CHAPTER THREE - OUTBURST

Sarah

I woke up to a faint noise coming from the hallway. It seemed to be quite early yet. I looked to the side and saw a beautiful, slightly tanned body wrapped in the sheets. I carefully crawled over to him and kissed his back. It was supposed to be just a kiss so as not to wake him up, but his smell and his delicious heat ended up urging me to slide the tip of my nose over his skin and leave more kisses along the length of his back. It didn't take long for me to hear a husky murmur coming from him. Which got me a wide smile.

"Don't tease me first thing in the morning, my female..." He spoke quietly. "Even more an Alpha.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." I ran my hand down her back and down to her lower back. "I couldn't resist." I whispered in her ear before squeezing her delicious ass.

"Hmm." He murmured, moving his arms. "And you think I can resist if you continue like this?" He turned his head to look at me and I realized that his wolf was wide awake when I met his scarlet eyes. Which surprised me a little. I bit my lower lip when I saw the ruffled hair over his forehead and slick features. He turned his body towards me and brought me close to him in a wonderful grip.

"You're very sexy..." I said and felt him lick my neck slowly. A nice shiver went up my body and he purred squeezing my ass back.

"Good morning, my sweet." He kissed me pressing my body to the bed. His hand wandered down my body until it stopped over my most sensitive spot. Which made me hold my breath.

"Stanley, we can't. James is right next door." I felt him slide his fingers into my pussy and I bit back a moan when he bit down on my ear.

"But I need you now.

"No..." I felt him slide two fingers inside me and my eyes closed in pleasure. Last night we were so tense with the whole Amelia, Abell and James situation that we ended up just making out a little before bed. I ended up stifling the desire inside me. Stanley looked stressed about it all too. He got up at dawn to answer some calls and I heard some language when he received the news that they had lost track of Abell.

"Stanley..." He kissed my chin and turned me onto my stomach. I felt his teeth graze my shoulder and he gripped my waist lifting my bottom for him. I felt my body on fire just feeling his need and his erection touching me down there. "Stanley." I spoke again and looked back. If he doesn't stop now, I won't either. He looked at me with furrowed brows and took a deep breath before patting my bottom in resignation.

"Okay." He smiled and rolled off of me. I took a deep breath and watched him tensely walk to the bathroom with that divine body. When he walked in, I let my head fall to the pillow. He's irritated...

I got up, tied my hair and put on my clothes that were on the armchair. It was starting to get really cold. I opened the curtain and saw the weather outside. Gray and the forest a little misty. I could hear the shower running and I took a deep breath. I needed a coffee...

I left the room trying to calm my body from the recent event and when I walked down the hall, my eyes widened when I heard a female voice coming from James's room. It was low, but enough to identify. It can't be in my head... It didn't take me long to knock on James's bedroom door.

"You can come in." He replied and I opened it by poking my head inside. The first thing I noticed was the subtle smile on his face as he looked towards me, and just beyond, I could see Amelia awake. A neutral look on his face as he stared back at me. His hands clasped each other, his shoulders were slumped, but her appearance was alive again. A little dirty and bruised from yesterday's violent fight, but alive.

"Oh, thank God..." I smiled in relief. Especially for James. "How are you feeling?" I walked in and she looked me up and down. Okay... She doesn't know me. Best to take it slow since she's in a different environment. Quite different from the one she was used to living in.

"I'm fine." I saw a small smile play on her lips. I looked in James's direction and noticed that he was staring at her quietly and attentively "I'm sorry for causing this whole situation. I'm really sorry" Amelia looked at me with furrowed brows, but I didn't know if she was really looking at me. She doesn't owe me an apology...

"There is no problem

"Don't worry." The voice behind me cut me off and nearly made me jump in fright at not hearing him approach. Heavens... He wasn't in the shower?

"Oh my God, you want to scare me to death?" I put my hand on my chest and sighed. Stanley looked at me, but he didn't smile.

So he was the one she was talking to...

"Not scared..." He replied low and looked away. I felt my cheeks heat up and I scratched my nose as he turned back to Amelia. "I think I need some answers..." He spoke and I saw James staring at him with a raised eyebrow. Something told me it wasn't a very friendly move.

"Now is not a good time Stanley." He spoke calmly. "She still needs to rest.

"Your brother... Do you happen to know where he might be right now?" Stanley just ignored him and a shiver went up my spine when I saw James stand up.

"Hey…" James spoke in a light growl and Stanley looked at him with a sarcastic smile. An obvious gesture of defiance. "Not now.

"Really? And what are you going to do?" I saw his fists clench and I was ready to get in the middle of the fight when my eyes widened when I smelled fear. I frowned and looked at the two of them. I didn't know where it came from, but I soon found out when my eyes landed on Amelia. I held my breath when I saw her almost huddled on the bed. The scared look.

The dominance...

"Enough, you two." I said. "Pay more attention around you." Stanley looked at me and then looked at Amelia when he realized what he was doing.

"Fine. Forgive me. We'll talk at a time you see fit." Stanley looked from her to James and nodded in a silent apology before leaving and closing the door.

I took a deep breath and turned to them. Ah shit...the mood has turned heavy now. I need to say something. He's really stressed...

"Okay, have you eaten anything yet? Are you hungry?" I smiled and saw Amelia let out a breath.

"No thanks, James already fixed me some sandwiches." I saw the plate on top of the bedside table.

"Okay, I guess you want to take a shower and clean up.

"I would love.

"I'll get you some clothes." I smiled and left the room.

Amelia

That loner had the Alpha's scent on her. It was the first thing I noticed. And Stanley looked anxious when he entered the room. He glanced at her and sighed. It wasn't hard to see the atmosphere between the two. Was that what Abell meant about her being protected from him? The two seem to be on good terms together now. She didn't smell like him at the restaurant that day. I just noticed that she gave off pheromones. She was at the end of her heat...

Ah, so that might have been it. A case of pheromones.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to try to get up now." I heard James and looked in his direction.

"I can't just stay in bed.

"Of course you can." I sighed.

"I need a shower James." I put my legs out of bed and felt them weigh down along with the twinge in my ankle. Soon I saw the lone appearing at the door again with some clothes in her hand. I actually don't know if I can call her lonely anymore.

"Here you are. There's a towel in the bathroom." She placed the clothes beside me and looked at me. Her caramel eyes roamed my body and then she looked around before going to the dresser. She grabbed a gray shirt that was lying there and walked back towards me. "Well, you can't get up like that. Put this on. " I looked at the shirt and smelled James on it. I looked at him standing in the middle of the room. Arms crossed, one eyebrow slightly arched. Until I saw him nod. "You. Why don't you go get some coffee?" Sarah asked him.

"I don't want to face Stanley right now." I ignored them both and slowly put the shirt on. It took twice as much effort to lift my arms and pull the collar of my shirt over my head. They were more sore than I thought. I put my feet on the floor and struggled to get up, but the pain almost made me think about staying in bed as James advised me.

"Come on, I'll help you." Sarah grabbed my arm and draped it over her shoulders. I was right. I can smell lily along with mint. But there is something else.

She lifted me up without me having to put my foot on the floor so much. Which relieved me. I looked at James and saw him with a fearful face.

"Well, I'm going to have breakfast..." He said before leaving in front of us.

I followed with Sarah and was able to observe Alpha's house a little. Chic, rustic and well organized. A place Abell would kill to be.

I shook my head.

Don't think about that asshole.

We walked into the bathroom and she closed the door before turning on the shower. I glared at the wolf beside me. She had a light, relaxed look on her face. Bright eyes and a firm posture.

"The water is already hot. Come in." He took his hand out from under the water and let go of me lightly. I mumbled in pain as I took my weight by myself. "Oh, God!" He grabbed my arm again. "Sorry, your ankle is bad isn't it?" You must have realized the situation with my foot by now. "Don't worry about me, I'll just help you." She smiled contentedly, pulled up the sleeves of her blouse and I felt my face heat up. "I was very worried when I saw you being carried by James yesterday. Should have seen the look in his eyes." She helped me take off my shirt and hung it on top of the shower stall.

"You know, I couldn't help but notice your scent...

"Oh, that..." She grabbed a soap and sponge. "Me and Stanley... we found out we're mates.

"Comrades!?" I widened my eyes. So they're not just together..."Are they intertwined?

"Yes.

"Wow... That's... surprising." She looked at me smiling, as if I didn't know something important.

He turned me under the water and rubbed my back carefully. I was riddled with bites, scrapes, and cuts all over my body that hadn't fully healed yet. And it burned like embers when the soap touched it.

When was the last time someone did this for me? Have they ever done it?

I felt a strange happiness well up in my chest and I let my head hang under the hot water as if that pain was cleansing me in every possible way.

It was easy.

Heavens, I didn't remember how easy that was. The way to allow yourself when the person closest to you doesn't hurt you. It doesn't force you, it doesn't belittle you, it supports you. Giving in the barriers again is something I haven't done in a long time. And he didn't even remember that he could.

"Are you feeling okay?" She asked quietly and I sniffled as she washed my hair. A painfully careful massage.

"I was so tired..." I said and a lump formed in my throat. His touch grazed one of my bruised ears as he smoothed my scalp, but I ended up not even caring. That just made me more grateful.

"I imagine…" She turned me towards her. A look as sad on his face as the bitterness in my voice.

The weight of pretending to be strong this time fell with the reality that I wasn't. I had lost to my brother and this time I really let him. No, he left me too. He ran-away. And even as I was relieved by that, a single memory came to mind uninvited.

It was winter. We were on the run as usual, and ended up finding shelter. The place had thin walls and the ceiling barely covered our heads from the falling snow. It felt like it was even colder inside than outside. There was only an old blanket that Abell had brought in his backpack. He looked outside, afraid we'd been followed, but realized I was nearly freezing in the corner of that empty room. He came over to where I was and covered me with it. The only moment he seemed more… brother. And I never forgot.

My legs shook and I felt Sarah hold me fast. My sobs broke down and I leaned on the arms of the wolf in front of me. I didn't even care if she knew her or not. She could reflect my pain in her eyes. And that was enough to make me give in.

"Amelia, it's okay…" She rested my forehead on her shoulder, even though it got wet. And that made me fall apart even more. She needed that time to process everything that had happened. "It's okay..." She repeated softly. Petting my head as if at that moment I was just a puppy. And I really accepted that.