179

179

ALTHEA

I came back to my dorm at night. After dinner, I always went for a run. Callista was already asleep. Part of that routine was to avoid engaging in any kind of talk with her. Mrs Spencer placed us in the same room because she wanted me gone. I didn't tell Alpha Collin about it. Because well, I was not sure how he would react to it. And I just didn't want him to find a reason to take me back within a week.

I hadn't received any calls or messages from him. And I really thought that it was good. I sat down on my desk. I turned on the smaller lamp so it wouldn't trouble Callista or wake her up. Besides, the work desks were placed in a way so the sleeping person wouldn't get disturbed.

I didn't have anything to do. But that night, I just couldn't sleep. So I decided to read my books. That's how I always managed to always get ahead of everyone, even back at the dark moon academy.

I was marking everything I had already studied. A pen in hand, I started reading. Nothing too dramatic. Something that could actually help me sleep. The history of the shifter's kingdom.

I barely made it to the second chapter when my heart suddenly started drumming erratically inside my rib cage. So hard and fast that it started hurting. I closed my eyes for a second. I almost choked on my own saliva when my mind started playing something in my head.

I opened my eyes again, took a deep breath and drank some cold water to calm myself down. I was away from home again. Leaving my mate behind, it suddenly started to feel like deja Vu.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Alpha Collin with all those women I had seen glancing dirtily at him whenever he was training or just without shirt due to extreme heat.

To quiet those thoughts down, I just put on my headphones and blasted loud music through my ears. I didn't care if Callista might wake up because of the loud music. I just wanted those thoughts to leave me alone because I didn't want to call him and ask him if he was actually cheating on me when I was not around.

Soon, the thoughts became so loud that even the music went silent. I squeezed my eyes shut and I was watching the whole adult film. Women screaming his name in pleasure as he fucked them. I was shaking with anger. “Hey!” I whimpered all of a sudden. It sounded like he was actually talking to me while fucking his mistresses.

“Althea! Are you awake, my Luna?” I opened my eyes. That was not the voice of the man who was fucking women in my mind. It sounded more…real.

“Alpha Collin?” His voice was on my mind. And for some reason, I tried to respond to him in my mind.

“Yes, it's me.” My heart thudded loudly in my chest then it was suddenly calm. I got up from my chair and went to the window that was illuminating with the silver light of the moon.

I looked down and found his car parked. “What are you doing here, Alpha?” I asked calmly, despite all those storms within me.

“Why don't you come downstairs and I will show you?” He replied. I couldn't even tell if he was angry or anything. Because that mask hid everything.

“I can get into trouble getting out of my dorm after midnight.” I tried to make an excuse. I was still afraid of him after that night. He almost tried to force himself on me that night.

“You don't have to worry about anything. I will take care of it. Just come down. I brought your favorite food, knowing you must be studying late. Late night studies bring cravings.” I almost wanted to giggle at what he just said. He was showing me the food bag he had left in the car. He must have felt my uneasiness.

I opened the window and walked down through the fire stairs at the back of the building. He grabbed me by my hips and helped me down on the ground. I held my breath when he suddenly hugged me. It lasted no more than ten seconds. So I didn't argue.

Alpha Collin grabbed my hand and pulled me toward one of the benches in the back garden. When I opened the bag, my stomach growled loudly as the scent of fresh dumplings and chocolate cake reached my nostrils. “Beef dumplings and chocolate. And your favorite ice cream shake.” He added looking at me.

I smiled at him politely and started eating. When I offered him a bite, he didn't hesitate to take it. “Why are you really here? To check if I am not cheating on you or something?” Before I could control my words, they were already out of my mouth.

My eyes widened in realization but it was already too late. The arrow had left the bow. There was no way to catch it without getting hurt. I knew he was there for a reason and I was dying to know that reason. I flinched when he raised his hand. But to my surprise, he just casually draped his arm on the backrest of the bench, almost as if he was willing to rest his arm on my shoulder.

“I came here because I have missed you so much that I couldn't breathe into those walls anymore.” I froze while I was taking another bite off the cake. I looked at him. For a moment, our gazes met each other.

I didn't know how to answer that. That excuse was not on the list at all. I was expecting something egoistic. “You are telling me that you have complete control over your anger within a week without me? You spent two months convincing me that you are changing and then you almost raped me two a week ago.” I didn't know what had gotten into me. Maybe it was the jealousy or the anger or maybe a little bit of both.

“I can't claim that I have complete control over my anger. It is going to take time and a lot of effort from my side to get it done. But I am willing to go above and beyond to make it happen. I just said that I missed you. And I wanted to see you so badly.” He replied calmly, despite how I was constantly poking his nerves.

I had to agree with one thing. He actually had a lot of control over his anger. Or I would be covered in my own blood, lying on the ground while he would be admiring his artwork, smirking at me, covered in my crimson. “And I know I have been an ass, getting jealous over nothing. But deep down, I know you are not the cheating type. That's why you left your pack. You couldn't bear the betrayal. Isn't that right.” those words were whispered to my ears.