Chapter 235
“Give into the submission. Everything is okay. Nothing more is going to happen to you. You are right, Jamie. Absolutely correct with everything you said. I am not Alpha Redmen. I would never punish you like that. You were the only pack member left that Cole could reach out to for help and the girls were too far away to link with me. Even if he had a phone it would have been destroyed by his time in the water just like all the trainer’s phones, including my own got lost in the field while we were trying to break up the brawl. I made the mistake of not giving out my office number as I’m rarely there unless I know of a call coming in. While running to the pack house to inform me of where they were at would have allowed us to get to them sooner, I didn’t even think of grabbing the mule to speed things up, Damian did. How can I fault you for running after them when I did the same thing?”
My head is on his shoulder with my eyes closed as he finishes his statement. My breathing is still hard, my heart fast, my body shaking yet I’m relaxed and present with Alpha Black. We’ve stepped away from the wall enough that he’s rubbing my back using positive touch to help me calm down from my panic attack.
“I am sorry to have triggered you purposely in this way. I knew it would be difficult since it’s quite rare to see such a fear response towards me so late in the run.”
I push myself up off alpha, looking him briefly in the eyes before quickly looking away.
“I need you to sit with me. I need to know what command you’re breaking that Alpha Redmen has deemed worthy of thirty lashes with the buckle end of the belt.”
I nod my head and start looking around to orientate myself back to the office.
“Head over to the couch.” Alpha speaks softly while pointing the way. “It’s going to be the most comfortable place to talk privately without the tension of sitting at the desk.”
I make my way over to the couch but hesitate to actually sit as I’m not completely convinced that I’m not going to be punished for insubordination.
“Would you like some water?”
I choke back a yelp turning it into a garbled bark as he pulls two bottles from the mini fridge.
“Yes sir.” I clear my throat before trying again. “Yes, thank you sir.”
“Take a seat Jamie. I know that was really rough but it gave me the information that I needed to confirm my suspensions. Now we need to talk. That’s all it is now.”
I take the remaining steps back that I need so I can sit on the couch, taking the water from his hand as I sit.
“I know what it is that you want to know but I need to ask, will I be in trouble for lying?”
There’s an obvious waiver of nervousness and uncertainty in my voice as I speak.
“Why do you feel you lied?”
“When I spoke of my involvement with Cole that first day here….”
I pause, struggling to find the words.
“Talk to me Jamie.”
Alpha’s voice is comforting and encouraging as I stand suddenly, pacing a short distance from the couch.
“I only told you of what I witnessed while he lived with us and those two times he came to us in bad shape. I didn’t tell you about our, my current involvement.”
I’m shaking bad and it takes everything I have to even start my story.
“Jamie, what command are you breaking that’s deserving of physical punishment.”
“I won’t stop helping him.” I barely whisper trying to contain the emotions alpha stirred up.
“That’s a good start for what I need from you as you just confirmed one of my suspicions. How about this, I will tell you if I feel that you lied to me but your own conscience is all you have to worry about. There is no punishment coming to you. I put on an act, I purposely lied to you.”
“Why?” I can’t help but feel betrayed and hurt by his confession.
“I have cameras in this room recording everything that is said or done. Your reaction to the threat of physical punishment for helping Cole, for saving their lives that day, is deeply disturbing. The video footage of that along with your talk with me will be submitted as the evidence needed to help you claim sanctuary.”
“Sanctuary?”
I’m shocked and confused by his intentions with this meeting. How could Micayla be right? Then again she was thinking he’s going to offer me a position in the pack without the second run like he did her.
“But I’m not being abused.”
I unintentionally blurt out as I pace in front of him. I have way too much negative energy right now to sit.
“Then why did you run when I grabbed the belt? Why did you black out into fight or flight so badly that you couldn’t unlock the door? While it doesn’t seem as severe as Cole’s, you have been receiving beatings regularly for helping him, have you not?”
I stop in front of him, glancing up just enough to make eye contact with him.
“Yes, I am.”
I don’t understand why this is so hard to talk about compared to talking about my experience with him while living with us. Talking about the times he actually came to us for help versus the last two years that I have had to track him down.
“Jamie, is there a way that I can comfort you? Relieve some of the anxiety that I’m seeing without using medication? Perhaps being with your mate will help. Just holding her, smelling her would bring relief.”
I shake my head not wanting Micayla to know about my own battles when hers are so much worse.
“I don’t want her to know when I’m going to return to the very same thing.”
“You won’t consider my offer of sanctuary at all?” His voice is shocked by my statement.
“I will talk but it’s not to be used right now. I will leave when Cole does. I know he’s going to head back. There’s no convincing him of anything else. I don’t know what it is he needs, that he’s looking for, but to allow him to return by himself….”
My voice trails off before I can think of what I’m saying, feeling.
“I will not abandon him.” I finally whisper.
“He won’t make it long enough to even make an attempt at running away without me being there.”
I stand still with my eyes closed as I try to calm my racing mind.
“Are you willing to tell me what’s going on?”
“Yes sir. I’m willing to talk.”
“Under the condition that I don’t use it yet?”
“I won’t leave without my family.”
“That was never my plan. If you are suffering in the way I suspect, I would never leave your family in such a place. You and Cole both deserve to have your family in the same pack as you.”
I look at him, studying him as his words were not lost in the sea of negativity that his threat of beating me created. We both deserve our family? Family isn’t plural.
“You see my family as his?”
I blurt out without thinking as no one has ever made that conclusion.
“While I can not go into the specific plans that I would like to put into place, your family adopting Cole, even as an adult, will be a key component to his recovery. You were there when he said he couldn’t leave because of you, Alex and the littles.”
“Alex?” I question.
“I’m sorry. It will take time for you to get used to the informality but I’m talking about Dr. Carter.”
I nod my head.
“From the conversations I’ve had with Alex, he has led me to believe that he’s planning things the same way. That he won’t leave until Cole is safe. Now, since you’ve stated that you will not accept sanctuary until Cole does, you have a choice. Letting me record your story now would be more believable to the council even though you have calmed down from your panic attack. I’m glad that us talking was enough.”
“What’s the other option?” I can’t help but be curious.
“You can wait until you come back but I believe it may take several months for Cole to work up the courage needed to actually run and I wouldn’t want to risk moving you and your family incognito without Cole being under protection orders. It could get very nasty for your family and I can’t put pups in danger like that.”
“I’m okay. Since you’ve got it on the surface, I’d like to talk, tell you the rest of my story.”
“I was hoping you would. So, how can I make you more comfortable?”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
