To The Rescue

Brielle's POV

I was relieved when I heard the sound of the last bell, signaling the end of school for the day.

"Alright, guys. Enjoy your weekend. Remember, final exam results will be posted on Monday. Good luck to all of you, and don't forget to pick up your caps and gowns, " our teacher announced. Cheers from a few students broke the class's silence, making me chuckle.

I hurried to put my stuff back inside my bag and walked through the hallway. The halls were filled with students who hurried to leave or meet up with their friends, trying to get home or wherever they were heading.

This last week of school was going to be chaotic, but I can't wait for the end of the school year. I had long ago been accepted to four universities close to Grandpa in Italy, but I had chosen the University of Milan. I can't wait to start classes there.

"Brie, over here," my friend Silvie signaled as she waved through the crowd.

I smiled, sprinting toward her. "Did you pick up your cap and gown already?" she asked, smiling.

"Not yet. And I'm too tired. I'll do it on Monday," I said, making her chuckle. "Sounds good. I'll get mine in on Monday, too." We made our way out together and walked to her house, closer to the school.

"So, Brie, I was thinking. Don't worry about Lorie, ok? I know she's a pain, but if I just talk to Dad, she'll back away."

"Silvie. Forget it. Just... leave it alone, ok? You're right; she's not worth it. In just a few more days, we will be graduating, and I'll be out of here for the next four years, and hopefully... by the time I come back, she'll be... mature." I say, making her roll her eyes.

"I highly doubt that, but ok," she says, making me chuckle.

"Mature, my ass. If she dares to think of touching you one more time, I will not hesitate to rip her hand off. I'm tired of you keeping me from doing it, too, Brie. She deserves karma." My wolf says in my head, making me roll my eyes as I smirk.

"Shush, Sie... I love you for trying to protect me, but she's not worth it. You and I know that." I say, making my wolf growl.

"Listen. I know your sister is childish, ok? She's immature. But I'm not going to sweat over it. I don't care anymore. I really don't." I say, shrugging my shoulders.

Silvia sighs, dropping her shoulders.

"Hey, beautiful. Where are you going?" I hear a husky voice, followed by a heavy hand wrapped over my shoulders. I look to see Bryant, Lorie's boyfriend, next to me. His hand rested over my shoulders, making me feel uneasy.

Feeling nervous, I shake him off, but he tightens his hold and chuckles.

"What do you want, Bryant?" I asked, annoyed, making my wolf, Sienna, growl. He flinched for a second but soon composed himself. He knew I'd do nothing if it meant avoiding confrontation.

"Nothing. Just saying hi, that's all. Listen, Brie, your brother's ceremony is this Saturday, right? They'll be taking over as alphas. Now, I was wondering, if you don't have a date... maybe we should go together. What do you think?" he asks, making me feel disgusted.

"No, thanks. I'm not interested." I said, grabbing his hand and taking it off my shoulders.

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun. I'll make it worth your night," he says, wrapping his hand around my waist and pulling me closer to him. Three of his friends were walking beside us, murmuring and laughing to themselves, making me give them a disgusted look. If my dad finds out about whatever they're trying to do, they will not hear the end of it.

Even worse, if my brothers find out, they're going to get a beating, and that only means one thing- Lorie is going to be pissed. Still... I have a bad feeling about this.

Sienna growls, making him flinch, but he chuckles, masking his fear for my wolf

"I said no. Thank you." I repeated more sternly, trying to pry his hands off, but he saw it as an invitation to drive me closer, making me feel uneasy. His friends' mocking laughter only intensified my wolf's anger, making her growl again. But it was no use. Bryant leaned forward, trying to kiss me, making me push on his chest.

"Oh, come on, baby. I know you've always liked me. Why are you suddenly trying to act hard to get?"

Bryant was usually a cocky bastard, but he always drew the line and had never disrespected me. So, why the hell was he acting like this with me now?" he got closer, trying to kiss me, making me push on his chest harder, but the more I struggled, the more he tried, making me irritated.

I hate confrontations, I'll repeat it, but I wasn't about to let this asshole take advantage of me in broad daylight, especially in front of my best friend and his stupid buddies.

"Bryant, leave her alone. If my sister finds out, she's going to be really,"

"Shut up. Stay out, you dumb mutt." Bryant snarled, letting his wolf know he was serious.

"This doesn't concern you, Silvie. Stay out if you know what's good for you," one of his buddies says, making Silvie shrink in fear.

Seeing Silvie shrink, I clenched my jaw angrily, pushing harder on Bryant. The mocking laughter between him and his friends made my anger rise. I was ready to punch him in his jaw, but I fought Sienna for dominance. She threatened to merge, letting Bryant know he and his wolf did not scare her one bit.

Sienna will not think twice about killing a wolf when she feels I am being threatened or sees our loved ones being threatened, and Silvie is very special to us.

Bryant laughed, tightening his hold on my waist and pulling me closer, leaning to kiss me. My eyes widened in shock, making me panic when his hands went lower, grabbing my butt. "Let go!" I yelled.

There is no way I'm letting this asshole molest me in front of his stupid friends. I was ready to knee him in his balls as soon as he turned to force a kiss on me again when I felt someone pull him away from me. I saw a tall figure with broad shoulders, wearing a white button-up, black dress pants, and black shoes.

I knew that back too well. I could distinguish that man anywhere in a crowded room, even in the dark—Elijah Sterling, my brother Xander, and Xavier's best friend.

He punched Bryant on his jaw, making Bryant fall almost three damn meters away, crashing into his friends.

"What the fuck!" Bryant got up, startled and angry about who had dared to punch him.

I looked at Eli in shock. His dark black hair was combed back perfectly.

I could tell he had just gotten a haircut, giving the bottom half of his hair a nice, clean look. He had that cut, like the one Brad Pitt flaunted in the movie Fury—slicked back and combed to perfection.

Sigh...I loved Elijah's hair.

It was always so smooth and silky that you wanted to run your fingers through it.

What the hell? Focus, Brie. My goddess, I'm drooling over this guy again.

Jesus, lately, I have been drooling over him so badly. I have to stop. If my brothers found out, they'd be so mad.

"Brie, are you ok?" he asks, turning to me and holding my shoulders.

Ohh... his hands felt so warm all the time, so rough, but... comforting.

"I'm... I'm ok. Thanks, Eli." I said, smiling like an idiot.

I was still shaken up, but now that they had seen who had confronted them, they acted like damn cowards.

My wolf, Sienna, wagged her tail joyfully, like a lovesick pup.

She has always adored Eli.

Bryant and his friends began to stutter, lowering their heads like cowards.

But all I could do was enjoy the view as Eli turned toward them, his hands fisted, jaw righted, and standing tall. His broad shoulders looked like the head of a damn cobra, wide, strong, and with a menacing aura.

"Eli... I'm sorry. W-We didn't mean to." Bryant stuttered, dropping to his knees.

"Shut up. How dare you touch the alpha's daughter? You, piece of shit!" he says, grabbing Bryant by his neck and pulling him up.

Bryant's eyes bulged in shock. He squirmed under Eli's big hand, choking as Eli tightened his hold around his neck and making the other guys look at him in shock, stammering and shaking in fear.

" I-I'm sorry, Eli. I-I-It won't happen again. Lorie told me to,"

"I don't give a rat's ass who sent you. You dare touch Brielle or any other girl indecently again; I will personally rip your head off and feed you to my wolf, understand?" Eli says, his eyes darkened as he spoke in his beta's tone, making Bryant and his friends fear.

"Y-yes... yes, Eli. I'm sorry."

"Apologies to Brielle." Eli roared, making Bryant close his eyes as he began to cry like a little kid.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Brie," he and his friends said, making Silvie chuckle mockingly.

"If I see you around Brielle ever again, I'll make sure you and your wolf never walk again. Got it?" Eli said as he dropped Bryant, tossing him against his friends. Bryant coughed, crying like a little kid, as he nodded.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry," he says, making Eli's hands fist. "Report to your new alphas. Let's see if you're men enough to tell them what you were doing to their sister," he tells them, tightening his fists, making his knuckles turn white.

"As of today, you will be transferred to graveyard shift at the left border until further notice, understood?" he says, making them look at Eli fearfully.

The left border of our pack was the worst.

They had several rouges who had tried to break in, and many of our pack members had been attacked there. "Yes, sir," Bryant says, lowering his head as he nudges his friends.

"Come on. I'll get you home," he says as he turns to me and grabs my arm.

"No— Hi, Brie. How are you, Brie?" I ask with a smile, crossing my hands to lighten his mood.

"You—" he sighs, closing his eyes and nodding.

"You're unbelievable. You always tend to be in a good mood, even when jerks like him try to harm you," he says, making me shrug.

"You always have to see the good in life, Eli. It's not always about work and responsibilities like you and my brothers." I say, making him pause, looking at me in thought before nodding.

"You've got a free spirit, Brie. I'll give you that. But it's good that you always see the bright side of things. Still... you can't be so careless all the time. You have to be more careful. Ok?" he says, looking at me worriedly.

"Come on, let's go," he says, holding his hand out for me.

"It's fine. I can walk. Besides, I was walking Silvie home," I say, making him stop. He looks at Silvie and then at me as he sighs deeply, clenching his jaw and tightening his fists as he growls low.

"Silvie, get in the car." his voice is stoic but stern enough to make Silvie not question his authority as she quickly nods and walks past him.

"I'll drop Silvie at home first. As for you... What the hell were you thinking about walking home alone? Do you not see what just happened to you? Your brothers went looking for you after class, and you weren't there. You know better, Brielle," he says as he scolds me, making me roll my eyes.

I get it. Dad is very particular about my safety and always ensures I have a ride. It's rare when I walk home, but just for once... I just wanted to walk so I could have time to clear my head.

I lowered my head and slumped my shoulders as I looked at the floor, feeling anger toward my ignorance for my safety. He's right. I should have waited. Maybe then Bryant wouldn't have tried to hurt me.

Eli sighs, hugging me around my shoulders. His chest is hard, but his warmth makes me feel safe. I sighed, leaning on his chest as he hugs me tightly.

"Thank you for coming to pick me up, Eli," I said, making him sigh. "And for... defending me from Bryant."

"You dummy. I'll always be there for you. You know that. No one can hurt you as long as I'm around. No one."