Chapter 23: The hardest test

The door opens slowly, shoving aside, gently banging against the wall.

“Be careful,” one of my men warned the other as they carried me in.

I grimaced my face in pain. My back had started to hurt even more, and my arms trembled weak, around their neck.

“Hold him properly,” the other men said, "and try not to let him fall on the stairs.”

“Ahh!” I growled in pain as I bend my back; not being able to bear it anymore.

“Leave me here,” I told them, at the foot of the stairs.

I could help myself holding onto the handle of the stairs in going up.

“Sir, we can help you upstairs,” one of my men said eagerly to help me.

“No,” I answered him. I was very thankful for their help, but I could manage on my own now.

I firmly held against the hard stair handle, pulling myself up slowly. My men stood behind me monitoring my every move. Being their protector, I hated how they were treating me as if I were a weakling or a pup. I was not used to be treated in such a way.

“You may leave now,” I ordered them.

“My alpha,” One of my men said; not wanting to leave me.

I took my time turning around slowly to look at him, angry as hell.

Their body jumped frighteningly, scared by their alpha even in the bad condition I was in. They stood still staring at me. Suddenly my eyes widen seeing tears within their eyes. I know they were worried about me and too the trouble the pack could be in. If Alexander spread the word that the deadly alpha was gravely injured and was not in good health to protect himself much less his pack. It will be a heck of a problem.

“I don't understand why you had to do that?” one of my men said disappointed.

I wished at that very moment he would listen to himself before he inquired me. His question flooded my mind with even more questions. Weren't my pack members happy I had found my mate? I thought. I was eager to know, but instead, I reminded him of my main purpose as an alpha.

“An alpha always protects his pack,” I answered him; trying to catch my breath. I needed to sit down. Holding onto the staircase had made me felt even weaker.

My men were not willing to leave, determine in convincing me that the action I took tonight was not wise, as a leader of their pack.

“We almost lose you!” one of them shouted as he cried.

It was true. Losing me would affect the pack badly, but I was not going to sit down and let Alexander take my mate as his own. If I could take her punishment over again. Damn well, I would do so a thousand times.

My men had started to annoy me; I wished they could see no matter what they say or do will ever let me regret my action taken tonight.

“Leave,” I ordered them strongly.

I wanted them out of my house now. “Please exit through the kitchen door and don't close it,” I ordered them. They continued to stand still, staring at me confused, wondering why I did not want my kitchen door not to be close. It was a plan. A plan to see if my mate will leave me seeing the bad condition I was in and too discovering what I did for her.

I growled at my man instructing them to get the hell out now. Swiftly they exit my house.

I turned around pulling my body against the staircase in supporting me not to fall. And there I saw my beautiful mate. Standing above the stairs within her small white wolf form as if she were ready to attack me. I clenched my teeth as the pain had started to hit me harder, lowering my head and again returned my dark eyes to my mate's bright blue ocean eyes.

Her two small front feet moved anxiously to escape.

Seeing the bad condition I was in, my mate still wanted nothing to do with me. I squeezed the stairs hard allowing my hands to burn. What I was about to say to my future Luna was difficult. I know it is just a test to see if she will leave without caring I was injured and that it was just the two of us within the house. But I had to do it. I could not continue to keep her locked up within my home as if she were a prisoner and allowing her hatred for me to grow even more.

“I lower my eyes, staring at the steps of the stairs; not wanting to look at my mate while she leaves me. It was painful enough thinking about it already.

“Go,” I told her. My lips shiver as these painful words escape from my lips.

Slowly I raised my head to look back at my white wolf-mate; not seeing her run past me. Her oceans eye widen surprised by my words. As if she could not believe what I had said.

“You are free now, leave through the kitchen door,” I again told her. Allowing her I will not arm her. She continued to stand still afraid to move. I fell to the stairs weakly, onto my knees. Slowly I again reached for the staircase, pulling myself up. My feet trembled not allowing me to stand anymore. I took small steps backward until I was at the end of the stairs and gently pull myself onto the floor lying down. There was nothing else my body could do now than to lay there on the cold tile, while my body aches and shivers in pain.

I looked sideways seeing my mate still at the top of the stairs cautiously watching me. I clenched my teeth and growled gently removing my back from the tile in sitting up, getting a good look at her. My eyes widen surprisingly and shocked by the expression on my mate's face. She shows no pity or felt sorry that I was hurt.

She slowly walked downstairs paying close attention to me if I ever tried to do anything. The hurt I felt seeing how she looked at me with pure hatred within her eyes. I did not know how I had managed to stand on my two feet.

My mate jumped frighteningly and growled at me, reaching the final step of the stairs.

“Don't worry,” I informed her. “I'm in no condition to hurt you.” “You may leave through the kitchen door and close it behind you,” I told her; accepting the fact she will never be mine. No matter how I try.

Seeing my mate ran towards the kitchen without showing any care. Heartbroken, I fell flat onto the hard floor on my face, creating a loud sound. I got up quickly grabbing onto the staircase handle. I looked to see if my mate was gone and there, I saw her standing not too far from the kitchen staring at me. A warm feeling ran through my aching body, seeing what I wanted to see within her beautiful eyes all along. No, I thought angrily. I was hallucinating, from the aching pain I was in. What I was seeing was not true.

“Leave!” I shouted angrily at her; knowing she will never accept me as her one true mate. I could not handle it anymore.

I watched her blue eyes as she pays attention only to the scars against my back.

“You are free why won't you leave?!” I shouted at her again.

I hated what I was doing; when I truly know I wanted her to stay.

I almost break down into tears seeing her ran off into the kitchen leaving me. I wanted her to disobey my orders and stay with me. Slowly I pulled myself upstairs disappointed, taking a small step, avoid rolling back downstairs. Knowing my mate had left me. A crowd of laughter burst out inside my head, hearing not only Alexander's laughter but too my pack members making jokes at me. “The deadly alpha hurt himself to save his mate and, in the end, she rejected him,” I again heard their laughter within my head as if I were going insane.

I pushed my bedroom door entering and close it behind me. I crawled to my bed climbing onto it, lying flat on my stomach. I turned to look at the door hearing it opens slowly. Suddenly my eyes widen seeing my mate standing before me naked within her human form.