The Final Alpha

Chapter Four- Plan B Through Z

Aria's POV

A single arrow charged at Steele as he took it with no more than a grunt. The sharp edge lodged in his shoulder and he only pulled me harder behind him. Close enough to see the unnatural hunch he was making of a beast backed into a corner, but it was the first time I'd seen him do so in strength and not cowardice. If provoked for another second, I could visualize the bloodbath that would be left on campus. To keep from casting a light on the war of the underworld, I searched for options.

There were only two.

To go willingly.

Or by death.

"I'll-" I began to offer, imagining the path of least resistance to be the most fruitful for us all. It would give Steele a chance to escape to whatever life he came from before this. The sudden jolt of what that may be sent my eyes to him as I wondered what he had to go back to. He was alone. Because of my father and his brigade. The very same waiting for him to do so much as exhale before riddling him with arrows.

"Should have killed you on sight." One of Donovan's cohorts raised his bow, dropping it when it came to me. Steele noticed this and let out a growl before charging me through the smallest section of the crowd. Like a rough bowling ball barreling towards weak pins, he struck them through as if they didn't pierce him in the process. All the while, lifting me to shield me away from the arrows. The wind from pointed weapons grazed every inch of my skin left available, and still, my focus remained on him as he kept me close.

I was mesmerized by his strength and speed that I didn't pay attention to where we were until he set me in the groundskeeper shed on the very edge of campus. Even running at full speed, they wouldn't reach us for some time. Still, he peeked through the small curtain overlooking the only point of entry as I searched for a source of light that came from a pendulum of a loose bulb swaying between us.

"Steele…" I pulled my hand to my mouth at the sight of the pincushion made of his body. One arrow in his thigh and another trio in his left arm, one in his hand before he'd lifted me, and the one in his shoulder when we were first spotted. He still acted as if they'd been minor grazes and didn’t stain and drip down his entire chest.

"Do they hurt?".I asked while tugging. He watched in expected silence before I broke the body of the projectile until it fell to our feet. One snap followed by an abandon of ricocheted wood as it was left with splinters. I winced at each movement until he rested his hands over my own. Eyes locked, he pulled the remainders out and we watched as they joined the others. The final echo of discarded wood shifted his eyes in a downcast before I was exiled from gravity.

I was in his arms again. This time to be lifted into the table before he dropped down to his knees. Ripping my jeans up to my knees without an ounce of struggle, he offered eyes of an apology before using a swift pull to free an arrow from my calf. At the same moment I gasped for breath to stay quiet, he pulled a series of objects from around us. I was in awe as he made a splint of leather and sticks that left the burning ache into one of passion by the time he got it off with his teeth. His palm holding my skin was responsible for those goosebumps as he looked up from his knees.

It was in the moment I stood that I noticed the holes of his shirt were open to bare, flawless, uninjured skin. He had already healed. My fingers came through the holes as his breath shuffled. And in the most inopportune of moments, my body set forward to close our distance. Without much of a plan or destination of impact, I simply wanted to soothe him as he’d done to me. Especially in knowing he’d been so wounded for protecting me.

"Hey! What are you doing in there? You can't be in there!" The groundskeeper corrected us as I hobbled away with Steele into the night.

We crossed campus away from The Legion, keeping to darkness, but identifiable for the practices I knew by heart. We continued before coming to the library where I helped us inside by the rear exit. It was already peppered with minimal students, but to those who were present, they magnetized to Steele. I rushed him through the stacks before we came to a reserve portion of forgotten books caked with dust.

Heaving while looking around the corner of the thick shelf to ensure we weren’t spotted, I noticed how his eyes changed to something melancholic. A different shade of gray became of his eyes. If I had to guess what it was, I’d estimate it was adrenaline as I swore at a certain angle there were flickers of amber somewhere in those slate irises staring down at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked as he pressed a hand to my hip and pushed harder against me. The sound of whispered voices made us stiffen.

"We cant-Oh God!" A whimper sounded as Steele narrowed his eyes between the shelves to a couple who stole a section of the library away as we had. Only they were shedding clothing just enough to gain access to what I had yet to experience. And yet with Steele pressed at my back, gripping the edge of the shelf as I’d braced my jaw, it seemed we were showing a first of different proportions.

I was no stranger to the ways of s*x as I was surrounded by it through everything from social media to the studies I held in psychology. And still, my thoughts of the couple were not of the anatomy or the feelings either experienced. Instead, it came from what Steele knew. Was he aware why his fingers dipped into her panties and rose and fell in that lustful crescendo? Did he know that it was a pleasurable groan that sent her fingers into his forearms with such desperation? But the question foremost on my mind? Did he imagine it was us instead of them like I was?

I turned to face the couple who were made up of dark shadows and limited light. But it was enough to watch him take her breasts in greedy grasps as she rubbed into his hand. Her hiked leg came to his hip as she began riding against him. All the while, I could feel Steele behind me, pinning me harder into the shelf before I pressed my legs together. He growled into my ear as if he knew and I was tempted to pull his fingers into my aching cleft, needing some semblance of peace. But instead, we watched on as the man lifted her against the books. The sound of his buckle echoed between them as the only interruption of their heavy breaths.

"f**k!" To this, Steele mirrored the word. Only by the movement of his lips as I could feel it against my cheek. At the same moment she gasped, I had done the same as Steele shifted enough to make the couple curious. With this, I pulled him away from the scene and further into the library. By the time either of them were dressed enough to peek at the couple running away, we would be long gone to scold.

"What the f**k happened to you two?" Brooke asked while rounding an abandoned section of the library. Never before had those wide hazel eyes narrowed with scrutiny had been so rewarding.

"It's a really long story and I promise I'll tell you everything later, but is there any way we can have you drive us to your family's cabin?" Her eyes flashes to Steele, who was holding me at my hips. His fingers just dusted my hip and it was enough to set me on fire, which was why I took a step forward as her eyes shifted to that same clutch. As soon as I moved, he stepped to my side, a hand splayed on my hip to now protect at least my side if he couldn’t have me behave beneath his silent command itself.

"If you need it for some love shack-" she narrowed her eyes.

"I promise I'll explain everything on the way. We just need to go now."

"This very second, now?"

"Now." I urged as she slowly nodded.

"Fine…But I want details. You’ll have the time since it’ll take about two hours anyway…"

I'd never told anyone about the Legion or my family's legacy. It was enough to die for once upon a time. It was a noble cause I saw to wear the same importance as the war on drugs or human trafficking. But by now, the laws broken in their eyes already meant they wanted me dead. And if I was asking Brooke for help, she deserved to know why. At least I could protect her when they asked where I’d disappeared to.