Confrontation - Sam's POV
I head to my room, though all my instincts scream to not leave her alone. After last night, I almost lost myself to the anger I felt boiling inside. If I leave her, what if one of them comes back?
I know where I’d stand in a fight against them. One or two, sure, I’d take them down in a heartbeat, but I won’t win against all four of them.
Sighing, I head to the shower and get ready for the day. The entire time I’m under the warm spray, I can’t think straight or even two seconds without thinking about her. Even though I purposely try to steer my thoughts toward Lauren and our upcoming mating ceremony, I always go right back to Halley.
“I can’t…”
After I get out, I realize I forgot a towel. Water rolls down my skin, dropping to the floor as I search the entire attached bath for a towel. Once I find one and have it secured around my waist, I walk back into the bedroom only to find Noss sitting on the bed.
I almost flinch, but try to keep calm. “What is it? Why are you in here?”
“Dalton told me to come see you,” Noss whispers, glancing toward the door. “He wants to know if you’re truly just protecting her because of what her father asked or if there’s something else stirring in that head of yours.”
I scoff, crossing my arms over my bare chest and leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom. “Why in the world would there be anything between us?”
“He knows about last night at dinner.”
My gaze narrows for a moment before I roll my eyes. “Really? What about last night?”
“Where your foot was…” Noss trails off. “Don’t touch her.”
“I would never touch her in any way that was romantic or meant anything. Her brother and I are best friends. We grew up together. She was nervous and I only did that to offer her comfort that she wasn’t alone. A boot on her foot is the least of your worries,” I say, smirking. “The way your brother walked into her room last night and almost claimed her is an entirely different animal.”
Noss shakes his head as he stands. “She needs to learn to reach out to us for comfort. Not her brother’s best friend and a guy she grew up with.”
“She’s not yours yet,” I whisper. “It’s better me than someone else. Right now, I’m all she has from home here, so I suggest you tell Dalton that he has nothing to fear. It’s not like I’d mate with her.”
Noss sniffs the air, leaning back and closing his eyes as he inhales. “Why does that smell like a lie?”
“Why would it be a lie?” I ask him, my lips pulling into a thin, tight line. “Alphas and betas are forbidden. For you to even question it is preposterous.”
He nods in agreement, but it doesn’t appear he believes me fully. “I’d just watch it. Dalton can be… aggressive if he thinks you’re going to interfere with what he wants.”
“If she chooses the four of you, I will wish her well. No interference here.”
Noss’ gaze holds mine for too long and I almost forget to drop my gaze. When I do, he snorts. “Beta. You’re definitely a strange one.”
He walks out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts. I take a deep breath, rattled and worried about how far they’ll take this. If he knew about my foot on hers last night, what else has he noticed? How obvious have I been?
I had been so careful and practiced, I didn’t think I was showing my feelings for her. But now I know that my body language and expressions have betrayed me.
I pull on my clothes, every move slow. My hands tremble when I grab my belt. Noss’ words echo around in my skull, looping through like the curse that bans alphas and betas from being together.
Why does that smell like a lie? He asked that question and all I wanted to say was because it is. Every word I spoke to him was so far from the truth. I would never interfere? Wasn’t that exactly what I’m doing now?
I look down at my boots, dragging a palm down my face and exhale slowly. “No, I can’t let them see.”
Not Dalton or Noss, not any of them. If they sense even a thread of what she means to me, it’ll be blood on the floor before I can blink. And Halley doesn’t deserve it.
With a huff, I get on my boots and step out into the hallway. Halley has just left her bedroom. The air leaves my lungs at the sight of her.
She wears a simple light blue sundress with bare shoulders. It’s not really fancy, but to me, it knocks me sideways. My wolf pushes from within, wanting to claim her now and to shield her from this.
I bite down on the urge so hard it almost cracks my teeth.
“Are you ready?” She asks, her voice soft.
“Yeah, sure. You?”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
She’s braver than me and definitely more determined, because everything in me is screaming to get her out of here and never look back.
Instead, we walk together to the dining room, where we were last night. Every step brings memories back and I have to tell myself not to repeat touching my boot to her foot, even if it is to help her. They don’t like that and I can’t interfere or I’ll look like a liar.
When we turn the corner, all four brothers are already seated in the same chairs as last night. She’s in the middle of Colt and Noss, while Dalton and Nix are going to sit next to me.
If they touch her, if they push her too far, I will burn this entire place to the ground.
I swallow my wolf’s words, because deep down, the human side of me means it too. Even if it means breaking all the rules I swore to live by and risking my life. I’ll do whatever I can to help her until she chooses.
And then, I’ll have to let her go.