The Alpha's Gamble - Chapter 100: Chapter 100
You are reading The Alpha's Gamble, Chapter 100: Chapter 100. Read more chapters of The Alpha's Gamble.
MADELINE
I was this close to starting to write lines on the wall to keep track of my days in captivity. Sure, it wasn’t a cage or a dark, gloomy room in a tower or a dusty basement, but it felt no less enclosed and I felt no less trapped. The door always locked once I was in for the night— from the outside, mind you— which meant they had to unlock it from the outside.
The closer we got to the Ember Ring and the more days that passed without a psychotic-wolf incident, the more nervous everyone became. I’m not feeling bad for myself, that’s not what this was. Maybe a little bit. It’s just, nobody has stopped to ask me how I felt about having a raging homicidal bitch riding shotgun in my head. They all feared for their lives, but nobody cared to ask how it had changed mine. It wasn’t that surreal considering I wasn’t the most participatory person before this happened. I partied with Tilly and spent more time in human territory than I did in the pack. Not exactly a fire-sure way of building community or making friends, but it worked back then. Now, maybe if I had the chance, I’d do things better, make an effort, actually try to be someone here. Alright, that’s enough. No more sad-sack moments. This was not how I was going to spend the last moments of my life.
I stood by the window, looked out over the grounds around the mansion, and pictured Noah walking in the dim light from the moon. Even in his absence, the thought of him soothed me. It calmed my thoughts and helped my body settle into contentment.
When I heard the lock click, I sighed. If my father came in here to talk combat tactics or to teach where a person’s weak spot is, I’m going to throw myself through the window— not out the window— through the window to make sure the glass really gets lodged in there when I land on the ground.
My spine tingled, I felt the surge of excitement rise in my legs, and I swiftly turned when the door closed behind him.
I was ready to jump, leap across the room, and land in his arms, but dragging my foot one inch had him lift his hand and hold it out in front of his body.
“Don’t.”
No.
What’s wrong? I wanted to ask.
Why haven’t you slept? was second in line on my tongue.
Are you okay? It was the third question that I choked on when my heart clenched in my chest. He hadn’t seen me for two weeks or stopped by my door.
“Feel free to leave then,” I said calmly.
Don’t.
That’s the first thing he wanted to say after all this time?
“It’s not you,” he said. “I haven’t stayed because I didn’t want to see you. Staying away from you is like choosing hell every day, but I can’t stand the thought of being here, this close to you, without any news that’ll help you.”
The scoff sort of rumbled up on its own and sounded hella bitchy but I didn’t mind. Maybe some candid honesty was what we needed.
“When have I asked for good news? When have I asked you to help me?” I was still speaking abnormally calm, this must be what maturity was.
“You haven’t.” His dark voice cracked, and even now, though he spoke calmly with a shaded sadness in his eyes, it still held power that outweighed any voice I’d heard. Only there was something raw to it now that I hadn’t heard before.
“If I touch you, I won’t be able to let go. Just standing here makes me want to lock the door and keep everyone out forever. You don’t know what you do to me, Maddie, and I don’t know it either, considering we’re not…”
“Mates,” I finished.
“I’m leaving. I only came to let you know that it’s not about you. I’m not staying away because I want to, I’m staying away because I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“But I’m not—”
“I don’t give a fuck. It may not be fate but it’s my choice, and it’s solidified. The thought of losing you is more than I can handle,” his voice took on a cooler tone and he lifted his head. “Which is why I need to fix this.”
“Where are you going?” I asked.
The door opened up behind him and Malania stepped in, dressed in her Elite uniform from the Academy. I had to close my mouth to keep myself from drooling; I had pictured myself in those clothes a hundred times through the years. The black fabric with precision stitching to account for maximum durability and flexibility. The leggings sat like a second skin to stop from fluttering or flopping around when you ran or in close combat, and the maroon embroidered initials for each warrior on the waistband were gorgeous.
Once you graduated, you had a supply of uniforms at your disposal, and if you ruined them shifting or in combat, you sent out a note and a fresh pair was delivered the next day.
But why was she assisting Noah right now?
“Alpha, we should head out.”
“Head out where?” He still hadn’t answered me on where he was going and I looked warily between them. I didn’t know Malania very well, other than the fact that she was a badass warrior with more wins under her belt than any male fighter in our troops.
“We’re following up on a lead that could aid in helping with your wolf conundrum,” Malania answered.
I wanted to ask them to bring me but I wouldn’t take me on a mission in this state.
“Is it safe?”
The wretched silence screamed no but Noah’s good-natured positivity and desire to keep me calm stretched his lips.
“Yes,” he lied.
It was awful, this pit in my stomach that grew when I saw them, knowing they’d leave together. I hated feeling jealous. I don’t think I ever felt this way. She was the Alpha’s protector. It was her job to keep Noah safe, and she was the one you’d want in a fight.
“Have fun,” I said and folded my hands behind my back so they wouldn’t see them trembling.
Malania looked between me and Noah, a knowing glimmer sparked on the surface of her brown eyes, and she grinned.
“I’m not saying you need this, but for your own peace of mind— I’m more into you than I’m into him.”
I felt my lips rounding, my eyes widening, and the blood rushed to my cheeks, warming my face with an embarrassing tint.
She’s gay.
Those words calmed every uncomfortable emotion that had bubbled up from seeing them together, but I stood there looking like a children’s painting of the devil instead, with my red skin and disfigured face.
“Oh.”
Something fluttered in my chest. I was flattered. Not only was she gorgeous and into me— her words— but she was an Elite warrior, a graduate from the Auburn Academy, and she was into me.
Noah’s brows furrowed slowly until they pinched together and a wrinkle formed on top of the bridge of his nose.
“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s go.” They walked across the room, but Noah stopped at the door.
“I’ll see you soon, I promise. Until then, I’ll have to make do with the view from my room.”
My jaw dropped and my shoulders sank.
“You watch me train?”
“Why do you think I extended the hours?” He smirked, sent me a wink and melted me into a puddle of gooey emotions and desperation.
The door closed behind him and they were off.
I was this close to starting to write lines on the wall to keep track of my days in captivity. Sure, it wasn’t a cage or a dark, gloomy room in a tower or a dusty basement, but it felt no less enclosed and I felt no less trapped. The door always locked once I was in for the night— from the outside, mind you— which meant they had to unlock it from the outside.
The closer we got to the Ember Ring and the more days that passed without a psychotic-wolf incident, the more nervous everyone became. I’m not feeling bad for myself, that’s not what this was. Maybe a little bit. It’s just, nobody has stopped to ask me how I felt about having a raging homicidal bitch riding shotgun in my head. They all feared for their lives, but nobody cared to ask how it had changed mine. It wasn’t that surreal considering I wasn’t the most participatory person before this happened. I partied with Tilly and spent more time in human territory than I did in the pack. Not exactly a fire-sure way of building community or making friends, but it worked back then. Now, maybe if I had the chance, I’d do things better, make an effort, actually try to be someone here. Alright, that’s enough. No more sad-sack moments. This was not how I was going to spend the last moments of my life.
I stood by the window, looked out over the grounds around the mansion, and pictured Noah walking in the dim light from the moon. Even in his absence, the thought of him soothed me. It calmed my thoughts and helped my body settle into contentment.
When I heard the lock click, I sighed. If my father came in here to talk combat tactics or to teach where a person’s weak spot is, I’m going to throw myself through the window— not out the window— through the window to make sure the glass really gets lodged in there when I land on the ground.
My spine tingled, I felt the surge of excitement rise in my legs, and I swiftly turned when the door closed behind him.
I was ready to jump, leap across the room, and land in his arms, but dragging my foot one inch had him lift his hand and hold it out in front of his body.
“Don’t.”
No.
What’s wrong? I wanted to ask.
Why haven’t you slept? was second in line on my tongue.
Are you okay? It was the third question that I choked on when my heart clenched in my chest. He hadn’t seen me for two weeks or stopped by my door.
“Feel free to leave then,” I said calmly.
Don’t.
That’s the first thing he wanted to say after all this time?
“It’s not you,” he said. “I haven’t stayed because I didn’t want to see you. Staying away from you is like choosing hell every day, but I can’t stand the thought of being here, this close to you, without any news that’ll help you.”
The scoff sort of rumbled up on its own and sounded hella bitchy but I didn’t mind. Maybe some candid honesty was what we needed.
“When have I asked for good news? When have I asked you to help me?” I was still speaking abnormally calm, this must be what maturity was.
“You haven’t.” His dark voice cracked, and even now, though he spoke calmly with a shaded sadness in his eyes, it still held power that outweighed any voice I’d heard. Only there was something raw to it now that I hadn’t heard before.
“If I touch you, I won’t be able to let go. Just standing here makes me want to lock the door and keep everyone out forever. You don’t know what you do to me, Maddie, and I don’t know it either, considering we’re not…”
“Mates,” I finished.
“I’m leaving. I only came to let you know that it’s not about you. I’m not staying away because I want to, I’m staying away because I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“But I’m not—”
“I don’t give a fuck. It may not be fate but it’s my choice, and it’s solidified. The thought of losing you is more than I can handle,” his voice took on a cooler tone and he lifted his head. “Which is why I need to fix this.”
“Where are you going?” I asked.
The door opened up behind him and Malania stepped in, dressed in her Elite uniform from the Academy. I had to close my mouth to keep myself from drooling; I had pictured myself in those clothes a hundred times through the years. The black fabric with precision stitching to account for maximum durability and flexibility. The leggings sat like a second skin to stop from fluttering or flopping around when you ran or in close combat, and the maroon embroidered initials for each warrior on the waistband were gorgeous.
Once you graduated, you had a supply of uniforms at your disposal, and if you ruined them shifting or in combat, you sent out a note and a fresh pair was delivered the next day.
But why was she assisting Noah right now?
“Alpha, we should head out.”
“Head out where?” He still hadn’t answered me on where he was going and I looked warily between them. I didn’t know Malania very well, other than the fact that she was a badass warrior with more wins under her belt than any male fighter in our troops.
“We’re following up on a lead that could aid in helping with your wolf conundrum,” Malania answered.
I wanted to ask them to bring me but I wouldn’t take me on a mission in this state.
“Is it safe?”
The wretched silence screamed no but Noah’s good-natured positivity and desire to keep me calm stretched his lips.
“Yes,” he lied.
It was awful, this pit in my stomach that grew when I saw them, knowing they’d leave together. I hated feeling jealous. I don’t think I ever felt this way. She was the Alpha’s protector. It was her job to keep Noah safe, and she was the one you’d want in a fight.
“Have fun,” I said and folded my hands behind my back so they wouldn’t see them trembling.
Malania looked between me and Noah, a knowing glimmer sparked on the surface of her brown eyes, and she grinned.
“I’m not saying you need this, but for your own peace of mind— I’m more into you than I’m into him.”
I felt my lips rounding, my eyes widening, and the blood rushed to my cheeks, warming my face with an embarrassing tint.
She’s gay.
Those words calmed every uncomfortable emotion that had bubbled up from seeing them together, but I stood there looking like a children’s painting of the devil instead, with my red skin and disfigured face.
“Oh.”
Something fluttered in my chest. I was flattered. Not only was she gorgeous and into me— her words— but she was an Elite warrior, a graduate from the Auburn Academy, and she was into me.
Noah’s brows furrowed slowly until they pinched together and a wrinkle formed on top of the bridge of his nose.
“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s go.” They walked across the room, but Noah stopped at the door.
“I’ll see you soon, I promise. Until then, I’ll have to make do with the view from my room.”
My jaw dropped and my shoulders sank.
“You watch me train?”
“Why do you think I extended the hours?” He smirked, sent me a wink and melted me into a puddle of gooey emotions and desperation.
The door closed behind him and they were off.
End of The Alpha's Gamble Chapter 100. Continue reading Chapter 101 or return to The Alpha's Gamble book page.