The Alpha’s Rejected Mate

19

ELEANOR

A frightened squeal escaped my mouth as I tried to pull away.

"Caspian, please…"

He pulled me toward him and I screamed again, shutting my eyes tightly as I prepared for the pain. But the blow never came. Instead, his other arm wrapped around my body.

For one bewildering second, I couldn't understand what was happening. I felt the hard press of his chest against mine, the strength of his arm around my waist, and the sudden weight of his head dropping against my shoulder.

He was holding me. Caspian was holding me.

My eyes flew open as my heart raced dangerously in my chest.

I stood frozen in his arms, too frightened to move, too confused to understand why he hadn't hurt me.

Then his knees buckled and we went down together. A startled cry escaped me as we crumpled to the floor, my hands catching against his shoulders while he held me tightly against his chest. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, and for a moment, I couldn't do anything except lie there, with my eyes opened wide in shock.

His arms tightened around me, but he didn't hurt me. A deep, uneven breath escaped him, followed by another. His whole body trembled against mine, and I felt the tension that had kept him rigid slowly begin to change. His hand loosened around my wrist, but his arm remained wrapped around me.

I couldn't stop shaking. Tears slipped down my cheeks and disappeared against his shirt. My heart was still pounding so hard that I thought I might be sick. I tried to keep as still as I could.

I didn't know whether he understood that he was holding me or whether his wolf had simply dragged me close because it could no longer tolerate the distance between us. All I knew was that I was in his arms, and he wasn't hurting me.

He stopped growling and the sudden silence was almost as frightening as the noise had been.

I lay against him, barely daring to breathe, waiting for him to tighten his grip or suddenly turn violent again, but he didn't.

His face remained pressed against my shoulder, and his breathing was still rough, though not as frantic as before. His fingers twitched against my back, and his body continued to shake from exhaustion.

I lifted my head slightly, trying to see his face.

"Caspian?"

He didn't answer. His eyes were closed.

I thought he had hurt himself so badly that he had lost consciousness and I reached toward his face, but my hand stopped halfway when I remembered how frightening he was earlier.

I didn't know what to do.

"Ethan?" I called, my voice breaking.

He was already moving toward us. His eyes moved over his Alpha, taking in his closed eyes, his trembling body, and the blood on his feet. Then he looked at me, still frozen in Caspian's arms.

"Is he hurting you?" he asked.

I shook my head, unable to speak and Ethan let out a breath that sounded almost like relief.

Mira stood behind him, one hand still covering her mouth. Tears continued to run down her cheeks as she stared at her brother.

"He stopped," she whispered.

I looked at her. "What?"

"He's stopped."

I turned my attention back to Caspian. I could feel the warmth of his sweat-soaked shirt against my skin. His grip was not entirely relaxed, but the violent struggle I had witnessed moments ago seemed to have ended.

I hadn't done anything except brush my fingers against his back, and now he was holding me like letting go would be impossible. Why?

The question remained in my mind, but I had no strength to ask it.

I was too exhausted, too frightened, and too overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

Ethan crouched beside us, careful not to move too quickly.

"Caspian." he called softly.

There was no response. He watched him for another moment before looking toward Mira and the guards who had gathered at the entrance.

"Everyone out!” he ordered.

Mira hesitated.

"Ethan…"

"Please, Mira."

She looked at her brother one more time, her expression crumpling as another sob escaped her. Then she reluctantly followed the guards outside.

Ethan remained for a moment, watching Caspian carefully. His eyes flicked toward me, and I saw something in his expression that I couldn't quite understand.

Relief, perhaps. Maybe disbelief.

He finally stood and moved toward the entrance, but he didn't close the doors behind him. He left them open. And then I was alone with Caspian.

My wrist ached where he had grabbed it, and my whole body still trembled from fear. I could feel tears drying on my cheeks, and my nose was still running. I knew I probably looked a mess, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I looked down at his bloodied feet, then at the cuts on his hands and arms. He had hurt himself so badly trying to fight whatever was happening inside him. And somehow, after spending the entire evening insisting that he didn't need me, he had been the one to pull me into his arms.

I didn't know whether he would remember any of this when he woke up, he didn't mention what happened the last time at all. I didn't know whether he would look at me with the same cold expression and demand to know why I had disobeyed his orders. I didn't know whether he would be grateful or furious.

And yet, as I lay there, listening to the uneven rhythm of his breathing slowly settle against my shoulder, I found myself wishing he would never have to suffer like that again. Even if he never wanted me near him. Even if he never understood why I had stayed.