Page 11 of My Possessive Alpha

"Fine, then. If you agree to answer my questions, I'll step away from the door, and you can decide if you'd rather face what's out there or lay low here with me," I proposed, lifting a brow. "Sound like a plan?"

Lydia finally met my gaze, her face lighting up slightly at the prospect of obtaining her freedom again. However, the realization—the side of her bargain she'd have to uphold—seemed to put a damper on that brief excitement. Still, she let go of a breath and nodded once.

"All right," I began, taking several steps away from the door to give her some space; I leaned against the wall instead. "First, why did you run away from Jack? What made you leave to the point of collapsing?"

It was the biggest, most pressing question in my mind, and I needed to know if he had crossed a line.

I needed to understand the confusion, anger, and fear surrounding her, even if it meant prying.

Letting go of another breath, Lydia couldn't meet my eyes as she considered the question and held herself a bit tighter. A faint, embarrassed color filled her cheeks.

I could sense her hesitance, and while I wanted to be patient with her, she had agreed to the arrangement.

Despite my frustration with the situation, I pushed it aside and did my best to seem approachable. It wasn't meant to be an interrogation, after all.

"Lydia, I know this must be difficult, and I understand your hesitance, but I just want to help," I began, leveling with her as smoothly as possible. "I found you collapsed in the grass behind a bar with little to no explanation, and at the very least, I'd like to know why you ended up there in the first place. Our past doesn't give me a right to you or your personal life, but I'd like to believe it's enough of a foundation for trust. I'm here to listen and do whatever I can to ensure your safety."

My words made her look up at me with a glimmer of emotion that even I couldn't decipher, but I watched as those cracks in her defenses began to form.

Even if she was hesitant about being near me, referencing our past seemed to soften the edges of her resolve. It was enough for me to work with.

Pushing up from my relaxed position, I took a few careful steps toward her, hoping she would find comfort in my support. "I don't know what happened or why you seem afraid of me now, but I want to understand. Please, allow me that much."

Looking down at her, wearing my sincerity on my sleeve, I felt something move within my chest.

The internal conflict she was enduring as it knitted her brows together made me want to reach out and smooth those troubled lines. I wanted to put her at ease, regardless of her response.

But given the tension and her doubt as it lingered in the air, I didn't want to overstep. I couldn't trample her boundaries, regardless of how curious I was.

At that moment, I couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she looked, even while silently questioning how much she should and shouldn't share with me.

The mental acknowledgment of how much she had grown and changed made that sensation in my chest swell even more, catching me off guard slightly.

Pushing the thoughts aside, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t about me. It was about Lydia and figuring out her situation.

Her ears were tinged pink as she broke the eye contact again, apparently finding it easier to stare at the floor than my face. It brought me back to those old days—when she'd get flustered if I caught her looking in my direction.

Even if I didn't really appreciate it then, it was endearing. Part of me wished we could apply that dynamic again to find a common ground.

Closing her eyes as she let go of another breath, it was like the dam had finally cracked enough to give way beneath the pressure, and at last, I was about to get my way.

Chapter 7 - Lydia

I didn't want to give in to him. I didn't want to give him a reason to be concerned and insist on protecting me, but I couldn't take it anymore.

Between his persistence and how it turned my stomach to think of being Jack's Luna, I couldn't keep it up any longer. I needed to let it out.

I opened my eyes again to meet his. I found only patience and empathy there, which went against my image of him in my mind.

"I guess I'll start with you then," I began, absently running my hand up and down my opposite arm to comfort myself through the difficult discussion ahead.

Sebastian seemed to perk up as I spoke, clearly prepared to hear everything I had to say. He nodded briefly yet allowed me the time and space to speak.

"Before we left our old pack, my parents told me some things about you and your family that changed how I saw everything...they told me your parents wanted you to become the alpha, and they planned to help you do exactly that."

Sebastian's brows furrowed as he listened, crossing his arms over his chest, but he didn't interrupt.

I swallowed hard and continued. "They told me you were going to kill the alpha and his luna, along with anyone else that might get in the way. You were going to erase their entire family to become the new alpha and reap the rewards. My parents couldn't stand the idea of being in the same pack because of it, so we started following Jack instead."

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