Page 98 of Alpha
"I didn't want to worry you," I replied. It was weak, but it was the truth.
"How could you keep that from me? I had a right to know," she shouted, finally losing her temper. Her eyes glinted with anger.
"And when you found out? What did you decide to do?" I responded as my anger flared again.
"Do you really expect me to stand back and do nothing while the people I love get slaughtered trying to protect me?" she said as she struggled to contain her rage. "I heard what you and Blake said. You'd be going into a fight that you would lose."
My gaze lifted to hers.
"You didn't even give me a chance to come up with a solution," I replied, hurt. "Instead you decided you were going to go and hand yourself over to a monster."
She had no idea what I was capable of when it came to keeping her safe. I would do anything.
"You can't keep me locked up," she argued.
My gaze held hers.
"Yes, I can," I stated. I could keep her locked up for as long as I needed to and there was nothing she could do about it.
"I'll hate you for it," she warned. I knew she wasn't going to be happy about what I'd done but her words still cut through me.
"If hating me is the only way to keep you alive, I can live with it," I lied. "You can't hate me if you're dead."
I didn't know how I'd be able to cope with her hatred for me. But the most important thing was to keep her alive, even if it made her hate me.
She reached for the bar and she screamed in pain. I tensed as I watched my mate in pain. Everything in me screamed for me to go to her but I fought against it. I couldn't show how much her pain affected me or she could potentially use it as a bargaining tool.
"I'll send Curtis to check on you," I said tightly as I fought against my basic urge to protect her.
"You told me you love me," she said in a hurt tone that tore at my heart.
"I'm doing this because I love you."
She might not like it, but it was the truth. I gave her one more look before I forced myself to turn and leave.
Once I stepped outside the room, I leaned defeated against the wall. Doing this to her was tearing me apart but for her own safety I had to keep strong. I reached for my phone and dialed Curtis.
"I need you in the basement," I ordered him before I cut the call.
He didn't keep me waiting for long. I sent him in to look at Scarlett's hand.
It was easier to keep away from her than face the hard reality that she hated me.
Besides, I had plans to make. Blake and I had joined our packs. It was agreed that it would only be a temporary arrangement until Victor was taken care of. I had the larger pack so it was decided I would remain as the alpha and Blake would take the beta role.
The rest of the pack had to be shuffled slightly to accommodate the new roles.
I'd also arranged for a couple of guys to watch over Scarlett's house until everything died down.
Jake appeared in the study.
"She is still refusing to eat."
I needed to do something. I had hoped I'd be able to talk her into eating but I knew it would be a long shot.
She was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling when I entered.
"You have to eat," I told her, but she ignored me.
