06. Toss Like a Rug

I closed my eyes and accepted my death. It was better than continuing to live to pay for my endless bills, right? Besides, I did not have a family to begin with. No one will miss me. No one cared for me.

I was certain I would die at that point, but someone suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Don’t you dare die when I told you not to, Keira. You still have something to do for me. I promise Father I will not come home if you are not coming with me.”

My eyes flashed open, and I saw Alpha Lennox, veins popping from his hands and forehead.

A gasp escaped from my lips as I looked down.

The angry waves below were waiting for my helpless body and killing me in the process.

I was a few seconds from my death.

Heart hammering, I whispered, “Alpha Lennox?”

He was naked on the top of his body.

I never liked him after rejecting me, but right now, as he struggled to pull me up and save me from death, he was the sexiest male werewolf in my eyes—a hero.

“Accept my proposition, Keira.”

Proposition?

My mind loaded longer than usual.

I felt my muscles weakening and my wrist hurting from Alpha Lennox's tightly gripping.

“What? I don’t understand—” Oh. Was he talking about that?

Alpha Lennox groaned. “You’re not this heavy, Keira. Accept my proposal,” he uttered in agony.

“If I don’t?”

“I will leave you here and let them catch you.”

“Fuck you!” I cursed. “This is not romantic at all! You never change, do you? You are still the same asshole I met before.”

Alpha Lennox gritted his teeth. It was clear he was already hurting, but why didn't he just pull me up entirely, and we will no longer be suffering?

“Not trying to be one. My hand is already aching. Decide. Do you want me to drop you or not?”

“Of course, I want to live, asshole!”

Alpha Lennox's eyes brightened. “Will you accept my proposal?”

Did I have a choice?

If I won't, he will drop me completely!

“Fine! Just help me reach the ground.”

As if I did not weigh anything at all, Alpha Lennox pulled me up.

My knees gave up as I struggled to control my breathing. When I calmed down, I stared at Alpha Lennox.

He, too, was gasping for air.

My heart pounded, and irritation towards him was getting stronger until I could not stop myself and slapped him hard.

Alpha Lennox looked at me with disbelief. "What was that for? Is that how you should thank me for saving you?"

"That's for being an asshole earlier," I responded, glaring at him. "That's for threatening to drop me, you idiot!"

Alpha Lennox's mouth dropped. "Asshole? Idiot? You sure do have a lot of vocabulary, Keira. Ungrateful brat."

"That makes us even. Anyways, how did you find me?” I thought I was already a goner. “Did you stalk me? Are you that desperate for me to say yes? Alpha Lennox. Let me inform you that stalking is a crime in the human world.”

“If I did not follow you, the waves would be feasting on your body right now. Do you prefer dying that way, huh?” he asked.

He followed me because he wanted something from me. Period.

“Thank you very much,” I uttered with sarcasm, and even if my knees were shivering, I stood but nearly fell. Automatically, Alpha Lennox caught me.

His blue-green eyes drew me in, and I had nearly forgotten the raging waves below us.

“Sarcasm will not help,” he responded and let me go. "It was wrong, I know. Forgive me."

My body protested at the loss of contact and grabbed my hands and ran in whatever direction.

Wow. "Since when did you learn how to say sorry? You were nothing but a bastard before."

"I learned it today. Now. Are you happy?" He glanced everywhere and sniffed the air. "Your friends are coming to capture you again." With that, he grabbed my hand.

“W-wait, Alpha Lennox. Where are you taking me?”

I could no longer match his pace. He was fast. My short legs could not match his long strides.

“Somewhere safe where we can talk,” he answered and ran even faster. Shifting into our wolves would be better and quicker, but I did not know why he did not ask me to. Perhaps he was also tired?

Despite the darkness, I inspected his body, looking for any wounds, but found none. He did not fight them.

"Talking should be the last of our concerns. Desperate much?"

He threw me an irritated look.

The twigs snapped under our feet while the birds flew away as we advanced. I was unfamiliar with the forest, but it seemed Alpha Lennox was a regular here and knew the terrain.

"Why don't we shift?" I could not help but ask.

Did he think of my welfare? Shifting into our wolves will take some time.

My eyes darted at his hand on my wrist.

Eyes ahead but alert, he countered, "Do you want me to see you naked?"

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Of course not."

"I will just think you are thinking of my welfare."

I did not know how long we were running in the woods, but the next thing I realized, we were already out of the woods, and a car was waiting for us.

“I-is that yours?”

Breathing heavily, Alpha Lennox answered, “Who else if not mine? Get in. I smell their foul stench. They are getting nearer. Hop in.”

Without being told, I opened the door on the passenger’s seat and sat next to him.

“Buck in.”

“Do you know the way?”

“Like the back of my hand,” he responded and started the engine and drove like lightning.

My hands gripped the dashboard.

"Hey! Please drive safely! You may have saved me from them, but I will die from a heart attack!"

Alpha Lennox threw me a furious look. "Be grateful, Keira. I just saved your butt from your captors. Stop being an ungrateful brat, and let me focus."

Rolling my eyes, I slammed my back on my seat.

Alpha Lennox was now following the cemented road. It was getting darker.

The clock said it was already 11 o'clock in the evening.

At least I was far from harm now for now.

"So, who is the bastard who wanted you dead?" Alpha Lennox asked after a long silence.

I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes while massaging my neck.

"They said an alpha hired them. Honestly, at first, I thought it was you."

Alpha Lennox cursed, but I think it was not because of what I said—more like because of a bear who suddenly jumped onto the road. The car turned to a complete stop for a moment.

Still closing my eyes, I muttered, "Careful of the bears. Or they will be the end of us."

I heard him say words like, "I'm not fond of them."

"Why did you think it was me?"

"Like hello. You were the only alpha who was furious at me for running away. I was an omega of our pack and became a rogue. Then, our last conversation was not that good. It felt like I robbed your money."

"Do you believe I would kill you?"

I heaved a sigh.

He may be my previous alpha, but fully trusting him would be my greatest mistake.

"Who knows, Alpha Lennox? I think you are capable of doing that. When I was at the pack, I heard gossip from the other servants that you once killed a delta for angering you."

Alpha Lennox scoffed. "And you believe them?"

"Why not? You are scary. I was even scared knowing you were my mate. Past tense. Were."

I puffed out the air.

"Hiring someone to kill you is cowardice. Suppose I want to kill you, Keira. I will do it with my own hands. It would be a fast kill."

A shiver ran down my spine, imagining what he could do.

"If you manage to kill me, I will make sure I give an extra fight. I will also kill you."

"Keira. You speak highly of yourself. Do you know how to kill? Did you see someone taking their breath?" I fell silent. "That is what I am talking about, Keira. You cannot kill me. You do not have the desire to kill someone."

"Do not mock my inability to kill you, Alpha Lennox."

After a long pause on the road, Alpha Lennox started the car's engine.

"Where are you taking me?"

The road was getting familiar. I believed we were entering the city now.

"To your house so that your kidnappers will successfully kill you," he answered with full sarcasm.

"No need to give me that tone. I am fully aware that someone is after my life."

"Two people, to be precise. Another one is Arturo."

My eyes snapped open. "You know about him?"

Using the front mirror, Allha Lennox glanced at me. "I did some investigations."

"Personal investigation?" I doubted he would do that.

"Yeah. I did. Arturo Salvacion. Constantly involved with all illegal activities. Why did you entangle yourself in such a dangerous man?"

I sighed. "Do tell me. You did investigate me, Alpha Lennox."

"Dylan Salvacion. Another junkie. A few months ago, you put him behind bars. However, he died there."

I felt the blood drain from my body. How did he manage to pull out that information? I was careful that nobody would know about my entanglement with the Salvacion brothers. Still, Alpha Lennox was able to find out about this.

"You did investigate me," I muttered, trying to pretend I was calm. But the fast pounding of my chest would always lead me away. "Why? Don't tell me you suddenly have the urge to protect your mate. I rejected you. We are technically no longer mates."

And it was the most painful experience of all. I crumbled on my bed for many weeks when I stepped outside my room, and I was acting tough so that the others would stop bullying me for the rejection.

"Don't get me wrong, Keira. I am only protecting you because I still need you. After my father dies, I will toss you like a rug."