Chapter 160
“Why Cole? Why are you afraid of me?”
“The rumors. Soon enough you’ll hear of the rumors and you too will want nothing to do with me. I know you said you wanted to get to know me but….”
His voice trails off and I’m completely stunned by this turn of events.
“When you decide to reject, I won’t fight it. You deserve better and if that’s what you choose I will let you.”
“You think once I get to know you that I won’t want you?”
I’m so completely stunned by such an assumption that I can’t help but look to alpha. I know there's shock and confusion on my face as his eyes soften.
“He originates from the Red Fang pack. That pack in general has a really bad rap but Cole, unfortunately, has some really bad rumors that tend to follow him to each pack he visits. Those rumors tend to result in him not receiving a fair chance at proving who he is.”
“What kind of rumors could do that?”
I see him open and close his mouth several times as if he wants to answer but nothing comes out. Alpha’s eyes drop briefly as he sighs deeply.
“Cole has been branded as a sexual predator at his home pack. From what I’ve seen so far of his character and in consideration of the condition that he’s come here in, I find it difficult to believe that the rumors are accurate.”
“Damn alpha, I wouldn’t even help me with that description.”
I barely hear Cole whisper.
“Is it true?”
I whisper, completely taken back by the news.
“I don’t expect you to believe me but no. The rumors are not true. I protect those who can’t protect themselves. I have never hurt anyone.”
“Alpha, do you believe him?”
I’m darting between looking at Cole and looking at Alpha Demetri trying to figure out what’s going on.
“Yes.”
I look back to Cole and can’t help but notice how hard he’s fighting the tears. He’s completely given up on life in general, something I’m not ready to explain to alpha, and he’s sick enough right now that if he gives up mentally he will never make it through this deep poisoning of his body. I take a deep breath as time is not on my side and I know I have to tell him something.
“Alpha, I know he’s only been here a few days and processing everything going on immediately is nearly impossible but what is your stance? You said you believe him over his pack. Does that mean you don’t think he’s dangerous?”
“I do not believe he’s engaging in anything inappropriate in his home pack. If I did then I would have gotten the council involved in researching the rumors and I would have started making arrangements to remove him from the program and my territory.”
I’m shocked at Cole’s reaction to alpha’s truthfulness. He has moved his arm so that his hand is now in his hair and he’s squeezing down hard. He’s breathing hard and I feel torn and heartbroken that my mate is in this condition. I don’t know how to deal with him rumored to be a predator even though alpha seems to believe him, even trust him.
My past is haunting me, as I have been sexually abused by many alphas in the packs that I’ve been to, including Red Fang. Yet as a nurse practitioner I have learned to set aside my personal feelings and concentrate solely on the patient and no amount of unproven rumors will stop me from helping him survive this.
I startle badly, drawing a sharp breath in trying to stifle my own emotions, when Cole yelps repeatedly. Everyone freezes as I hear Madilyn’s tiny voice yelling.
“Daddy no! Stop hurting him!”
I turn my attention back to Cole and see alpha kneeling beside him, his hand on top of Cole’s.
“I’m not hurting him Lynnie, he’s scared. For the condition he’s in, he’s beyond scared.”
I watch as alpha moves his other hand to the back of Cole’s head. The gentleness and care he’s showing towards Cole is quite moving despite my misgivings about these rumors he feels I will reject him for. He closes his hand gently over Cole’s as he touches the back of Cole’s head.
The simultaneous touch sends Cole into a small frenzy. The amount of fear he’s showing towards alpha is so much more than my own. It’s a powerful reminder of how far I’ve come in the three years since I moved here.
Cole’s yelps have settled again but instead of going silent he’s settled into soft whimpers.
“Cole, it's very important that you listen to my words. As I’ve explained before, I will tell you exactly what I expect from you. I will not make you guess. Now, I know what you’re doing right now and I don’t like it. While stims always serve a purpose it is important to understand that negative stims like this do not have a purpose here, in my territory. I will not tolerate negative stims. I will not punish you for it but I will intervene and redirect your stim towards something positive. My expectation from you is to allow the intervention. This is an order Cole. You will allow the intervention, you will let go.”
I’m amazed at the firm, yet gentle tone that alpha uses with him. It’s actually making it harder to believe that Cole could be the bad person that these rumors describe and I don’t even know the details of those rumors.
I watch as alpha slowly moves Cole’s hand from his hair and positions his own so that he can expose Cole’s inner arm. He runs the tips of his fingers along the sensitive area causing Cole to struggle with the change in sensation.
I can hear Cole whispering an apology every time he twitches or pulls his arm until alpha addresses him again.
“Don’t apologize Cole. I’m expecting this to be difficult as it’s a completely different feeling than what you're seeking right now. I don’t feel that your little reactions are in any way fighting the redirect. I also realize that you may be feeling like you’re going to be punished. Try to push that feeling away. There’s no punishment coming your way.”
“Alpha?” My voice is nervous as I have finally come to a decision as to what needs to happen with Cole.
“I need to change the purpose of the recording.”
“Why’s that?”
I look around briefly to find that both Dr. Pierce and Dr. Morrison have come out to where we all are.
“This case, Cole’s case, needs to be elevated to the council.”
The room is silent after my declaration. It takes a moment for even Cole to process the gravity of what I just said. What I wasn’t expecting is his reaction to the council getting involved. He starts shaking his head hard and I can hear him muttering ‘no’. I step back as he seems to get more frantic giving alpha space to work with him.
I have no idea what’s going on with him. With everything that I’ve been through the one thing I have never feared was a report to the council but that’s not the case with Cole.
“Please alpha. You can’t let her elevate this. The council only makes things worse. You said you would make an exception. That you would keep my case out of the council. Please! You don’t understand what this is going to do alpha! Please!”
I cringe with his begging. He’s trying to stand but his weakened state is showing badly as he tries to fight the alpha, trying to get around him, away from his hold.
“Cole please, where do you think you can go? You’re in no shape to run. Please, let us help you.”
I can hear the desperation in alpha’s voice as he tries to convince Cole to stay. He’s standing in front of Cole but hasn’t put his hands on him yet. I can see hard tremors in Cole’s hands and despite holding on to the stair rail, there’s an obvious sway while he’s standing.
“Alpha please. This isn’t going to help me. You said you were willing to go off the record with this.”
I look around the room to see most of the people here have a look of sadness about them, everyone but alpha’s youngest son, Lucas. He looks mad making me wonder if he’s one that’s not giving Cole a chance due to the rumors. I look to Dr. Pierce as Cole continues to beg alpha to keep this from the council. Unfortunately, I know there’s no choice in the matter.
“Cole,” Dr. Pierce speaks to him for the first time since coming into the room. “Do you remember what I told you when I did the ultrasound on you?”
He quiets down almost instantly with her question.
“You could only keep it from the council if I didn’t have internal bleeding.”
“Yes. When a pack applies to the council to join the warrior program, when we are accepted as having an appropriate program for others to learn from we are given a set of laws that are designed to protect both us and the prospects. The law with prospects is if you have to be admitted to the General hospital in the first week after you arrive for a major illness or injury the council must know about it.”
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