Chapter 8
Derek's
The single tear slid down her cheek very slowly. It looked like it didn't want to be there, but it couldn't stop itself from falling. Seeing that one drop of tears move across her skin struck something deep inside my chest. It was a raw feeling that I wasn't used to. For years, I had buried everything under layers of anger and absolute control. I was an Alpha. I was supposed to be hard. I was supposed to be untouchable. But looking at her, all that armor felt like it was starting to crack.
Before I could even think about what I was doing, my hands were on her face.
My thumbs moved across her skin, brushing away the wet tracks the tears had left behind. I was being gentle. I was being incredibly careful, as if she were made of thin glass that might shatter if I pressed too hard. It was a soft touch, the kind of touch I didn't think I remembered how to give anymore. My hands were large and scarred from years of fighting, and they looked huge against her small, pale face.
She looked straight up at me. Her eyes were wide and full of shock. She didn't pull away, but she looked completely open, like she was showing me every fear she had. For a moment, the entire world went quiet. I couldn't hear the sounds of the house or the men outside. I could only hear her shallow breathing and the heavy thumping of my own heart in my ears.
Then, reality hit me like a physical blow. I pulled my hands back quickly, as if her skin had actually burned my fingers. I took a large step away from her, putting as much space between us as the small room would allow. I had to get away before the wolf inside me used that closeness to take over.
The silence that filled the room now was heavy and uncomfortable. It felt like the air was too thin to breathe. Ema stood there, looking lost and confused. She was the one who finally spoke first.
"What… what am I supposed to do now?" she asked. Her voice was so small I could barely hear it.
I forced my face to go blank. I put on my mask of coldness again because it was the only way I knew how to survive.
"Rest," I said. The word came out sounding rough and gravelly. "Someone will bring you some food soon. You need to eat. Then you need to sleep. Don't try to do anything stupid."
I didn't wait for her to respond. I turned toward the door and started walking. I needed to get out of that room. I needed to get into the hallway and find some air that didn't smell like her. Her scent was everywhere. It was sweet and full of fear, and it was pulling at me like a magnet.
"sir."
Her voice stopped me in my tracks. I froze with my hand already on the door handle. I didn't turn around to look at her, but I could feel her eyes on my back.
"If I'm going to stay here," she said quietly, her voice trembling just a little bit, "I think I should know the name of the man who says he owns me."
A low laugh slipped out of my throat. It was a dark, bitter sound. I glanced back over my shoulder at her. She was standing in the middle of the room, looking brave despite how much she was shaking.
"Derek," I told her.
She gave a single, small nod. She swallowed hard, her throat moving as she gathered her courage.
"I'm Ema," she said.
A very small smile touched the corners of my mouth for a split second. I didn't let her see it for long.
"I know," I said.
Then I walked out and closed the door. Marcus was standing right outside in the hallway. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his face was calm, but I knew him well enough to know he had heard everything that happened inside. He didn't say anything, but he watched me with a curious look in his eyes.
"Get her some breakfast," I ordered Marcus. "I want her to have real food. Give her eggs, fresh fruit, and some bread. Whatever you think she'll actually eat. And make sure no one else touches that food but you. I want it delivered directly to her."
"Yes, Alpha," Marcus replied. He didn't ask any questions, which was why he was my most trusted man.
I walked away without another word. I went straight to my private office at the end of the hall. I stepped inside, shut the door, and turned the lock. I needed to be alone.
My gun was sitting right there on the desk. It was black, heavy, and fully loaded. It was a tool of death, something I understood much better than the feelings I had for the girl in the other room. I stared at it for a long time. Then, I reached out and picked it up.
The cold metal felt familiar in my hand. It was solid and real. I lifted the weapon slowly and pointed it toward the closed door. My finger hovered right over the trigger, feeling the tension of the spring.
Inside my head, the wolf started to snarl. He was angry. He was restless.
Why won't you touch her? the wolf asked. She's ours. She is our mate. We should go back there and claim her right now. Why are you acting like a coward?
"She's a human," I growled quietly to the empty room. "Humans break too easily. Humans die. I am an Alpha. I won't chain my life and my pack to something so fragile."
Fragile? The wolf let out a mocking laugh that echoed in my mind. She's much stronger than you think she is. She has lived through hell and she is still standing. She belongs to us, Derek. You can't change that.
"No," I snapped.
I slammed the gun down on the desk with a loud bang. I stood up and started pacing across the room. I went over to the window and gripped the wooden frame so hard that I heard the wood start to creak and moan. I stared out at the ground below, but I wasn't really seeing anything.
We've waited for years for this, the wolf said. His voice was full of a deep, ancient longing. Think about all the empty nights. Think about the empty bed. Now she is finally here, under our roof. She is crying because of us, and you choose to do nothing but hide in this office.
"Shut up," I whispered. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out his voice.
Make me, the wolf challenged.
I felt a sudden surge of anger. It wasn't directed at Ema, but at the beast inside me.
"You don't get to decide what we do," I snapped. "I am the one in control here. I am the one who makes the choices. Always."
The wolf growled again. You're not in control. You're just scared. She needs protection. She needs someone to comfort her. She needs to be touched. And look at you—you're shaking like a little pup.
Suddenly, a wave of sadness hit me so hard it almost knocked me off my feet. I remembered the look on Ema's face when she was crying. I remembered the way she flinched whenever I moved too fast. It hurt to know she expected me to cause her pain.
I had wanted to hold her. I had wanted to tell her that she was safe now. I wanted to promise her that no one would ever lay a finger on her again, not even me. I wanted to be her protector, not her nightmare.
But the reality was still there. She was human. In our world, humans were seen as weak. They were liabilities that enemies could use against an Alpha. I had seen entire packs destroyed because their leaders became soft and let their emotions lead them. I had promised myself a long time ago that I would never be one of those leaders. I would be strong. I would be cold.
My head started to spin. A sharp flash of pain went through my skull, making me stumble.
"Don't you dare try to take over," I whispered, gripping the edge of the desk.
Too late, the wolf replied. His voice sounded darker now, and much more powerful. I've waited long enough for you to man up. If you won't claim her, I will.
I felt my eyes start to burn. A dark red color began to fill my vision, turning the room into the color of blood. I staggered and grabbed the side of the desk to keep from falling. My hand was shaking violently. I watched in horror as my claws began to push through the skin of my fingertips.
"No—" I gasped.
The whole room seemed to tilt to the side. The darkness started to close in around the edges of my sight. I fought as hard as I could, but I was exhausted from the stress and the bond.
When I finally opened my eyes again, I wasn't the one in control anymore. I felt like I was trapped behind a thick sheet of glass. I could see everything, but I couldn't move my own arms or legs. I was just a passenger in my own body.
My body straightened up. My shoulders rolled back, looking broader and more dangerous. A slow, dark smile spread across my face—a smile that I didn't give.
I looked into the mirror on the wall. The person looking back at me had glowing red eyes and sharp fangs that showed behind his lips.
Thorne looked back at me from the glass. Thorne was the name of my wolf, the darker half of my soul.
He was in control now. And I knew exactly where he wanted to go.