Chapter 2

~Ret's POV~

"Allys!" Alpha's loud voice silenced the room. Just by glancing at him, it could be made clear that he was angry. His brown eyes flickered with a splatter of silky red. "You will respect Alpha Jensen, or you will b- What?" Time seemed to slow. Everyone looked over to Jensen, and the room filled with emotion and shock.

I couldn't exactly say that I was shocked. But something in the way he spoke sent a warm shiver down my spine. Of course, I had known of our connection all along. The hot feeling I got whenever he spoke, the unmistakable sparking that erupted all along my body when he touched me.

I could feel the air in the room growing thin. No one made a move to speak for a good long while. Every breath was excruciatingly loud. I had to struggle not to wheeze at the tight feeling in my chest, mixed with the rough ache around my lungs as I inhaled.

Forty seconds later, an hour had passed. Allys opened his mouth to speak. I held my breath.

Allys's eyes flared copper. He whined a bit and began pulling at his hair. "Nonononono. No. This wasn't supposed to happen- You're not supposed to happen." My brother's chest heaved. He dropped his arms then and I looked down to see him clenching and unclenching his palms at his sides. It was as if he was closing on a panic attack. "This is Axel's fault.. It's all his fault.." I noticed that a fresh speckle of sweat now coated his forehead. "I'm going to impale that worthless bastard.."

Allestair then turned his back to the Alphas and me in a swift pivot and stormed out of the room. Alpha Jensen released a small growl and began walking towards the door, as if to follow my brother down. "Allestair, what the Hell do yo-"

Alpha Maxwell stepped between them and gave the other a kind look, cutting him off.. "Sit down and calm yourself, Jen. We're not here to cause trouble."

I felt a strong pang in my chest at the sights and sounds around me, and I'm fairly certain that it wasn't caused by my broken bones. With a deranged hiss, I managed to sit up and place my hands beside me, stabilizing myself.

Instantly, both Alphas leaned towards me and attempted to lay me back down onto the bed. I swatted them away with a grunt; an attempted growl. Embarrassing. Stella sighed loudly behind me and I knew that if I turned to look at her, she'd have her hands propped up against her hips with a dark eyebrow raised.

"Ret, lay back down." The nurse and my mate commanded at the same time, and then gave each other a weird exchange of glares.

"I'm going after Allys.." Even saying that much made me want to cough, and my voice came out as more of a rasp instead of any actual noise. I had to agree that standing wasn't exactly the best idea, but since when does someone have to be smart to do the right thing?

Gently, I rose to my feet and began for the door, wincing with every step. After only a few feet, though, I felt a strong support against my back, and then I was in the air and looked up to see a very handsome face looking down at me.

"I'm sorry but I can't let you do that. Stay in the infirmary please, if you leave now you'll only be doing yourself damage. Conversations should be able to wait until at least tomorrow. Is that alright?" His sapphire eyes flooded with worry, like a deep blue hurricane roiled within them. It physically hurt to look away from them, and I had to squeeze my own lids shut to keep from getting trapped within his fearful gaze. He reminded me of a cobra, staring me down with intensity.

"I- It's fine. I'm.. Fine!" I lied. With a little more force than intended, I pushed against the man's chest and he instantly let go, probably not thinking. Probably. I felt the cold tile before I realized that I had fallen.

Crash.

My head hit the floor. Pain. I couldn't show it. With a grunted wheeze, I managed to crawl back onto my knees, and then my feet and did my best to dust myself off. Out of breath. My chest was aching like I had just been hit with a wrecking ball, and my head was throbbing. It was a wonder how I could keep myself on my feet. Or even conscious. I wanted to scream the pain away, but my voice wasn't working right. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore." Liesss.

I then left the room and waddled into the hallway, where I found my older brother, sulking with his head in his hands. 'Drama queen..' I sighed. Pardon, attempted a sigh. It was more like a weird sneeze. "Allys." He looked up. His jaw was set, and the copper in his eyes hadn't yet faded.

"Why do you let him do that to you?" His voice was raspy, full of suppressed anger. "Why do you always let Axel hurt you?"

I didn't know how to answer him. Once again, the air filled with tension. Wet circles surrounded my eyes, and I could feel the tears fall from my eyelashes. With a wince, I dropped to my hands and knees and tucked my head between my shoulders. He just stared down at me with pity. "I don't."

"Who is Axel?" Jensen. I hadn't heard him approach. He still sounded aggravated, but not in the same way as earlier. He sounded.. Scared. Something else was bothering him. I sighed softly.

Allestair opened his mouth before I could. "Wouldn't you like to know?" My brother never lost his cool, or even openly insulted anyone, but this specific situation had him rattled.

"I would." The Alpha was persistent.

I gave a simple roll of my eyes, feeling defeated. "He's an old.. Friend.. Of mine. We train, I get taught a lesson, the end of it." I locked gazes with my brother, and then my mate, hoping that the latter would fall for my bluff, and silently pleading that the former wouldn't prove me wrong.

"Are you telling me the truth?" Why did he care so much..? I wished that I didn't have to lie.

"She said that's the end of it. Why do you care? It's her business, not yours." Allys made the mistake of opening his mouth- once again. He reached out and placed his hand over my head.

A sudden growl left my throat at the action, not appreciating the gesture. I could feel my eyes changing, and my other senses broadened in tandem. I latched my teeth into his hand, and then reached out and grabbed the side of his face. With a huff, I managed to pull him forwards and slammed his cocky expression into the tile floor. "And I thought I told you that I'm fine to speak for myself, Schweinhund."

I then forced myself onto my feet and sighed, wiping my hands against my jeans. My chest heaved. I looked over to Jensen, who was staring on at us in surprise.

"I apologize in my brother's stead." Another sigh. "Axel is an.. Old.. friend of mine. He traveled from Europe alongside Allestair and me. He hates this country. He does things. Bad things.. To people. And he desires help. Mine. Though, twice a month, like clockwork, I go and try to make him relent. Twice a month he overpowers me. Ally tells me that I should be more careful, and just let him be, but I can't." My throat felt sore from saying so much, and I might have swayed now and again. It was as if pain and fatigue were the only things keeping me on my feet, yet trying to drag me down at the same time.

Jensen's blue eyes softened a bit and he moved into a more rested stance. Though, after a moment he sighed, and took three long strides towards me, before opening his arms and pulling me to his chest. My eyes widened at the action, and I had to hold the remainder of my breakfast in my stomach. I was surprised, to say the least.

"I'm going to let myself believe you, Ret. I've only just met you, of course. Just as long as nothing of this sort happens while I'm around." His voice was as soft as his embrace, and I couldn't help but to nod along with his words.

"Okay."

"Let's go back to the infirmary.. What do you say? Mate." He put a small chuckle at the end of his question, and I prayed that he couldn't hear or feel the sudden spike in my heart.

"Let's." This time I didn't resist when he picked me up and began walking back towards the hospital-like room. Maybe I could get some sleep. And.. there was a small chance that I would live to see another day. One day would be enough. I curled my face into the Alpha's chest closed my eyes, the pain subsiding a bit, just from being near him.

I had to ignore the glare that I could feel Allys sending my way. It annoyed me, but I knew that my big brother was just being protective. I loved him for that, but sometimes he needed to understand that I can fend for myself.

"It's okay.. you can go to sleep. I promise that I'll be here when you wake up. There is always tomorrow, Ret. Always tomorrow."