Alpha's Eyes [My One and Only]

[Chapter 11] Being Set Free

While I was dressing myself and despairing over my life, I heard the door bell ring.

It rang once. Then it rang twice. Then a third time. It rang and rang and rang as whoever was at the door pressed the door bell repeatedly. 

My nerves rose as I wondered who could be there. I walked to the door of the bedroom and held my breath as I heard Augustus open the front door. His low voice growled, “Don’t do that. I’m not amused, and Leta needs peace.”

A second male’s voice answered, “Why? Is she asleep?” He sounded rather familiar, like I had heard his voice in my dreams before or something. Who was he and why was he here?

 If Augustus answered, I didn’t hear his reply. The front door closed, and he asked, “Did you bring her assignments?”

 “Yes. You are transferred into all of her classes. The teachers agreed to let her turn the homework in late without penalty. They said she did not have to turn in the assignments, but I know that you’d want her to learn the material. No one wants an uninformed mate. She has been enrolled in Astronomy so she will receive the proper instruction there.”

“Will I sit next to her in each class?” Augustus asked. I could hear him looking through papers and dropping books on the coffee table in the living room.

“If you don’t, you will,” the stranger answered. 

Ugh. I could feel the gloating smile on this guy’s face. What were they thinking? They can’t change schedules and stuff. That’s like, uber creepy and stalkerish. I thought about going out and letting them have a piece of my mind, but I was feeling rather shy. Besides, I was hoping they would talk more, consequently letting me overhear more.

----------------------------------------

Augustus helped Addison placed the school books in a logical order on the coffee table across the living room couch. Six subjects had a week of homework to be caught up on. She would be three weeks behind in Astronomy, but that was the most important class. She had to take it if he had any hope of her understanding him and his world. He would do his best to tutor her so that she would understand her place at his side. She belonged in a completely different world now, and she was unaware. He wanted the transition to be smooth and peaceful. He wanted her to feel as at home as he did.

Augustus sighed, sitting upon the couch with his legs stretched out and feet crossed at the ankles. Addison dumped a pile of fabrics onto Augustus’ stomach. Augustus began to lift the pieces up to see it was fresh clothing. 

“Thought you might appreciate that,” Addison commented with a smirk on his face. “And I brought fresh groceries in the car, including fresh made breakfast sandwiches from a popular store here. I hate lettuce and the meat they use, but the bread and fruit isn’t bad.”

Augustus nodded half-heartedly. What he really wanted was to lose his restrictions. No more clothes. No more skin. No more food. He wanted to stretch out into his full existence. With an discouraged sigh, he leaned up and pulled on pants and a shirt as Addison retrieved the food and brought it inside.

“So, how are things going?” Addison asked seeing the far away look in his friend’s eyes. It was not hard to see that Augustus was thinking about home. They were brothers after, close families, and Addison too dreamt of returning to the sky.

Augustus sighed. “Really well, actually. Last night, she let me hold her.”

Addison’s eyebrows rose. “Rebecca wouldn’t let me touch her for a month.”

Augustus’ lips twitched into a smile as he ran his fingers over one of his eyes. His little prize had poked that eye this morning. She was curious about him. She wanted to touch him, and she appeared to enjoy his touch. He was confident that she would love him in no time.

Addison licked his lips as he waited for Augustus to say something. His heart twisted with jealousy. He was happy that his friend was having such good fortune with his mate, but at the same time, Addison was fiercely envious. Why didn’t he have such luck? Why did he have to struggle with his prize?

“May the binding continue to go well for you, brother,” Addison said after a moment.

Augustus moved his hand away from his face and meet Addison’s eyes, seemingly surprised his friend was still there.

 Augustus acknowledged the statement with a thoughtful nod. “We have work to do. She is stuck with me, thankfully. Unlike Rebecca, Leta has nowhere and no one to run to. She is not strong enough to handle her heartbreaks on her own. She’s been journaling them. I think her journal is her best friend. She is new here, and besides her grandmother, I am her only confidant. Yet her grandmother has abandoned her, which leaves only me. I hope she sees that her fate is with me, not against me.”

Augustus walked over to a cabinet and pulled out Leta’s little journal. He had been reading the book the whole time she was asleep the past week. He felt like he knew his way around her heart and mind.

“You read it?” Addison asked, walking over to his friend as Augustus handed the book over.

Augustus nodded. “I have it mostly memorized. She is curious, but she’s in pain. I want you to take this. Put in on my bed at home. I’m going to want to read it again soon.”

“Do you think she’ll miss it?”

Augustus sighed, finally tearing his eyes away from the book. He looked at the bedroom door before meeting Addison’s eyes. “Yes, but she will learn that she needs me, not some silly little book.”

Addison nodded. He grabbed the book and held the flimsy material in his hands just as the bedroom door burst open. Both men turned to see a wide-eyed Leta taking in the situation. Her brown eyes quickly settled on the journal in Addison’s hands.

“Go,” Augustus commanded Addison, though his eyes were firmly fixed on Leta, ready to intercept her if necessary.

Addison nodded, slowly stepping toward the front door. “May you fare well, my friend.”

“And the same to you, my brother,” Augustus replied.

 Addison had taken three steps toward the front door when Leta sprinted at him. “Give me back my journal!” she screamed at him. Addison, seeing her coming, ran to the door to avoid her. Augustus caught Leta just before she left the house. He wrapped his strong arms around her middle and pulled her against him. Her arms and legs flailed, and her voice was shrieking at him and Addison. But Addison got in the truck and left. Augustus did not let her go.

“Get your hands off me!” she screamed. Her fists beat against his arms like a drummer beating against war drums. His grip was firm, and he did not lighten his touch around her waist. “You have no right to take it from me,” Leta cried.

Hot, angry tears poured down her face, and this time she knew why they were there. Augustus had betrayed her. Her very being felt tied to her journal. She basically lived in that leather-bound book, and he just threw it away. Her only source of strength and assurance was just stripped from her, and she didn’t know how she would get it back.

Augustus continued to hold onto Leta until they both knew Addison’s black truck was long gone, as was her journal. Leta’s motions slowed, until she no longer beat her arms against Augustus. Her fingers instead clawed into his skin, and she wanted to rip his flesh off of her. But what she really wanted was her journal. She wanted her old life. She wanted a different life.

“Do you even realize what you’ve done?” she cried on a defeated plea.

Augustus bent his head down and pressed his lips to her ear so that she would hear his soft voice over her heavy, angry pants. Leta felt the warm breath of his mouth tickle her ear as he whispered softly, “I have set you free.”