpless?

Her heart fluttered as if his emotions were resonating within her. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared.

“I-I’m sorry.” She was ignorant. That was the truth.

Will’s anger was so intense she couldn’t ignore it, but Alexander was more human than she had ever imagined. More so than he had appeared that night at the hospital.

His touch had been fleeting, but it left a lingering sensation.

“Show me the rest,” she finally said.

“What?”

“We had a deal, didn’t we? The whole day unless I stumble upon a corpse. What’s next on the tour?”

She felt a pang of guilt. She couldn’t help it. It was Alexander’s fault for messing with her emotions. She was content with her life.

She didn’t want it to change; she didn’t want it to be different.

His gaze met hers, and it felt like he was peering into her soul.

Initially, she held his gaze, the intensity escalating, but then it became overwhelming. Her heart pounded, her palms were sweaty, and the silence was deafening. She finally looked down in defeat.

“Let’s go.”

She heard the squeak of his shoes against the floor as he turned around, and she followed.

What was it about him?

What was that sensation deep in her stomach, the one that twisted her insides every time he was near her?