Page 65 of Her Cruel Alpha

“It’s their fault.”

I kept turning, trying to pull myself free, confused as to who was talking. I knew this anger wasn’t mine. While I had been frustrated with Katie, I didn’t feel this. This was something that built up over the years. It was what you felt when you had no other emotion to turn to, or you’d gone through all of them. The feeling you get when something bad has happened.

I wanted out. I didn’t want to feel this. I didn’t even want to be near this feeling. But it was all around me. It was pulling at me, screaming in my ear and around my head.

“They did this! They will all pay.”

It was like someone was screaming in my head, and I covered my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, just wanting it to stop.

“Stop!” I felt like my head was going to explode. “Stop, stop, stop!”

The only thing I could think about was Katie. My sweet, loving Katie. I hoped she was safe and that the baby was alright. I never wanted anything to happen to either of them. I wanted them to both live long lives, long and happy lives.

Katie was so strong and independent. If I were stuck here forever, I knew she would be okay. She might hurt for a while, a pain sort of like this, but she would move on. She would keep her head up. She would raise our child to be like her. Strong and independent.

I wanted that. I wanted a healthy, happy baby more than anything. A child who lived in little pain.

I could see it. I could see them running around the house, talking about science. I could see a little girl walking after her, asking Katie for answers to equations. She’d have her hair in pigtails. She could wear a little white lab coat and spout numbers like they made sense. She would teach her how to play the flute and how to speak French. I could see her being the sweetest kid, never judging people.

And Katie. She’d be so happy. She might have lost me, but she had a beautiful piece of something we made. She had our child. She’d squeeze them tightly every morning and kiss them goodnight each evening.

I could see her with a boy cheering on the side of the soccer field. She’d scream for him to run and to kick the ball. She’d already taught him the best moves and the way to get a goalie with math. He’d kick the puck into the goalie and everyone would cheer, but she would cheer the loudest.

But he’d run to her. He’d yell that he made it. That he scored. She’d hug him so tightly and tell him she loved him. Our child would cover them both in mud, but she was okay with that. In the end, she had him. She may not have me, but she had our child.

I could picture a life where she would be happy. No matter what, she wouldn’t be alone. That mattered more than anything. That mattered more than my being free. She is finally happy. Finally, having someone to love.

“Henrik.”

I could almost hear her. I was sure of it. Maybe it was a new taunt of the darkness. Perhaps instead of pain, I would have to think I could hear her calling my name, and she wasn’t. It was just a trick.

“Henrik, please.”

Why did she sound so scared? She sounded like she was afraid. It wasn’t what I pictured.

“Henrik, please. Come back to me.”

My body stiffened. Was she with me? I thought she was at the lab.

“Someone, do something!” I could hear her starting to cry. I felt her hands on my chest. I wanted so badly to grab them. I wanted to hold her but I couldn’t move. I was stuck.

I hadn’t told her how much I loved her. She had changed my life so much that I never wanted to go back. I never told her my feelings.

Her voice dipped. “Henrik, please. Come back to me. You can’t leave me. Not like this! I can’t do this without you.”

Suddenly, the darkness crept back and I realized that I was still standing in front of my car. Katie stood just a few feet away, looking at me with pain in her eyes. My eyes went past her towards Sam, who stood just behind her. Her eyes were trained, and I realized she must be using her magic.

“Henrik!” Katie yelled, pushing past a barrack and running towards me. She threw her arms around, falling into a sobbing mess. “You’re okay! I thought I lost you. Don’t ever do that again!”

I was confused. How much time had passed? How long had I been standing here?

She leaned back, reaching her hand up and cupped my face. Her eyes searched mine, looking in pain. “Are you okay? Where are you hurt? Does your chest hurt? Your lungs? Talk to me, Henrik.”

I stared into her eyes, trying to search for the right words. There were so many that I wanted to pick. That I loved her. That I never wanted to lose her. That she was the best thing that ever happened to me.

But before I could say anything, darkness engulfed both of them, but instead of it being pitch black, it was a bright white that made him wince in pain. I clung to Katie, holding onto her tightly to protect her. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I was sure as well making sure that she was okay if anything happened between us.

Chapter 23 - Katie

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