Alpha Adrian parts 16-17

Adrian (FIRST PERSON POV because I realized I wasn’t writing in 3rd person way too late lol. My bad! I got used to writing in 1st person from Rider King)

Everything about this is wrong.

Eva pushes against me like I’m the devil. Her fear has gnawed on every single one of our sweet memories. She doesn’t remember my tender touches, my teases, my looks. All she sees is a predator that’s trying to hue her.

She doesn’t understand that she’s a Luna; one of the most valuable individuals in the western world. She’s the key to my pack’s survival. No one in their right mind, especially me, would hurt someone as precious as her.

I pull her out of the safety of the car, hating that I have to use my strength against her. I know my strength terrifies her, I know I don’t look like a teddy bear beside her. I’m a massive son of a bitch that she’s confusing for a bully. My image often works against me, just like now.

Nothing I whisper eases her. She squirms and curses and cries. Any passing human would see this as a kidnapping, but Zya and Zena know better. No one wants to protect Eva as badly as I do. She just needs time to see that.

I can’t let her go now that she has seen so much. If she talks to the wrong person, The Council will get their clutches on her and do Goddess-knows-what. I have to protect her from herself and from the world, even if that means momentarily turning myself into the villain.

Zena drives me to her packhouse. We can't have Eva in public in her current state.

We arrive quickly enough. I’m relieved to see that Eva has calmed slightly, but all of that goes to hell when she runs to the arms of another male. Another werewolf. One she doesn’t know, who she hasn’t shared the scrutiny of death with, who is lower in status than I am.

Jealousy lights me up like a torch.

My human side recognizes that she’s under stress and not acting reasonably, but my animal side is less sympathetic and more instinctual. The balance of my two consciousness has me chasing after her.

There’s nothing that male can give her. Nothing. My bank account is heavier, cock thicker, power vaster, my need to protect her stronger. I’m the one meant for her.

Zena tries to intervene. The Alpha female and I rumble over the terrain. I feel pebbles and Zena’s touch irritating my skin, but this is nothing compared to the sight of Eva cowering behind another male.

In the mess of limbs and snarls, I lose my focus on Eva for a few seconds. That’s enough for her to slip through my fingers a second time. When I regain a little focus, I realize that she’s ripping out of Zena’s territory in a car.

I shift and thunder behind her with Zena beside me. It’s illegal to run in wolf form through human-populated areas like roads, but this is a risk I’m willing to take.

I see the accident before it happens, and my heart plummets. I’ve been in plenty of brawls in my life— from my teenage years, to when I’ve had to face down rogues and challenging Alphas. Nothing prepared me to the sight of the car swerving awkwardly and Eva shooting out of the windshield.

I’m unable to protect her from the tree she crashes into.

I run like the end of the world is behind me, and I shift back to collect my broken mate. My fingers are trembling as they reach for her scratched neck.

Her chest is still, and her right arm is twisted awkwardly.

Glass shards of different sizes surround us. I swear I’ll pick up one and join her in death if she’s gone.

A heartbeat trembles under the two fingers I press against her neck. She’s alive.

“Zena!”

“I’m on it. I’ll call for backup. Are you good, Zya?”

I hear a whimper from the other wolf and then ruffling as Zena goes through the glove box.

My eyes are on Eva as I look for injuries other than her broken arm. As much as I want to pull her into my arms, I know can’t move her yet. Waiting for backup to arrive feels like a lifetime, but I know it’s only been five minutes.

I’m not sure if I’ve been blinking. I refuse to look away from her.

— EVA —

I come back to life. My head feels light and my thoughts flutter, but I’m aware of my surroundings. I’m on a bed. Unlike my head, my body feels like lead. It’s odd. I don’t feel pain.

The lights above me are dimmed. I don’t recognize this ceiling.

A sharp headache makes me wince when memories return to me. I start to panic. When I look to my left, I find a very naked Adrian. He’s sitting and sleeping with his arms crossed over his chest, looking as terrifying as the last time I saw him.

I’m too late to suffocate my gasp.

He hears and jolts up. “Eva,” he stands.

A cry rips out of my throat. Where are his clothes? What did he do to me? He’s insane!

“Wait, wait, calm down.”

I’m woozy as I try to crawl out of the bed. My right arm is in a sling, and my mouth is dry. I’m so disoriented it feels like I’m still dreaming.

Adrian comes closer with hands raised.

Seeing that I don’t have the energy to move away, I cover my face with my free hand and hope to disappear. “Why are you naked? Stay away from me!”

“Shit,” he grumbles.

I hear the clatter of a metal rod and then cloth ruffle. “I’m sorry. You’ve been asleep for days. I’ve been using the attached bathroom and nudity is…” he trailed off. “How are you? Wait. I’ll get the medic.”

He pulls the door open and yells, “she’s awake!”

I peek through my fingers. He’s holding a curtain around his waist, and I struggle to piece together his excuse.

I’ve been out for days? And what does him using the attached bathroom have to do with this? Surely, he could have put on some clothes!

This is all fucked up. I don’t like any of it. To hell with the wolf I saw. I need to get out of here before I become as insane as these people.

“Alpha,” an elderly woman appears.

Alpha? Is she talking to Adrian? How many titles does this guy have? The fraud.

She comes into the room while Adrian watches from the doorframe. Instantly, I clutch her forearm. “You need to help me out of here. Didn’t you swear an oath? Please. These people have kidnapped me, and—”

“Please, Luna. Take a deep breath.”

“That’s not my name!”

This has to be some sort of cult.

I thrust my hand out. “Take this IV out. Please. Let me go home.”

She glances over her shoulder, but I don’t dare to follow her gaze. Adrian has never terrified me more than today.

The doctor silently begins to check the machines that surround me, ignoring my words. She’s in on this. When she turns to exit, I grasp her wrist with my weak hand. I don’t want her to leave us alone.

“Let her go, Eva.”

“Please help me,” I plead one last time.

“You are safe,” she pets my hand and gently tugs her wrist free. “No one will hurt you.”

I keep hearing that, but I’m a long way from believing it.

I’m helpless to stop her from leaving.

“Eva.” Adrian comes closer.

I stiffen.

“I know you’re confused.”

“Where’s Zya?” I ask. Maybe I can convince her to help me. She was my friend. We have memories together that she can’t just push aside.

“She’s recovering with her sister. She’s fine. The accident didn’t hurt her as badly as it did you.”’

I shake my head. “That wasn’t Zya in the car. It was the wolf. You’re trying to confuse me.”

“There are things you don’t know," he falls to his knees beside my bed, and I’m struck because a part of me knows this man kneels to no one.

“You’re not crazy, and neither are we. It will just take some time to accept it.” He looks at me with sympathy. “I’m sorry. I tried to make the transition easy for you, but Zya’s shift was unexpected.”

He’s telling me that werewolves are real. He’s asking me to forget about the reality I know.

I shake my head. “No. That’s illogical. There’s a government and history and technology. By now, we would know about… your kind.”

He cringes. He doesn’t like what I’ve called him.

“The sparks,” he says. “You can’t explain those, can you? No science can, but mine.” He reaches for my hand, but I rip it away before he can touch it.

“It’s alright. I’ll be patient,” he promises. “I won’t force anything on you.”

“I don’t want your patience. I want to leave. I… I have a dog and a job. I can’t just vanish!”

“I’ll take care of those.”

“You’re not my caretaker, Adrian. I don’t even know you.”

He pauses. “That’s not true.”

“Really? Because it seems like every other time I see you, you pull a new identity out of your magic hat. I don’t care if your little fairytale is real or not. I have a right to not want to be a part of it.”

He runs a thick hand down his face, and it’s then I notice how stubbled his face is. I glance down at his chest again. His skin looks as clear and healthy as ever, but he’s showing too much. How did he not find clothes within all of these days? Everything about this is absurd.

“Do you want me to shift?” he sighs.

“What is that?”

“To see my wolf form. You’ll believe me then.”

I purse my lips. Is he serious? Am I supposed to believe it if I see it? What if he pulls some light tricks? What if it’s true?

“I need you to leave,” I exhale. “Please.”

He opens his mouth but stops himself. When he rises, I look away from his exposed skin.

“I’m sorry about all of this.”

And I’m starting to feel sorry that I chased him down and got trapped with him in that elevator. I hate that something stops me from saying those words. They would hurt him, and I don’t want to do that.

“Are you hungry?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“I’ll return after a few hours. I’ll give you some space to think. Make sure to rest.”

He leaves, closing the door behind him. I wait for a few minutes before slipping off the bed. My knees tremble from the sudden weight and my arm aches with complaint. Slowly, I limp toward the door, twist the doorknob, and push.

“Luna,” one burly man looks down at me. “Please go back to bed or we will have to call the Alpha.”

I shut the door. Great. I have bodyguards.

Instead of going back to bed, I enter the attached bathroom that Adrian mentioned. By the time I sit on the lid of the toilet, I’m exhausted. After a few minutes of regaining my strength, I stand up and look into the mirror.

What I find is horrifying.

My hair is cropped shorter, and my face is scratched everywhere. I even have a thick bandage on my left cheek.

I raise a hand to touch my face. My fear multiples.

At this rate, Adrian Miller is going to be the death of me.