The Alpha Assassin novel Chapter 25

Shock rippled through me, rooting me to the spot. I had to be wrong, but I knew, I knew I wasn’t. Logic fought with my emotions, nothing made sense, and I was abruptly pulled back to that dark place where only pain and confusion existed. My fiery anger was quelled completely by grief.

We have to go - My wolf sounded far away, but she was right.

Just start walking - She pleaded. Did I not?

I looked down, and my feet were still rooted to the dark fraying carpet. I swallowed and forced them to move. They felt heavy and wouldn’t do what I wanted. I didn’t walk away, I broke into a run, and I couldn’t stop.

I ran down the stairs, through the front hall, and out the front door I hadn’t used in Goddess knew how long. I didn’t know if I passed anyone. I didn’t care how I looked. My mask shattered completely, and I left it on the floor of the hallway outside that office.

I ran into the woods, brambles tugged at my dress, and my hair ripped through twigs. I wished I could have felt any of that at the moment, any sense of physical pain to take away this emotional riptide.

I stumbled over a rock or fallen tree or maybe just nothing, and I sank into the cold ground and screamed.

My breathing was erratic. I had no control over it anymore. I thought I might suffocate as I choked on sobs. I couldn’t get enough air.

“Simone,” a soft buttery voice called to me. It was the only thing I heard outside myself. Where were all the other sounds? At least, that was a rational thought.

I took heaving breaths, trying to keep myself alive. But for what?

I closed my eyes and saw them lying there in their own blood.

I forced them open again and saw the dark forest floor littered with leaves and the tip of familiar worn, polished, black boots.

“Simone.”

He knelt before me, and warm, calloused fingers gently gripped my chin, tilting my head back. His mismatched eyes were filled with a sort of sadness that I hadn’t seen from him before. Maybe he was capable of more emotion than he let on.

I swallowed.

“Are you okay?” I studied him, my brows tugged together. He took a deep breath, scanning my face, and dropped his hand. “That was stupid. I don’t know why I asked.” He ran a hand through his long chestnut brown hair. It was unbound and hung over his shoulders. I wondered where he had come from.

“How did you find me?” I croaked, frowning at my voice.

The corner of his lips twitched up. “You didn’t go far,” he said.

“I’m in the forest,” I explained.

“Yes,” he agreed. “You ran past the training ground.” I frowned. “Don’t worry, I was there alone,” he said, answering my unspoken question.

Now that the immediate shock wore off, I was feeling extremely stupid. How many people saw me? What did they see? It was evident my uncle - I couldn’t call him that anymore… It was evident Miles had seen me, but he didn’t know I had seen him. I hoped.

“Fuck,” I muttered. “Fuck!” I screamed, digging my hands into the earth and hanging my head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. I looked up at him and glared. “I’ll be here if you do.” He leaned back against a tree, looking the picture of unbothered confidence.

“Is this part of your plan?” I asked. “Find me vulnerable and try to get me to admit to something I couldn’t have possibly done?” I spat. I pretty much admitted to it earlier, but I was angry, and I couldn’t take it out on anyone else.

“I’m not the bad guy,” he whispered, frowning. “I told you that.”

“And I’m to trust you with my secrets? With my pain?” I seethed

“You don’t have to believe me, I thought-”

“You thought you could fix me like some of your big problems.” I pushed myself to my knees. “Make up for your bloodied past by being a kind-hearted mercenary that protects morals.”

His jaw tightened, and something flashed across his face. He averted his gaze from me for the first time ever. “That’s not fair,” he said.

I wanted a fight, I wanted to yell to shout to scream at something, at anything, and he wouldn’t give me it. I glared at him, but he only sat unwaveringly still.