Chapter 17
ANDREA.
I couldn’t sleep the whole night. The pain in my heart was unbearable.
I was sitting by the window sill when I saw a wolf spring out from the ground floor and I knew instantly that it was Zion, Caspian’s wolf. He was the only black wolf in the pack. And from the way his growl sounded, I knew he was also in pain.
I tried to suppress the tears from falling, but I couldn’t stop them. My heart was grieving. I pushed away the only man I fell in love with
Maybe it was too late. Caspian already felt something for me. I saw the pain in his eyes, and I had no idea if I would be able to live with it for the rest of my life.
I was prepared to get hurt, but I wasn’t prepared to hurt him.
I covered my puffy eyes with a concealer and put on some light eye shadow and lip tint to hide my real emotions.
I didn’t eat breakfast this morning. I had no appetite, and I didn’t want to face the Alpha together with his Beta and Gamma. But I was determined to finish the work he gave me. A t least something I could focus on while I was still here. I was hoping he wasn’t in his office, or it would be too hard to control myself.
I didn’t want to hurt him anymore.
I walked with my chin up and headed for his office, knocking softly to see if someone was inside. It was annoying that, despite being a she-wolf, my nose couldn’t catch scent unless i t was in close proximity, so I had no idea if anyone was inside his office.
“Come in,” His voice came out cold, and I didn’t have to guess why.
I opened the door slowly and my eyes caught sight of the female I hated the most, sitting on what was supposed to be m y workstation.
My brows furrowed as I snapped my head to look at Caspian. His eyes were already looking at me. His face was void of any emotions, and the way his eyes were piercing mine was sending chills up my spine. But I refused to bow down.
“What’s the meaning of this? Am I kicked out of my work?” I asked him, my tone laced with sarcasm.
“I thought you mentioned you wanted nothing to do with me o r my pack?” He answered almost immediately, his voice too cold.
“So you’re leaving me without any option if I want this work o r not?”
“I’m the Alpha here. I can do whatever I want.”
“Just like everybody in my life. I always end up not having a choice at all. I get pushed, thrown, and discarded my whole life, so what’s new here, right? Nothing.” I was about to add more when Tanya’s voice rang in my ears, and I was instantly annoyed.
“Stop being overly dramatic. Besides, you’re not doing these right. I have to…”
“Will you shut the fuck up? Just because you got the work I’m supposed to be doing doesn’t give you the right to butt in while I’m talking to your Alpha.” I rolled my eyes at her before turning my attention back to Caspian, my arms crossing against my chest.
“So this is how it’s going to be Caspian? Just because I said NO to you, I’ll be just ignored and cast out here? And here I was thinking you’d changed into a responsible Alpha. But you’re still the same, you run away at the first sign of trouble! And I’m always the one getting thrown out!”
“I don’t understand why you’re letting this pup disrespect you! “Tanya’s voice came again as I finally let all my anger come out.
“I said, shut the fuck up or ‘I swear to Goddess I’ll punch you in between your eyes!” My.voice sounded like I was almost growling
“Try me, bitch!” She yelled back at me as her eyes dilated into full black while her claws started to emerge from her hands!
“Enough!” Caspian bellowed as Tanya’s claws retrieved but I wasn’t taking my gaze away from her.
I knew I was in a bad position, having no wolf at all, but I didn’t care at the moment. Death didn’t seem that bad compared to the situation I was in.
I could hear everyone’s breath hitching, and no one said a word until the silence was broken by loud knocks on the door.
“Come in,” Caspian said as he let out a deep breath before drifting his eyes at the door where Beta Paul emerged.
“Alpha,” He nodded in respect before he continued, “Alpha Riley is at the border, seeking permission for entrance.”
...…...
CASPIAN.
I didn’t want anything to do with Tanya, but I had to trust my Beta at this point because I couldn’t think straight anymore.
Sleep didn’t come, and by morning, I was walking and talking with no direction. At that point, Paul insisted that I ask Tanya t o take over Andrea’s work, and as much as I didn’t want Tanya mixed up in this mess, I was desperate.
And then Andrea came like a hurricane. Throwing those hurtful words at me.
“I said, shut the fuck up or I swear to Goddess I’ll punch you in between your eyes!” Her eyes were glaring fire at Tanya, and if
I didn’t know she had no wolf yet, I would have thought her wolf was about to surge out from the anger emitting from her
aura.
“Try me, bitch!” Tanya yelled back at her. Her eyes dilated into full black as her claws elongated. She was not backing down.
But there was no fucking way I would let her touch Andrea, even a strand of her hair.
“Enough!” I bellowed directly at Tanya, rolling off an Alpha command. I would never risk her jumping on Andrea, not on m y fucking watch.
She flinched as her claws retracted, but her eyes were still glaring at Andrea
I didn’t keep my eyes away from Tanya the whole time. I was ready to launch at her if she tried to make a move against Andrea.
There was silence in the room except for the loud beating of three hearts. And then hard knocks erupted in the air.
Beta Paul.
“Come in,” I ordered as my eyes drifted to the door, but my peripheral view was keeping tabs on Tanya.
“Alpha,” he nodded in respect before he continued, “Alpha Riley is at the border, seeking permission for entrance.”
“Request denied,” I snapped coldly, my gaze going to Andrea a s the color drained from her face like she couldn’t breathe.
My face warped into a scowl. I wanted everyone out of the office, but before I could tell them, Beta Paul delivered another blow.
“He’s not leaving the border without talking to you. Or to Andrea. He said he would camp out there if needed.”
“Then let him do what he wants.”
“I’m going to the border.” Andrea’s small but determined voice stole the show.
My eyes dilated as a low growl erupted from my throat. I snapped my head at Tanya, “Leave!”
“I can stay here, I might be..”
“I said go!” This was the second time I gave her an Alpha command, and as much as I didn’t want to use this power, I didn’t want to waste more time.
She let out a sigh before walking out of the door, not glancing back at anyone.
My eyes went back to Andrea. Her face was still pale and her eyes were showing some emotions I couldn’t read. Was she scared?
“You’re not going to the border. Stay here.” I told her, my voice void of any emotions as I pretended to focus on the documents in front of me.
“No. I’m going to the border.”
“No one’s taking you there.”
“I have feet. I can walk and run.” She turned around, ready to walk out.
“I said No!” My voice rose as her body spun around to face me, anger radiating from her face.
“You’re not telling me what to do!”
“Try me!” My teeth gritted as I tried to control myself and my wolf. She was fucking stubborn!
“Try me!” She mimicked my words.
And before I could stop myself, I let out another Alpha command. “I said you’re not going to the border!”
Andrea’s eyes were shooting daggers at me as her body flinched at my order. I was expecting her to let it go, but her shoulders didn’t relax.
She was fighting my command. Her hands by her sides coiled into fists as her body started to shake.
“Fuck! Take it back, Alpha!” Beta Paul was shouting as his hands flew to Andrea’s shoulders, keeping her from shaking.
It was then that I saw the first blood trickling from her nose. She was fighting my command so hard that she was hurting herself.
“No!” I said with my teeth-gritting, “Don’t be stupid, Andrea! Let it go! I’m not fucking changing my command!”
“Man! Give it up, she’s not letting go!” My Beta was starting t o get hysterical as more blood was dripping from Andrea’s nose.
She’s so fucking stubborn that she was willing to take all the pain just to defy me.
“Andrea!” Paul kept shaking her gently, but she wasn’t letting
- go.
“Fuck!” I growled as I stood up and punched my desk, leaving a dent in the oakwood piece before closing my eyes and taking the command back.
“Shit!” My eyes snapped open as I heard my Beta curse under his breath and saw him clutching an unconscious Andrea in his arms.
“Don’t fucking touch her!” I growled at my Beta as I launched on my feet and grabbed Andrea’s limp body and pulled her into my chest. My eyes were glaring at my Beta.
“Chill, man! She passed out when you let go of the command! I have to catch her!”
“I’ll bring her to her room. Allow entrance for Riley, but make sure you escort him and use your car. He needs to leave his car outside the border.”
“Yes, Alpha.” He bowed his head before he went out of the office while I adjusted Andrea’s position in my arms, carrying her out of the office into her room.