Chapter 8: Chapter Eight

My soul almost left my body at the sudden sound and harshness in the voice.  Leo clung to me tightly, his fingers digging into the skin on my thigh. My fingers found their way into his hair and I stroked him gently to calm him, ignoring the pain in my leg. I look at the newcomer, Alpha Xander, who looks mad as hell.

His lips upturned in a frown and his brows furrowed together just like that boy in that picture.

It was ridiculous enough that I thought the faceless boy in my dream looked like the alpha, but seeing that picture on the wall and the undeniable resemblance to Alpha Xander, I'm convinced it wasn't my mind playing games with me. It was alpha Xander. But how?

How could it be that we had met before when he was a boy?

"What the fuck are you doing here?" His harsh voice snapped me out of my confused thoughts.

I needed answers

"Have we met before?"

I questioned and it threw him off guard for a second, his frown became deeper and he looked like he was out for blood.

"Is that a failed attempt to get out of the fact that I caught you snooping?"

"I wasn't snooping, only staring at pictures ."

I huffed, annoyed by his accusation.

"Then pray tell me what the fuck you're doing in a restricted part of this house?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know that?"

"You fucking ask. You aren't here to play visitor. As far as I'm concerned, you're still a filthy rogue who managed to deceive my son into thinking you are something more than a killer."

"I'll not have you speak to me in that manner," I said through barely controlled rage.

"You do not have a say on what I can and cannot do in my own home. You are required to stay in your room where I cannot see you, not snooping through places you have no business entering."

"Do you fucking listen at all? I just said..." Leo's loud wail cuts me off and I turn to him.

"Shit!" I mumble under my breath and drop to my knees immediately to console him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout but he didn't want to listen," His wails got louder and his father dropped to his knees beside him.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice. I didn't mean to frighten you." He apologized and I was surprised by the gentle tone he used. Leo on the other hand didn't care in the slightest. He was upset by what happened and his loud wails were his way of letting it known.

"I'm sorry Leo," I said in a calm voice already feeling frustrated not getting through to him.

"I'm sorry" I apologized again, my voice cracking this time and that did the trick.

Leo stopped crying.

A flood of relief washed through me and my shoulders slumped. He wrapped his arm around my neck, burying his face there. I lifted him, holding him against my chest and then I glared at Alpha Xander.

He returned it with one of his bone-chilling glares.

"For your information, Leo brought me here." His stern look dropped.

"He was taking me to the library because he wanted to read. Gabriel mentioned that he had stopped reading just before the attack..."

"He lost interest"

"Because of you" I snapped at him, still rocking Leo.

"What?" He looked confused

"You stopped going to read with him when it was a thing for you both. You got  busy and neglected your normal ritual with your son and he stopped going because it wasn't like it used to be without you but you failed to notice."

"You're wrong. I asked him and he said he wasn't interested."  I scoffed

"Gabriel wanted me to try and convince him to go again. He was taking me there to read with him when he stopped to show me his picture."

I took a deep breath.

"I've only been here for one night. If anyone had mentioned this place was out of bounds, I wouldn't have fucking come."

I let out all of my anger in that last sentence. Leo started crying again and I decided it's time to leave.

I walked out without a word in Alpha Xander's direction. Leo's cries ceased by the time we got to the room and I set him on the bed.

"I'm sorry," He said wiping his wet face.

I shook my head. "You did nothing wrong. You don't need to apologize."

"If I hadn't..." I stopped him

"No apologies for something that isn't your fault. We can always read together but we will have to do it here." He nodded

"I agree. We will bring the books here and you'll read to me?" I nodded and he smiled.

A knock comes on the door and Gabriel enters a second later.

"Ryder mind-linked me. He heard screaming in the library and you stormed out a minute later."

"Leo took me to read in the library and we ran into the Alpha."

"Oh," He said but he still looked confused.

"You didn't fucking tell me that place was out of bounds"

"Out of bounds? What are you talking about?" He asked with a frown on his face and my anger skyrocketed.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. You know very well that I refuse to cross paths with the Alpha or be in places where he would get upset about but you didn't think to mention that when you encouraged me to take Leo to the library." I said all in one breath, chest heaving.

"I'm sorry for whatever just happened but I didn't say anything because there are no restrictions when you're with Leo. You are allowed to go anywhere."

I grunted under my breath. "I am not a member of this pack. You know the situation and his stand about me. If there is any restriction on any place. I need to know. I don't care if there is an exemption, I should know."

He sighed

"You're right and I'm sorry for what happened." I shrugged.

"I have to rest and Leo needs to sleep too."

"I'll take my leave now" He tried to smile but I didn't return it.

Despite it not being his fault, I was still upset that this happened when it could have been completely avoidable.

"Are you upset?" I looked at Leo who I was surprised to find awake.

"You should sleep," I said softly as I joined him on the bed.

"Mama" His voice called and I ran my fingers through his hair gently.

"Don't be upset with me please."

"I'm not upset with you. Things didn't go well but we agreed to read together in your bedroom, didn't we?"

"Yes, but you told Uncle Gabriel that..."

"That was two adults having a conversation. It had nothing to do with you." He nodded and I kissed him gently on his head.

"Let's lie down," I said, and pull him to me, still rocking him until he fell asleep and my mind went back to the picture in that hallway.

What is the connection to that boy in the picture? How did I meet him in my past and most of all, why can't I remember what happened to me?.