HEAT

Part five

"Uh-uh...Collete," I whispered, grabbing Collete's forearm. She turned to me with a cautious leery look. Her mouth was set in a dangerous grim line.

"He's staring," I said as my hold on her arm tightened.

She growled and threw his Alpha the irreconcilable glare to which the latter did not return, as his faculty of sight pensively drinking me in it was eerie.

Frightened, I buried my face on Collete's back. A snarl reverberated louder than anyone had made in the room, assaulted my ears, sending me to an abyss of somersault fear.

Vardano growled loudly, escorted by Collete's ominous guttural sound coming from her throat as I felt all the hair on my body stand at attention. When everybody's power sent forth off them as they stood in a fighting stance, it was overwhelmingly chilling.

I thought my heart was gonna explode from perfervid fear, but the benevolence and chivalry Collete and his mate had pledged to me, had my heart deluged asunder, swelling my heart to the extent of bursting. Consequently, the stingings at the back of my eyes were painfully scorching, forcing my tears to rupture as I sobbed in fear.

Collete and her mate would not stand against them. They were stronger compared to just the two of them. Their protectiveness over me was soul-stirring and I couldn't endanger them nor make them hostile toward their own pack.

"ENOUGH!" Everyone whimpered in fear of the Alpha's thunderous, compelling bellow.

Laying down their arms, they retreated from their fighting stance and, by acquiescence, their heads bent on the side, submitting to their Alpha, making the energy in the room subside from its spine-chilling undercurrent.

"Everybody out!" He commanded. Many were compelled and scurried their way out. However, Collete and Vardano still remained, as well as the redhead woman. The latter shot me an icy glare, skinning me alive as if I could be pulverized by it.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he snarled.

"And what? so you can hurt her?" It was Collete who was still caging me from behind.

"Are you asking me, Collete? I'll deal with it myself and this should not concern you. Leave her to me." He said firmly.

"But--"

"I said leave her to me," he bruskly said. "And stop fretting, I won't do anything to her. You get it?"

Collete nodded and I thought I would cry. She would leave me with their Alpha. Why?

"Collette-" I couldn't help the feeble sound I made as I grabbed her shirt. Vardano took my arms off her.

"He won't hurt you and we have his word. He's our Alpha." He assured me.

"But he is not my Alpha," A lone tear escaped from my eyes. I was really scared. "Please, don't leave me with him...Please..." My heart ached.

"Shh, listen to me. He won't hurt you. He said so. I have to believe him, Tasha." She hugged me to her chest. I forced myself to stop crying at once. I trusted her and if she said so, then I would.

They walked to the door and I felt like crying again.

"Such a crybaby," the redheaded woman ridiculed hotly at my expense. Collete instantaneously turned her back angry and Vardano followed suit, seeming alarmed.

"Why aren't you coming out? You heard the Alpha or have your ears deafly comprehended the order, haven't they? " Collete said with a sting. The redheaded woman snapped her eyes at Collete, peeved, but then, she mockingly smiled.

"Well, I can stay. I-"

"I said out," Alpha said coldly, interrupting whatever she wanted to say.

Her expression changed from surprise, probably from the coldness his eyes were giving her to palpable teasing. And she went on as she approached him flirtatiously. I thought I would roll my eyes. I was sure I was prettier than her. Oops, why was I annoyed?

"We can both try her on, Alpha. We'll see what her painless end will be like," she said suggestively, rounding the table to squirrelly approach him. "I would enjoy every minute of it, seeing this rouge losing her breath. We'll-"

"Enough!" he said sternly. His voice was clipped.

"But-" Her protest was cut by his growl.

"Don't make me repeat myself, you won't like it," his eyes flickered and darkened.

Fear crossed her eyes for a second and then inhaled exasperatedly as she made a turn and reluctantly strolled to the door, apparently grazing Collete's shoulder to her amusement, winking at me.

Vardano smirked, obviously enjoying the redheaded woman's source of irritation.

Sending me her warm smile, the door swallowed her and Vardano completely.

I sighed but gasped when I felt strong hands gripping my hips, sending heat through the thin material of the white gown I was wearing.

What was he doing? And why did I feel so nervous? Fear should have been the most prominent feeling but it wasn't. Now that we were alone. Fear was no longer my concern.

"How old are you?" I gasped when I felt all the hair on my skin stood at attention as his breath seeped through my ears when he leaned and whispered dangerously close.

Poor Thumper. Thumper had been the recipient of my unconscious adverse physical response every time I had to clutch onto something.

I remembered he wasn't the type of person who wanted to repeat the same question, so I answered him.

"I'm...I'm 17. I'll be...I'll be 18 in three months." My voice was forced due to the unknown feelings his close proximity insufflated me.

He hummed seemingly in approval. Why?

"Are you scared?" he asked.

"No," I said, but immediately gulped down the liquid in my throat when he growled disapprovingly. But it was true. I wasn't afraid. I was...I was...I couldn't grasp a word to describe it.

"Hmmm..." And he stepped away.

He went to his chair, which left me confused and bothered by his actions. Wasn't he supposed to put me through spaces then rid of me, because I was a rogue?

The chair screeched when he dragged it. Leisurely, he took a seat and looked at me with his hooded eyes.

"I will allow you to stay, but wherever you go, you'll be with Collete, otherwise you'll get hurt," he said.

"And why do you care?" I gave him a raise of one of my eyebrows.

"I don't care. I just don't want Collete to spill some blood," he reasoned.

"But if I weren't with Collete, there wouldn't be drawing some blood, she wouldn't have to," I said.

"Don't get smart with me, little mouse." His expression darkened. "Forget not that you are in my holding, whatever one in my pack does to you, you will have yourself to blame for you are a rouge. Would they hesitate to kill you? No. They'd be obliged. You don't want that, do you?"

That sent a cold shiver down my spine.

"Then, how can I trust you, that you are not one of those who want me dead? "

"Because I trust Collete. Whatever she sees in you, whatever reasons she has to protect you, she's in it. And I just can't bring myself to kill my beta and her mate for protecting you." He said with eyebrows knitted together as if he himself was confused also. But I saw more in his eyes. It was conflicting.

I sighed exhaustedly. For now, I had Collete to be greatly thankful for. She saved me. Her mate too.

A knock on the door startled me. Collete came in. She smiled at me warmly. I smiled back.

"You'll come with me," she said. I just nodded, still dazed by the earlier unwelcome levee. I threw Alpha one last glance only to make my breath hitch when I found his fixated stare at me. It was deep in the surface and intriguingly carnal.

I immediately shook my head.

Collete saw what I did and a mysterious smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"I'm going to enjoy this," she said, which I found unclear.