The Alphas helping hand - If I ever catch you

Chapter four

It’s 4 in the morning when I wake from a dreamless sleep. I go take a shower and get ready to run to the gym. I avoid looking at my old flip phone. Not going to answer those texts Dane sent me. The last thing I need is to see him today. Running to the gym, I decide on which machines to use, so I never lose sight of the entrance.

When at the gym, I work until my muscles feel like they can’t take it any longer. And then I continue some more. Finally, at around 1 pm, I leave the gym. The rest of the day is spent in my room. Reading articles from medical journals, I downloaded them at a public library and took them home on a flash drive. The 10-year-old MacBook is the only high-tech thing I own.

No smartphone, no fitness tracker, no navigation system. Nothing that could be hacked into. I never connected the laptop to wifi and made sure to turn off all the features that use any form of transmission. Everything can be messed with. That’s how it started 4 years ago. Weird emails to my private and work address. Packages appeared at the house with stuff paid for with my credit card. Letters in the post box, in my locker. No matter what I did, they were always there.

Lights turning on and off in the house, the garage door opening and closing. It scared me to death and also made me really angry. There was no scent on them, no way for us to trace them, to chase the person doing this to us. As a wolf, I was not used to feeling threatened. Hell, even those douchebags in college didn’t scare me. I try breathing exercises right before lying down on my bed.

Alpha Elliot has been at the forefront of my mind a few times in the past few days. Why can’t I stop thinking about the adrenaline rush while helping him? That’s what it must have been, that buzzing feeling, when I touched him, right? His grey eyes looking back up at me and the slight crookedness of his nose. Broken perfection, was my first thought. I also saw the edges of several tattoos peak out of his collar. But the strange feeling of uneasiness I get, I still can’t quite place.

It’s like something in me is on the jump, gets anxious and at a loss for a better word, excited whenever he crosses my mind. What is wrong with me? Why is an entitled a**head someone I think about that much? I push those thoughts away with as much gusto as possible. And after 2 hours of tossing and turning, sleep creeps in.

______________________

Unknown POV

Today is the day. Once she wakes up and leaves in the morning, I will get in and set up. Prepare to be blown away in the worst way possible, little Olive. Master has planned out something quite fun, and I hope that you will enjoy our little walk down memory lane, as much as I did putting it together. I am certainly looking forward to it.

Makes me want to hide here after I am done and watch her. But I can’t. Got to be back and report to the master what happened on this mission. I don’t think he will be entirely pleased, but at least his plan to scar the little b**ch will be carried out how he wanted it to.

“I promise, I will do my best, master. “

As soon as she comes out of the house in the morning, running off, I get to work. Grimacing, I reach into my jacket pocket and get out one of the remaining two vials of invisibility potion. Of course, you are not really invisible, but it masks your scent to an extent where nothing at all can be smelled, and interestingly, in humans, it makes you send off such calming vibes they don’t give you a second look.

Nobody, werewolf or human, will be able to find anything outstanding about you, anything to remember you by. So you are invisible in the truest sense of the word. How I will get in is also planned out. Fatty left a window cracked when he got to bed this morning. This is the only point of entry where I can avoid the cameras that this girl has put up around the apartment.

Climbing up, I push the lock open from the outside, getting the window up a little further. After jiggling in, the first thing that registers is the massive form under a blanket on the futon. And then his smell hits me, and I have to stifle a gag. Damn, shorty is smart. If we had relied only on our senses, we would never have found her.

I make my way through the door into the living room and turn right into the small hallway to my destination. After checking under the door for traps, I pick the lock, undo the bolt (you wish I would tell you how), and open it. Guess the traps are only in place when she is inside because I see nothing. Smiling, I look down at a laptop lying on the bed. Just what I was looking for.

_________________________

Olivia POV

Not seeing Dane is unnatural for me. It’s only been about a day. But we usually spend so much time together. Since I am not working at the diner, I have a lot of time to go from library to library to write more applications. After my run-in with the Alpha, I also thought about skipping town. Definitely sounds like a great idea, especially after I didn’t follow the order to show up for dinner at the packhouse last night.

Something in me was pushing me to go, but I refused to comply. They didn’t track me down, so maybe I could go with the “dumb little she-wolf “- excuse and pretend that I just didn’t find the biggest property in a 50-mile radius. But I kind of have a feeling that wouldn’t sit too well with the Alpha.

Given I avoided being sniffed out by him and his men once, I hope I can make it for another week till the end of the month and then just pack up and leave. Still contemplating if I should invite Dane to tag along. We did this whole thing together before, but I just don’t know if I want to involve him further.

I feel trained well enough, and I don’t want another person hurt because some psycho was obsessed with me. But, yeah, that general rage and anger are back after quite a long time, and I am not just scared sh**less all hours of the day. OK, that’s a lie. I am still scared. Always. It’s become a part of my personality. But I am coping. At least I usually am. The last few days have been a mess.

And then also there is the slight trust issue that I am trying to swallow. Plus, a bear’s scent is way more complex to hide than a wolf’s. Also, I feel like traveling around a bunch is making me more anxious and prone to slip. I strive with rules when there is a pace and schedule for your next move. And I am scared I take unnecessary risks, just trying not to follow a routine.

I make my way back to my apartment after looking for positions along the East coast. Spending hours at different libraries all over the city, I am happy to just get back to my room. But, it’s cold when I enter. Where is this breeze coming from? I put down my bag warily and go about my routine, locking the door. It takes longer than usual. Something is off with the room. Oh, moon goddess, please no.

“Oh, Olive! “

I start turning around but freeze mid-movement.

“Looks like I found you after all.", there is so much malice in that voice it makes my stomach churn.

Then I hear the static crackle.

“Enjoy it while it lasts, sweetheart.“, the voice laughs.

“Please, daddy, just one more time. Sing the “How much I love you “song just one more time.“, a soft little voice pleads. I am still frozen in place.

“Really? Well, I think you are just looking for a way so you can stay up a little longer, Letti.“ The male voice lets out a laugh.

“You know what?Let's make a deal: I will sing the song one more time, but you will have to close your eyes. And keep them closed. Do you think you can do that? “

“Mmh.“ The eager tone makes me swallow hard.

I turn further. So slowly. It feels like time stands still for a split second. The screen of the Mac Book on my bed is lit up. A grainy video is playing. A little girl in a small wooden bed, clutching bedding with a flamingo print. The camera is on her, and a man crouches down next to her.

“No peeking.“

The guy turns to the camera. Glacier blue eyes, just like the ones the little girl tries to keep closed. Her little nose scrunching up, she twirls her long brown hair around a finger. The man gives his chocolate hair a tussle and winks at the camera. His eyes flicker over to the girl, waiting not all too patiently.

„Weißt du eigentlich, wie doll ich dich lieb hab’? So doll, dass es überall schon drückt. (Do you know how much I love you? So much that it hurts all over.).“ That voice. Leaning back, the little girl's breathing slows down.

„Weißt du eigentlich, wie doll ich dich lieb hab’? Einmal bis zum Mond und zurück. (Do you know how much I love you? I love you to the moon and back.).“ The german song and that voice form an echo in my head.

Suddenly, the camera cuts. All I see is burgundy fabric.

“Wow, you look like you swallowed a watermelon.“ The same man, again.

Now behind the camera. He laughs wholeheartedly, and I hear the little girl giggle off-screen too.

“Oh, just back up, you prick. Don’t listen to what mommy just said! “

A female voice chimes in. The camera backs up, and a woman in a burgundy dress, the fabric stretching over a rounded baby bump, is coming into view. She is wearing an oversized green corduroy blouse over the tight dress, her hair in a braided crown around her head, and she is twirling, dancing for the camera.

She laughs, pulling the little girl up on her hip and spins around with her. The girl giggles and presses her hands to the woman’s cheeks. Then the camera angle changes again, slightly, and I look into the woman’s smiling face. My face.

“Like Mama Rhino. Sorry baby, but you are huuuuuge. I don’t remember you being this big last time.“, the cameraman laughs.

“Shut up, you still love me the most.“

I see myself pushing my tongue out towards the camera, and the child does the same.

“You know I do. Always."

I am shaking uncontrollably. Was I just a second ago not able to move at all, now my body is in overdrive. Even my jaw is clapping together.

‚Always’.

It’s them. It’s my family. My little girl... Violet. My husband.

__________________________

(9 years ago)

“Doogie, huh? What’s up with that?“

I peel my eyes off the notes in front of me and am hit with the most dazzling smile.

“What?“

Blinking hard, I try to determine who is asking. Then, finally, the scent of ground coffee and the forest after a storm hits my nose, and Celia jolts awake.

“Well, I heard a few guys call you that. That’s a lie: everyone calls you that. Is it a nickname? Doesn’t seem fitting.“, he keeps rambling on. Glacier blue eyes are staring down at me.

“You are kidding, right?“

He scratches the back of his head then tussles his hair with one hand. Is he nervous?

„No.“

„Doogie.“, I look at him flabbergasted. This seems to just confuse him further.

“As in Doogie Howser MD? The 90s TV-Show about the Wunderkind, who became a doctor at the age of 16?“

The other students have been calling me that since the start of my undergrad program. And since quite a few continued to the same medical school, they brought it here. So, after 2 weeks, it has already taken quite well.

“Ha!“, the blue-eyed boy exclaims so loudly that some of the students around us turn.

“There you have it: Rather strict German parents. So no TV. Also, no offense: But I just can’t seem to understand the fascination with 'Grey’s Anatomy' and the likes. “

I faint hurt.

“How dare you? “.

That earns me a melodious laugh. But then the guy looks uncomfortable, almost frightened.

“Oh god. You're not underage, are you? “

Now it’s my turn to laugh.

“Relax, I'm 18, and FYI: I have just started med school... not a doctor quite yet. They're more referring to me starting college at 14 and doing Premed... creative liberty, I guess. “

“Good.", is all he says. He slips into the seat next to me. And I don’t get to say anything else, because the lecturer is dimming the lights and starting his presentation. For the whole 90 minutes, I can’t focus on the adaptive components of the immune system. His intent glare is making it impossible.

Whenever I look up, I see him taking in the ball pen I twirl between two fingers or the pencil securing my hair in a bun. Him watching me like this makes my skin tingle, and Celia purr in the back of my head. Once the lecture is done, I get up and scurry to pack up my things, ignoring the stranger next to me.

“So, aren’t you going to tell me your name?“

He leans over, the question not much more than a whisper.

“Olivia.“, my voice almost breaks.

“Nice to meet you, Olivia. I'm sure I will see a lot more of you. “

He gets up and towers over me, giving me a second one of his dazzling smiles.

‚Mate’, Celia whispers. He winks and turns to leave the room without saying anything further.

“Hey!“, I call after him.

“I didn’t get your name." He turns back to me, and a smirk creeps on his face, the skin around his eyes forming tiny crinkles. “Roman. “

__________________________

I can’t stop the tears from falling.

My eyes are full to the brim and just spill over. My husband. My mate. Roman. He fought for our family that night when I didn’t… couldn’t do anything. I whimper. Violet, my little girl. How did he get his hands on those videos? Stupid question! Just how he always does: Hacking into my old stuff…. must have been after that night. Still shaking, I back up and slide down the door until I can clutch my knees.

“He found me.“, I mutter to myself.

Who am I kidding? I might have been training for two years again, but the rage and anger don’t hold. Not when I am confronted with the horror of that night. Or any memory of my family, for that matter. All of them are painful. I am still nothing more than a frightened little girl. The same girl that couldn’t do anything when her family and pack were killed and their territory burned down.

My head hurts. Tears streaming down my face, I just sit there and indulge in the toe-curling bolt of pain that shoots from my temples straight into every hair follicle on my head.

‚Get up, call Dane!‘, it sounds.

“He is coming for me.“, I breathe laboredly.

‚Olivia, listen: YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE! CALL DANE!‘

“Celia, is that you?“

I bring out nothing more than a croak. That can’t be!!! I am hallucinating.

‚It is Olivia, now move!!‘

Scrambling forward, I search for my phone, which I dropped on the floor when I started watching the video. Dane picks up after the first ring.

“You have to come to get me. He found me.“, I gasp.

“On my way. Don’t open the door. Pack some clothes. I am in the car already.“

As soon as he hangs up, I look around. My eyes find the laptop on the bed, the screen now black. I register something small stuck in the USB port, flashing red light at me.

Grabbing it from the bed, I throw the MacBook on the ground and give it a few hard stomps with my boots. Still shaking but giving it my all. The flash drive I pocket. It’s stupid, but I need this. I will throw it out later, but I need to touch something that has even just a trace of them on it.

Then I sprint over to my closet, grab a few pieces of clothing, and stuff them into a backpack. Finally, I fling some workout clothes into the gym bag and stand by the door, just waiting for Dane to arrive.

For Leo, I leave a note and half of the cash I have with me, telling him that he can sell all my stuff, and I hope that that makes up for the amount I'm short on rent.

Dane’s truck rolls up, and he honks. I sprint out and get in the passenger seat, dropping my bags behind me. All that can be heard are my loud pants and the accelerator being pressed down. I am fidgeting with my hands. I push the memories down.

My family… I swallow the bile that tries to rise in my throat. As we get on Main Street, I look in the mirror and see a black car that catches my eye. It follows us around, turn after turn.

“Do you see that BMW following us? “

Dane just grunts in response. He pulls over swiftly, changing lanes stopping behind a garbage truck.

The BMW is forced to pass, and we fall back and use the chance to turn into a small alley that leads us back to a motel somewhere close to Danes’ place through a few back roads. The car tailing us is gone, and I can breathe freely now.

“It should be fine now. We can stay till tomorrow morning, maybe even two days, and then see where we go from here.“, Dane suggests, reversing the car into a spot at the side of his building. He puts the car into “park” and gets out as I grab my bags from the back seat. I open the door and get out of the car.

But weirdly enough, Dane doesn’t come around the other side of the truck. I bend down and try to look around the back of the vehicle, and I see him lying on the ground.

“No, you got to be kidding me. “, I whisper, dropping the bags just before a hand clamps my mouth shut.

I spin around and kick whoever has grabbed me in the groin. A huff, and I can move freely again. Feverishly, I look around. One black figure is lying on the ground groaning, two more are coming towards me.

The first one launches at me and tries to grab my arm. Getting my knife out of my back pocket, I slight it across the guy’s arm. That gets some space between us, and I use that to give him a good kick to the chest. He stumbles backward, growling, but comes at me again. Taking a fighting stance, I give him a good left hook and hear his jaw crack, followed by three quick body hits.

The one remaining jumps in and grabs my left arm. I swing at them with my silver knife in hand, but my fist gets caught midair. Moving on, I let the knuckles of my free hand connect with the soft skin over their solar plexus.

They just grab on tighter.

“Guess I know who trained you.“, says an irritatingly familiar voice breathlessly.

The one on the ground recovered from the kick to the groin relatively fast. He grabs onto my other arm. I trash and pull to free at least one of my hands and get my left one free.

Swinging the knife, I almost hit the guy’s upper arm. Instead, I am grabbed from behind by giant hands. So focused on the fight and riled up from what I had just seen in my room, I didn’t hear the two men, putting my hands in a vice grip behind my back now, coming. F**k me. I try again to kick free, but they put silver-coated cuffs on me, and instantly, the light burn from the silver and a far-off howl in my head make me flinch and try a little less hard to break free.

“Easy now.“

The same familiar voice speaks again. Stepping into the light, I recognize the man I punched in the stomach and who made a comment as Alpha Elliot’s Beta.

“What the hell! What do you think you are doing?“, again, I try to rip my arm from their grasp.

“The Alpha doesn’t take well to people not following orders. And you mocked him by not showing up for dinner last night. He plans on giving you another chance today. I guess he is feeling rather generous.“

“And why did you have to knock out Dane? You could have simply come up to his door. Apparently, you know where he lives or have been following him for quite some time.“

My teeth are clenched as I speak, and I have to stifle a growl at the sight of Dane lying on the ground.

“Don’t worry. We will take him as well. Can’t let little Fuzzy here go hungry, can we?“

It’s one of the Gammas stepping out from behind the car. He winks at me, and I can no longer hold back the growl.

“Calm down, Missie. You just have a dinner invite. It’s not our fault that you need reinforcements to get you there.“

“Oh, how kind of you. But I most certainly decline the invite and would love it if you could just let go of my arm.“

The Beta growls.

“You are riding with us back to the packhouse, and that is final. Take it up with the Alpha. We have our orders.“

“Not like I have much of a choice.“, I spit.

They all but drag me towards the car while two others grab onto Danes’arms and legs, getting him into his truck and driving off. Except for the Gamma and Alpha Elliot’s Beta, the other guys get into a different car.

“Let’s hope this finally ends tonight. Don’t know what’s the matter with him.“, the Beta mutters angrily as they push me in the back seat.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I can’t stop fidgeting with my hands ever since they took off the cuffs. And it seems to piss the Gamma off, sitting in the seat next to me.

“Stop that! Goddess, you are making me nervous, woman.“, he presses out between clenched teeth.

“Can’t help it. It’s not every day that I get kidnapped, and I had some sh**ty days this past week already. So excuse me for not jumping with joy at the opportunity to eat with an obnoxious ass that sends his goons to drag me to his house.“

Turning towards the window, I close my eyes and lean my head against it.

“Get the stick out of your a**. It’s just a dinner. You are free to go once you have finished eating.“

The Beta doesn’t seem too fond of me. Mmh. Trust me, the feeling is mutual. I drift off and think of my room and what I saw there just an hour ago.

I swallow hard, shaking my head. The ambush is a good distraction, and, for a little while, I will try to focus on my anger at the men in the car with me and the douchebag that sent them to get me. Don’t think of them, Olivia. Push it down.

Not the time to focus on anything else. Starting to tap my foot, I shove the memory as far back in my mind as possible.

“Not again.“, I hear a growl from my right.

“Thank the Goddess, we are here. Just get this girl away from me.“

The gamma is not even waiting for the car to fully come to a stop before he jumps out and slams the door shut.

“Thanks, really grown up, Ace.“, the Beta growls from the driver’s seat.

Then, turning to me, he says: “You can get out now. “

I push the door open and step into the fresh evening air. He pops the trunk for me, so I can get my bags. I turn and look at the house in front of me. It’s your typical Victorian-style house. Three stories high, a grand dark wooden entrance, and tall windows.

Overgrown by ivy and with a pebble-covered driveway. It is breathtaking. I still don’t want to go in. I contemplate running for a moment, but I guess with the pack’s patrol all around, I wouldn’t get very far.

“You know you will have to go inside eventually. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner we can go back to our daily life.“, the Beta grunts behind me and gives me a soft push towards the entrance.

“Is Dane awake? “

I will try anything to drag the time outside a little longer.

“He is alright. Woke up and was pissed. The pack doctor is checking out his head now. He wasn’t too happy about it, but he agreed to sit down with us.“

“Good.“

I take a deep breath and step towards the enormous front door. Before I can ring the bell, someone pulls the door open.

The she-wolf has her beautiful face all scrunched up. She looks rather pissed and waves at me impatiently.

“Come on. The Alpha is waiting for you.“, she snarls, pushing her long blond hair back over her shoulder. Then, looking me over with a sour expression, she takes a step back.

I swallow a comment my gut tells me I will regret. The entrance hall is painted a calm beige, and a vast walk-in wardrobe to the left is left open for me to hang up my coat, I guess. A giant wooden staircase is going up in the middle of the hall, and to the left and right, corridors are branching off into invisible rooms. The wall sconces give off a warm light, and I am surprised that the house is that cozy. Didn’t pick the Alpha to be the “homey” type.

“If you are done gawking, the smaller dining room is the second door to the left."

Barbie-wolf seems mad at something.

"Alright, thank you.“

Giving her my fakest smile, I turn to drop my coat and bags in the walk-in closet. I make my way to the dining room and knock carefully.

“Come in.“

As I enter, I see another one of the gammas at the beautifully decorated table set for 7. The guy seems to be the only one here.

“Take a seat. They will all be here in a minute.", he waves for me to sit down, and I follow, sitting at the end furthest from him. Rubbing his blond buzz cut, he grins at me knowingly.

“Scared?“

“Repulsed. And not able to control my gag reflex. The house is lovely, though, and those decorations pretty…. “

“No control of your gag reflex, huh? “

I turn to see Alpha Elliot at the door.

He gives me a smile that shows off his white teeth but doesn’t reach his eyes. I scan his face for any clue as to what he wants from this dinner. There is nothing. His face is blank.

His grey eyes, the slightly crooked nose, the sharp angles of his jaw, the ink peeking out of his collar again, and the perfect pouty lips. His hair is styled to perfection. Still, nothing. How can a face be that blank? So completely void of any emotion?

“Alpha Elliot.“

I give him a nod.

“Is it a habit of yours to listen in on other people’s conversations and just always take what they say out of context?“, I say icily and take a sip of water.

“Not at all.“

Elliot makes his way over to me. And, of course, he pulls out the chair next to me.

“Guess this seat isn't taken yet? “

“Seems like it. “