TTMA [Complete ✔️]

17. Pain

Dalia's P.O.V

"Don't you dare ever speak to my mate like that again!" He growled, his voice much louder than hers. I slowly backed away, the child clinging to me as if an ant to a straw. She whimpered, making me hug her tighter as a whimper escaped my own lips, snapping the Alpha's attention to the little ginger-haired girl and me.

"Are you ok?" He asked, the woman's hand still gripped by his much larger one. It was the first time I had noticed how huge he actually was. He was incredibly tall and muscular and his hands were probably twice the size of mine. Dangerous, and able to kill with one snap of the neck.

Although he was protecting me, I was still afraid. He was angry, barely in control of his wolf. He could turn that anger towards me at any moment without hesitation. After all, I was his. His, to do what he pleased with.

He stared at me, waiting for an answer. I nodded, not trusting my voice. His gaze softened when he looked at me, it was different than when he would look at the red-headed woman, who almost attacked me. But why? Did he actually believe we were mates?

But how could I believe it? He told me I was safe here, that no one would dare hurt me anymore, but here I stood with a burn on my back, whimpering as he hurt one of his pack members, one of his own, because she was going to hit me. Even if he promised I was safe, I wasn't. Today just proved it. How could I believe him about something else when he didn't keep his promises?

He looked away, breaking our eye contact. I let a breath out, one, I didn't realize I was holding. My lungs were screaming at me to fill them. Why had his eyes made me feel such a way?

Suddenly, his anger filled the air again, my instincts screaming at me to kneel. Instead, the redhead was already on her knees, neck bared in submission as he circled her.

"This here-" He growled lowly, pointing to me. "Is your future Luna and my mate! I want to know what made you believe you could disrespect her in such ways!" His voice got deadlier by the second, sending shivers down my spine.

The woman looked at the floor, hair shielding her face away.

"I'm sorry, Alpha! She was a new smell, I found her holding Hope and got really scared. Please forgive me, I would never disrespect our Luna again!" She sounded sincere, which confused me.

Not only were they calling me Luna, but this higher-ranked wolf was kneeling, apologizing for her behavior towards me. Since when was it a crime to hit or yell at me?

"Could you please come here, Dali?" The Alpha asked, his tone soft and gentle. Why-I was sick of asking myself. I obeyed, going to stand next to him, not wanting to test my luck and risk making him angry at me.

"How do you want her to be punished?" He asked, catching me by surprise. Me? Making a decision in his pack? I couldn't do that. No, no, why was he doing this? What game was he playing?

"A-Alpha, I-" I started, the pain becoming too sharp for me to continue. The fear and awkwardness crept up, making a new batch of tears roll down my cheeks.

"It's ok, you can do this!" He whispered in my ear so only I could hear him.

I took a deep breath, calming my thoughts. I had taken her child, she didn't know me. It was logical for her to react this way, besides, it hasn't mattered before and it certainly won't matter when the Alpha finishes whatever game he was playing with me.

"Do-don't p-pu-punish h-her!" I spoke quietly, unsure if anyone heard me until all eyes snapped to me, the woman's included. I set the little girl down, next to her mother, and extended a hand for her to get up. She looked hesitant for a second before taking it and offering me an apologetic smile.

"I'm so sorry, Luna! I promise it would never happen again!" She apologized over and over again. I managed to c***k a smile, letting her know it was ok before turning around to see if the Alpha was angry.

He had moved back, leaning against a counter, eating some of the fruit I had chopped up, his eyes burning holes into the small of my back. For a second, I believed that he really did want me as his Luna. I believed, that I saw pride in his eyes, but then I remembered who I was and what my purpose was, erasing all those thoughts and pushing them to the back of my mind.

He looked calmer, like he had his wolf under control again. When he saw me looking at him, he smiled... reassuringly. He then pushed himself off the counter and came to stand next to me, while still keeping a little bit of a distance. It wasn't a lot, but it gave me some room to breathe, which I was thankful to him for.

"Come on, let's get your wound checked." He said, extending his hand for me to take. I looked at the hand, a million thoughts clouding my brain. Fear, flashbacks, pain, all caught up to me, making me flinch.

He retracted his hand, letting it fall neatly next to his leg.

"It's ok if you aren't ready." The Alpha smiled, although, his eyes were telling a different story. Perhaps, I wasn't good with emotions because I thought I saw guilt, sadness, and disappointment.

"Thank you for helping me and my daughter today, Luna! My name's Paisley, the Gamma female of the pack." She introduced herself, snapping me out of my thoughts for a bit. A bit, that was far too short because in mere seconds I was back to staring in the Alpha's eyes, guilt eating me up for causing him such emotions. Even if I had no idea why he was feeling them, he saved me today and I wanted to return the gesture.

I could try. Try to hold his hand, try to be the Luna he so desperately wanted. It would be hard, nothing I've ever thought I would be doing, but maybe this was my sign. He was angry today, but he never tried to hurt me, in fact, his gaze softened when it landed on me. Just like my father's did when he looked at my mother.

Maybe not everyone was bad. I knew my father wasn't. He never hurt anyone in our family. He never hurt anyone, but his enemies. He treated wolves with the same kindness I aspired to treat them with. Maybe the Alpha wasn't as bad as the guys in the Trade. Maybe I could actually have a chance at being happy?

I tucked the fear to the back of my mind, or at least as much as I could, and extended my shaking hand for his to hold. He looked confused, scared I would flinch away, but besides the shaking, my hand remained in the same spot, waiting for his.

"Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly. Maybe he didn't want to hold my hand? Maybe I had assumed wrong and he thought I was being gross and disrespectful?

Or maybe he didn't. Next thing I knew, our hands were clasped around each other, a smile breaking out on his face. He looked happy. Too happy for someone, who was holding hands with a weak slave, but I promised myself I would try to put the fear behind me until he gave me a reason to fear him. So far, he hadn't, therefore, I had to do this.

The stairs felt endless, my body growing too exhausted to hold itself after a while. I stopped, needing air, while the Alpha stood patiently next to me, waiting until I was ready.

"Could I-" He scratched the back of his head, looking unsure of himself. "Could I carry you upstairs? I don't want you to hurt yourself and you seem exhausted."

I froze. I was exhausted, but I didn't want to admit it. I also didn't want him to carry me, hold me close, where I would be more vulnerable than ever. If he was holding me, I would be one move away from having a head separated from my body, a method he liked, so I have heard.

My health was deteriorating rapidly, not leaving me with a choice. My eyes could barely stay open, despite the burning pain in my back. The wound in my stomach had also reopened from when I picked up the little girl, whose name turned out to be Hope, so I was miserable.

I nodded, feeling his hands on the small of my back in seconds. My body was frozen, staying as far away from him as possible until darkness took over again, leaving me completely at his mercy.

***

I woke up back in the hospital room. The Alpha was sat in the same armchair he was sitting in when I first woke up here. His eyes were glued to me, but it seemed his mind was elsewhere.

I let myself observe him for a second. The wolf, that called me his mate. His hair was dark, reminding me a lot of the night sky, but his eyes were a light grey I found quite fascinating.

I had obviously seen him before, given the fact he never left my side, but there was something different about him now. Even I felt fferent, but I couldn't explain why.

The door was suddenly opened, snapping both of us out of our trance. The doctor walked in with a warm smile, holding a tray full of food, which she placed on my bed.

"You're safe!" The Alpha said with a comforting tone. Was I? Why did he feel the need to say it? I looked around, noticing both of them staring at me.

Then it made sense. I had jumped because of the noise the door made. I carefully scooted back to the pillow, the doctor helping me rest my back on it.

"I gave you pills to stop the pain and bandaged the wound. Be careful with your skin!" She told me before exchanging nods with the Alpha and leaving the room.

I stared at the food, then back at him. What price was he going to make me pay? What would I have to do? But he said nothing, only carefully watched me from his seat.

"Don't you like it?" He asked, sounding concerned. Was he that good of an actor or was he just weirdly concerned for my well-being?

"I-I just do-don't k-know the-the price," I admitted.

"Price?" He mumbled to himself, probably trying to figure out what I meant. "They made you pay a price for necessities, didn't they?" He gritted his teeth, claws extending.

His wolf's blood-red eyes took over his usual grey ones. Both he and his wolf were furious and the room was far too small. I was terrified of being alone in a room with an angry wolf, but I knew it would happen at one point. I was ready, after all, there was nothing I could do to stop this.

I quickly got up and kneeled on the floor, awaiting my faith. He kneeled too, raising my chin with his fingers. Despite the fact that he was angry, he was being gentle, barely touching me.

"I made them pay with my own two paws, my love! They would never hurt you again! Now, go back to the bed before I carry you there myself!!" Blush crept up on my cheeks, making me crimson red, but weirdly he didn't make me afraid. He made me feel... comforted.

He helped me get up, his wolf letting him have control back.

"I'm so sorry, Kane is just a dumbass! I'm sorry, he didn't mean that!" He rambled on and on, worried again.

"Kane?" I wondered, making him nod. I liked the name, it suited him. His voice was close to his human side, but more husky-like.

I smiled and he smiled back.

"I-I think it su-suits h-him," I whispered quietly, still learning to leave my fears behind. "An-and I di-didn't mi-mind." He smiled, leaving us in comfortable silence.

A/N:

Hi, Treasures! Make sure you join my F-a-c-e-b-o-o-k group Teddy's Treasures for extra content and discussions! Dali is warming up and I think it's adorable. Thoughts?