Alpha (Jacob Seed X Deputy OC)

12 - Jealousy

'He got you again?!' Eli folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at me. Plastering my most innocent smile across my face, I nodded. 'Even though Hurk was with you?'

'His hunters are pretty sneaky. Didn't even see them coming.' I shrugged, sitting down on a stool and stirring a spoon in the cup of tea that Wheaty had kindly made for me.

'Oh please. She's probably in cahoots with him.' Tammy gave me an uneasy look. She didn't trust me and rightly so. She was pretty much right on the money. 'Let's send her back to Holland Valley, we can solve this problem without her.'

'No, no. We've achieved so much with her-'

'Can we stop talking like I'm not sitting right here?' I took an irritated sip of my tea and Eli sighed.

'We've achieved so much with you here Rook. We're so close now, I can feel it.' He praised me, placing his rough hand atop my own.

'You're gonna get us all killed.' Tammy shook her head and walked away, muttering under he breath. My eyes darted to the floor as I finished my tea.

'Ignore her.' He patted my knuckles before rounding his fingers into a handhold with me. I was confused by his action but let him pull me up and lead me to the ladder that exited the bunker. 'Let's get some air.'

'Sure.' I replied suspiciously. Eli very rarely left the bunker unless he wanted to talk about something in private. Following him up the ladder, I emerged out into the daylight and saw he was already moving away from the underground shelter. Traipsing behind him, I suddenly became aware of how out in the open we were. It immediately felt like eyes were burning into my body from all angles.

'Come and sit.' Eli perched on the edge of a rock and patted the spot next to him. Swallowing, I obliged. My legs swung off the rock face and silence held us both for a few minutes. 'Did you know I was in the military?'

'You? Really?' A wry smile spread across my face and Eli rubbed his neck, letting out a soft laugh.

'Yeah. Saw some crazy shit but damn, never seen anyone fight like you do Dep.' Admiration filled his tone and I blushed a little.

'Oh, uh, thanks Eli!'

'Never really met anybody like you either.' He shuffled closer so that his thigh brushed against my own and my blushing got harsher. Turning to look at him, I could see there was a look of passion hinting behind his features.

'Eli-' I started but he shut me up by slamming his mouth against my own. Flustered, I pulled away and gently pushed his chest. He looked surprised and I saw his face fall at my shocked expression. 'Eli I'm sorry  if I gave you mixed signals or something but-'

'Deputy come in! Deputy come in!' My radio flickered to life and I grabbed it, desperate for an excuse to leave.

'Deputy here, can I help?' Getting to my feet, Eli stared at me looking a little hurt.

'There's a tonne of peggies down by Widow's Creek! They're raiding people's cabins. Please hurry!'

'I'm on my way.' Holstering my radio, I gave the shaggy haired man an apologetic smile. 'We can talk about this, uhm, later. I gotta run.' Before he could answer, I darted off into the nearby woodlands feeling flustered. I had not expected that at all from Eli. I'd never shown any interest in him at all. Shuddering a little, I cleared my mind and focussed on the task at hand.

***

As I reached the creek, I was surprised to find that there was nobody around. Weird. Pulling my radio to my lips, I spoke into the receiver.

'I'm at Widow's Creek but there's nobody here. Come in?' Moving it away, I studied the land in pure confusion. What was going on?

'Deputy! Deputy!' A young woman came bolting through the bushes towards me and I jumped backwards in surprise. 'I'm so sorry, he told me I had to or he'd kill-' She was stopped short in her tracks as she grew stiff.

'Are you okay?' I reached out only for a trickle of blood to spill out of her supple mouth. Knees buckling, she tumbled forward onto the ground. As she landed I saw the bright red knife that had landed perfectly in her back, severing her spinal column. Gaze shifting up, it landed on a seething Jacob who lingered in the shadows.

'Eli fucking Palmer.' He hissed, rage lacing his tone.

'Oh Christ. No Jake, it's not what you think at all.' I tried to reassure him but found myself moving backwards in pure terror. Each step he took towards me was heavy and purposeful.

'He thinks he's some sort of fucking hero but he isn't.' Backing up, I collided with the trunk of a tree and gripped onto it. 'I'll fucking kill you before I let him take you away from me.' He spat, face now inches from mine.

'You're scaring me.' I bleated, blood racing around my body and culminating in my head.

'Good. You should be scared of me.' For a split-second I thought he was going to hit me but he didn't, instead staring me down with a pensive glare.

'He kissed me! I didn't instigate anything! I wouldn't want to start anything with Eli!' Fingernails digging into the wood, I could feel splinters injecting into my skin. Nose wrinkling, Jacob turned on his heel and started to pace up and down.

'Eli... comes back from the fucking war a decorated hero. Not a problem at all, gets everything he fucking wants. Never has to fucking suffer, never got fucking left behind...' His muttering got more and more personal, almost as though he'd forgotten I was standing there. Was this why he hated Eli so much? Because he had everything Jacob didn't?

'Jake stop.' I pushed away from the tree and slowly approached him. He mumbled things under his breath as he paced, a stressed hand running through his hair. I'd never seen him so unravelled. 'Hey, stop.' I grabbed his arm and halted him. Jacob seemed to suddenly remember where he was and looked to me, eyes confused and lost. With a slight flick of his hand, he beckoned me to him. With no hesitation I obeyed, allowing him to envelop me in his huge arms.

'That son of a bitch took everything away from me. He can't take you too.' I blinked, unsure if he was just buttering me up or if he genuinely meant what he was saying.

'He's not going to.' Pressing my head to his chest, I could feel butterflies battering the inside of my stomach. Why couldn't he always be like this? Because he's Jacob, that's why.

'Come back to the Veteran's Centre with me pup.' He uttered, softly stroking my hair. Closing my eyes, I leaned into his mesmerising touch. I could go back. It'd be fine. He'd take care of me. Wait, no. He was doing it again. Tricking me.

'I can't.' I tried to pull away but he kept me close in his embrace.

'Course you can.' Massaging his fingertips into my scalp, he placed a kiss on top of my head.

'No, I shouldn't.' My eyes rolled into the back of my head as my heart toyed with my brain.

'Yes you should.' Jacob hummed, knowing that he would once again be getting his own way.

'I should?'

'Mmhmm.' He hummed as his lips moved to my neck, teeth nipping lightly at my skin. Letting a deep exhale pass out of my lungs, I tilted my head to expose more flesh. 'Who do you belong to?' His heated breath fanned across the raging pulse pumping in my throat.

'You.' I said breathlessly, desire commandeering any sense of rationality that I had.

'Then are you comin'?' Jacob moved away and outstretched an open palm. My entire body felt cold without his touch and I didn't have to think twice about my answer.

'Yes I'm coming.'