An Alpha's Favor

Chapter 7: Leaving

-Angela-

“I … I don’t understand,” I said. ”I thought I was going to stay here.”

I was sitting on my bed, clutching the sheets tightly as I looked at my brother. He was standing by the door. He had only entered a minute ago, quickly explaining everything, and for every word that came out I was more and more confused. I felt so lost. It was hard enough to wrap my head around the fact Hunter Dayton was my mate, but now he demanded that I leave with him. He even used the favor the king owed him in order to get what he wanted. It didn’t even matter that I had an opinion on my own. He would just take me, and no one could do anything about it.

“That was the plan, Speedy. Really, but-“

“But then he cashed in that stupid favor … and now I am going to England with him.”

“If there was anything I could do-“

“But there is!” I said and got up from the bed. “You can tell him to go to hell! I am not leaving!”

At first, I didn’t want to even let my brother know I was here, and now I didn’t want to leave him. I crossed my arms and tried standing my ground. I hated that my brother was at the receiving end of my anger, the broken look in his eyes hurt me. But I refused to just be thrown around because two kings had shaken hands and I was the property being given from one to the other. I was not a thing!

“Do something at least!” I yelled at him.

“I tried!”

“Tried?!”

“I … threw myself at him …”

“That is all?” I asked. “Why didn’t you tell him no?!”

“I did, Speedy!”

“Well, he must somehow have convinced you, because why else would you be here?!” I sneered and turned around, giving him the cold shoulder.

He sighed deeply and I heard him walk closer, but he didn’t touch me. He just stood behind me, and all I wanted was to turn around and just have him hug me again. Once wasn’t enough. I needed him to make me feel safe again. I had been so alone and so scared. I just needed my big brother, but now I was being shipped to England instead. An entire ocean would be between us then and not just one border.

“Speedy …”

Slowly, I felt his hand on my shoulder, but I didn’t turn around and he didn’t push me.

“He can protect you … better than I can.”

His voice turned into a whisper at the end, and I turned around confused.

“What do you mean? Who better than you?” I asked.

“Because I am no longer alpha. I don’t rule over anything. Of course, the king will help, but … our father has tried crushing him once, that is what he plans to do again. Without a doubt … am I right?”

I looked at the ground and then nodded.

“He is planning something for all of you … and I am the key to all of it,” I told him.

“He has someone planned for you?” he asked.

I nodded, and he sighed even deeper, leaning his head back a little, looking at the ceiling and then at me.

“That is why if you go to England, you will at least be safe. You will be far away from his reach. Hunter is like a king over there. He has power. Our father can’t get close to you.”

“I am not so sure …” I whispered.

“Speedy, you need to go with him. As his mate-“

“He told you?!” I asked, looking up at him.

I just thought Hunter had demanded that I go with him, but clearly our bond had been revealed too.

“He did, and that is probably the only reason I am really letting you leave, because I know what it means finding your mate. I know what it means wanting to do everything to make sure they are safe. He won’t let anything bad get close to you.”

“And what about him? He is bad … who will protect me from him?!”

“If there is anything that happens, I will be right there, I promise you. You just call me, and I will come get you! I will bring the king and his entire pack!” he told me, shaking me a little. “I won’t let anything bad ever happen to you again.”

“I’m scared, Chris,” I whispered.

“I know,” he said, pulling me close for a hug. “But I will only be a phone call away. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not even him.”

I wrapped my arms around him, and we just stood there. A year apart … it was awful, and now I had to leave again. Now I had to leave with a stranger to a strange country that I had never before been in … how did I do this without falling apart?

“You will be okay,” he said, pulling back and running a hand down my hair.

I wasn’t sure if he was saying it for my sake or for his own, because it looked like he needed to be reassured as well.

“I … don’t have my phone anymore,” I said.

He smiled a little and then said:

“I will fix that right away. You wait here until I come back.”

I nodded, and then he left. I walked over to the bed again and sat down. I didn’t want to leave. All I wanted was to take a shower, change my clothes and then sleep for days, but clearly that wasn’t happening.

-Hunter-

She was just something out of a dream. She was … heavenly. She walked by her brother’s side, not really able to look at me, as she came down the stairs, still wearing the same clothes and nothing but a jacket in her hand, but that was okay. I would make sure clothes and everything else she might need would be prepared for her before we even got back.

Angela came to stand in front of me, her brother shooting me a hard glare, but I only saw her. Slowly her eyes wandered upwards, and I loved how she took all of me in before finally meeting my eyes. She was a bit fearful, but she was a born luna and meeting my eyes was not hard for her, yet still she quickly looked away and then wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck, hugging him hard. He wrapped his own arms around her, and more people arrived, ready to tell her goodbye. I didn’t mind her hugging the females, but when this Lucian pulled her in for a hug, I growled a low warning, and he shot me a deadly glare before releasing her.

“Just call me,” he said. “You know I will be there as fast as I can.”

I growled again, not able to form any words. He wasn’t the one who was going to be there for her. He didn’t get to make such promises. I was now the one taking care of her and protecting her, and still she just nodded and shot him a sweet smile. Sh*t, I hoped she would give me one of those as well, because I longed to see it again.

She then turned to me and straightened her back and her chin up, as if she was ready to “meet” her fate. I smiled a little and then turned around, her walking beside me. We walked outside and then over to our cars. I opened the door in her side and held it for her. She just looked at me a little skeptical, but then went inside. I closed the door and walked over to the other side, climbing into the backseat with her.

I looked over at her when we were inside, but she just turned away, crossed her arms and looked out of the window.

“Seatbelt,” I said.

She looked at me, not believing I was really telling her to, but when I narrowed my eyes slightly, she did as I told her and grabbed the seatbelt, even if it was with very big and annoyed movements, and clicked it shut.

“There,” she said.

“Well done, love,” I said and reached over, running my finger over her chin.

It was electrifying just touching her a little, but she quickly moved back and turned away again. It would clearly take some time convincing her that she could truly trust me. I was painted as the bad guy, and I didn’t really mind, but when it came to her, I wanted her to think of me as someone she could put her complete trust in and know she would never have to be afraid of me.

“Why am I the only one having to wear a seatbelt?” she suddenly asked, turning to me, as we slowly drove away.

“Because I am telling you to.”

“That makes no sense,” she said, and just looked at me annoyed, which made her look so very adorable.

I reached over once again and grabbed a small lock of her long blond hair that reached down to her waist. It was even softer than I had imagined, but I didn’t get to touch it for long before she pulled it away, letting it run free of my fingers.

“You are the most precious thing here,” I told her.

“I am not a thing!” she sneered.

“No, you are my mate, and I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing can harm you. So, if we do get into a car crash, you will be safely secured to the seat.”

She seemed to understand a little better why I had told her to wear it, but we didn’t speak much else. The whole car ride to Seattle Airport she was quiet, and as we arrived in front of the private jet, and we walked out of the car, she suddenly had more to say.

“I … I have changed my mind.”

She looked up at the stairs leading inside the plane. I was on the other side of the car, looking over at her and smiling a little.

“I want to go back!” she said. “I am taking my chances!”

I walked around the car and over to her side. She backed up against the car, trying to pull the door open, but it was locked.

“I will take my chances!” she repeated.

I shook my head and before she knew it, I had her thrown over my shoulder, securing one arm over her legs, while holding the cane in my other hand.

“Too late to change your mind now,” I told her.

“Put me down!” she yelled, punching my back, even if it felt like a pillow being thrown at me. “Hunter!”

That was the first time she said my name, and I could only say I wanted to hear it again … and again … and again, and hopefully spoken much slower, as she moaned it. I smiled at the thought, as I walked over to the airplane with her screaming and thrashing around. This was going to be very interesting.