Alpha Moretti

Chapter 23

He's here.

He's actually here, in Ohio.

I'm not sure whether to be glad or upset. I have no idea what to feel right now.

Our eyes catch each other, and it's like they're magnets. We can't pull away.

I became good at reading his emotions back in Italy. But now it's like I never learned.

I snap out of it when I hear my dad clear his throat.

"Liam?" He breaks our intense stare down.

I look away from Ansaldo and to my dad. "Can you see him?" I point to my 'mate'

He raises a questioning eyebrow. "Yes? Are you feeling alright Liam?"

So I wasn't going insane.

This wasn't a hallucination.

He is actually here.

Vessel purred in relief and happiness.

But me, I scowled.

"Li?" Ansaldo says my name out of concern, and it sends shivers down my spine.

I can tell he felt satisfaction knowing he still has an effect on me. He smirked a little.

"I'm perfectly ok." I say through gritted teeth, and turn to leave the room.

I'm making my way down the hall when I hear footsteps behind me, and the overwhelming, amazing, smell of Ansaldo.

I force myself to walk faster, even though it pains me.

But no one needs to know that.

I wrap my arms around myself for some feeling of security. Not sure why it helps so much.

I almost make it to my room unbothered until I feel his hand on my shoulder.

I turn around and face an almost distraught Ansaldo.

"Li," is all he says. It seems it's all he can say.

Never have I ever felt before this immense sense of longing and wanting to be held by him so abruptly.

"What are you doing here?" I weakly say.

His face softens.

He can tell.

He can see how much pain I'm in.

It shows with the dark bags under my eyes. My unkempt hair. My small frame. My pale skin.

He tries to pull me into him, but I shove myself away.

I hiss when that makes my mark burn horribly.

I assume I'm not getting an answer to my question as to why he's here, so I turn around and walk into my room.

This time he doesn't stop me.

I lock the door behind me, and slide down to the floor. I pull my knees to my chest and I begin to cry.

I attempt to muffle all the pain and frustration behind them, but it works for only a small time.

I lay down on the floor, my back against the door, and slowly fall asleep with tears wetting my face.

Somehow, I knew he was still on the other side of the door, doing the same thing.

———

It's the next day, and I somehow managed to avoid Ansaldo all afternoon.