Page 55 of Freeing My Alpha

“He hurt you, Omega. Fuck him!”

“I know it's ridiculous, but I still don't want to hurt him back.” I blubber through fresh, shuddering tears.

“Oh, my sweet, sweet...” Noah’s shaking touch skates down the back of my head, smoothing my messy hair before he cups my cheeks. “He’s not here to get hurt. And even if he was, you have a right to be furious, regardless of how he feels about it. He hurt you, and it's okay for him to face the consequences. To take responsibility for the very real damage he caused.”

I suck back snot. “T-then... What if I scare you from what I say? Or traumatize you? What if I let my anger get too out-of-control?”

“Go ahead. I dare you.” Noah’s growling anger isn’t directed towards me; it’s in honor of me.

If this was a few months ago, I’d be amazed that a man's obvious anger doesn’t scare me. But I know why it doesn't.

“I trust you, Noah.”

“I trust you too. And I trust your anger. It’s there for a reason, and I want to see it.”

“I-it’s ugly.”

“I disagree. It protected the love of my life when no one else was willing to.”

In a confusing mix of love and rage, my heart boils over.

But as I approach the mattress, it looks larger than ever. I try to imagine punching, kicking, or folding it, but its plushy flexibility has never seemed more indestructible.

“What do I even do with it? Should I shift? My wolf could destroy it in ten seconds.” I gaze back at Noah for an answer, but his rigid stare at the mattress tells me what I need to know. “No, you’re right. I need to destroy this in the same, human form that he destroyed me in.”

But it’s not only me Steven destroyed. I watch my words stab my mate, his eyebrows warping and lips reddening before he lets out a desperate gasp. As tears roll down his cheeks, Noah’s heavy, insurmountable pain in our bond sparks the fire in me into a roaring beast, exploding in my chest.

Gripping the mattress in both hands, I use my entire weight’s momentum to thrust it across the forest floor. Pouncing on it, I dig my claws in, letting out a growl as I rip it open.

The angry yell that escapes me shocks me just as much as the damage I’ve already done. I freeze, panting through my fears of causing harm. I feel trapped.

But Noah gasps through his crackling voice behind me. “Fuck, yes! Keep going! Don't stop!”

I listen to my Alpha, but I don’t need much convincing.

Digging my heels into the dirt, I ram the edge of the mattress with my shoulder. Not just shoving it to coat it in mud—pushing it away from me.

But nothing feels far enough away. I scream, kicking the mattress in frustration. It hardly even budges, and I deflate. “Fuck!”

Noah rushes to my side. “Tell me why you’re angry. Let your thoughts out.”

My voice gets caught in my chest, my cheeks on fire. All I can do is shake my head; a heavy weight in my ribcage pins my shins to the ground, hardly allowing me to breathe.

Noah hoists the mattress upright, standing it below his chin.

“Fuck it up, Omega. Rip it to shreds.”

Using every last ounce of my strength, I pull myself back up on staggering legs. I lunge at the mattress, my growl shifting into a scream.

“I fucking hate him!”

Noah has to brace the mattress in the center as I claw through, foam flying as I grasp massive chunks.

“Why?” He asks.

“Because—”

I choke back tears as I grasp one of the largest shreds of fabric at the top, yanking on it.