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Elijah

I have just stepped out of the girls’ toilets, satisfied with Angela’s reaction. Knowing that someone else knows and reacted positively gives me a little more hope that maybe not everyone will react negatively. If Scarlett has some people on her side, she will find it easier when we tell everyone. Maybe I should tell the boys soon, especially since Hank fucking knows.

But even the thought of that bastard doesn’t ruin my mood, a smile never leaving my lips as I head back to the others. My Kitten is so fucking perfect.

I haven’t even reached the doors to the hall when I hear a shout.

“Elijah! Help!” I hear a cry. I turn sharply, my instincts making me break into a run. I know that voice. It’s Fiona.

Fiona?! Fiona!

There’s no answer. Rounding the corner, I catch her scent and follow it. It leads me to one of the several private rooms. I try the handle, but it’s locked.

I can hear her shouts coming from inside. Fuck! They’re too faint for even a human to pick them up over the sound of the music, although it isn’t as loud as it is inside the main part of the club, it’s still loud.

“Open up!” I snarl.

“Elijah! Elijah, help me!” Fiona’s sobs come from inside.

“Shut it, bitch!” I hear the growl.

Fuck!

Stepping back, I rush to the door, ramming my shoulder into it and rip it off its hinges. I run inside, catching the stench of a rogue. My nostrils flare as I glare at the half-undressed burly man who is straddling Fiona, who is still struggling beneath him as he tries to kiss her.

Tears stream down her cheeks as she looks at me, terrified.

A low growl tears from my throat, my Alpha aura rolling off me. The rogue tenses, turning his gaze towards me. He growls and lunges at me. Rogues don’t obey alphas nor are they bound to them, and it is clear this one is no different, but I am far stronger than any mutt.

The only problem is I can’t rip his throat out without causing a mess in this place. It’s human territory, and our existence must remain hidden. In a flash I close the gap between us, ripping him off Fiona and slamming him to the ground, his head making a sickening crunch upon impact.

He groans in agony as he digs his claws into my shoulders, but I pull away roughly. The man grabs my jacket, tearing it off me as I deliver a roundhouse kick to his shins, throwing him back.

He staggers back and I punch him with full force in the centre of his forehead, knocking him out cold. I let his body fall back to the ground, kicking him. My eyes glimmer with rage.

He isn’t dead, although he should be for what he tried. But he’ll be out for a while, and I want him taken in for questioning.

Rogue attacks are becoming more and more common. Although rogues are meant to be lone wolves, things are changing. I wonder when lone wolves got that brave to form small groups and trespass into pack territories.

Hank, get the fuck to the private rooms. Fiona’s been attacked. I mind-link him before I walk over to the woman who is sitting on the bed, sobbing.

The fuck? I’m on my way! At least the bastard cares for his sister.

Her dress has been torn off her and lies shredded on the floor, leaving her in just her underwear. I’m glad I got here in time. She is unharmed, although she is clearly distraught. Her body is shaking as she hugs herself.

“He tried to rape me,” she sobs.

Aaron, I need you to come to the rooms in the back. We have a rogue who almost attacked Fiona. He needs to be taken in. Do you copy?

Roger that, Alpha, I’m on it, Aaron’s reply comes.

“What were you doing out here?” I ask Fiona.

“I came looking for you.” She breaks into more sobs as she gets off the bed, staring at the man on the ground.

She rushes to the door, stumbling over herself as if wanting to put distance between herself and the rogue. Tears spill down her cheeks as she runs into the hall. I sigh as I follow her out of the room.

“Fiona, he can’t hurt you anymore. Relax,” I say.

She doesn’t listen, about to run off when I sigh. “Stop,” I command, letting my Alpha command lay it down heavy, making her stop in her tracks.

She turns towards me, her hazel eyes full of tears as she covers her face and breaks into sobs. I sigh again as I walk over to her, about to pull my top off for her, when she falls into my arms, clinging to my shirt as she cries into my chest.

“You saved me. I knew you would come for me,” she whimpers. I can sense her fear, and although I have half an urge to put some distance between us, I can’t. She was almost raped, and it makes me think of Scarlett.

I wasn’t there for her when she was ganged up on by her own pack mates. Sighing, I wrap my arms around her and stroke her hair, trying to calm her down.

“Look, Fiona, you’re a werewolf. You should have fought back, or mind-linked someone. You weren’t drugged, that should have been the first thing to do. You are a trained warrior,” I say quietly.

“I was too scared,” she whispers, “but you came. You care for me, I-”

“Don’t think more of it than it is. I’m your Alpha and I will always be there for my pack, but there’s nothing more to it than that,” I say quietly, stepping back and pulling my shirt off when an intoxicating floral scent hits my nose. I look up sharply, my eyes widening as I see Scarlett standing at the far end of the hall.

Instantly, I realise she’s misunderstood.

Fuck.

I see the way her heart begins thumping, the hurt in her eyes and I shake my head desperately.

“Red, this isn’t what it looks like,” I say hoarsely, fear like never before rushing through me, and I can see her bringing up her walls.

The moment I move to go over to her, she turns and runs.

“Scarlett!”

But she doesn’t stop, simply speeding up.

“Fuck!”

“Elijah!” Fiona grabs my arm. I pull away.

“Hank’s coming.”

“But the man is right there,” she whimpers.

“Aaron’s on his way, too. I have to go.” I push her away as I break into a jog.

“Angela! Have you seen Red?” I ask, as I almost knock into her.

“No, are-”

I run past her, speeding up as the fear of her shutting me out grows intensely. Come on, Red, don’t do this to me.

Fuck, girl, you’re the only one for me.

Scarlett

The moment I am out of the club, I shift into my huge silver wolf, not caring who sees me. All I feel is pain.

Tears blur my vision, and I feel the agony of my wolf mixed with my own. I have to get away from Elijah, even though I know he’s coming after me. The truth is he hasn’t changed – he never will.

I run faster, not knowing where I am headed, needing some form of comfort that I so desperately crave. My heart is breaking, completely shattered. I lowered my walls and bared my soul to him. And this is what he does.

I can’t remove the image of the two from my mind.

What can I do? It hurts too much. How could he do this to me? Does he still have a soft spot for Fiona? Clearly, he does. He always has.

I let out an anguished howl, rushing into the woods. I hear a distant howl and know it is Elijah, but I don’t care. He played me. He fucking played me!

He’ll have an excuse ready. He’ll charm his way back in and then hurt me all over. I don’t want to know what, or why, he had his arms around her whilst she was naked. I don’t care about anything anymore than putting distance between us.

I don’t want to see those guilt-filled, blue eyes he’ll put on to try to win me over. I’ve had enough.

My silver fur is a blur as I keep running, not realising where I am going until I stop at the sight of a familiar cottage.

The door opens before I even reach it. The welcoming glow of Grandma Amelia’s cottage calling to me. The woman herself gives me a gentle smile.

“Come on in, dear. I had a feeling you would be stopping by.”

I let out a pitiful whimper, trotting inside. Amelia shuts the door, locks it, and draws the curtains over the small window at the front. I go over to the rug near the hearth that is dimly lit. Curling up, I hide my face behind my paws, whimpering softly. Amelia sighs.

“I’ll put on some tea, shall I?” she offers as she walks off to the kitchen area, pouring some milk into a saucepan. She takes her time, and I’m grateful, not wanting to speak to her right now, although I know I’ll have to soon. I can smell the cinnamon and cardamom that she’s adding to the pot.

“Hmm, now where did I put the sugar pot?” she hums, walking around the kitchen.

I appreciate her giving me time. It’s one of the reasons I love Grandma Amelia. She always understood me, understood what I needed, and gave me space. Once the welcoming smell of tea brewing fills the small cottage, I lift my head.

“Why don’t you go and get yourself something to wear from my closet? As much as I respect nudists, I am not having your naked behind on my chair,” she says, making me smile slightly in my head, despite the pain I feel in my chest.

I get up and head to the bedroom, nudging the door open with my nose and step inside. I shift, my bones breaking and readjusting in seconds before I stand stark naked in Amelia’s bedroom. The smell of tea tree and lavender oil mixed with Amelia’s own scent fills the room, comfortingly.

I walk over to her wardrobe, opening it. I pull out a white shirt and some jeans. Putting them on, I look in the mirror, tucking the oversized shirt into the pants. My eyes are puffy and red, and my makeup is smudged, but what is most noticeable is the pain that is clear in my soft green orbs.

Taking a deep breath, I try to school my emotions into passiveness, but it is futile. I can’t. The image of Elijah and Fiona in each other’s arms… I close my eyes as fresh tears stream down my cheeks.

“I hate you,” I whisper. I despise how I have fallen so deeply for him, although the strong, conflicting emotions from my wolf tell me to believe in and trust him. I had waited, but instead, he had just started stripping. I have never hated Fiona, but now I am beginning to dislike her a lot.

Why would Elijah pick me when he has someone sweet, pretty and fragile like Fiona to choose instead?

The perfect princess for any alpha male to protect and be possessive over, one who would love his protection. I am not the type to need a hero or the type to cling to a man’s arm and act all pretty. I feel upset and broken, leaning against the wall next to the mirror.

I’m so foolish… I told myself that I never should have lowered my walls. That this would happen.

Elijah … a fresh wave of tears fills my eyes and I wipe them angrily.

I’m pathetic.

“You are not pathetic, Scarlett,” I tell myself. Even if my heart is breaking into pieces, I have to stay strong. “You are an alpha… you don’t need anyone.” Although I say the words, I don’t really believe them. Knowing Elijah had my back made me feel safe. He had become my haven, even if I didn’t need it. It felt good.

I shake my head, unable to accept what happened.

Would he really betray me like that? I close my eyes, about to replay the scene of him and Fiona, but just then the bedroom door opens.

Grandma Amelia stands there, her arms crossed, and looks me over as I stand there slumped against the wall.

“Oh, don’t drown in self-pity. Come, the tea will get cold!”

I sigh, pushing myself away from the wall, and follow her out of her room. We both walk over to the table and Grandma Amelia sits down. Two mugs of steaming, full-fat milk tea sit on the table with a plate of homemade jam biscuits. I don’t know what it is, but just the sight of the welcoming table makes me drop into my seat and break into another storm of tears.

Grandma Amelia picks up her mug and takes a small sip of the hot tea. She lets me cry my heart out as she remains silent, drinking her tea. Once she’s finished, and my tears have eased up, she takes my cup to reheat and returns with some facial wipes as well. She places the tea and wipes down, sighing.

“Don’t you think it was rather reckless to fall in love so close to the Blood Moon?” she asks, now giving me a sharp look. I look up, my eyes wide and puffy, the tip of my nose red from all the crying. I take a tissue from the box on the table and blow my nose.

“Who said I’m in love?” I ask, my voice breaking. She observes me wearily before shaking her head.

“Only a woman in love with a man would behave so foolishly. What does he have that you need? I mean, apart from the dangly sausage between his legs?” Her remark makes me laugh and cry at the same time. Grandma Amelia reaches for the wipes, taking a few out, and passes them to me. “Now, how about you wipe that gunk off your face and tell me what has the young alpha done to make you so upset?”

“He…” I trail off, my eyes flying wide open, the colour draining from my face when I realise what Grandma Amelia has just said, my heart thundering as I stare at her.

She knows?