Chapter 18 Beautiful Face
ADRIANA
I realised there were certain advantages to being an Alpha. Like having the ability to stop your wolf from seriously injuring someone at the very last second.
As Hannah launched herself at me, I stumbled backward, but there was nowhere to run. I ended up curling into myself and throwing my hands up to protect my face.
My arms and legs could handle some damage, but if she got my face, the scars might never fade. I braced myself for impact, silently praying the scratches wouldn’t be too deep, that I could just walk it off afterward.
I was so lost in my thoughts, preparing for the pain, that I didn’t even realize several seconds had passed without Hannah’s claws tearing into me.
When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself staring up at two long legs.
What was happening?
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Elijah’s voice boomed through the gym.
The entire space fell silent. All the stupid muttering and laughing died instantly, replaced by thick, awkward tension.
“Alpha, we were just fighting. She provoked me and I lost control of my shift.”
I provoked her? More like she lost it because she’s an unstable psychopath.
“You should know better than this. You’re supposed to be a trained warrior! I’m extremely disappointed in you.”
From the shocked expressions on everyone’s faces, I gathered that Elijah raising his voice at anyone was pretty unusual. Even I was caught off guard by it.
“But I—” Her frown deepened and she swallowed whatever excuse she’d been about to make.
He let out a loud sigh and the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly.
“Don’t let it happen again. I mean it.”
She nodded, looking almost meek now, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced up at him for just a moment before dropping her gaze again.
“Thank you, Alpha.” Was this girl seriously trying to flirt with him right now? Right now?
He turned around to look down at me, and the emotion in his eyes was impossible to read as I stared up at him from the floor.
The people he should have scolded, he let off easy.
The person he should have helped, he’d torn into like they’d committed some terrible crime.
The anger he’d unleashed on me yesterday over Leo—that was the energy he should have directed at Hannah. But here he was, acting like he had no backbone whatsoever.
He extended his hand toward me and I honestly had no idea what he wanted.
Was I supposed to take it? Did it mean something else entirely?
I looked around at the other people in the gym, hoping someone would give me some kind of hint. From down here, they all looked like a pack of bullies. It gave me serious déjà vu from my time back home.
Though honestly, they weren’t really that different from my old pack anyway.
He waved his hand in front of my face again, and I decided to take the risk. I reached out and grabbed it.
He didn’t give me time to process anything before he pulled me to my feet with one hand. The force was so strong I went crashing into his chest, and he had to grab my waist to keep me from falling.
For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eye. I kept my gaze fixed on the floor.
“Thank you,” I whispered, but he seemed to hear it because he nodded.
Then he bent his head down close to my ear.
“Come to my office.” His hot breath fanned across my ear and I couldn’t stop the sharp intake of breath that escaped my lips.
I nodded quickly, completely unable to form actual words.
As he let go of me and walked away, Hannah’s hostile glare came back into sharp focus. I gave her a smile, making sure she had no idea that just seconds ago I’d been terrified of what she might do to me.
“That’s all for today! Everyone’s dismissed!”
I didn’t wait around for a second longer. I grabbed my water bottle and practically ran out of the gym.
I was heading back to my room when I remembered Elijah’s words. Goosebumps erupted all over my skin and I shivered involuntarily.
What the hell was wrong with me?
The absolute last thing I needed was to be attracted to him. He wasn’t a nice person. I should stay far away from him. But first, I had to go see him like he’d instructed.
I stood in front of his office door, debating whether I should actually go in or just pretend I’d forgotten about it.
“Come in, Adriana.”
How did he know I was out here? I didn’t want for my brain to come up with a response before I twisted the doorknob, wishing I could make myself invisible as I stepped into his office.
He was completely focused on a pile of papers spread out in front of him. Reading glasses rested lightly on his nose. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off the prominent veins in his forearms.
He didn’t say anything right away. I just stood there awkwardly, looking around his office like some curious kid.
When he finally spoke, his voice startled me.
“I’ll never understand why you felt the need to do something like this.” His eyes were on me now, and the glasses had disappeared.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
I did understand. I just didn’t want to admit it.
“Look at yourself. Your arms, your neck. Look at all those bruises. Do you honestly think that’s attractive?”
There was clear irritation in his voice, and the way he was pointing at me with his pen made me feel like I was being lectured by a disapproving parent.
“Why do you even care?”
“Because I’m responsible for you.”
“You didn’t have to be. You brought me here. Why?”
He dropped his pen and clenched his jaw, the exact same thing he’d done when he’d found me with Leo.
“I brought you here because I wanted to save you from that hell you were calling home.”
It stung, but it was true. So why couldn’t I just shut up?
“Or did you bring me here to continue where I left off? To be a captive? A slave? Or maybe just a pet?”
He frowned deeply and stood up from his chair.
“What are you—”
“Whatever it is, I don’t want to know. I’m grateful you saved me from my hell, but this place doesn’t seem much better anyway.”
Why was I suddenly so angry? Maybe it was because he’d just let Hannah walk away without any real punishment. She’d almost killed me!
He went quiet, staring at me like he was considering lunging at me the same way Hannah had.
Then he broke eye contact.
“I apologize if you feel that way. I was only trying to look out for you. I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
The gentle way he said it… it was like he’d poured cold water over the fire that had been building in my chest.
“I’m not afraid of getting hurt. I just don’t want to repeat what happened back home. I don’t want to be worthless again.”
He nodded and pushed his hands into his pockets.
“You should be more careful. If I hadn’t shown up today, Hannah would have done serious damage to your beautiful face.”
Beautiful? He thought I was beautiful?
If there was any remnant of anger it disappeared in that instant. The place suddenly felt too hot and my cheeks were burning.
“Well, you let her get away with it. What’s stopping her from trying again?”
I almost face palmed. Shut up! I screamed mentally.
Why couldn’t I just say thank you like a normal person?
He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but no words came out. I looked away.
“You don’t—”
A knock at the door interrupted him. He walked past me to answer it. I turned slightly, but there was no one visible in the doorway.
Then I heard Elijah laugh, so I turned around completely.