Page 26 of Stalked By the Alphas

25

CARTER

Hazel’s scent fills my nostrils as I stand close to her, a heady mix of jasmine and vanilla with an undercurrent of fear that makes it so much more potent. It takes every ounce of self-control not to pull her into my arms and claim her right here.

“Hazel,” I say softly, “I know something’s wrong. Let me help you.”

She shakes her head, backing away from me, knowing I can smell it on her. “You can’t help, Carter. No one can.”

I let her go, giving her the space she wants. This game is about her trusting me and remembering what good friends we once were before she ripped my fucking heart out. “Try me. What’s going on?”

For a moment, I see her waver. She bites her lip, clearly worrying about whether to open up to me.

“I...” she starts, then stops. “It’s nothing. Just stress.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Stress that has you smashing porcelain dolls and making doctor’s appointments for anxiety?”

Her eyes widen in shock. “You heard that?”

“I have good hearing,” I say with a shrug. “Hazel, please. Talk to me.”

She takes a deep breath, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I think... I think I’m losing my mind.”

I keep my expression neutral, even as triumph surges through me. “What makes you think that?”

“I keep seeing things,” she whispers. “Flashes of movement in the shadows. This masked figurine that appeared out of nowhere, things in my house out of order... I just... I just...” She looks up at me with those big green eyes, and I have to forcibly harden myself against the love I feel for her. If I cave, Noah and especially Zach will cave.

But would that be the worst thing?

I stifle the growl and clench my jaw, grinding my teeth together.

“You just what?” I ask when she stops talking.

“I just need to get checked out,” she says flatly.

I know my response put the brakes on whatever she was going to say, and I curse myself. Smiling, I try to look friendlier. “I’ll walk you to the doctor. I’m here for you, Hazel.”

Hazel’s eyes widen in surprise at my offer. “You don’t have to do that, Carter. I’m sure you’re busy.”

I wave off her concern. “I’ve taken some time off work. I’m trying to... find myself.”

She hesitates, clearly torn. I can see the loneliness and fear warring with her instinct to keep me at arm’s length. Finally, she nods. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Of course,” I say smoothly. “What time is your appointment?”

“Eleven-thirty,” she replies.

I check my watch. “We’ve got some time then. Why don’t you tell me more about what’s been going on?”

Hazel bites her lip, her gaze darting around the empty shop. “I... I don’t know where to start.”

“The beginning is usually a good place,” I say gently.

She hesitates for a moment before she says, “It started small. Things were out of place in my house. Nothing major, just... off. Then I started feeling like I was being watched. There was this incident with a card and photo of me sleeping, but when I went to the police about it, the card was blank, and there was no photo.” Her breath hitches. “I think I’m losing my mind.”

I nod encouragingly, fighting to keep my expression neutral. “That must be frightening.”

“It is,” she admits. “I keep seeing things that aren’t there.” She glances down at the bin. “Is that really there?”

Frowning, I glance where she is looking. “The figurine? Yeah, it’s there.”

“So where did it come from?” Her voice breaks, and she moves away from me, away from the doll. She is shaking, and I have to hide the smile that our plan is working. But then she chokes on a sob, and I close my eyes, feeling heartbroken—for her, for us, for the way she left us.

“Hazel,” I say, turning to her. “Why don’t you come and stay with me for a while? I’ve rented a house about a two-minute walk from here. You would still be here in the village, just having a change of scenery.” The words spill out in a rush, and I can’t stop them, even if I want to. This plan, this whole plan, was based on long-distance contact. Rutting with her the other day, being with her that way, seeing her now, hearing her fear, it is tearing me apart, and I can’t do it anymore.

Hazel’s expression turns panicked. “Stay with you? Carter, I don’t know.”

I can see the conflict in her eyes, but I press on, knowing this is our chance.

“Just for a little while,” I say gently. “Until you feel more stable. You shouldn’t be alone right now, Hazel.”

She bites her lip, considering. “What about the shop?”

“It’s right here. You can still come every day. But you’ll have somewhere safe to go back to afterwards. I’ll even walk you here and pick you up if that makes you feel safer. I hate seeing you this way.” The guilt rears up, but I push it back down. What’s done is done. Now, I just have to convince Noah that the plans have changed. Zach won’t be too much of a challenge. Part of me thinks the good demons want out of this arrangement.

Hazel’s shoulders slump slightly as some of the tension leaves her body. “Carter... I... that actually sounds nice,” she admits quietly.

I have to fight to keep the triumph from showing on my face. “Then it’s settled. We’ll go to your appointment, then when you come back here, I can go and make some arrangements. I’m a little unfurnished right now.”

“Oh, Carter, no. I don’t want to put you out. It’s fine. Really.”

“You aren’t putting me out. You are merely encouraging me to make some foundations I was perhaps putting off.”

She nods slowly. “Are you sure?”

“More than.”

“Okay. Thank you, Carter. I’ve missed having someone to lean on.”

“That’s what friends are for,” I say with a reassuring smile, wondering how in the hell I’m going to furnish an entire house in a couple of hours. “Let me run some errands about the furniture, and then I’ll walk you to your appointment in a bit.”

She nods, and I force myself not to hug and kiss her but instead walk away, gripping my phone as I dial the lesser of two evils, Zach, to help me furnish the house so it looks lived-in in under a few hours.