42. Belle

Troy is barely home these days, staying out late every single night until the early hours of the morning, and when he comes home, he always reeks of booze.

But I would take the scent of booze over Francis any day, and I count my lucky stars that the Alpha hasn"t run into that Beta again.

I don"t know what I would do if Francis found me.

I would probably fall apart or freeze in terror if I ever had to lay eyes on him again.

And the moment he rings that bell, I wouldn"t even be able to stop him.

I wouldn"t even know how.

Because I would be under his thrall, doing his evil bidding yet again, and he may even make me hurt the pack.

He may make me hurt Rian…

My heart pounds, and I roll onto my side to stare at the Omega in question.

He"s been staying in my room, sharing my bed with me, and I close my eyes, snuggling closer as I recall all the times back in Francis"s apartment when I dreamed of having someone to sleep beside me and keep me warm.

Rian is another Omega, and I"m not sure if that is normal.

Those fictional books he got me only told me so much. But in the end, that was all they were.

Works of fiction.

Pure imagination.

As I breathe in his baby powder scent, wondering how I ever lived this long without experiencing something as pure as this, I hear a crash.

And it seems like I"m the only one who hears it too.

Rian babbles in his sleep, turning over onto his side.

I listen out for the sound again, and just as I lay back down under the blankets, there comes another smash, and then someone shouts, "Fuck!"

Heart thumping, I tug away the blankets, deciding to investigate.

I"m sure it"s nothing, but I can"t help but be curious.

I reach the top of the stairs, hearing someone shuffling around in a drawer in the kitchen.

"Great. Fucking fantastic…"

It"s Troy, and I halt, wondering whether I should bolt back to my room.

He won"t want to see me, and he sounds flustered.

But I take one step down the stairs, and then another, and soon I"m at the threshold of the kitchen, peering behind the arch.

The Alpha has his back to me, so I can"t see what he"s doing.

There"s a smashed bottle on the kitchen island, and I back away, hoping he doesn"t scent me over the pungent odor of wine.

I must make a sound because Troy turns, and his glazed eyes go straight through me.

My body locks up in fear, and I"m too afraid to swallow.

When his vision adjusts and he finally recognizes me, he grits his teeth, returning to his task.

"What do you want?"

I move back toward the stairs. "I… was just leaving…"

But before I depart for my bedroom where Troy"s sleeping Omega awaits my return, I spy his bloodied hand.

"You"re hurt?"

He huffs an irritated sigh. "No shit."

So, that"s what he had been doing?

He"d been wrapping some bandages around his hand.

Well, trying to. They"re a mess.

Troy must have cut his hand on the glass, and he really is in a bad way.

For one, he is sporting a massive shiner, and his top lip is split.

He looks up again, taken aback to see me. "You"re still here?"

No more words are exchanged between us. He just continues to curse and mutter as he tries with all his might to bandage his injured hand in his drunken state.

I dare a step closer, and Troy"s back goes ramrod straight.

He watches me through hazed eyes, nostrils flaring.

I speak, "Here… let me help…"

My voice is so quiet, I may as well be a mouse.

The Alpha eyes me up and down for a moment. Then he rolls his eyes, beckoning me forward.

I"m so surprised at first, I don"t move. But when he throws me an impatient look, I step into the kitchen to assess his hand.

I have to ask for permission to touch his hand, and he reluctantly offers me his palm.

Now I"m like a mouse removing a thorn from a lion"s paw.

I just hope this story has a happy ending too.

Why can"t the mouse and the lion be friends after all?

I ignore the zap of electricity that thrums through my fingers the moment I touch his hand, and now we sit in total silence as I clean his cut and dress his wound.

Once I"m done, he inspects my work, nodding his approval with a grunt.

I guess that was a thank you.

Seeing no other reason to stick around, I decide to leave.

But then he brushes past me, and now I watch as he drops onto the couch.

I"ve never seen anyone fall asleep so quickly, but then I have never been drunk.

Francis never allowed me a drop of alcohol.

But if it smells like the spilled wine in the kitchen, then I guess I wasn"t missing much.

I suppose I should clean it all up. I don"t want any of the others to get injured by that glass.

But it can wait till morning.

Rian will be waiting for me.

Just as I reach the bottom step, I glance toward the couch where Troy is. Then I spy the bundled-up blanket on the other chair.

Well, I don"t want him to get cold…

So, I drape the blanket over the snoring Alpha, and I can"t look away from his face.

His nose is squashed up against the cushion, and it occurs to me that I have never seen him sleeping before.

The Alpha never would dare to be so vulnerable in front of me, and he must be really drunk.

He even let me dress his injured hand.

I may gaze a little longer than I should at his face, and my chest stings when I study his soft features.

All those taut, angry lines have vanished, and now he resembles a sleeping babe.

Maybe in another life, we could have been friends.

Maybe we could have been something more…

Troy would never want me like that, though.

He despises me.

Just as I pull away, his arm shoots out, and he grips my wrist with tight fingers.

His large hand swallows up my whole wrist, and I don"t move, I don"t speak.

Is he angry that I"d been lurking?

Troy doesn"t strike me as the Alpha who likes to be watched while he"s asleep.

He"s always been very cautious.

But then my blood roars when he mutters my name.

"B-Belle…"

I blink several times.

Is he calling out for me?

"Belle…"

My throat closes when I hear the longing in his voice, and then my eyes fill with tears.

Doeshe want me?

Nothing else happens for a while.

Finally, he lets go of my wrist, drifting back into a deep sleep once again.

I make a move for the stairs, but that"s when I spy the note by the door.

It"s addressed to me.

My lip shakes, and I step closer, reaching down to pick up the note.

I know that writing…

But how?

With trembling fingers, I open the note and tears splash the page when I read his words.

I"ve finally found you…

Did you really think you could escape me?

If it wasn"t for your obnoxious, drunken friend, then I never would have found you, my sweet Belle.

You should tell your friend to be more subtle the next time he wishes to inebriate himself. Because now I know everything about him… and his pack…

No. This has to be a nightmare. It"s not real.

I will give you a choice, Belle. If you come with me, then your drunken friend"s secret will die with him. And he and his Omega won"t get hurt.

But if you don"t. Then I will expose them both.

And he and the whole pack will be prosecuted. Possibly worse.

This is the least violent option.

This way, no one has to get hurt…

Your choice, Belle.

F.

P. S. Destroy this note.

I drop the note, placing my trembling palms over my eyes.

He found me…

As if I could ever escape him for long.

And this time, he is going to make me pay.

I can"t go back, but I have no choice.

If I don"t leave with him, he will expose the pack.

And then Rian will be taken away from his Alphas.

No. I won"t let that happen.

I have to go. I will not let any harm come to the pack.

But before I leave, I will write a little note of my very own.

They deserve that much.

So, I grab a pen and write a few simple words on a brand-new piece of paper.

I"ve already destroyed Francis"s note as per his instruction.

Dear Rian, Leo, Jeremy, and Troy…

I"m sorry, but I have decided to leave. I think it is for the best.

Thank you for everything.

Love Belle.

I leave the note on the kitchen island, then head for the door.

There, I spy him waiting for me in the trees, a monster lurking in the night.

There"s no missing the evil glint in his eyes.

This was the right choice.

At least this way, the pack will be safe.

Finally, I brave a step towards the Beta, bracing myself for a life of pain and misery.

But at least I got to know freedom for just a little while…

And love.

Thank you, Rian.