Sold to the Alpha With Silver Eyes - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Dev stalks ahead of me, his anger rolling off of him as he tries to hide his limp. I catch myself glancing over my shoulder every now and then, just to make sure no one sneaks up on me from behind. Every stupid snap of a twig or chirp of a bird has me jumping near out of my skin. I am safe, I think, with Dev, but how can I know that for sure?
My feet march forward, shuffling along as a bird releases a cry that reminds me of an animal dying. I whip around, my hand landing on my chest. My tongue darts out, licking my dry lips as I turn around again and slam into Dev’s back. He grunts, stumbling forward before he turns, a scowl on his face as he meets my eyes.
“S-sorry” I fumble out, my hands lifting to show innocence.
He takes two imposing steps toward me and my chin lifts, watching him closely, my fingers twitching over the warm fabric of his shirt where his pecs are. My eyes widen and my cheeks heat as I yank my arms back, but not before he grips my wrist.
“What the fuck did you do, Eden?” He growls at me and I furrow my brows.
“Me?” I choke out. The anger he is feeling seems to feed into my own, and I yank my arms away from him.
“Are you cursed?” He asks, shaking his head in disbelief before he pinches the bridge of his nose. “How the fuck do you find yourself in constant life-threatening situations?”
My eyes grow wide and I swallow roughly. I was in a life-threatening situation with the Prince? It seemed a little rough at the end but, he wouldn’t have killed me…I don’t think.
“You brought me here,” I remind him, trying hard to not be offended by the suggestion that somehow this shit is my fault.
“And I told you to wait until someone comes to fetch you.” He frowns.
My mouth falls open, and I throw my hands up, scoffing. How did this somehow become my fault? He rescued me, abandoned me and now he blames me when I go with the person who claims he sent for me? What is this backwards thought process?
“He said you sent him,” I whisper, the words soft and my wolf whimpers at the thought of us talking back.
It was a habit long beaten out of us. But Dev ignites something in me, a flame that isn’t anger nor desire but…one that wants him to know the truth. A flame that wants him to see me for who I am, not who I have been forced to be.
“And you believed him?” He looks at me dumbfounded and I feel like I am shrinking the longer I stand under his judgemental gaze. Am I a fool? Am I in the wrong for trusting someone in a place where I was told I was safe?
“You said I was safe here,” I murmur, my fingers growing restless as I grip my hands and wring them tightly. “I’m sorry, you are right. I should have waited longer, I should have told him no or-or-or…”
“Stop,” He exhales, exhaustion dripping from his words like a leaf shedding water in a rainstorm. “Can you just follow me quietly without running off or getting attacked?”
I wince at the disdain in his words, and I nervously chew my bottom lip, nodding in affirmation. I can indeed just shut up and take orders. He looks sad for a moment, but then he turns on his heel and I stick close to him, forcing the fear from my mind. Reminding myself if Dev hears nothing scary in the words, I don’t have to worry.
There isn’t a single attempt to make conversation as we hit the sidewalk, no pointing out things in the city or indication he has any desire for me to belong here. Instead, he walks with a purpose, his limp not slowing him down as I try to keep up pace. It is obvious he is on a mission.
Questions pester my curious mind as I spot the hospital and Leoni and Hastings come into mind. I want to ask about Hastings, but perhaps that is why his mood is so sour.
Lycans don’t die easily, so before Leoni’s heart wrenching goodbye on the way here, I would have bet on Hastings’ full recovery. I now know better. They are just as susceptible to death as a normal wolf like me.
For the first time, I see a plethora of people bustling around the streets. Shops open as we pass and full or laughing teenagers or women with their iced drinks. It feels like I’ve come from a secret sector where no one goes and I have actually found the actual city. It would almost feel comfortable if it wasn’t for the lingering looks and the stares that make it painfully obvious I am not from around here.
“Come on,” Dev whispers, his hands slipping down my wrist and wrapping around my palm before he breaks into a jog, a look of determination on his face as he ignores all the whispers around us.
The double sliding doors whizz open and Dev turns to look at me, pointing to a chair sitting next to a large potted plant.
“Sit there. Do not move unless I am the one who comes to you, got it?” He says before he takes off, leaving me without a chance to respond.
I mosey over to the seat, plopping down as I scan the lobby, shocked by the size of this place. The typical pack hospital is a tenth of the size of this massive building. Granted, this is the kingdom, not just the next city or pack home, but it is still leaving me in awe.
My feet tap on the ground, my hands under my thighs as I chew the inside of my cheek. There is no telling which way Dev went or how long he will be. Whatever is happening, he decided I didn’t need to be informed. So I sit exactly where I was asked, refusing to move until I see Leoni rushing by, her hand over her mouth as she hurls chunks in the potted plant next to me.
I jump up, rushing to her side as I pat her back gently. My presence doesn’t even register for her as she throws up once more, then spins, pressing her back against the wall and drops to the ground, a sob breaking through her. It is useless to ask her if she is okay or how Hastings is doing. The vacant look in her eyes is answer enough to that.
I move to her side, slipping down next to her, trying to provide whatever comfort I can just by being next to her. Her sobs slow into hiccups and her head slowly falls to the side, resting on my shoulder.
“Leoni, I’m so sorry for your loss. I don’t know how to make this better.” I tell her, not even bothering to look over and see if she is listening.
It’s not her job to make me feel better about my lack of comforting words. It’s her job to mourn the man she loved, the soul she was tied to. And yet, her hand reaches out, and she takes mine in hers, squeezing it tightly.
“Will you walk with me?” She rasps out.
“Anything you need,” I tell her quickly. Sorry Dev, but this is far more pressing than the demand that I follow every command as if you are royalty.
We stand, and she leads me out of the hospital, taking an immediate right and through a small overhang to where there is a sea of green, lush lawns and perfectly manicured landscape that reminds me of the pack house. She smiles as she looks up at the sky; the sun kissing her tear-stained cheeks.
“Hastings always loved the sun,” she smiles. “Or well, he loved the sun on my face. His favorite thing was to steal a kiss when I was napping and the warmth would remain on my cheeks.”
“That’s so sweet,” I offer, imagining what a love like that would feel like, how it would shatter anyone to their core.
“He was a rough and tumble warrior, but inside he was such a gooey, sweet mess. My perfect walking contradiction.” She chuckles. “Did you know he had the best smile and an even better laugh?”
Tears break over her cheeks again as she purses her lips, trying to slow the crying and calm herself.
“You can cry, Leoni.” I offer. “I’ve heard people say that tears are a testament to how much a person was loved. Only those worthy of rainstorms bring new growth is what my mom loved to say.”
“I am afraid you will wash away with the tears,” she teases and I smile at her sadly. Even now, at the loss of her mate, she is trying to remain strong.
“I’m a decent swimmer.” I give her a nudge with my shoulder and she laughs.
“Is it wrong that I think I feel worse for Dev?” she asks, looking up at the sky. “Hastings and him were as close as brothers.”
A frown pulls at my lips at the mention of Dev, the urge to look over my shoulder for him stronger than I want to admit. I promised I wouldn’t move, but surely he will understand that Leoni needed me for something more important than just…sitting in a lobby.
“Does he have any family?” I ask Leoni, thinking about Hastings and who all needs to be informed of his passing.
“Hastings’ parents live in a northern pack and only had Dev really for a friend.”
“And you.” I remind her, and she smiles a soft, sad smile.
“Yeah, and me.”
“Will you and Dev travel to inform them?” I ask, and her shoulders drop.
“I will go alone, granted I already called to tell them. They are older, and without a car, so I plan to take a few days to go pick them up and bring them down here for the memorial.” She says. “Is it bad that I look forward to the silence of the car ride there?”
“I think sometimes silence does more healing than time can.” I shrug. “When I lost my family, I was injured. I wasn’t able to see, speak, or even smell for weeks. No one would try to talk to me and at first it felt awful. But when I gave into it, it was healing somehow.”
“I TOLD YOU TO WAIT!” Dev’s voice roars through the garden and I jump, my heart lighting up as if I was hit with two tons of electric volts straight to my chest.
“B-b-but…” I close my eyes, trying to calm myself, forcing the stutter away as quickly as I can.
“I needed her,” Leoni whispers, tears in her eyes as she looks at Dev. “I needed someone who didn’t know him so I can just…share him with them without it hurting them too.”
Dev’s red-rimmed eyes meet mine and my stomach plummets when he looks away, his face dropping and his hands finding his pockets. He clears his throat and nods in understanding.
“Okay,” He musters up and Leoni frowns.
“I need you to approve my leave, so I can head out soon to get Hastings’ parents.” She tells him and he looks up, brow rising.
“Should I go with you?” he asks, looking between Leoni and me. “Or…if you prefer, Eden might be willing to go as well?”
“I have to go alone,” she whispers. “I need to be alone with him and my memories.”
He sighs heavily, his tongue darting out and swiping over his lips as he clears his throat and squares his shoulders.
“Where is your spare key?” He asks her, and she winces, looking away.
“Please don’t touch anything in my house…” Her voice breaks and she looks at him. “I’m not ready to face it yet…”
Dev seems to understand, but I can see the turmoil on his face when he glances at me for a brief moment.
“I will find a place for Eden to stay until you are ready for her to stay with you. If you change your mind and you would prefer to not have a roommate, I can make other arrangements.” He says, and I can see the relief wash over her face.
“Leoni,” A doctor steps into the garden from the side of the hospital building. “It is time for us to move him. You said you wanted to walk him there?”
“Yes,” she rushes away, leaving Dev and me alone as we watch her disappear into the building.
“Would it be asking too much to go to my guest room now?” I ask, looking up at Dev, who is frowning.
“The King has asked that you not be alone on the pack grounds, which means you don’t get a guest room.” He exhales the words and my brows knit together in confusion.
“If I’m not staying with Leoni and I can’t have a guest room, then where will I go?” I ask, the fear of being kicked out of the pack creeping up, hairs raising up my neck as he meets my gaze.
“With me, to my room.” He offers me a smile, one that I’m sure in any other world would be meant to be encouraging, but all it does is make the air grow thin and my stomach drop.
“Y-y-your room?” I repeat and he swallows roughly, nodding.
“The only other person I trust you around is Leoni, so yes, you will stay with me for now. You can have the bed, if you want.”
“Y-y-your bed?” I rasp out. And he frowns.
“Or if you prefer the couch, I won’t complain.” He shrugs, looking completely drained as he motions for me to follow him. “Either way, you are stuck with me for a little while.”