In the Alpha’s Arms

Soothing Touch

Lita fell back against Cole’s chest. The feel of his lips on her skin momentarily drowned out the pain of remembering. He was warm, comforting. Something she never thought was meant for her. How many nights had she longed to be held just like this? To have her pains soothed?

The day I saw you… tell me what happened, his voice was a balm to the back of her neck and somehow it didn’t scare her to remember. Cole was there to chase away the sickening feeling that crawled up her chest. He aimlessly stroked her shoulder with one hand and rested the other against her stomach

“We had a date night,” she stopped, unexpectedly feeling the cold tear trail down her face. She’d never cried that night. And she hadn’t cried about it since which seemed so strange now that she thought about it.

“Well, be called it a date but he didn’t give me much choice in the matter. Play nice or feel pain. Those were the only two choices I ever had. In order to understand that night, you have to understand why he was angry,” one of his hands moved to stroke the side of her ribs, his breathing slow and controlled at her back, “We’d been broken up since James‘ accident not because anyone gave a shit what I wanted, but because I was literally wrecked. My body covered in bruises. Broken bones. Unstable in more ways than one.”

She took a shaky breath. It had been so long since she thought of the day they all signed the contract, “But Brian wouldn’t let them keep me in the hospital. He wanted me home, said he needed me with him, promised he’d take care of me. I knew he wouldn’t but I was so used to saying yes. 50 shattered inside after James that I left the hospital with him anyway. I thought at least he wouldn’t hurt me more, even if he wouldn’t take care of me.”

Lita laughed but it was anything but humorous, “I thought wrong about that, like I did about a lot of things in my life. I was back in the hospital the same day all because I couldn’t give him what he wanted. I mean, who would even want that with how I looked? Covered in gauze and bruises, splints. It was fucking laughable, except it wasn’t. And anyway, I tried to but I was too sore. Broken bones and all that.”

“I might as well have been talking to a wall though. The punctured hung he gave me was serious. He didn’t understand that the bones were already broken, so easy to travel. I almost died in that car alongside my brother. I almost died when he kicked the bone loose and again when they were trying to fix it in surgery. It s strange to think I’m already on my fourth life… so strange… Her words were barely a whisper.

Cole’s hands tightened to fists on either side of the bed, bunching the sheets until his knuckles we

were white. Lita could feel his chest expand and harden as if he were holding himself back. She ran her fingers over his, playing along the lines of his knuckles. She wasn’t alone, she kept telling herself And she wasn’t with Brian.

I could grieve my brother’s death. And we all knew what it meant. He needed to let me heal or I’d die and it wasn’t hard for me to sign it and agree. But he’d been practically forced to by

hands to himself.”

from you physically? As in–” Cole’s voice was gravel, knives, claws. Lita nodded, “Tve heard of wolves doing it before… I’ve never seen firsthand

made sense why the piece of paper mattered. I never understood why he couldn’t move

like cold death, “Because he couldn’t stop himself from taking what he felt was his. He couldn’t let you heal. It happens sometimes in weaker males, the possessiveness. It’s lead to dead she–wolves more times than it should. You would have likely been a casualty. So his father had to make him stop. Contract him to stop or he’d lose the inheritance, that’s usually how it goes. His whole livelihood would be gone. And I’m sure it had nothing

parents.

almost taste the bitterness in

free and about James telling me to fight. I’d just started putting the plan of escape in place in my head, Coming here to California. Having an apartment. Getting free. And that all crashed down like a cage when 1 found out he was coming with me. And that’s how I ended up at the gym. I was just looking– looking for anything really.

he always did. It wasn’t the worst he’d ever done but it was close… he didn’t you know, take it while I was unconscious, though, and he wasn’t there when I woke up. I think he knew he wasn’t supposed to do what he did. I think he lost control. He breached the contract.

She reflexively curled away from him

over her. His eyes wild and red, teeth long and angry, “I

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Soothing Touch

into a wince, “I couldn’t handle it. Not for you to look at me like that,” her legs slid between his as he lowered her arm, letting her land softly against

that. And still she couldn’t move. Her mind was swimming and he was aware of it because he didn’t move to any intimate areas, he kissed her ribs. Cole brushed his soft mouth against each one, slowly, like he was apologizing for something he hadn’t even done. Then he

on her skin. She was grateful he was here. She was grateful to have found him. More tears and she didn’t wipe these away. He kissed her collarbone, her cheeks, around her eyes. There was no pressure. there.