Exiting the police station, my thoughts were consumed with Robert and the events that had just transpired. The officers took swift action and dispatched him to the hospital, but the mysterious cause of the ceiling collapsing directly on top of him lingered in my thoughts.
Charlie tried to lighten the mood with a quip, "I guess the ceiling just didn't like him." However, I couldn't bring myself to laugh.
Despite the hurtful things Robert had said, I wouldn't wish harm on him. He sustained a serious injury.
I hoped that he would be okay and that the doctors at the hospital would be able to help him recover quickly.
As I made my way to the car, I could see the concern in Charlie's eyes. He knew something was weighing heavy on my mind and offered to drive me home. The drive was mostly silent, but every so often, Charlie would try to lighten the mood by cracking a joke or two. However, I was in no mood to laugh. I was too preoccupied with thoughts of Robert and the recent events that had transpired.
As Charlie and I drove down the road, his words were filled with rage towards Mr. Green's father. He couldn't comprehend how Robert could even think that I had something to do with his son's death. Charlie was always protective of me, and the thought of someone trying to harm me made him boil with anger.
"Tell me, did your professor really try to force himself on you?" Charlie asked, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
I felt my heart race, and I took a deep breath. "He called me to his office and started touching me and trying to kiss me," I finally confessed.
"That son of a b*tch!" Charlie's voice was filled with raw emotion. "Did you tell the police?"
"No," I replied. "I was too afraid of what might happen. I didn't want to make things worse."
"I can't believe that people like that still exist, " Charlie said, shaking his head in disgust. He took a deep breath and looked over at me. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I wish I could have been there to protect you."
I could see the regret in his eyes, and I reached over to place a hand on his shoulder. "You're here now, and that's what matters," I said, trying to reassure him.
Charlie's anger was palpable, but I knew that he loved me and that he would always protect me. In that moment, I felt grateful for having him as my brother.
I kept my silence, and it wasn’t until we approached the turn onto our street, I finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Charlie, I need to tell you something," I began, taking a deep breath.
He looked at me with curious eyes and nodded for me to continue.
"It’s about Mr. Green," I said, gathering the courage to finally speak up.
"Yeah, what about him?" Charlie responded, looking at me with a furrowed brow.
"Well, I saw something that I haven't told anyone else about. Kael was standing behind him, and I can't shake the feeling that he might have pushed Mr. Green," I said, my voice shaking with the weight of my revelation.
Charlie's eyes widened in shock. "And let me guess, you didn’t tell the police about that either."
"Yes. I didn't want to point fingers without any solid evidence. And I'm the only one who saw Kael there, and it's been weighing on me ever since," I replied, feeling a sense of relief from finally getting it off my chest.
"Dahlia…"
I looked down, feeling guilty for not speaking up sooner. "And I guess... I was scared," I replied. "I didn't want to get involved and make things worse. Kael isn’t someone you don't want to cross."
Charlie nodded understandingly, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad you told me. We'll figure it out together," he said, giving me a reassuring smile.
As we pulled into the driveway, a creeping sense of unease washed over me. It felt like someone was keeping a close eye on me, and I just couldn't shake it off.
I kept glancing over my shoulder, expecting to see Kael lurking somewhere, but there was no sign of him. The more I thought about what had happened at the police station, the more I realized that I had gotten myself more involved with Kael.
"You know, if Kael did push your professor, I think he did it to protect you," Charlie said, breaking the silence between us. "And I would have done the same thing to that a*shole."
"You think so?" I asked.
"Well, you are Kael’s woman. His mate. Think of it this way: if someone dared to take advantage of my woman, I would have done the same thing," Charlie said matter-of-factly.
I was taken aback by my brother's words. I still had not thought of myself as "Kael's woman," or "his mate" but the thought brought a warm feeling to my chest. I felt protected, like a shield had been placed around me.
Although I didn't see Kael today, I could feel his presence, like a comforting hand on my shoulder. I was grateful for his protection and felt a sense of comfort knowing that I was not alone in this dangerous world.
"I'm his mate," I said again, a smile threatening to appear on my lips.
"Yeah. And you said so yourself, your professor was dirty man who forces himself on his students. That man was a monster, and who knows what he would have done to you if Kael hadn't intervened."
I shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Kael hadn't been there to protect me. Suddenly, I had never felt so grateful to anyone in my life. But at the same time, I was worried that Kael's actions might come back to haunt him.
"Do you think Kael will get in trouble for what he did?" I asked my brother, my voice trembling.
"I don't know, Dahlia," Charlie said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "But I do know one thing, Kael might just be the strongest and most powerful Alpha to be able to do the things he did. If anyone tries to come after him, they will regret it."
As I stepped out of Charlie's car, I stumbled, my right foot catching on the door frame. I went down hard, my hands smacking against the pavement. Charlie was quick to catch me and help me regain my balance. He put his arm around me, supporting me as we walked into the house.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice. I hesitated for a moment, my lower area swelling.
I didn't want to worry my brother or share the details of what happened to me in the forest with Kael last night, but he seemed to already know something was off.
"I’m okay. I just tripped," I told him.
I was exhausted, so I eagerly hopped onto the couch when we got inside, sinking into its cushy comfort. Charlie stood there for a moment, his gaze intense as he inspected me.
"Last night at the forest, you and Kael had s*x again, didn’t you?" As he asked bluntly, I felt a flush creep up my cheeks. "I can always tell when something's going on with you."
I was grateful for Charlie, who had always been there for me as my only family. Growing up as an orphan, he was the only person I had in the world, but I still felt embarrassed talking about intimate things with him.
But he was more than just a brother to me, he was my rock and my confidant.
"Tell me…what’s wrong? What is it you’re feeling?" he asked. "You know, I'm good at what I do."
"Just a little discomfort. A little swelling, I guess."
Charlie, being the gynecologist that he is, quickly took action when I mentioned my discomfort. He picked up a small purple tube from his bag and threw it toward me.
"What’s this?" I asked, checking the tube. My eyes widened when I read what it was. "Why are you giving me lubricant?"
"Because you’re a virgin and it’ll hurt until you’re finally in tune with your own body and you’ve fully opened up to him." He chuckled, winking at me.
"Okay, Charlie. But WHY are you giving me this?"
"Because, I guess, you’ll be having s*x more now that you’re a mate to an Alpha. And, as a professional doctor, I think I should suggest you might as well enjoy it."
I rolled my eyes, not in the mood for his teasing, but Charlie was relentless. He continued to make jokes about what I did with Kael in the forest.
I threw a throw pillow at him, hitting him square in the face.
Charlie stumbled backward, pretending to be hurt, and then suddenly lunged forward. I giggled as I ran away from him, trying to dodge his playful jabs. We chased each other around the living room, giggling and laughing, until we were both exhausted and fell onto the couch in a fit of laughter.
As the laughter died down, I felt grateful for the moment of lightheartedness. With everything that was happening, it was a welcome distraction to be able to act like kids again and just enjoy each other's company.
"Do you think Kael would allow me to use the lubricant?" I said, still giggling as I caught my breath.
"Oh, sis, what kind of question is that?" Charlie replied. "I can’t believe you’re too innocent sometimes."