Protecting You

Callie POV ....

My eyes fluttered open slowly. The medication Rex gave me was slowly wearing off and I was coming to.

It took a moment for my vision to focus. I saw someone standing by the side of my bed. but the sleep in my eyes made them look hazy. At first, I thought it was Rex--but when my vision cleared, I realized that it wasn't Rex at all.

I sat up quickly in my bed and stared at Jorge.

I turned to the heart rate monitor and saw that the machines were all off. He disabled them so that Rex wouldn't hear my panicked heart.

"Sleep well, sunshine?" He sneered at me.

"What are you doing here? Rex said that this wing in the center was for authorized personal only."

He laughed darkly at my expense. His eyes were looking at me like I was his prey and he was ready to devour me. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest, and the adrenaline was surging throughout my body. I was about to go into fight or flight mode.

"I am the beta of this pack. I am authorized personal everywhere." He smiled evilly. "If I remember correctly, you need to answer some of my questions."

"Alpha Kameron won't like this, Jorge. You aren't supposed to come anywhere near me." I kept my voice even despite the crippling fear that was surging through my blood.

Jorge threw his head back and let out another dark laugh.

"Kameron is the one who sent me, stupid girl. All he wants from you is answers. Now, tell me what I want to know."

I shook my head. "I already told you everything I can remember, Jorge. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because you are interfering in my plans." His voice was laced with venom, I could almost taste it.

"What do you mean? What plans?"

He shook his head as if trying to rid himself of some thought. "Plans for this pack. The alpha has plans for this pack, and your presence here puts those plans into jeopardy. The sooner I can figure out where you came from, the sooner I can have you sent back."

There it was. I knew he was hiding something, but I just couldn't place my finger on it.

"I told you everything I know. Why can't you just believe me and be done with it? Rex believes me."

He scoffed. "Rex is a useless excuse for a wolf who doesn't have a strong bone in his body. He would trust a viper if it smiled at him. And that is precisely what you are, Callie. You are a viper, and it is my duty to not only protect this pack from you but also my alpha. So, I will ask you once more. Who are you and which pack do you come from?"

I gulped, straightening my back to steel myself. I needed to keep my resolve. I couldn't let him know that I was lying to him. Otherwise, the last seven years of running would have been pointless.

"My name is Callie and I am a lone wolf. That is all I remember and know."

Jorge stood at the edge of my bed. His right hand was holding onto the bed frame. His black eyes were glazing over and flashes of the Jorge I witnessed yesterday crossed my mind. He was on the verge of losing control.

"Jorge, "I said warily, "You need to calm down. Your wolf is trying to take control, but you need to hold him back. Kameron will hold you responsible for whatever your wolf does."

The words that I hoped would pull him back only caused him to become angrier. His right hand gripped the hardwood of the bed frame until it began to creak in a complaint under his hold.

"You have lied to me one too many times, Callie. It's time I take you to the holding so we can truly get acquainted."

Within seconds, Jorge was up in my face. His eyes were like a raging bull. They held so much anger, hatred, and disdain ... it made no sense. I didn't understand how Jorge could have so many strong emotions toward me even though he barely knew me.

He glared down at me. "I'm going to have lots of fun with you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." I would not let this man beat me. He may have outranked me, but that meant nothing to me. I braved stronger men than him before.

"Cute. You think you actually have a choice in the matter." Jorge reached for my arm and ripped out my IV, causing me to hiss. Blood started oozing from my arm as I attempted to cover the hole with my finger.

"Are you out of your mind? You can't just rip out my IV like that. What if it caught on a muscle or worse?" The blood was still oozing from my arm.

"Does it look like I give a shit about your feelings, Callie? You are nothing but a rogue, and, therefore, I will treat you like one."

Jorge grabbed my arms and started shaking me violently. The pain that subsided in my rib came back with a vengeance. I tried to break his hold, but his grip was like iron. His short fingernails extended into claws and began digging into my skin.

"Time to go have a little chat," he spat. Jorge was about to pull me from the bed when the door to the room opened.

"Stop!" I heard a small, feminine voice call. I looked past Jorge and saw the girl who had been in my room mopping the floors before I fell asleep.

She ran to Jorge and tried to pry his hands me. She was little more than half of Jorge's size, so her efforts were pretty much useless.

"Pest," he hissed.

He turned around and grabbed her neck, lifting her into the air as if she weighed nothing.

"You should learn not to interfere with matters that don't concern you."

He flung her across the room like a rag doll. Her back hit the wall hard, and she fell to the floor with a loud thud. I gasped, looking at the girl who was barely moving.

I pulled the sheets off of my legs and went to get up, but Jorge grabbed my arms, halting me.

"You might have killed her! She needs help!"

"She's a gamma, easily replaceable. You are coming with me."

I struggled in his hold, trying to fight him, but his grip was secure around my arms. He tightened his hold, which caused me to hiss in pain as I felt my bones squeeze under the pressure.

"Jorge!" cried a voice from the doorway.

It was Kameron. He was here. I felt a wave of relief flood my body. Jorge turned and looked to the entrance where Kameron stood. His face was red and I could the veins in his arms protruding. His wolf was close to the surface and he was doing his best to hold him back.

"Release her at once," Kameron demanded. Jorge obeyed and released me from his hold. I fell back onto my bed, and thankfully not onto the floor like last time.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kameron stalked into my room and walked up to Jorge. His eyes were focused solely on him, like a target.

"I was doing as you told me, alpha. She was being difficult, so I sought out new methods."

"I told you to find answers, not torture her Jorge," he seethed. "She's injured and you may have just injured her further when you were thrashing her around like a damn rag doll."

"Alpha, if I may..." Jorge started.

"You may not, Jorge. When I tell you something, I expect you to listen. You are my second-in-command and I am your superior. You take orders from me, not make them up yourself."

Kameron straightened up, an air of authority around him. "If you were any other wolf, I would have you lashed, but since you are my beta I will let you off with a warning"

His eyes flashed as he continued. "But, if I ever catch you treating Callie like that again, it will be your head. Are we understood?"

Jorge stood staring at Kameron with his jaw locked in place.

Kameron stepped right up to Jorge so they were toe to toe.

"Are. We. Understood?"

Jorge held Kameron's gaze for a second before he lowered his head in submission.

"Yes, Alpha."

"Good, now get out of my sight."

Jorge stepped away from Kameron and left the room. He didn't dare to look back.

"Are you okay?" Kameron rushed to my side.

I nodded and then gestured to the girl who was still lying on the floor. She was making small movements, so at least she was alive.

"Help her, Kameron."

His eyes were still on me. "You're hurt."

He touched the small, bleeding cuts on my shoulder. They must have been from Jorge's claws.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, just a little shaken-she needs your help more than I do, Kameron."

Kameron followed my gaze and saw the girl on the floor. He left my side and went to help the girl stand up. When the girl saw Kameron, she is instantly bowed her head in submission out of respect.

"Are you alright?" Kameron asked her.

"Yes Alpha," she replied in a timid voice. She was clutching her side, so I knew that she was lying.

She wasn't okay and needed to be looked at by Rex to make sure nothing was bruised or bleeding.

"I don't think you are. I will get one of the healers to have a look at your ribs for you."

The girl nodded but didn't dare look up at her Alpha.

Rex walked in a few moments later, looking a little worse for wear. As it turned out, he had been outside the door trying to hold Jorge back but failed.

"Kameron." his voice was serious and his expression stoic.

"Yes, Rex?"

Rex glanced at me and then focused his eyes back onto Kameron.

"We need to move Callie into your house today. She isn't safe here-yesterday and today just proved that. She needs time to heal in a safe environment and the healing center is currently not that."

Wait, what? I was moving in with Kameron?