Page 22 of Alpha Scorned

I cracked open the bathroom door, thankful that Devon had gone straight to his room to watch TV for a while before I got him ready for bed. He’d been quiet and withdrawn, which worried me, but I didn’t blame him. He was an intuitive child and my moods affected him, which was why I worked so hard to keep my feelings hidden. It had also given me a chance to get straight into the shower. The bathroom was my sanctuary. As much as I loved my son, he had an unerring way of finding me whenever I was upset. In the bathroom with the door locked and the shower on, he couldn’t get in, even if he wanted to.

I groaned and stretched my neck. I’d have to deal with Lucas soon, but it was Owen who had stirred up a storm of confusion in my head, not to mention my heart. The hot water had helped to soothe the tension from my neck, but the rest of me was wound up like a spring.

Grabbing a bottle of unperfumed body lotion, I smoothed some across my skin, then I rubbed some of the herb concoction I’d bought from the pack pharmacist across my abdominal scars. It eased the hyper-sensitive, raised tissue and kept it supple. I grimaced as my nail grazed a scar. Even now, the thin discoloured tissue would split and bleed if it was left without treatment for any length of time.

Wrapping the towel sarong style around my breasts, I walked through my bedroom. It was a warm and spacious room. I’d chosen to decorate it in warm blues and greys that reminded me of Owen’s eyes. My chest squeezed as I studied the painting I’d ordered of the coast near the Scottish castle. The fact that Owen had listened hard enough to make sure Devon and I got the sea view room on our last visit had never left me.

Tears burned my eyes and the ache in my throat wouldn’t go no matter how many times I swallowed. I had no idea how to handle the situation I was in, or my feelings for Owen. Gods, he had slammed back into my life, andclaimedme in public. I could have shut him down. I should have. It would have severed our ties and made him realise he had no hold over me. It would also have made him look weak, and the danger that would have put him and his brothers in was unthinkable. I couldn’t do that to them...to him. It would have been a blood bath for the pack, too, if the more dominant alpha males had attacked, believing I’d rejected the current Alpha because he was weak.

A tear escaped my right eye running down my cheek. Impatiently I wiped it away. Was there hope for us? If I told Owen about my wolf, would he understand? Or would he scorn me as heartlessly as I had him? I rubbed my aching chest, hating that I’d hurt him so badly.

When he’d not pursued me, or fought for me, I’d assumed our bond was weak on his side, and that it would fade for him. But part of me also knew that Owen would respect my decision, no matter how much it hurt. Stone’s words echoed in my head, the thought of Owen randomly fucking other women ripping me apart until I didn’t know what to do with myself.

I wiped another tear from my eye, glaring at myself in the mirror. This whole painful situation was my fault, and even if Owen still wanted me, it didn’t change the fact that my wolf wasn’t connected to me anymore.

With vicious strokes, I raked a brush through my knots and curls until my hair looked like wavy silk across my shoulders, but even that discomfort didn’t help ease my jealousy. I slammed the brush down, pissed off for being hurt and upset that Owen had used other women. What had I expected? That he would remain celibate for the rest of his life...like me?

I scowled at my reflection. Of course he wouldn’t. He was too damn hot and virile for that. Stupid woman…

A loud knock at my front door made me jump. The clock above my bed told me it was nearly ten PM. Only Becca would come by at this time. She’d normally phone first, but I guessed she was as pissed off by that meeting as me. She’d seen Owen claim me, and was cross that Lucas had tried to muscle in. I sighed. She was probably beside herself with worry about Shane, too. She hid her feelings for him most of the time, but I’d seen the anxiety in her eyes when Owen had confirmed the rumours about Shane’s disappearance.

I didn’t bother to change the towel for a robe. Becca had seen me naked plenty of times in that fucking prison. We hadn’t been allowed clothes.

“Hang on! I’m coming!” I yelled, surprised Devon hadn’t come charging out of his room. He had an uncanny knack of heading for the door just before anyone knocked. Even at night he was often awake and waiting. I frowned at his closed door. Maybe he’d fallen asleep. Gods knew it had been a long day.

I unlocked the door, smiling, and pulled it open. And froze.

“Hi.” Owen gave me a devastating smile, striding in without an invitation. Not that he needed one, my son was laying across his shoulder, fast asleep.

“What the hell, Owen?” I hissed, staring at Devon’s peaceful face as I closed the door.

Owen’s lips quirked at my obvious shock. “I have no idea how he got out. He said you’d be cross with him.”

“I am.”

His grin was panty melting, or would be if I had any on. That thought occurred to me at about the same time Owen’s gaze rested on my bare shoulders, and heat seared his grey irises. I swallowed hard.

“Where’s his room?” His voice had dropped to a low rumble and his scent spiked, making my head swim, and heat rush between my legs.

I shook my head, my brain frozen. I wasn’t ready to be alone with him. He wasn’t even trying to hide his desire for me. Panic tightened my lungs, and I wiped my damp palms on the towel. His chest was still bare and he had blood splatter on his fists, but that evidence of how dangerous he was only made it harder to drag my attention from him. Not only that, I was transfixed by the tattoos that disappeared under my sleeping son. The sight of Devon cradled in Owen’s solid, tattooed arms was enough to send my ovaries into hyperdrive. Damn, why did he have to be so damned sexy? My skin suddenly felt too tight, too hot. I wanted to drop my towel and offer myself up to him. So of course, I gripped it closer around my body, and forced my gaze to meet his.

“Lina? Tell me which room is his,” he repeated huskily.

I gulped and looked away from his searing look. “This one.” I hurried forward. The sooner he put Devon down, the sooner he could leave. My shaking hand slipped on the metal door handle, but I managed to turn it and push the door open, before standing back.

Keeping his concentration on Devon, Owen carefully moved him from his shoulder and lowered Devon to the bed. I stood back entranced by the way Owen’s back muscles rippled as he moved. It was fascinating, the strength he held in his powerful body. I’d seen Owen without a shirt many times, and I’d always tried not to drool, but now I was like a starving woman. I couldn’t tear my attention from his honed body. An ache spread from my heart right through my body as he kissed Devon's head and gently took his shoes off before covering him with the soft duvet. For some reason those gentle actions made me want to cry, loss tearing at me. I looked away and blinked furiously, swallowing the ache in my throat.

As my vision cleared, I noticed that the window was open an inch at the top. “Little bugger,” I breathed and crossed to the window, closing and locking it.

Owen’s image appeared behind me in the window pane. His face was shuttered, but his eyes gleamed in the reflection. “Is that how he got out?”

“It must be. But I don’t know how.” I contemplated the window. “He’s always been strong for his age but I didn’t think he would be able to reach the top window, let alone pull it down and climb out.”

Owen stepped closer and nerves skittered inside my belly. The memory of his hands on my skin, his mouth devouring mine, came from nowhere. I wanted to feel his touch so badly I ached. His voice was low and gravelly as he spoke. “Is there any other way he could have gotten out?”

I shook my head, holding his gaze in the reflection. “No, the front door is kept locked.”

Owen’s eyebrows rose.

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