Creating The Perfect Alpha

Chapter 13

I’m not denying it, Sofia said. I can see your memories, I can feel your pain, and I can hear the gunshot. But it doesn’t make sense why either of them would kill you if they both had a reason to either keep you or let you go.

Her words were scarily true, but they didn’t erase the pain of what they had done to me or how they had simply continued their lives as though I were nothing.

“They betrayed me,” I whispered.

I’m not denying that either. But what will you do about it?

Once more, her words deflated me, and I stared up at the lamp above me, watching the steam rise and swirl around it. There was something soothing about it, helping me calm myself enough to think more clearly.

I reached up, rubbing my tired eyes.

Maybe some food and sleep will help.

It almost sounded ridiculous. My sister was pregnant with my evil former mate, and I should just eat and sleep.

“Maybe,” I whispered.

A knock followed, breaking the tension.

“Sofia?”

Not this woman again, I thought angrily. I turned off the water, dried myself, and put on some clothes. I opened the door, finding Lora on the other side. She really was very beautiful.

She had dark red hair, which I believed she dyed that color, clothes that accentuated her curves, and she was tall. She also exuded a powerful aura, meaning she was no low-ranking wolf.

“Took you long enough,” she said.

“I’m a bit tired,” I explained.

“Oh?”

“I think I’ll just sleep a little instead.”

I was about to walk over to the bed when suddenly something grabbed my wrist. I turned, seeing Lora looking at me with a smile I could tell was forced.

“No,” she said.

That single word sent shockwaves through me.

“Sorry?” I asked.

“No,” she repeated in an almost cheerful tone.

“No?” I echoed.

“No.”

I didn’t get it. I kept staring at her, waiting for an explanation.

“You will go down and eat, go on your morning walk, as you’re allowed to, and then go see Elijah.”

Her tone was calm, yet the tension in her body made things very clear. I didn’t have a choice. I could either walk on my own or I could be dragged from the room.

Was that seriously how they treated the former Sofia?

I told you, we didn’t have much say here, Sofia reminded me.

I knew that, but I was only starting to grasp just how little control she had. The attempt on her life yesterday was really beginning to make sense.

“Well?” Lora inquired, still wearing that eerie smile.

“I will... go eat,” I said.

“Good,” she replied, loosening her grip immediately.

As I pulled back, I began to feel the ache. I used my other hand to rub the sore spot.

How hard had she grabbed me?

“Want some company?”

I definitely didn’t want her company, but how did I say that without coming across as rude?

“Um, actually, I think I’ll put everything on a tray and eat with Elijah,” I fibbed.

Her forced smile disappeared, replaced with surprise.

“You want... to eat breakfast with Elijah?”

“Yeah, wolves bond over food, don’t they?”

“Um...”

While she remained stunned, I hurried toward the door. Quickly slipping outside, I continued on.

“Sofia!”

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Lora following me.

“The alpha also wants to talk to you!”

“Tell him I’m eating with Elijah!”

I continued downstairs, finally losing her before heading to the kitchen. Since I was up quite early, breakfast was still being prepared. I had to weave around the different wolves to collect a few items and place them on a tray.

I could feel the confused stares as I moved around, but I gathered everything quickly before heading off again. I continued down the long hallway until I reached the other end of the house. I knocked only once before bursting into Elijah’s workroom.

“Morning!” I exclaimed, closing the door with my foot.

Elijah looked up, those glasses still a surprising sight. Yet this time, I wasn’t greeted with confusion or even a hint of kindness. He sighed deeply, looking weary before shaking his head.

“Did you go on your morning walk in the dark?” he inquired.

I placed the tray down.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re up very early, much earlier than usual.”

“Well, I decided to skip the morning walk.”

Elijah looked up again, his face showing clear confusion.

“What?” I asked.

“You never miss those walks. It’s the only time you’re granted to be alone.”

Right, I thought, only to remember Lora and how she had grabbed my wrist. Out of instinct, I couldn’t help wrapping my hand around the injury, rubbing it again.

“What’s that?”

“Huh?” I met Elijah’s eyes, only to see him pointing at my wrist with a pencil.

I looked down, seeing how obvious it was. I quickly stopped and placed both hands behind my back.

“It’s nothing.”

Elijah didn’t look satisfied. He rose with a sigh and walked over to me. For the second time, I actually felt an intimidating aura around him, as though he were acting like a real alpha.

I took a step back, but Elijah reached out, grasping the arm with the injury. He pulled it away from my back and pushed up my sleeve. Omegas healed more slowly, and the skin was still red. I could even see small, moon-shaped marks where nails had dug into my skin.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Um...”

“Who hurt you?”

“No one. It’s nothing.”

I tried to pull my arm back, but Elijah touched the skin, sending a strange warmth through me. Stunned by the sensation, I let him examine my wrist, watching his fingers move so delicately over the injury.

Perhaps he should have been a doctor instead.

“Does it hurt here?” he inquired, his voice so soft.

For a moment, I could only watch him, mesmerized. He looked up, appearing confused.

“Well?”

“Um, no. I’m fine,” I whispered.

“And here?”

As he pressed lightly against my wrist, another jolt of warmth shot through me. I had never experienced anything like it before.

“Sofia?”

“Um, no.”

He let me go.

“Then nothing is broken.”

“Are you also a doctor?” I couldn’t help asking. I kept my voice light and teasing, but the reaction I received was anything but.

“No,” he said sharply before returning to his work.

What was that reaction? I wondered.

Remember, he has probably had to take care of himself often.

They have a medical wing, right?

Yes.

Then why not just go there?

Who says they would treat him? she inquired.

Sofia’s words echoed inside me, leaving nothing but dread.

Could that be true?

Even the wolves assigned to help Elijah wouldn’t treat him? Or was there simply nothing they could do because of his... oddness?

I knew that was a mystery to solve later.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Oh. I guess this is going to waste then.”

Elijah glanced down.

“You brought food for me again?”

“Yes. Is that not allowed?”

Once again, I tried to keep my voice light and teasing, but Elijah looked down.

“It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

I took a bite of the food to show him it was safe before taking a sip of the juice. He blinked, appearing stunned.

“I-I didn’t think that.”

He sounded almost afraid of offending me.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

He frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“Because of how your family treated you at dinner.”

I moved closer, carefully making my way along the side of the table to avoid crowding him. Elijah sighed deeply before looking away.

“It’s not the first time you’ve seen that,” he whispered.

He was right, but how did I make it clear I was on his side?

“Yeah, I know...”

I lingered nearby. He glanced at me, clearly noticing.

“It’s really cruel,” I said instead of trying to defend my past actions.

“Cruel?” he echoed.

“Don’t you think? The way they treat you. The way they laugh at you while you’re sitting right there.”

He sighed, his whole body slumping.

“It’s nothing new...”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I reached out, grasping his arm. He stared at me, appearing shocked.

“It’s cruel of them to treat you like that. Your own family. They’re supposed to have your back, to support you, to make you feel valued. Not scheme against you and turn you into a laughingstock before they shove a knife into—”

Stop it, Aurora! You’re rambling.

I instantly froze, finally noticing the way Elijah was looking at me, as though I had lost my mind. I let go of him immediately, realizing I hadn’t been talking about him by the end.

“Sorry, I just... I get angry seeing it.”

“And as I said, it’s not the first time.”

“You’re right,” I said. “But you also made it clear what happens if I say anything.”

He looked down, appearing guilty.

“I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

Was he apologizing? He shouldn’t.

“Yes, you did,” I said.

He met my eyes.

“And that’s okay. I get it. My challenging them put you in a difficult position. I just had enough, having to listen to that dinner after dinner. We are mates,” I said, gesturing between us. “And mates support each other.”

I could tell my words were once again a little difficult for him to grasp, yet he seemed less guarded.

“We have never acted like mates.”

“Maybe it’s time we did,” I said.

“I...”

“And that’s why we’re going to have ‘breakfast’, so I don’t have to go outside and have Lora hunt me down.”

Elijah’s eyes instantly glowed faintly.

“Lora did that to you?” He nodded toward my wrist.

“It’s fine. But I would rather avoid another confrontation, if you understand.”

Elijah nodded, then pointed to the tray.

“Bring it over here.”

Pure joy filled me. Finally, I was getting somewhere with him. I went back and got the tray, placing it on the workbench before pulling over a chair. I dug into the breakfast, a comfortable silence settling over us.

As it did, my mind wandered back to what I had read yesterday. Though it felt like only a day since I had died, almost a whole year had passed, and in that year, so much had happened.

I turned to look at Elijah, seeing him eat with one hand while scribbling something with the other. He was actually quite handsome. Not in the brute, powerful way alphas often were.

Instead, Elijah possessed an almost delicate kind of beauty that took a moment to appreciate. Now that I had him alone like this, in a more intimate setting, it became very clear.

“Have you ever been in love?” I blurted out.

What did you just ask him?

Elijah turned his head, staring at me as if I had lost my mind.

“What?” he inquired.

I shrugged. “I just wondered.”

“Why?”

“Because we don’t know much about each other, right?”

“Right...” he said, drawing out the word.

“Aren’t things like past girlfriends or boyfriends important to know? Or any past loves?”

Elijah nodded, yet didn’t seem particularly interested in answering.

“Well?”

“No,” he replied, then turned back to his work.

“No girlfriends?”

“No.”

His short replies made it clear I was venturing into unsafe territory.

“Well, count yourself lucky,” I said, brushing the crumbs from my fingers.

This time, Elijah turned, looking curious.

“What do you mean?”

“No relationships, no heartbreak,” I said.

I noticed Sofia shaking her head, clearly thinking I was about to go off on another ramble. I held myself back, though the boiling anger refused to simmer down.

“No relationships, no chance of experiencing romantic love,” he countered.

“Which can be betrayed. You can give yourself completely to someone, and then they can take a knife and cut out your heart.”

I squeezed my hand shut, only to find something soft beneath it. I looked down, seeing I had wrapped my fist around the butter, the yellow spread now oozing between my fingers.

Clearly, I hadn’t held myself back after all.

I turned to Elijah.