The Alpha's Broken Runt

Chapter Twenty-Eight

●Chance●

•Eleanor•
You know what would be amazing? If I would stop passing out.
It's okay, Eleanor.
No, it's not, I'm weak, too weak. I have to become stronger, Ashely. .
You have time.
No, not anymore. What if they come back? I won't be able to protect myself if I'm not stronger. I'm not letting what happened last time happen again.
Eleanor...
And I definitely can't protect myself if I pass out everytime I think about that place. I have to get over this.
Eleanor, you can take all the time you need, no one is pressuring you.
Ashley, I have to pressure myself, that's the only way I can ever overcome this. I have motivation now. I can do this.
You do?
No matter how much I didn't want to, and how much I still wish I didn't, I care about the four of them. If something happens, I can't have them worrying about me. After all, if I had been stronger, I could have helped Scott, and maybe even my parents.
Eleanor, you can't blame yourself for what happened.
I should have been stronger. I may be a runt, but I do have Alpha blood in me. Alpha's are strong. Theodore is as good an example as any.
That doesn't mean that you have to be.
Yes I do. I'm the last loving Harthsbrook, I would be a disgrace to the name if I stayed as weak as I am now.
That's not true, Eleanor. You have perfectly valid reasons for not being as strong as other Alpha bloodlines. You're still not completely healed, it could hurt you more.
I'll just have to take that chance.
"Eleanor?" My eyes fly open as I bolt upright, suddenly wide awake.
My eyes scan across the room, landing on Theodore, who was sitting in a chair across the room from me.
My breathing calms down as I take in his saddened look.
"What happened?" I ask as I rub my eyes.
"You had a panic attack and passed out..."
"How long have I been out?" I ask, my focus turning to the sunlight steaming in through the window.
"Since last night. So not long, it's eight AM."
"Don't you have things to do?" I question, pushing the blanket off of my legs.
"Not when you're like this." I look down at my hands. "Well I'm fine. You should go take care of your Alpha duties..." He shakes his head, running a hand through his hair.
"I can do that whenever. What I want to do is get you some food."
"I'm okay Ni- mm..."
"No, you're not. You need to eat something. Lillian told me you don't finish your food most the time. You have to start eating more." Even though his voice is stern, it comes out in a soft tone.
"Fine. I'll eat something." I throw my legs over the side of the bed and begin to stand up, but my movements stop when I finally take in my surroundings.
"Wait. Who's room is this?" I question, looking over at Theodore, who has a sheepish look.
"It's uh, mine," he says, avoiding my eyes as he places his hand on the back of his neck.
"Oh... You didn't...?"
"Oh no, no, I slept on the couch." He says, hesitating a moment before clearing his throat.
"Anyways, uh. You can stand, right?" He questions, his eyes darting down to my legs for a moment.
"Should do." I nod, pushing off of his bed and standing up. I wobble for a moment, closing my eyes as a light-headed filling blurs my vision for a moment before my head clears.
"Are you good?" He asks, taking a single step towards me. I let out a breath before nodding and walking towards him, keeping a large distance between us.

Theodore sits across from me after placing a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon in front of me.
"Um... Eleanor?" I look up from my fork, which was making circles in my eggs, to look at him.
"I'm really sorry... I- If I had known that you would react the way you did... I uh... I never would have done anything. I'm so sorry."
I look back down at my plate as he talks, my eyes focusing on my toast so that I don't have to look at him.
"I um. I know Alex told you not to do anything. But uh, you couldn't have know I would react that way, because I know Alex wouldn't have told you anything more."
He hesitates for a moment. "Um, why... Why did you have a panic attack? What triggered it?"
I sigh before dropping my fork, cringing at the loud clang it presents.
"You know my whole pack was attacked and killed. And I know that you know that. What you don't know, however, is that it happened on my sixth birthday."
"Oh... my god... Eleanor, I'm... I'm so sorry. I should have known something was off, I should have listened to Alex." I nod my head lightly. "Yeah, you should have. I'm not going to say it's okay, because in all honesty it's not, but I will say that I forgive you."
I can't tell what emotion flashes through his eyes, because it stays for only a moment before he covers it up. "You should eat."