Alpha Divided (Alpha Girl Book 3)

A little rest and then we’d figure out the next step.

Luciana would be back, and we needed to be ready.





Chapter Twenty-Five



After a shower and some food, I collapsed on Dastien’s bed.

A towel was wrapped around his waist, but as water dripped down his abs, I found it hard to concentrate.

“Let me get dressed.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. We’d have time for us later. Now was not the moment. He opened and shut some drawers. “Dressed,” he said, and I opened my eyes.

You okay? He asked through the bond, and I felt his wave of concern.

The bond is back. I really like being able to do this creepy, silent-talking thing with you.

He leaned down, brushing a kiss against my forehead. “Now, tell me something.”

“What?”

“What did you know about the fight before it started? There was something—and now I feel your guilt through the bond. So, spill.”

I didn’t see what good it would do to spill, but it wasn’t like I could keep secrets anymore. “I dreamed that Mr. Hoel was going to kill me.”

Dastien jumped up, hovering over me as he shook my shoulders. His eyes flashed bright yellow. “And you still went into the fight? Without telling me? Are you insane? Do you not care about your own life?”

I jerked his leg until he sat back down next to me. “No. I’m not insane. I knew it was going to happen. I was going to do my best to avoid it, but the fight was coming. What was I supposed to do? Hide?”

“Yes. Next time something like that is even a possibility, you damn well better hide!”

“And if the situation had been reversed? Would you let me go off and fight while you hid?”

He growled. “That’s not the same thing.” His voice was gravelly. The wolf was close to the surface.

“It’s exactly the same thing.”

He squeezed me so tight I could barely breathe. “You okay?”

“No. I’m not okay.” He let up a little. “Are you okay? You’re the one who…Mr. Hoel.”

“I killed him.” I thought about it for a second. “You know, I thought I’d feel worse about it. Maybe I will later, but for now, I’m glad he’s dead. He killed Daniel. He tried to kill me. He tried to kill you before…”

Dastien ran his fingers through my hair, and I soaked up his touch for a second.

I could’ve stayed there forever, but we still had a whole host of problems to deal with. “We have to go check on the others.” I chewed on my lip as I thought back to the fight. “Luciana was summoning an actual demon.”

“Yes. I think she was.”

“How do we fight that?”

His breath was hot on my neck. “I don’t know.”

That was what I’d thought. I wasn’t sure how to kill one either, but I was Christian enough to know it wouldn’t be easy.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find a way,” Dastien said.

“Maybe Claudia knows something.” From what I knew about Claudia, it seemed like a long shot, but what could be the harm in asking?

“Doubtful. Not everyone knows about that kind of magic. And fighting it…depending on what Luciana was summoning, it could’ve been really bad.”

I squeezed my eyes tight. “We have to stop her.”

“Agreed.”

It was a good thing some of the coven members were going to be sticking around. A little witchy expertise would go a long way. “We need to go talk to Claudia and whoever else stayed on our side.”

I tried to sit up, but Dastien stopped me. He pressed a hard kiss to my lips before pulling back. “Don’t you ever put yourself in danger like that again.”

I tried to smile at him, but failed. “I wish I could promise that, but I can’t.” I swallowed. “I’m glad to be alive. Is that bad? Daniel died saving me. I should feel worse. He was a nice guy and I was busy doubting him, even when he’d been nothing but kind and helpful. I should be more upset. I’m just so grateful to be alive that it’s overshadowing everything.”

Dastien pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. “No. We will honor his sacrifice. We can’t bury his body, but we’ll have a service for him. I’ll always be grateful for what he did.”

I squeezed his hand. “Thanks.”

“Come on. Let’s go get this over with. And then lets come back. I’d like to spend the next day or ten in bed with you.”

I blushed.

“Mind out of the gutter. We’ve got time before the next full moon.”

I scoffed. “You’re so old fashioned.”

He kissed me again, and I lost myself in it. I was fully breathless when he pulled back. “I just want to be respectful. But that doesn’t mean I can’t hold you.”

“Deal.”

***

The cafeteria was always the place to meet on campus. Apparently, that hadn’t changed in the little bit that I’d been gone. Weres sat around eating, but one table stood out from the rest.

Claudia, Raphael, Shane, Cosette, and Elsa sat together, along with two other girls and one older lady.