For the first time in days I felt warmth. Blessed heat surrounded me. It felt amazing! I snuggled closer, inhaling and enjoying the warmth. No one would think that being utterly cold—a bone wrenching cold—could be torture, but it was. Once the cold got to your bones, it was almost like you went into shock. Everything on your body hurts. So many times, I wanted to just die lying on the hard floor of that room. I couldn’t even cry. The tears frosted over and stung my face, but now, now I felt blissful. I snuggled even closer to the warmth, burying my face in its hard chest.
Hard chest?
I opened my eyes and came face to face with a bronze male chest. My eyes slowly climbed the length of the body, up the neck, to the chin, and met the eyes of Alpha. He looked down at me, those silver eyes hesitant but watchful. Everything came back to me. Seeing him in the cafeteria destroying those soldiers like they were nothing. I should fear him. After all, he isn’t entirely human. Yet, when I look in his silver eyes, it isn’t fear I feel.
“Hey, Alpha!” I smiled up at him.
I felt his body relax around me. He was tensed. Why?
He pulled me closer in his arms, and I lay my head back down on his chest. I’m not sure what has come over me, being intimate like this isn’t really me. Trevor didn’t like to cuddle, at all, but I found that right now, there was no other place I’d rather be. I listened to his heart beat. It sounded like there were two. Again, I was reminded that Alpha is part alien, but not even his double heartbeats alarmed me. I let the slow rise and fall of his chest soothe me.
At some point, the scarf that I kept wrapped around my curly fro had fallen off, and now Alpha’s fingers were rubbing my scalp with so much care and tenderness. I tilted my head to look up at his face.
“I think I’m going to die here.”
He frowned at my comment. Those dark, thick brows creased in the middle of his forehead. I turned away from him and lie my head back on his chest.
“And you know what’s sad? I don’t think anyone would care.”
While slowly going crazy in the ice-cold tomb of my room, I had time to think about my life. As much as I hated Dr. Strong, he was right about one thing, I have wasted my entire life on mediocre relationships with others. I’ve hidden behind my disability just as much as my parents wanted me to. I’ve been a disappointment to my parents since the day the doctor told them that I would be a girl and not the son they wanted. From that day on, I was a burden to them. My stuttering only added to their disgust.
“My parents would probably be relieved if they found out I was dead. No more living in fear that I will embarrass them. No more worrying about the defective child being discovered.” The words flew from my mouth with ease. There was something soothing about being around Alpha. It’s like his presence alone was capable of lowering my walls.
“My sister is the closest thing I have to a friend, but even Monroe has a short attention span. She will mourn me for a little while, but some new guy or new opportunity will come along and distract her, and let’s not talk about my husband. If I really do die here, it will take the pressure off of him. Trevor would have killed me a long time ago if he thought he could get away with it.”
Again, the reality of that truth hit me hard. I sniffled back the tears threatening to spill.
“All he’s ever wanted from me was my family’s connections and the money my grandparents left me.” I chuckled. “They are going to flip when they find out that they can’t get access to the money. At least I was smart enough to take care of that.”
I placed my hand on his chest and my chin over my hand, looking up at those serene silver eyes.
I sighed. “No, I don’t believe anyone would mourn my death.”
I finally came to that realization. I was alone in this world. The only people that truly cared about me had already died.
“I would mourn.”
The voice was so unexpected, so deep and raspy it took me a moment to realize who had spoken—even though I was looking right at him.
My mouth fell open as I lifted up from Alpha.
“You can talk?”
He smiled and nodded.
“Oh, my God! Alpha, that’s incredible.”
I was beyond excited. My face was cracked open in a large smile. All this time, I thought he couldn’t speak, and he was holding out on me.
“Say something else?”
A sexy low chuckle from him.
“Like what?”
I threw my hands up. “I don’t know. Say anything. Just talk to me!”
God, he was so incredibly handsome when he smiled. Those heavy-lidded eyes lit up and those full lips lift.
“You are beautiful,” he stated before he lifted his large, rough hand to cup my face.
No matter what happens, there will never be another situation when those words said to me will ever equal up to the way he just spoke them. Such pure adoration and truth. They were said so thoroughly that I was left feeling as though I was indeed the most beautiful woman ever.
I don’t know if it was his words or the feeling they elicited that had my head lowering. The moment my lips tentatively touched his, I got this feeling like this was where I was meant to be.
Obviously, this wasn’t my first kiss. My first was with a young boy I met at one of my parents’ social functions. I remember the kiss was quick, just a touch of lips before he pulled away. He said I had soft lips. At the time, I thought that was a wonderful compliment. My next kiss came from Trevor on our wedding day. Again, it was a quick touch of the lips after the pastor pronounced us husband and wife. It was less passionate than the one I had at thirteen. Since our wedding kiss, Trevor hasn’t kissed me again. When he wants sex, he makes a demand that I’ve learned to follow. There is no foreplay.
This was only the third kiss I’ve experienced in my twenty-eight years, and it was by far the best. My short knowledge of kissing had me pulling away entirely too soon. However, Alpha had other plans. His large hand wrapped around my neck keeping me where he wanted me. His tongue brushed against my bottom lip, I hesitantly opened my mouth. His warm tongue dipped into my mouth gliding against mine. He growled as he deepened the kiss then flipped me onto my back without ever breaking apart our lips. He made love to my mouth, causing me to grow delirious. My hands went to his head, my nails digging into his short brown hair. I don’t know what came over me, but I can’t imagine pulling away from him or stopping this kiss. I wanted him to keep kissing me, to devour me with his lips. I was floating just from his kiss alone.
Alpha pulled back, breaking our lips apart. I immediately pulled him back to me. I could feel his smile against my lips before my tongue pushed into his mouth. His large, heavy hand rested on my hip. I moaned.
Where did that come from? Who is this girl that moans and kisses with so much passion? In his arms, I wasn’t shy and timid Morgan. I wasn’t the weak girl that was afraid of sex and her own body.
Alpha’s body stiffened. I opened my eyes to find his silver irises glowing. I’d never seen anything like it, and though it should be weird, the heat burning down at me from those eyes turned me on more. He licked his lips as his eyes dropped down to my rapidly rising breasts. A flash of him sucking my pebbled, dark-brown nipples into his mouth had me aching in a certain area.
“Yyyyyyyou can tttttouch them if you want.” Jesus, I sounded like a child.
Alpha’s eyes glowed brighter before he devoured my lips again in a brutal way that had my toes curling. I’d never felt this way before. I would probably let Alpha do whatever he wanted to me at this moment. No matter how frightening the thought of sex is.
Then, it hit me, the most excruciating pain I have ever felt erupted inside my stomach. It felt like menstrual cramps that had been turned up to a thousand. A scream ripped from my lips and startled Alpha. He sat up, his concerned eyes scanning my body. I clutched a hand to my lower abdomen and curled into a ball. The pain was so intense, my body shook, and sweat formed over my forehead. Alpha touched me, but even that seemed to hurt too much. I whimpered at his touch, and then screamed when the sharp pain came again.
I heard the sound of the heavy metal door opening. I felt Alpha rise off the bed. His growl was unmistakable.
“Alpha, calm down,” Dr. Strong’s voice said calmly.
Just the sound of his voice made me cringe. Another one of those sharp pains hit me, and I screamed. Alpha turned to me, he looked completely devastated. He lifted me in his arms, cradling me like a baby. He rocked my body from side to side. I curled up to his chest trying to seek comfort from the thunderstorm in my ovaries.
“Alpha,” Dr. Strong said. “You have to give her to me.”
Alpha let out the loudest and deepest growl I’ve ever heard him use. It rattled his chest and vibrated my body.
That all-consuming pain hit me again, and I nearly leapt out of Alpha’s arms from the convulsion. He clutched me tighter.
“Listen to me, Alpha. Morgan is hurting, she may even die. You have to give her to me if you want me to save her.”
I could feel Alpha swaying. He wanted me safe, but he didn’t want me to go.
“Ddddddon’t,” I begged Alpha.
He looked down at me, those gorgeous eyes studying me and weighing his options. I was hit with another pain, this one so severe I think I might actually die. I screamed so loud my voice gave out.
“Hurry, Alpha! You don’t want her to die, do you? I’ll save her. Only I can save her.”
This time, Alpha didn’t hesitate. He handed me over to Dr. Strong’s awaiting hands. I tried to fight against his hold, but I was too weak.
“No!” I whimpered.
I didn’t care if I died, I just didn’t want to do it near this man. I’d rather take my last breath with Alpha than to spend a second recovering with Dr. Strong.
Dr. Strong turned to leave with me in his arms.
“Escort Subject 0041 back to the isolation cell.” Dr. Strong gave the command without looking back. I could hear Alpha’s angry roar from out in the hallway.
“Alpha!” I shouted to him. “Alpha, don’t leave me.” My voice was too weak to carry over Alpha’s angry outcries.
I was escorted to the elevators still in Dr. Strong’s arms. Asim and Donavan followed us in.
When we exited again, Dr. Strong took me into his private quarters. I’d spent many silent dinners in here, I knew where we were. He placed me down onto his bed and walked towards the bedroom door.
“Thank you, gentlemen! I’ll take it from here.”
Donavan turned and left right away. Asim looked over to me where I lie whimpering on the bed. For just a split second, I saw sympathy in his eyes, but he quickly turned away.
Dr. Strong held out his hand, and Asim slipped a small, black remote into his outstretched hand. Asim then turned away and walked out of the room. Dr. Strong shut the door and then walked back over to the bed with his hands buried inside his pocket.
The pain hit me from out of nowhere, and I arched off the bed with a loud cry.
“Poor, Morgan. You’re in so much pain,” Dr. Strong said as he pulled a wooden chair up to the bed. “Would you like me to make the pain stop, Morgan?”
This time, the pain didn’t come in short bursts, but a continuous ache. My body shook so bad my bladder let go, soaking me and the bed sheets.
He chuckled. “Looks like you’ve made a mess of yourself. I can save you, Morgan. I can stop that pain right away. Would you like that?” That gleam of insanity was dancing in his eyes.
I nodded my head yes. I hated to give him my consent, but I just wanted the excruciating pain to stop.
Dr. Strong reached out to push one of my short curls off my sweaty forehead. “I should let you suffer.” The moment he said this, the pain in my stomach intensified, and I got nauseas. My mouth filled up with saliva as I fought the urge to vomit.
“No matter how many times I try to help you, Morgan, you continue to betray me. I ask you to seduce him, and you don’t. Then I ask you not to sleep with him, and you try to lure him into your web. You think I’m dumb? You think I don’t know what game you’re trying to play? Trying to make me jealous of Alpha. You mean to seduce us both and have us turn on each other.” He growled that last part down at me, that glimmer of madness was back in those haunting brown eyes.
What the hell is he talking about? When have I ever tried to seduce him?
“But my darling girl, it won’t work. You are nothing to me, and to Alpha, you are just a shiny new toy he wants to stick his dick in. All I have to do is trade you out for a better toy, and he will forget all about you, so this little game you are trying to play won’t work.”
The pain stopped, but my body continued to shake from the aftershocks.
“You open your legs only when I give permission. You talk about only the things I allow you to discuss with him. I am the one in CONTROL!” With his shout came the pain again.
“Pppppplease make it stttttttop!”
Another deranged chuckle from him. “Now you recognize my power. Now you beg me to save you. Me and ONLY ME, MORGAN! Do you understand?”
I could barely nod, but I moved my head an inch, and the pain stopped.
Dr. Strong stood to his feet pushing the chair back. His hand came out of his pocket.
“You will shower and stay here tonight. I want you close so that I can keep an eye on you. That little stunt with getting Alpha to speak was clever, but it won’t help your plan.” He turned his back on me and walked out of the room. I lie on my side, sweat pouring from my shaking body, tears rolling down my face. I hate that man.
****
Two weeks passed, and I have yet to see Alpha again. I missed him. It sounds crazy admitting that. I don’t know him. Not really, and maybe what Dr. Strong said was right, I could be easily replaced to Alpha. Yet, I still wanted to see him, to make sure he was ok. Maybe I was just lonely and desperately searching for someone to connect with. Either way, I missed him.
I sighed as I flopped back down on the king size bed inside Dr. Strong’s private quarters. I once again took in the dark colors and pine woods. Posters of human anatomies hung on the wall. A large bookshelf in the corner filled with medical books. His room was fitting for a deranged sociopath.
Every day, I was locked inside his bedroom while he went off to do whatever he does. At night, he watched me like a hawk, and then when it was time for bed, it was like I could feel him staring at me from the couch in the next room. Thank God he never tried to crawl in bed with me. Although he said he didn’t want me, sometimes, I found him watching me with that look in his eyes. The look I called madness.
I heard the door to his office open, and I leapt from the bed as the sound of two voices drew me to the bedroom door.
“Sir, you can’t hold him off with that lie for much longer.” I heard Asim’s voice.
“Must I tell you again, Asim. I have this under control. Alpha is training harder than he has ever trained before. He has had no incidents of rage since that day in the cafeteria. Everything is under control.”
“Doctor, we can’t take the risk. In three weeks, Scott will be calling on the soldiers for that mission, what if Alpha waits until that moment to act out? What if he no longer believes your lie of the girl being in the hospital? We should at least allow him to see her.”
“NO ONE SEEES HER!” Dr. Strong shouted.
The room grew quiet. I held my breath waiting for someone else to speak.
“We have not had one pregnancy since this phase started. The subjects are no longer even mating with the breeders. I understand your infatuation with the girl…”
“I have no infatuation with the girl.”
“Never the less, we still have goals to meet that we are no closer to completing than the day we started, and I believe that the reason the subjects are no longer mating has something to do with Alpha.”
“That’s absurd. Alpha doesn’t have that kind of power. You’re allowing your intimidations of him to cloud your reasoning. The other subjects mated just fine before while Alpha did not. Why would he not allow them to mate now?”
“I don’t know.” Asim admitted begrudgingly.
“Exactly, Asim. You are creating problems that are not there. As I’ve said before, I have everything under control.”
“And the mating?”
“Place Beta in a mating room with one of the newer breeders and pump the room full of pheromones. Then you will see how mating isn’t an issue.”
There was more silence. Only the sound of feet walking away.
“Asim?” Dr. Strong called out. “Has Alpha spoken any more since that day?”
“No sir.”
“Thank you! That is all.”
The sound of the office door closing has me scurrying back to the bed.
A few moments later, the bedroom door opened. I held my breath as the sound of his loafers grew closer to me. I could feel his presence standing over me. I didn’t move.
“I know you aren’t sleep, Morgan.” He sat down on the side of the bed and reached out to touch my arm. I immediately pulled away from him.
He sighed. “Why do you act this way?”
“I want to ssssssssee Alpha.”
“Look at me when you speak to me.”
I sat up and turned to face him. I didn’t like him being this close to me.
“I want to ssssee Alpha.”
He gave me one of those deadly smiles. “No!” He stood and walked away from me. I scurried to my feet.
“Why?”
He turned back to me as he pulled his white lab coat off and placed it on a hanger in his closet.
“Because I said so.” He continued to undress, unbuttoning the sleeves to his button up shirt.
“That is nnnnnnot a good enough answer. You cannot kkkkkeep me here.”
He spun around causing me to take a step back.
“I can do whatever the hell I want to do. Have you forgotten who’s in charge here? The fact that the only time you speak to me is when you are asking to see him, is pissing me off.” He snatched his shirt off sending the buttons flying around the room.
“I swear, Morgan. I give and I give you, but I get nothing in return. Not even a Thank You. I brought you into my own personal quarters, that are a lot more comfortable than what you were used to, and you walk around here like I’m some type of monster.”
You are a goddamn monster! Those words screamed in my head, but I didn’t say them. Instead, I used what I knew about Dr. Strong against him. I had to be smart, because this plan could backfire easily.
“Wwwwwwhat do you want me to ttttttalk about?” I asked the question so low that Dr. Strong had to turn and look at me to be sure I even spoke.
“What did you just say?”
I looked down at the ground. “What do you want me to talk about?”
He didn’t move for a moment, he just stared back at me suspiciously. Then he slowly approached me. I fought against my reflex to back away from him. He stood before me, that glimmer of insanity dancing in his brown eyes. He reached out and rubbed his thumb over my bottom lip. His eyes watched the movement, and I watched him.
“You are truly a temptress?” His hands dropped away from my face as he stepped back. “But I will not be seduced. The answer is no. You will see Alpha only when I allow it.” He grabbed a few of his belongings from his dresser and left the room by slamming the door behind him.
My plan to play nice didn’t work tonight, but it didn’t mean it would never work. I wasn’t giving up.