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Chapter 15

Merry Christmas!!!

"I was trying to protect you," he said, quietly. "I hope you can see that, one day."

My head lifted and I peeked up at him, tracing the outline of his jawline as his words relayed through my thoughts. I didn't want to overthink, doubt his words. I feared being unwanted for so long, it was difficult to accept anything otherwise, but I wanted to trust in him. In us. I wanted to so much.

His head started to tilt down towards my stare and I quickly reverted my gaze away, hoping he didn't catch me admiring the small stubble on his chin. I  furrowed my eyebrows when I saw Alana and Helios' house come into view. I was almost positive the healers attended to people in the small hospital attached to the east wing of the pack house. My mother had to rush me there when I had gotten really sick when I was two years old. They had almost refused her service, but Luna Nyla demanded they care for me since I was just a baby.

"Aren't we going to the infirmary?" I asked after several seconds of debating whether I should speak up or not.

"We can't go there right now," Rowen said, taking the porch steps two at a time and knocking on the large front door, glancing behind his shoulder.

There was a sudden eruption of shouts coming from the direction of the pack house, puffs of smoke floating into the dark clouds in the sky. From a distance, it could be mistaken as a bonfire or another celebration...this pack had a lot, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was happening, especially since we just had an attack.

"What's wrong?" My stomach churned. Chaos rarely appeared in Northern Shadow. "Are we still under attack?"

"No." Was all he said before the door opened, revealing a dark haired older man I've only ever seen in pictures on the walls of the pack house. Our previous Alpha and my mate's father, Alpha Aszerian. He sent a hard glare in direction and I shrunk closer into Rowen, shivering at his icy eyes filled with burning hatred. I felt like gum at the bottom of a shoe.

Rowen slipped past him without acknowledgment and went straight into the well decorated living room, where a lady with long brown hair already sat on a dark gray couch, a medical bag by her side. She immediately stood and dipped her head deeply in a bow, almost dropping her bag as she stood to her feet.

"Alpha," she greeted, eyes glued to the floor.

He nodded at her and laid me on my back on the couch, my breath picking up at his close proximity to my face as he hovered over me. My eyes squeezed shut when he studied my face, heat rising from the base of my neck as I felt his lingering stare.

"Let go of my shirt, little one," he chuckled and I quickly let go in embarrassment, tucking my hands by my side.

"I'm sorry," I murmured sheepishly, ducking my head in the crease of the sofa.

"Hmm...unforgiven, but I'll reconsider it if you let me see those pretty eyes you've been hiding from me."

Before I could think of all the million thoughts that always flocked my brain, my eyes wandered from its safe place until they locked with his dark ones, warm crazy butterflies swarming my stomach. The corner of his lips tugged upward and his fingers brushed against my cheek.

"There she is," he said and my skin burned bright red, but I didn't dare look away. He looked almost...adorable like this and I strongly wanted to tell him. I wasn't sure how he would react though and I was still testing the waters around him.

He pushed his arm against the cushion to stand up straight, but something, or someone really, brushed past him and he suddenly fell on top of me, the sound of shuffling feet and loud voices filling the room. I hissed as his head slammed on mine, a sharp pain radiating to my jaw at the impact adding to the aching pain my body already suffered from. I reached up to touch my forehead, but a rippling pain sent through my limbs and I let out a low groan.