In The Shadows Of Two Alphas

A savior... or a killer...

Andrea.

Bang!

The door burst open, letting in a stream of light from the outside. Arms held me, pulling me out of the room.

The burning sensation I felt did not stop, not until I took in several breaths of fresh air, easing it considerably.

In my panic, tears had begun to flow down my cheeks, and my vision blurred. I heard shouting, the sounds of a scuffle, then a loud growl that set me on edge.

“There’s… there’s someone in there,” I cried out, stammering.

“Andrea, breathe,” Kael’s voice was akin to a balm. I looked up at him, seeing that I was in his arms. On meeting his intense gaze, I saw how dark it was, not like before. He looked… furious.

Shattering glass broke our exchange and I could only glance at my bedroom, wondering what was going on.

“Damn it. I told Ronan to go easy,” Kael’s muttering reached my ears, and I realized what was going on.

Ronan was dealing with… whomever was in there.

“Is he alright?” I mumbled, sniffling.

“Of course, he’ll be fine. Garret’s men have nothing on us.”

The response made terror rise again, a vice gripping my heart and throat as I choked out, “This was Garrett’s doing?”

Of course. I should have known he wouldn’t let me go that easily. I shut my eyes, leaning against the only warmth and comfort I could find.

I wasn’t going to cry, I told myself, even as my breaths came out harshly.

I wasn’t going to give into this urge again.

Kael’s scent was different from Ronan’s; there was a faint woody scent akin to pine, and a tinge of spicy musk on the tip of my tongue. My body leaned entirely on his, enveloped in his arms.

The sounds of fighting had stopped, fading into the background. All that remained was the rush of blood through my ears, and a stirring inside of me.

I don’t know what led me to take a step closer, pressing my chest against his, inhaling his scent far too deeply. All that I know is that Kael had grown tense, and I was afraid to look up and meet his eyes again.

“Andrea,” his voice came out deeper, a semblance of calm on the surface, yet it held a husky quality to it that wasn't there previously. I looked up then, my cheeks flushed, body aching. But it wasn’t from fear this time, but a strange want that gnawed at my mind.

“Yes, Kael?” I whispered, wondering what he wanted to say.

A beat passed, then two. By the time he forced himself to speak again, nearly a minute had passed.

“How are you feeling?” He asked. A faint tremor rendered his deep baritone even deeper, which sent shivers down my spine.

I saw his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed, face still a picture of calmness, but every muscle in his body was tense.

He didn’t seem like the type to easily lose control.

“I-I’m—“

“Kael? Is that you?”

It was a delicate, smooth female voice I recognized as Dahlia.

I froze, pressing my lips together, unable to turn around. It was Kael who glanced above my shoulder, presumably at her.

“What’s going on?” Dahlia took steps closer to us, to me, and I tensed up, feeling her gaze bore into my back. Kael must have noticed my discomfort too for he cleared his throat and turned, shielding me slightly with his body.

“It’s nothing. There was an attack, and it’s been handled,” he said.

“Oh, I didn’t know,” her tone was laced with an edge. “You two must be close. Is she someone special or something?”

That line of inquiry was what I feared. Kael didn't seem to blink at it, his arms tightening around me.

“Is that really what you wish to talk about? Now isn't the time for that.”

“By the Goddess, Kael, I'm simply asking. This girl could be a danger to you—“

“She isn’t. Do not mention this again,” I sensed irritation in his voice, which must have carried through to Dahlia as well.

I glanced around then, loosening my grip on Kael slightly, only to meet her eyes. She appeared calm on the surface, with a hint of fragility in her eyes, but as soon as she saw me, a surge of anger flickered in her eyes. Lowering my gaze, I wondered why Kael wouldn’t simply tell her the truth. Was anything going on between them that I wasn’t aware of?

That thought set my heart racing, and the tension compounded, building up into something that was close to an ache.

“Fine,” Dahlia's smile faded slightly but then she added, “But at least tell me what happened in there. I have a right to know. What attack? Is this to do with any of those people?”

Those people? I was about to ask, but Kael caught me off.

“It’s nothing that important. Only Alpha Garrett and his Pack.”

“But why would Alpha Garrett be after you two?”

“Because we have what he wants,” Ronan’s voice cut her off. He emerged from my bedroom, and I couldn’t help a gasp. Blood was streaked across his shirt, with some drops splattered on his face and hands.

“Ronan, where is he? I told you to leave him alive,” Kael demanded.

“He was being belligerent,” Ronan argued, his tone cold. Like it was nothing to him, taking a life, or a hundred. “Simply a lackey that got lucky. He used an incense of wolfsbane,” Ronan tossed something in our direction, which Kael caught. The scent was familiar, still reeling of that sweet, cloying aroma. I leaned back unconsciously, the scent prickling my nose.

Ronan then turned and gave an order to the guards, who began cleaning the room. I shivered; could I stay in a bedroom I knew had seen a death inside it?

“Still, you could have let us interrogate him before killing him,” Kael argued, a growl leaving his lips.

“What use is an interrogation when we already know who it is?” Ronan inquired. “What I’m interested in is what we’re going to do about this.”