Chapter 135: Grace
I stumbled back a step as Alana threw herself at me, her arms wrapping around my neck.
“Hi.” I whispered, taken completely aback.
“I was so worried!” She sobbed. “I didn’t know where you were, and I couldn’t keep up, I’m just an omega! I tried, but I couldn’t, and I lost sight of both of you, and I was so scared. It took me forever to get back.”
I pulled myself away from my friend, so I could get a good look at her. Her hair was a mess, there were twigs sticking out of it, and several strands fell loosely around her face. Her face had dirt on it, and her work clothes were also covered in mud. Her eyes red from all the tears I could only guess had fallen.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, pulling her back in.
“I was so scared,” She breathed the confession, holding me so tight as if she was afraid I would just disappear again.
“I’m here now,” I told her. The guilt that was consuming my soul, I thought would eat me alive. Not only for running away from her- and everyone – but also for wasting time at Arlo’s where I wasn’t welcome anyway. “Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up. Rhys, I’ll meet you in your office in a little bit, okay?”
I looked at him as he watched us both with a guarded expression. I couldn’t figure out exactly what was going through his head, but I could guess. The idea of letting me out of his sight with one of the people that had been with me when I ran worried him. I worried him.
I started to walk away, guiding Alana toward the stairs, when Rhys grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him.
“I’m just going to take her upstairs and get her cleaned up. I promise.”
He looked between me and Alana before reluctantly letting go, and nodding. “Please don’t be too long.”
“I won’t.” I assured him, my hand grazing his chest. “I’ll meet you in an hour.”
His eyes flicked to mine with the idea of a timeline. I didn’t know how long it would take for me to truly calm down my friend, but I knew it would help Rhys settle.
“I’ll even take her to our room, so you know exactly where I am.”
He kissed my hand, and nodded, and I guided Alana up the stairs, past her floor, past the offices, up to the Alpha floor. It wasn’t till I was punching in the code to the door, that Alana realized where we were.
“Oh, Grace,” She exclaimed. “We shouldn’t be up here... I should go to my room.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I told her, guiding her inside. “My bathroom is bigger. Let me help you.”
She didn’t fight me. Her shoulders just sagged, and I put my hand on the small of her back.
“Aunt Grace!” Sammy called out, jumping up from her spot at the counter. “I heard you were missing, are you okay?”
“Sammy,” Maizie sighed from her spot at the stove. “I told you not to bring it up.”
Sammy crinkled her nose as she looked between Alana and I.
“Are you sure it was Aunt Grace and not this girl who was lost?” Sammy asked, gesturing to Alana, causing both Maizie and Caleb turned and looked up.
“Alana, what happened?!” Maizie exclaimed, but Caleb was already moving toward us, his portion of whatever they were cooking, forgotten.
Caleb grabbed Alana’s chin gently, her eyes widening at his sudden touch.
“Caleb?” I asked hesitantly.
“What happened?” He demanded, his voice shaking, looking the most unsteady I had ever seen him.
“She came after me when I ran... She’s been waiting for me to return.” I said calmly, unsure of what was going on.
He thumbed her cheek gently, pushing the dirt off it before processing what I said and turning on me...
“You did this?”
“I - uh, no, not intentionally.”
“YOU DID THIS!” He shouted as he shoved me up against the door we had just entered through.
Every eye turned on us, and I wiggled under his grip, but didn’t fight it.
“I didn’t mean to.” I tried, struggling to keep my voice from shaking.
“Caleb!” Maizie yelled, abandoning her post at the stove at the same time Alana yelled, “Alpha Prince!”
I gestured with one finger to Maizie to wait a moment, to see if I could deescalate this without it going any further and getting worse. His eyes flashed red, and I knew I wasn’t fighting just Caleb, but he was fighting his wolf for control.
“You. Hurt. Her.” He growled.
“I made my own choice to chase after her,” Alana said timidly, placing her hand on Caleb’s arm hesitantly. “Grace didn’t make me do anything.”
“You are just an omega.” Caleb snarled.
“Drop the just.” I said firmly, gathering my courage. “She is capable of anything she puts her mind to, Caleb. Now let me go. Now. And I don’t have to mention this incident to Rhys.”
Caleb’s arms dropped to his sides as he backed away, a look of horror at what he had just done on his face. He looked from me to Alana, then he stared at his hands for a long moment before he took off toward his room without another word.
“Are you okay?” Maizie asked, her voice full of concern. “Should I go get Rhys?”
She didn’t call him Alpha King. She just called him Rhys. She always just called him Rhys. And that is what ran through my head after everything, she just called him Rhys.
“No. No.” I said shaking my head, trying to gain clarity and come to grips with what had just happened. “I’m fine. Please, no one tell Rhys what just happened. I don’t know what that was, but it’s fine. I don’t want Caleb to get kicked out on my account...”
Maizie looked hesitant, but Alana’s eyes kept darting to me and then in the direction Caleb had walked in.
“I’m good.” I reassured Maizie who didn’t look convinced. “Come on, Alana, Rhys will be missing me soon.”
I took her by the elbow, and we headed off to my room to settle and debrief about whatever the hell was going on because I’ll be the first to admit... I was lost.