Page 28 of Defended By The Alpha

“I’m okay, Elle. We’re all okay.”

I look past him, and the wolves and bears are all turning to head back into the trees.

“The blood,” I start, and he interrupts me.

“It’s not mine.”

I know that it must be my stalker’s, then. I should probably be scared or even alarmed that he just killed someone, but I can’t find it in me to care. That man made my life a living hell. He scared me and had me living in fear for months. I know that he wasn’t going to stop. Not until he had me, which was never going to happen.

“It’s okay. I’m okay, mate,” Niko assures me as he lifts me in his arms and carries me inside.

He heads straight for the bathroom and turns on the shower. He sets me down and starts to strip away my now blood stained clothes.

“I was so scared,” I admit quietly.

His hands cradle my face and he kisses my forehead and then my lips.

“I’m okay, Elle. I swear. I’ll always come back to you.”

He starts to pull off my clothes and I let him. He pulls me into the shower, aiming the spray at me so that I’m warm.

The blood runs down his big body and disappears down the drain. I watch it go, feeling peace as I realize that I don’t have to be worried about being watched or followed anymore. At least not from anyone besides Niko.

He grabs the soap, and I let him lather me up as I think about how to bring up how I feel and that I want to stay here. I decide to just go for it.

“I’m supposed to leave tomorrow,” I remind him shakily, and his eyes snap to mine.

He swallows hard, and I wait to see if he’ll say anything, but he remains quiet.

“I don’t want to go,” I whisper, and he lets out a huge exhale.

“Thank fuck,” he groans as his hand wraps around the back of my neck and he pulls me to him.

His other hand lands on my hip and he turns us, pinning me to the shower wall.

“I love you, Elle. So much. You’re mine,” he says against my lips, and I nod.

“I know. I love you too. I need you.”

“You have me.”

He kisses me and I rub against him.

“I have to tell Tessa,” I say in between kisses.

“I’ll get you the phone in a little bit,” he promises me.

“And I have to go back and get my things.”

“Okay, we will.”

“And we need a bigger house. With internet,” I say, kissing him hungrily. “And an office for me.”

“Whatever you want, mate. I just need you.”

I kiss him harder then and we stop talking about the future and just focus on each other and the now.

I know that moving here and being with him might be a big leap of faith to a lot of people, but it feels right. I know that Niko would never hurt me and that he will always try to make me happy and keep me safe. I know that we’re meant to be.

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