Chapter 92
(Cole’s POV)
I’m crazy nervous and can’t believe what I’ve just done. To even suggest doing this. To even consider touching the alpha’s own daughter is absurd and dangerous. I can only begin to imagine the bare bottom belting I’m going to receive for even suggesting this. It doesn’t matter if he decides to trust me or not. I’ve closed my eyes after answering his question, telling him the terms of what I can do to help Madilyn.
He started pacing when I stopped talking, raising my anxiety. Yet I knew this would be the end result the moment Luna came into the room. I could smell the pain and fear that this little girl was suffering before she was even brought into the room and I have sacrificed myself, my own well being, every single time a little has smelled like that.
I cringe as I open my eyes. Madilyn’s cries from the pain she’s in has baffled her parents and her doctor, increasing the guilt I feel knowing that I’m the one causing her such misery. Alpha has stopped in front of the bed. My sensitive hearing picks up on his whispers, soothing and consoling his young daughter as he moves towards me. It’s as he tries to lay her with me that her fear intensifies, grabbing her father around the neck as she cries ’no’.
I adjust myself more onto my side, preparing to take a very frightened pup into my hold. I know this is going to be an intense fight for her trust as I pray to the moon goddess that someone in her pack hasn’t exaggerated my unknown involvement with the pups back home. That would make this even harder on her.
I watch as alpha gently bends down to the bed, laying her against my arm. I wrap one arm around her as he gently takes her arms from around his neck. She’s whimpering badly and steadily gets worse as he moves further away. It’s with her father stepping away that she completely loses it.
My grip is loose on her as she tries to roll away becoming frantic when she’s held back by my arm. She starts kicking wildly. I hiss in pain as her tiny foot collides with the burn on my thigh. She’s reaching out to her father but he remains steadfast on being out of reach.
“Daddy, daddy please. Don’t leave me with him. He’s gonna hurt me. Please daddy. I don’t want to be like the girls at his pack. Please daddy. No, no, no!”
She’s frantically screaming and I’ve heard what I was hoping not to hear.
“Take her back alpha!”
He stays out of her reach as luna gets up to leave, obviously distressed by the situation.
“She’s okay Cole. Just give her a minute to settle down.”
He obviously didn’t hear what she just said.
“Madilyn, you will settle down and let Alpha Cole help you.”
He commands her sternly.
“No alpha!” I’ve gotten uncomfortably forceful on this.
“TAKE HER BACK ALPHA! PICK HER UP!”
I know that I’ve got his attention now as he finally steps forward and takes his flailing daughter back into his arms. My insistence has even attracted luna’s attention as she stops in her tracks towards the door.
I lay my head back with a groan, painting through the painful burning from multiple kicks to my legs. I know I’m going to pay for this painfully once everything is done but I won’t leave her to deal with these cramps on her own. I will continue trying until her parents call it quits.
My anxiety has spiked and I find myself forming a fist with my right hand. Just as I lift my hand to strike, to punish myself before alpha can, I hear him.
“Catch his hand.”
I open my eyes to see Dr. Pierce holding my wrist just inches from my head. I swallow hard as I look toward alpha, remaining silent as he rocks and comforts his daughter. She has stopped screaming about me hurting her but has started crying from the painful cramps again.
“Why, Cole?”
Luna and Dr. Pierce are both looking at him as he looks at me.
“I told you in the tub that self injurious behavior would not be tolerated but I never asked why you seek it.”
I take several deep breaths as it’s never been something that I could easily explain. I have multiple reasons but at the moment I can only think of the one reason I want to do it now.
“It lessens my punishment.”
“You think I’m going to punish you? For what?”
“For wanting to touch your daughter. For yelling at you.”
I reply trying to keep it simple so I didn’t have to explain too much about my past. How I’ve been abused at the three previous packs I’ve visited, their cruelty just wasn’t quite as severe.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Cole. I hesitated to take her because you said we weren’t to intervene. Have you changed your mind about trying to help her?”
“No sir. I won’t abandon a little one.”
My voice is back to the meek and submissive one I’ve been throughly trained to use. It’s a rarity for me to raise my voice or use my aura to express my alpha dominance.
“Then I guess I’m a little confused on what intervening is in this situation.”
I feel Dr. Pierce slowly release my wrist. Her grip was strong yet gentle and I had nearly forgotten she was even holding it.
“The rumors are in your pack.”
I sigh as I turn to look at him again.
“I told you that we knew, Luna Lilly and I.”
“No alpha, it’s in your pack. Beyond you and luna. Madilyn laid with me yesterday and it was my fear towards her that upset her. Tonight, it’s me she’s afraid of.”
“So what happens now?”
“We keep trying until one of you gives in. She will either settle down and let me use heat and pressure to relax the muscles that are cramping or you and luna will give up on the process and find another way to relieve her pain. There is no force involved in this. It is imperative that you do not command her to accept this.”
“I will follow your lead, no more hesitation. You tell me what you need from me. But, no more assumptions on if you’re in trouble with me. I know you’re being mistreated, I will not pretend that you aren’t. While there are a lot of things that I will change in how I work with you, one thing will not change. I have never hidden my displeasure from anyone. I may approach you more cautiously when it comes to discipline but you will never have to guess if you’ve done something wrong. You will know when I disapprove of a behavior and if penalties will be given. No more attempts at self punishment.”
“Yes sir.”
“Now, what’s next?”
“Now that she’s calm, try to lay her down again.”
Luna has come back to her seat and Madilyn has quieted in alpha’s arms but I know this time is going to be harder than the first. I take several deep breaths as I try to calm my own nerves.
“Are you ready to try again?”
Alpha asks quietly. Madilyn’s grip tightens around her father’s neck as he steps towards the bed again. I give him a silent nod as he lowers her to the bed. She starts screaming as soon as she touches me.
“No!” She shrieks. “Don’t leave me with him! Daddy! Don’t leave me with the perv! He doesn’t protect them. His touch hurts little girls! He marks them! Loves them in bad ways! No, no!”
Without me saying anything, alpha picks her up again. I can feel my hands shaking, squeezing my eyes shut trying in vain to will the pain of such horrid falsehoods out of my mind. I go through this with every new pup that comes my way. Why is this so much harder to stomach? But I already know the answer as the warm wetness of my tears start down my face. She’s four. The youngest I’ve ever tried to work with and yet someone has convinced her that I’m dangerous.
“Madilyn, I need you to calm down. We need to talk sweetheart. Those are some very hurtful and dangerous things to say about Alpha Cole.”
I cringe as I hear alpha use my title. I’m not an alpha. I was convinced of that a long time ago.
“Please don’t chastise her.”
I whisper hoping that no one hears the waiver in my voice that comes from crying.
“I’m not upset with her or you for that matter but it is important to know who gave her these ideas. They most certainly are not her own.”
I start taking deeper, slower breaths, trying to remember alpha’s slow count for calming myself down. I start reaching towards my head, desperately wanting to run my hand through my hair but a gentle hand stops me, followed by a gentle, feminine voice.
“Follow my count.”
I concentrate on luna’s voice as she starts the slow count, flinching hard when she starts running her fingers through my hair on the top of my head. I turn my attention to alpha as my anxiety evens out, listening to alpha and Madilyn. Her panic from being with me has finally settled down enough that I expect alpha to start questioning her.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
