Creating The Perfect Alpha

Chapter 14

Gosh, what didn’t he think of me? I wondered.

Elijah looked down, his eyes taking in the mess I had made. I let out a slightly awkward laugh. He shook his head before reaching for a napkin. Then he gently took my hand.

I was so shocked by the kind gesture that I let him clean me up. He was careful, as if afraid of hurting me.

“I’m guessing you were thinking about a past lover?” he inquired.

I glanced away.

“Something like that.”

“Something like that?”

“I thought he cared. I was wrong.”

“Is this why you’ve been so different these past two days?” he asked. “Because of him? Has he been in contact with you?”

“No,” I replied, meeting his eyes. “I just read something about him.”

Careful, Aurora, Sofia said.

It’s okay. I don’t have to mention any names.

“What did you read?”

“That he mated with someone else,” I replied.

Elijah nodded, still carefully wiping my hand clean.

“Maybe there will no longer be anything between us then,” he whispered.

His words surprised me. I hadn’t expected him to seize the opportunity. He seemed to misread my expression, looking guilty.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean... I wasn’t trying to—”

I placed my hand over his, once again feeling that strange warmth shoot through me, though I was beginning to grow accustomed to it.

“I don’t want there to be nothing between us. I want us to be closer,” I admitted.

His eyes widened so much it was almost comical.

“It’s what I’ve been trying to do, to show you that I want us to be closer.”

He sat there for a long moment, simply staring at me while holding my almost-clean hand.

“Really?” he whispered.

“Yes, really.”

He blinked rapidly before returning his attention to the task, wiping away the last bit of butter. Then he let go of my hand, rolled up the napkin, and tossed it onto the tray.

“Is that not something you want?” I asked.

He seemed tense, his shoulders drawing up before he let out a long exhale.

“It... would be nice.”

“Then—”

“But it’s not going to change much for you.”

“I’m sorry?”

He turned, his beautiful eyes meeting mine.

“I know you expected more when you came here.”

I didn’t ask what he meant, not wanting to make him stop talking.

“I know you expected someone like my brother.”

I thought about his younger brother, the way he had stared at me during dinner. It sent shivers down my spine.

“I don’t want your brother.”

“You expected someone like him—powerful, a leader, an alpha.”

I was beginning to understand what he meant.

“I’m not like him, but no one told you that.”

Had I said that?

“I knew, of course, my father planned to lie, but I realized he really had when you arrived at the ceremony and I saw the look on your face...”

Suddenly, an image appeared in my mind. I was staring up at Elijah while he looked at me sheepishly, guilty for a lie he hadn’t been responsible for.

I felt the former Sofia’s emotions. The shock. The betrayal. Clearly, she had hoped for more.

Gosh, this whole place—Sofia’s life—was already such a mystery.

“Us becoming closer won’t change that. I’m still the same broken alpha.”

I could hear the pain and suffering in his voice. My heart ached for him.

“Well, not becoming closer won’t change anything either.”

“You could still make some friends,” he whispered.

“Not really. I think our fates are very much tied together.”

“So you just don’t have anything better,” he murmured.

He leaned forward, covering his face.

“I wish I could just send you back. You would be happier then.”

His words cut deep, making me wonder if Sofia had pleaded with him to send her home.

“Why haven’t you sent her... I mean me... home?” I asked.

He lowered his hands.

“My father won’t allow it.”

“Is it his decision?”

“He arranged this, and he leads the household. Besides, your family wouldn’t want to risk a conflict. You told me so.”

Right, I thought. That made sense.

A silence fell over us, Elijah toying with a splintered piece of wood, simply rolling it back and forth. I contemplated the difficult situation we found ourselves in.

There was no escape. We were trapped together in this awful house. Elijah and Sofia truly only had each other, and even that, Sofia couldn’t accept.

“If I went somewhere else, how would you feel?” I asked.

“What?”

“You said if you could send me back, I would be happier. But what would you be?”

He frowned. “You care?”

“I do,” I said without hesitation.

His eyes widened again, staring at me in disbelief. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. Then that cute blush appeared on his cheeks again. I almost wanted to tease him but held back.

“Things would... be the same,” he whispered.

“The same?”

He nodded but didn’t elaborate.

“Would you be happy?”

He didn’t respond. I took that as a no.

“Then maybe we should work on that?”

“What?” he inquired.

“On happiness. On both of us being happy,” I suggested.

Happiness, I repeated in my head.

Elijah and Sofia weren’t the only ones who had given up on the idea. I had let it go as well.

“I don’t even know how to...” he trailed off, staring down at the half-eaten food.

“I don’t either, honestly,” I said.

He met my gaze again.

“Maybe we could figure that out together?”

“But your status... it won’t change,” he said.

“I know.”

“You won’t resent me for that anymore?” he inquired.

The former Sofia really hadn’t made it easy for him, I thought. And yet, when I had shown up here yesterday, he had been kind. He had asked if I had eaten. It made me feel guilty, even though I wasn’t the one who had hurt him.

“I won’t,” I said.

He let out a long exhale, as though he were letting go of a burden he had carried for so long.

“But, Elijah,” I said.

“Yeah?”

“You do know it could change, right?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Our status. Our position.”

He contemplated my words, only for his eyes to widen, confusing me.

“I know what we are meant to do...” he trailed off, blushing again.

It took me a moment to realize where his thoughts had gone.

“Oh, no, no,” I said, waving a hand in front of me.

His confusion deepened.

“I didn’t mean through having pups,” I said. “I meant by asserting ourselves.”

“Asserting ourselves,” he repeated, as though tasting the words.

“Yes, by actually having an opinion and standing up for ourselves. Right?”

He sighed, shaking his head.

“You don’t agree?”

“You know what that would lead to?” he whispered.

“What?”

“A lot of beatings.”

He rose, walking over to some of his drawings on the other side of the workbench.

“Elijah?”

“I told you,” he cut in. “In the world of alphas, a lot of things are settled through fighting, and you know I don’t fight.”

It felt so odd hearing that from him, especially considering I had spent my life around alphas—every one of them powerful, every one of them ready to assert their place in society.

Elijah didn’t even fight...

I leaned on the workbench, watching him work. He didn’t try to engage with me again. He just continued, leaving everything unresolved. I lingered for a moment longer before picking up the tray. I left the workroom and headed toward the kitchen when someone stepped into my path.

“Lora,” I whispered.

“Forgetting something?”

I realized immediately what she meant.

“I will go see the alpha now.”

“Good. And then straight back here.”

She pointed toward the door I had just left.

Great.

I continued into the kitchen, leaving the tray there. Making my way toward the entrance of the house, I took the staircase to the next floor. Using Sofia’s memories, I found my way to the office at the end of a long hallway.

Stopping outside, I raised my hand to knock.

“Enter,” a powerful voice called.

It sent unpleasant feelings through me, feelings that didn’t fully belong to me, like echoes of someone else’s fear. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Stepping inside, I found the alpha wasn’t alone.

He looked up, a dark smile appearing on his lips. I didn’t like that one bit.

“Wait outside,” he told the warriors around him.

They rose from their seats and left their positions, walking out of the office. One of them closed the door behind him, making it feel so final, as if I had come for my own execution.

Okay, remember, eyes down, no talking back, Sofia instructed.

I almost wanted to roll my eyes. My former wolf didn’t think I showed enough strength. Sofia thought I showed too much.

Was there no way to satisfy either of them?

A loud tapping echoed through the silent room. I looked ahead, finding the alpha tapping his finger against the armrest.

Up, down.

Up, down.

I understood why he was waiting. Darren had done the same thing before delivering his reprimands. I held my breath when suddenly Alpha Carter stood.

He took his time walking over to me, then circled around me, making sure I felt exactly as my status dictated: beneath him.

“You acted out yesterday, Sofia,” he began.

I didn’t try to defend myself. When faced with an enraged alpha, it was best not to.

“I don’t mind seeing you a little more open. Happier. Dressed up.”

I didn’t like the way he said it. Hopefully, he had no inappropriate thoughts about his daughter-in-law.

“But I don’t like attitude,” he snapped, stopping in front of me.

To my shock, he wrapped his large hand around my jaw, tilting my head upward. But I knew better than to look him in the eyes. This was a demonstration of power.

“Do you hear me?” he snarled.

“I-I hear you, Alpha,” I whispered.

“You don’t speak back to me.”

I held my tongue.

“You don’t f*****g challenge me!”

“No, Alpha,” I whispered.

I was finding it difficult to breathe now. His grip was so tight it hurt, and he was tilting my head back far enough that it was becoming difficult to draw air into my lungs. But it was because he was so tall, he was forcing my neck into an unnatural position, even though it was clear he was simply making sure I faced him.

“You have one f*****g job in this house. I shouldn’t have to call you in here to tell you that again and again.”

I bit down on my tongue, my anger rising to heights I had never felt before. I knew it wasn’t only because of Alpha Carter’s treatment of me. It was just another drop overflowing an already full cup.

“Am I making myself understood?”

“Yes... Alpha.”

This time it was harder to get the words out. Something inside me even urged me not to submit, as though my old wolf had returned.

“Then what are you not going to do?”

Another trick, straight out of Darren’s playbook. He had made me repeat it too.

“I’m not... going to talk back.”

“And?”

“Show attitude.”

I glanced up briefly, seeing a pleased smile on his lips.

“And what are you going to do?”

It felt more than humiliating.

It felt... like I had been reduced to an object as he made me say, “I’m going to give Elijah and this house... heirs.” I had to force the last part out.

Suddenly, Alpha Carter shoved me back so hard that I lost my balance, landing heavily on the wooden floor. I caught myself just before my head hit the ground, my hands braced against the floor.

I looked up, seeing his powerful shadow looming over me.