Madeline’s POV
My head was killing me.
I’d never drank that much before and I swore that I would never do it again. The throbbing pain in my head definitely wasn’t worth it.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” I heard someone say and I froze.
Who the hell…
And then I remembered.
Alpha Dimitri took me home last night. He put me in my bed. Why was he still here?
I opened my eyes and looked to my left. Alpha Dimitri was sitting at my desk, looking through a bunch of papers. He glanced up at me and smiled.
“How is your head?” he asked, making me furrow my eyebrows.
Why was he here?
“Fine,” I lied as I sat up in bed.
Alpha Dimitri looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. He stood up and approached the bed. My heart was hammering in my chest. I had no idea why I was so nervous around him. He sat down and took my hand in his.
“I know when you are lying, Maddie,” he said softly. “I know you.”
A shiver went up and down my spine. Why did his words make me feel so good? Why did I want him to know me?
“How is your head?” he asked again.
I decided to be truthful this time.
“It hurts,” I said quietly, making Alpha Dimitri nod.
He reached out and placed his hand on my forehead. The pain lessened immediately.
What? How?
The only one who could take my pain away would be my mate. Was Alpha Dimitri…
No.
No, no, no, no. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. His touch didn’t take away the pain, it just lessened it. His palm was cold and it felt good against my warm forehead. That’s why the pain lessened.
He wasn’t my mate.
I was thankful that he couldn’t read my mind. I was embarrassed because that thought came to me. I was nothing and he was a King. I couldn’t be his mate.
“Why did you leave without me yesterday, Maddie?” Alpha Dimitri asked, his eyebrows furrowing. “Do you have any idea how scared I was? Do you have any idea what would happen if the rogues got inside our territory?”
I gulped. The fear in his voice made my insides twist.
“Not to mention that you got drunk,” he continued, narrowing his eyes at me. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? Someone could have used you. Seth could have forced himself on you and…”
“He would never do that!” I interrupted him.
Alpha Dimitri moved his hand from my forehead. His jaw clenched.
“He isn’t that kind of person,” I continued defending Seth. “He is my friend.”
I remembered Seth saying that he could be my mate. I wasn’t so sure about it. I didn’t want him to be my mate. Not because I didn’t like him, but because I didn’t want to be tied to this pack in any way. I didn’t want anyone from this pack to be my mate.
“He kissed you,” Alpha Dimitri said with a hint of anger in his voice.
He looked at my lips and a strange feeling spread around my stomach.
What the hell was wrong with me?!
“He didn’t force himself on me,” I said quietly.
Alpha Dimitri gulped and clenched his fists. He gave me a small nod and looked down at his lap.
“I am sorry,” I said.
I wasn’t even sure why I was apologizing to him. I just had a feeling that I had to tell him that I was sorry.
He looked up at me and furrowed his eyebrows a little.
“For putting myself in danger,” I said the first thing that came to mind. “I didn’t mean to.”
Alpha Dimitri nodded again. “Don’t do it again, Maddie. Don’t leave the house without me.”
I gave him a small nod. I could tell that keeping me safe was important to him. I could tell how stressed and worried he was because of rogues at his border. I didn’t want to add to his stress. I didn’t want him to worry about me.
“Thank you, Maddie,” he said softly and pulled me into a hug.
I relaxed into his arms and took a deep breath. I couldn’t help but enjoy his scent. It was soothing and it made the pain in my head easier to bear.
There was a quiet knock on my bedroom door and someone opened it before I could respond.
“Morning, Mads…,” I heard Mike’s voice.
He stopped talking and chuckled. Alpha Dimitri let me go and I looked up at Mike. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I heard the voice I feared the most.
Oh, shit. Janet was going to kill me.
She walked into my room and gasped loudly.
“What the hell are you doing in her room, Dimitri?!” Janet shouted, making the pain inside my head worsen.
Alpha Dimitri opened his mouth to speak, but Mike beat him to it.
“Oh, relax, Janet,” Mike said happily. “They are siblings. We should be glad that they are getting along.”
An uneasy feeling washed over me each and every time Mike called Alpha Dimitri my sibling. It felt wrong and by the look on Alpha Dimitri’s face, I could tell that he felt the same.
Janet looked at me murderously and my stomach flipped upside down. She would punish me the first chance she got. This was a reason for another punishment and she wouldn’t miss the opportunity.
Shit.
“Stop it, Mother,” Alpha Dimitri growled. “Maddie wasn’t feeling well and I was helping her.”
Janet looked me up and down and tightened her jaw.
“Are you okay, honey?” Mike asked worriedly as he approached me and caressed my cheek. “Should we get you to the pack doctor?”
“I am fine, Mike,” I said. “Thank you.”
Mike placed his hand on my forehead and gave me a small smile.
“You don’t have a fever,” he said. “Did you eat something bad maybe?”
I glanced at Alpha Dimitri who had a small smirk on his face.
“Probably,” I nodded, looking back at Mike.
“Okay, honey,” Mike said as he caressed my cheek again. “You won’t go to work today. You need to rest and let us take care of you.”
I shook my head immediately.
“No, I am okay,” I said, making Mike frown. “I have to go to work.”
“Listen to Mike, Maddie,” Alpha Dimitri said sternly. “I will let Seth know that you will be staying home today.”
I glanced at Janet. I didn’t want to stay here with her. I knew that Mike would leave soon and Alpha Dimitri had to go to work. I would be trapped in this house with her.
Janet smirked, realizing that I would be at her mercy the entire day.
“I can stay home with you, honey,” Mike said softly. “I am sure that Jack can manage without me for a day.”
Mike was one of the best fighters Alpha Dimitri’s pack had. He was working as a trainer at the training center. I didn’t know that until recently. I never asked because I didn’t want to know anything about him. I didn’t want to get closer to him.
This was the first time I was happy that he would stay here. At least I wouldn’t be alone with Janet.
“No, Mike, we need you there,” Alpha Dimitri said, shutting down the small spark of hope that had awoken inside me. “I will stay with her.”
My eyes widened. Mike smiled brightly. Janet looked like she was going to explode with anger.
I didn’t care. I was just so freaking happy that I wouldn’t be alone with her. I was hoping that she wouldn’t get another chance to punish me in the next two weeks.
