The Alpha's Ballerina (#Wattys2016)

I'm There In The Water

The whole car ride Theo held me close. It was like he was scared he would lose me if he let go. Each bump and fast turn made a bunch of pain go through my body. "Theo, can you smell the wolfsbane on her?"

"Smell it? I can feel it." No doubt he would. A hundred percent pure wolfsbane would definitely be felt by my mate. I just wanted to close my eyes again. The drowsiness was starting to wash over me. The blood coming from my wounds was enough to make me not do it. Theo didn't need to watch me die.

Once the car stopped Theo carefully got out of the car so not to injure me further. "James, go tell your pack we found her." I barely even registered that my brother left. Someone opened the door for Theo and all of a sudden there were a lot of gasps. People I didn't even know rushed up to Theo and he did his best to have them give me space.

"Look, I know that it's a shock to see the Luna like this but right now she needs rest." Whatever was said after that drifted away as Theo carried me up the stairs. Eventually he set me down in a bathroom so he could see my wounds. Once his hands touched me though I flinched away. "All I'm going to do is patch you up Abbie. Tomorrow I'll take you to the pack doctor so they can get a better look. I just want you to be able to get some sleep first." He whispered in my ear. Slowly I nodded.

The first thing he did was help me out of my top and pants. Really I didn't care that I was exposed like this to him. At some point he would see more than this. For a moment he moved and went to get something. Two parts of my brain conflicted.

Option one: Theo was getting something to hurt me with. Only that doesn't make sense. Why would he do that if he was my mate and saved me? Option two: he was getting something to help me. It turns out option two was sort of right. When he came back he held a hair tie in his hands. Once he piled my hair up he used it to secure it.

He first attended to the wounds on my arms and legs. It didn't take long for him to clean those up and bandage them. When he got to my back I almost heard the sigh. "What did they do to you Abbie?" I just turned my head a bit to him and shook my head. He seemed to understand because he didn't push it further.

He poured some rubbing alcohol down my back. It stung a bit but not as much as the wolfsbane running in my system. "That's all I can do here Abbie. I'm going to lift you up now." He did just that and set me down on the bed. After he went to his closet and grabbed a hoddie. Once he handed it to me I slipped it on. The warmth enclosed me and the lingering cologne on the hoddie made me feel safe.

Theo was starting to move towards the door to leave. After a year without him I really didn't want him to. Slowly I reached out me hand to grab his arm. "What is it Abbie?" I tried to talk but no words came out. In the end I just tilted my head. Theo seemed to understand because he smiled and removed his shirt. Soon after I felt the bed dip next to me and the strongest, most secure arms wrapped around me. "I will always be here Abbie." The words drifted away and for the first time in a year I actually fell asleep.

Voices in the room woke me up in the late morning. "Baby! I haven't seen you in a week." It was that woman Louise. "Louise, I've told you before and I will tell you again. It was a mistake." I was right. He had moved on with her. For just a moment her green eyes met mine. "Have fun explaining the fact that you screwed another woman." With a snobby girl turn she walked away and Theo closed the door.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out like that." Did he mean for me to find out at all? That bitch obviously did. I just shrugged to him as he came over. "Why aren't you going off on me?" Maybe it has to do with the fact for a year I was silent. Or maybe it's because I know he deserves someone better. I ended up just shrugging. "I'm sorry Abbie. I was stressed and needed a drink. I ended up drunk and sleeping with her."

My eyes caught avoid of pepper and a pen on the nightstand. I reached for it and wrote something down. It's fine. It doesn't matter what you do because you need someone strong to be your Luna. I handed him the paper and he just came closer to me. His hand caressed my cheek. "It would take a strong person to be tortured like that for a year and still not give up information. Whatever you think, I know you are stronger then you think. I will remind you of that everyday of forever."

Even though a part of me was hurt that he slept with another woman I still loved him. Slowly I brought my lips to his. Were they softer then when I was taken? Or had it just been that long since I remembered that last kiss? "I'm going to leave you for a few minutes so you can get ready." With a slight kiss my forehead he left.

As I took a shower and then put on my clothes I realized how much weight I actually lost. The tank was baggy. Even through that I could count my ribs. I pulled my hair back and went to find Theo. Suddenly I was pulled to the side. Actually it was more of a push. I was then greeted to the green eyes of Louise.

"Listen, just because you're back doesn't mean you get to step in and stop me and Theo." If I wasn't so mentally broken and beaten I would actually tell her off. Since I couldn't she took pride in the fact that it made me look weak. "I will be his. Even if we have to go behind your back."

"LOUISE!" A booming voice called. It was all it took to get her off me. "My love? What is it?" God! Won't this bitch shut up? "I told you to leave her alone." His steps had a thunder that would tell a dancer a lot of things. Light, flowing steps usually told you someone was happy. Heavy, and forced steps would reveal that someone was mad. Theo was beyond mad.

"But my love, she is in the way." If his face got any redder I swear steam would come out. "No. It's you who are in the way. This is the third time you have been disrespectful of your Luna. For that you're out. Pack your things Louise, it's time to start living as a rouge." Theo wrapped his arms around me in a protective way.

Before I had left the room I made sure to grab the pen and paper. I started to scribble something. You didn't need to do that. I passed the paper to him and he sighed. He did smile as he turned his head to me. "Even after what you've been through you still are the same caring person I saw dancing that day in the woods." I just wrote a one word response.

Always.