Chapter Five

Olive. 

“There won’t be many people staying here after today,” Liz had said to me earlier on. 

I bit my lip, trying to keep my worried thoughts to myself. 

After i had shoved Alex ,he had given me this weird smile, and told me that was enough for today. My strength was always something that scared me.

I have never shown that side of myself to my pack before, not until they all crowded around me, and i had known pain was coming. My reactions scared me and i was worried that the wrong person would feel my pain.

Alex had looked more amused by my sudden outburst though, which was strange. I hadn't anticipated his reaction at all. But there was something else. I was drawn to him. Especially when he touched me, I felt a spark I have never felt before, and it was the first time a man touched me and I didn't recoil. 

“Why don’t people stay?” i ask Liz as soon as i got back to the pack kitchen. 

“We all have lives and stuff to get back to. We are here for the full moon, and whenever Alex calls pack meetings, and for training. There will be a couple of people around. You will see them. Carl will need to stay because he couldn’t prove himself this morning, and it’s important to Alex that everyone does that. Can you cook?” Liz suddenly asked looking at me with a huge grin. 

“Erm, yeah, a little.” i said before I am ended my statement. “I can cook, i was the maid and cook in my previous pack.”

“Good. Alex likes to have a nice, hot meal every single day, but he doesn’t employ a cook or a cleaner so we as the pack do that. There will be

duties for you to complete and then some training. How did you find him?” Liz asked, stopping on the stairs and turning around to smile at me. 

“He was intense.” I admitted but left out the part where I found him extremely attractive. 

She saw the dreamy look in my eyes. “I know, right? I mean that man is just fine, he gets me going every single time, and I just want him.”

“You and Alex are not together?” I finally asked. 

“No. Alex has yet to pick a pick female. He refuses to settle down with anyone. Of course, we would willingly stand in a line for him to pick who he would like to spend time with.” Another sigh came from her again.

The thought of standing in a line while Alex picked out the woman he wanted didn’t appeal to me in the slightest way. In fact it rattled me a little bit. In fact, i found it very fucking rude. Sex was not something i was interested in right now. I was eighteen and i had just been raped. I had zero interest in having it any time soon or ever. 

A little pain, a lot of boring waiting, and hip thrusting, then it had been over. One thing i did remember from the experience was wet, sloppy kisses, something that reminded me of a dog. But mostly i remember the pain and the blood. 

Liz kept on walking, and, keeping her thoughts to herself, i could sense she had a lot on her mind. I followed at a steady pace while also checking out the large home. It had an old smell to it, and i noticed lots of artwork on the walls.

I couldn’t really call it a home. It was more like a mansion as we passed several rooms and doors. She was taking me to my room. 

“In case you ever need him, Alex’s room is on the top floor. He likes his privacy, and I wouldn’t recommend disturbing him unless you really

have to.”

I honestly had no intention of ever disturbing him.

“I will let you get settled and then I will take you on a grand tour. How does that sound?”

“It sounds lovely, thank you.”

Entering the room, i closed the door behind me as Liz walked away.

Pulling out a couple of my hair pins, i stepped into the room and felt him. Instantly my gaze followed the path, and there he stood.

“How did you get in here?” i asked.

“I left the gym before you, and I heard Liz prattling on.” He stood in the corner. He had changed out of his workout clothes, and now wore a pair of jeans torn at the knees and a white shirt that stretched over the muscles of his arms. His ink contrasted with the white color.

“Liz likes you,” i blurted out, feeling my cheeks heat. “Does she know you are here?” i managed to ask. 

“No. Liz is many things, but her sense of smell is off. Unless I make my pack aware, I tend to get around without being detected.” He tilted his head to the side. “You, however, sensed me.”

“Only when I walked into the room.” i said defensively. 

“It’s still a huge deal that you knew I was here.”

“I don’t think it is,” i quickly said.

“You like to play down your abilities huh?”

“I don’t like to talk about them.” i had been in the process of taking pins out of my hair, and now i felt so fucking silly not finishing.

Alex was the alpha here, and still with my gaze on him, i began to remove my pins, keeping them in one hand as i ran my fingers through my hair. The moment i did, i felt so much better.

The red locks were long, and other than a trim to remove split ends, i liked to keep it long. All the time i did this, Alec was just watching me. 

“Am I allowed to stay in this room?” i asked.

“This is your room.” he said 

I nodded, feeling a little uncomfortable with his scrutiny. This was the first time i had been left alone with an alpha. “You are not mated.” Again, my cheeks were on fire, and still he kept on staring at me. I had no idea why I was suddenly so interested in his personal romantic life. 

“No, no woman would be able to handle me.”

“Are you that bad of a boyfriend?” 

He snorted. “No. I’m strong, Olive. I have hurt women who have said they can handle what I do to them, and yet each time, they lied.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat as i looked at him. His blue eyes held so much pain, and yet i saw death inside him. Like he was constantly thinking of ways to hurt someone.

Licking my suddenly dry lips, i waited for him to turn or to move, but he did neither. He just stayed perfectly still, waiting.

“You are not curious?”

“No, I’m not.”

He chuckled. The sound didn’t hold much humor to it. “Why does your pack hate you so much?” he finally asked catching me off guard. 

This time I didn't look away though. “I killed the beta five years ago when I turned.” I waited for him to sya something but his features remained the same. “He was trying to rape me and he drowned my little brother, so I unexpectedly shifted for the first time and I tore him into pieces. But of course no one believed me, even my own father. But how could he. He blames me for the death of my mother. After that he disowned me and I went from being the alphas daughter to a mere slave.”

He listened intently, jis gaze didn't drop, staring down my body. I was used to men looking at me with a certain amount of disdain, but this man, he wasn’t looking at me like that. There was appreciation there, and did i see a flare of desire? Clenching my hands into fists, i waited.

“Some men are complete assholes, and a lot of women are bitches. They like to find a person’s weakness and exploit it. I see no problem with

you. I’m aware that a lot of packs have a problem with certain things. Carl, for instance, he can heal. Liz’s different-colored eyes. Richard’s need for pain, and how he likes to take it. Each of us has a vice. The thing is they could have killed you but they didn't because they are afraid of your strength. I saw how strong you are back at the gym Oliver, and i think your father knows that.”

“But I have never shifted again, it just happened that one night and my wolf disappeared. And my father knew that, that's why he woudk abuse me with no fear.” I said feeling a little sad. If I still had her I would have protectes myself against Nick. 

Once again, he watched me, and this time, moved away from the wall walking towards me. 

I stood perfectly still, not wanting to move an inch 

I’m okay.

I’m not afraid.

“Your pack liked to abuse you. I bet they got off on prodding you, waiting for you to snap.”

He stroked a finger down my arm, and i didn’t respond to that in the way i thought i might. I liked it.

If i was a cat, i was sure i would purr, but i wasn’t feline in any way. 

What was it about him that made him different? That made me feel safe?