The Alpha's Gamble - Chapter 108: Chapter 108

MADELINE
Logan flew onto the bed with Noah’s next throw. He closed his eyes, filled his lungs with a deep breath, his chest expanded, and next thing I knew, he was rushing across the room, barging over to me. He was in front of me before I could blink, and turned my head to wipe the tears before he—
“Why are you crying?” In a split second, his voice turned into the softest hum, and he pinched my cheek, gently forcing my head back to face him.
The tears were wiped under his thumb, collecting in the creases of his finger.
“Someone sent an early application to the Academy in my name,” I said, and gestured to the tipped-over can. “I wasn’t accepted. The rejection is final, like… forever.”
Noah’s hand moved down my neck, and his soft lips pressed against my forehead. I felt the emotions bubbling up again, the tears pressed against my eyes, and I swallowed vigorously to keep them at bay. When he moved back and I looked around the room to make sure Logan was alright, I spotted someone else by the door. Someone new.
Someone beautiful.
“Why do you keep bringing girls into my room?” And why did they have to look like models?
There was something off about her. I noticed it right away. It wasn’t her appearance or anything—it was her scent. She wasn’t a werewolf. Who the hell had he brought home?
I shifted my gaze, and halfway to Noah, it turned to a glare, something that triggered a smirk.
“Maddie, this is Freya.”
I lifted a brow and nodded.
“Cute.” What the fuck was I supposed to say?
I tried to shrug his arm off, not knowing myself why I felt so pissed all of a sudden, but it was a nice shift from the bottomless sadness I felt a moment ago.
Noah pinched my shoulder and pulled me in, his lips pressed against the side of my head, and his chest vibrated against my shoulder.
Son of a bitch, he’s laughing. Why was he laughing?
“She’s a witch,” he said against my hair. The feel of his breath caressing my skin sent a shiver down my body, and I whipped around to face him.
“A witch? You brought a witch here?”
I turned to Freya, who stood calm and composed.
“You’re a witch?” She nodded but didn’t speak.
Holy hell, Noah brought a witch to the pack. An actual, magic-wielding woman. A witch. Nothing’s right about this. You know shit’s weird when even Logan steps back and he backed away around the bed to stand on the other side. Did he think the mattress would rise to his protection?
“Maybe you should use one of the fluffy pillows to shield your face.” My dry words landed on deaf ears as Logan’s eyes were fixated on the witch. The fucking witch. I couldn’t stop saying that word in my head.
“I’m here to help.” Even her voice was sweet, almost pretty. Could a voice be pretty?
“Help with what?” Logan asked with a deep suspicion coating his words.
“With your wolf problem.” A warm smile spread on her face, and she carefully stepped closer. Maybe she was afraid I’d bite, and I stepped back because I was afraid of being hexed. But something hindered me from taking the step—Noah’s hand was planted on my lower back, and he held me put, but stepped closer so I felt his side against mine.
“You’re okay. Nobody’s hurting you.” His hand moved up and rested around my waist. “I’d never let them,” he promised.
“May I?” Freya reached out her hands.
Fuck no.
Though she didn’t seem to need permission, as she took my hand in one of hers and placed the other on top.
The witch closed her eyes, and since this was the first encounter I’d had with one, I didn’t know what to expect, but I expected something. Instead, I just stood awkwardly awaiting a verdict: you’re insane, and your wolf hates you, good luck.
It started with a simple breath, her eyes relaxed, and her lips closed in a line.
Then it turned stricter, her lips pressed firmly together, a dimple exposed on the left side of her face, and she turned her head an inch, her eyes moving behind her lids.
My hand was locked between hers, and it grew moist from the sweat she excused.
“What’s…” she said, and like something came over her, Freya flew back two steps and was steadied by Malania, who rushed up behind her.
The sight of her widened eyes, white with grey strings that formed on the surface, made me fall a step away from Noah, but he pulled me back.
“What just happened?” Logan said from his safe haven by the bed.
Freya’s breathing was erratic, her heart sped like she’d been running for a whole day, and it looked like she was protecting her hands the way she held them glued to her chest, burrowing into Malania in pure fear.
“It’s not…” she breathed, but the words were barely audible. Noah tensed beside me, but still rubbed his thumb in circles on my waist. He wanted to protect me, to shield me, but I didn’t need that right now. I moved away from him and blocked his attempt to grab me. I needed Freya to tell me what she saw. Or what she felt. Whatever it was that had her heart racing to get out—that had her sweat smelling of fear and agony.
“Freya, what’s wrong with me?”
Her tongue twisted in her mouth, and she was furiously shaking her head.
“Nothing… nothing’s wrong with you.” She put weight on the last word. Nothing was wrong with me. Her words were just above a whisper, and her head stilled, our eyes locked, but it wasn’t so much that she was looking at me, she was looking through me.
“But that’s not your wolf.”