The Alphas Purest Innocent

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 — Lelia POV

The Morning After

I woke with a gasp, lungs burning for air—but it wasn’t the same kind of fear I’d known before. Not the kind that came with being kicked awake in a cold basement. Not the sickening panic of my ribs cracking under a steel-toed boot.

This time, my heart pounded for a different reason.

I rolled onto my back and blinked at the ceiling. The sheets beneath me were soft, clean. The mattress cradled my weight like I mattered. No roaches. No mildew. No Derek.

Just silence.

A soreness lingered in my body—but nothing like before. This was mild. Manageable. Not pain. Not agony. Just… an ache. Like the ghost of what used to be.

For a moment, I let my eyes close again.

I dreamed I was back in the cellar—trapped, chained, and unable to scream. Then Kevin appeared, his warmth wrapping around me like armor. His scent—lemons and cedar—smothered the rot and blood. He held me. I cried. And then, I slept. For real.

Now, that same scent still lingered in the sheets, and a strange flutter bloomed in my chest. A comfort. A warning. A reminder.

Kevin.

I sat up slowly, blinking at the soft light filtering through the curtains. My body ached in unfamiliar ways. I wasn’t used to real rest. Or safety. Or space.

I padded barefoot to the closet, my toes sinking into plush carpet. Everything felt too nice. Too clean. Too quiet. I pressed my hand to the cool wall and whispered, “Morning, girlie.”

Lia stirred gently, her presence like a breeze across my mind.

"Morning, sweetling," she whispered back.

It still felt odd—talking to her out loud. I’d kept her hidden for years. Now I was free to speak to her, and every word felt like uncurling a part of myself I’d forgotten existed.

I stepped toward the bathroom and hesitated. I knocked. No answer.

Swallowing the nerves, I opened the door.

Steam clung to the walls from a shower someone had taken earlier. Maybe Kevin. The space was unreal. Marble counters. A rainfall shower. No mold in the corners. Towels that smelled like lavender.

I stepped inside the glass shower and turned the water on.

Warmth rained down on me, and I braced my hands on the tile. The sensation of heat felt like something I didn’t deserve—luxurious and kind. I leaned back, letting it soak into my skin.

Then—

“Place your back against the glass, and angle yourself under the jet, Lelia.”

His voice. Kevin’s voice. In my head.

My eyes flew open. My breath hitched.

“Why?” I whispered aloud.

“You’ll see, sweet girl.”

The jet shifted, hitting a spot between my thighs, and I gasped—body jolting. I gripped the edge of the shower wall as heat pooled low in my belly.

“Rub yourself. Pretend it’s me touching you.”

Shame curled in my gut. But something inside me obeyed. I let my fingers drift down, touching gently, as my breath stuttered.

I moaned softly—then bit it back, covering my mouth. The water masked the sounds, but not the feeling.

When it was over, I sagged against the wall, shaking and breathless. Kevin had been there. Not physically—but mentally. He’d been inside my thoughts. Watching. Commanding.

And I had let him.

Lia was silent. Watching. Waiting.

I rinsed and stepped out, trembling. My fingers fumbled for the pink toothbrush on the counter. Everything felt surreal. Clean, unfamiliar. Like I’d walked into someone else’s life.

But this was mine now. At least for today.

I dressed slowly—pulling on a shirt from the drawer marked for me. My hands shook as I ran them through my hair, still wet and curling from the steam. I looked thinner than I remembered. Pale. Fragile. But I didn’t look broken. Not entirely.

A strange strength flickered under my skin.

Hope.