Chapter Twenty-six

“Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked her gently. she nodded affirmatively.

Hayden stood up, with Alexia firmly still in his grip, and turned off the shower that poured over them both.

He walked out of the bathroom and gently deposited her on the bed, “Wait, let me get you a change of clothes. The ones on you are wet. You’d catch a cold.”

He rummaged around in his wardrobe and took out one of his t-shirts and one of her favourite pair of shorts. He deposited them on the bed beside her and crouched down to her eye-level.

“I’m going to take these off you now, if that’s fine,” he said, peering into her face. She nodded again, saying nothing.

He gently took off the wet top from her body, leaving her in her sports bra. He towelled her dry, then put the t-shirt on her. He bent lower, and took off her jeans. Then he chuckled.

“I’ve always wanted to undress you, but not in these circumstances,” he explained and looked at her face. She smiled slightly.

He patted her legs dry with the towel, and put the shorts on her. Then he dried her hair with a towel.

“There. All done,” he said and smiled. He took of his wet t-shirt and dropped it on the pile of wet clothes on the floor.

Hayden sat down beside her and held her hands in his, “Tell me what happened,” he enunciated while staring into her eyes.

“I was at the gun range, and Athena and Vanessa were fawning over my target sheet,” Alexia began.

“What about your target sheet?” he asked.

“It was a perfect score,” she replied, “Then Vanessa said she noticed that there’s this power that runs through me whenever I’m ‘being’ a Hunter, and Athena attested to it. That got me angry, so I stormed off.

“I just kept walking to cool off, and I somehow ended up in this seedy…underdog neighbourhood. Then…then three guys showed up in front of me,” she narrated.

Hayden’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He just kept rubbing her hands.

“They called me your plaything. They said a boss lady paid them ‘to have a taste of the Alpha’s new bitch’. The biggest guy, the one in the middle, he…he lifted me over his shoulders like I was just…a…a sack of flour. He carried me into this alley and dropped me.”

“I stood up, then he came close to me and grabbed my ass and started rubbing his crotch against me. Then he started sucking on my neck and gave me this bruise.”

“I injured him. I kicked him in the nuts, I broke his nose and I kicked his head. He fell unconscious and the others were so scared, they ran away.”

Alexia looked at him with tears in her eyes again, “I injured him, but in all of my 24 years of existence, Hayden, I…I have never, ever felt so violated…so humiliated. Some lady paid them to molest me. For goodness’ sakes, they called me ‘the Alpha’s plaything’. I was reduced to…to…to nothing more than a pretty face and a hot body that belongs to a man. He touched me without my permission, Hayden,” her voice broke and her bottom lip wobbled. Tears streamed from her eyes.

Hayden was enraged. Tears shone in his eyes too as he stood up and gritted his teeth, “I am going to find those bastards and tear them apart from limb to limb.”

The sound of Alexia still sobbing broke through his haze of anger and he sat back down. He pulled her close, and she rested her head on his chest. His arm draped across her shoulders and he kept petting and squeezing. He kissed the top of her hair several times and he whispered over and over again, “I’m sorry, baby. I am so sorry.”

Eventually, she stopped sobbing and just rested her head on his chest.

“Alexia?” he called.

“Hmnmmn?” she mumbled into his chest.

“Are you okay now?” he asked.

“No, not really, but I’m better now,” she replied. Her tone was still muffled by his t-shirt.

Hayden put his arm around her waist and heaved her, sliding both of them onto the bed. She was still holding him tightly. He arranged the pillow around them, and they laid down.

He leaned back slightly to look at her face, “I have to go now. Will you sleep or will you come with me?”

“I want to sleep, but I don’t want you to go. Stay, please?” she pleaded.

“Okay, I’ll stay,” he whispered back. She smiled and settled, and her soft snores could be heard after a few minutes.

Hayden waited for her to fall into a deep sleep, then he brushed hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. He gently released himself from her grip, then slid off the bed and walked out of the room.

His rage was barely contained. He clenched his fist tightly and descended the stairs. Athena and Vanessa were still sitting in the Common room.

When he appeared, Athena shot up from her seat, “A…A…Alpha Hayden?” she stammered. Hayden stopped in his tracks and smiled at her.

“Yes, Athena. How can I help you?” he replied.

“I…uh…How is Alexia? Is…she..she…” she stuttered, shaking.

“Relax, Athena. She’s fine. She had her bath now, and she’s asleep,” Hayden told her. Her shoulders sagged in relief and she smiled.

“Oh, that’s good to know. Thank you, Alpha,” she told him.

“Call me Hayden, please. Vanessa, hi,” he greeted before walking out of the packhouse.

As soon as Hayden walked out of the house, Vanessa burst into mocking laughter.

“Hey!” Athena cried in indignation.

“Seeing how y…y..you…were…st..st..stuttering…” she gasped in between laughter.

Athena folded her arms, cross, “So what? He intimidates me. He emits so much power, it’s almost scary!”

“Oh, please. You’re no longer just a witch. You’re a warlock. You can bring him down to his knees with just one spell,” snorted Vanessa.

Athena huffed, “He still intimidates me,” she paused, then continued, “Do you think we should go and see her?”

Vanessa rolled her eyes, “Didn’t you hear when he said that she was asleep?”

“Oh.”

***

Hayden marched in rage down to Clara’s cottage. He crossed the porch and banged hard on the screen door.
Her voice came from the other side, muffled and high-pitched, “Who the hell is that? Do you want to break my door?”

He said nothing and continued banging.

“Stop it! I’m coming!” she yelled from inside the house.

A few seconds later, she opened the door with a furious expression on her face.

A number of emotions flickered through her face in a split second. First, she looked angry. Then she was happy to see that it was Hayden, then she looked confused when she saw that he stared at her with hatred and anger.

“Hayden…why were you banging like that on my door?”

“I would like to see you inside, if you don’t mind,” he said tightly.

A muscle jumped in his jaw and Clara recognised the tick. It meant that he was batshit furious. She gulped and opened the door wider.

He stepped in graciously, but as soon as she closed the door, he grasped her upper arm tightly and slammed her against the door. Fire burned in his eyes.

“OW! Hayden, you’re hurting me! Let go!” she whined.

He got close up into her face, “Did you know that Alexia was attacked today?” he seethed.

“R…r…really? Who could do s…such a thing?” she stammered, avoiding his eyes.

“Look at me!” he barked. She complied and stared into his murderous blue eyes.

“Yes. She was attacked downtown by three guys who claimed that a particular ‘boss lady’ paid them to have fun with the Alpha’s new ‘plaything’. Ain’t that right, Clara?”

“I…I…I have n…no idea what you’re talking about, Hayden. You’re hurting me. Let me go!” she pleaded again.

He tightened his hold on her arm, “I know you did it, Clara. I know of your past, and the associations you have downtown. However, I didn’t know that you would stoop so low to send your…friends after my mate. How did you even know that she was going downtown?”

“I…I…have been watching her,” she replied slowly, unable to tear her gaze from his.

“Well then, hear this, Clara. If even a hair on Alexia’s head is harmed, or you or anyone does so much as threaten her,” Hayden chuckled menacingly, “You would live to regret it. That’s a vow.”

Tears shone in her eyes and she gulped and nodded her assent.

He let go of her arm roughly, and stepped away from her. Her other hand crept up and rubbed the spot where he held her.

“Stay away from Alexia, Clara.”

He brushed her away and exited her house.

Tears dropped from her eyes as soon as he left. She grabbed her phone from the side stool and dialed a number.

“You bastard!” she screamed into the phone, “You had just one job!”