The Alpha's Broken Runt

Chapter Thirty-Six

~Pretend~

()Eleanor()

~~~~~~~~I have to ignore the screaming as I force myself to stay still. I have to force down the urge to tell them I'm okay, to tell them this is all pretend. But I can't. My brother asked me to do something, and I have to trust him with this.
I feel blood still soaking through my shirt at the cut Scott gave me, and I almost cringe as Johnson starts laughing.
"Well look at that, you did have it in you."
"Eleanor! No! Oh my god, oh my god... Someone get Lillian! Where is Oliver!?" I hear Teddy's pained voice scream out, her voice tight.
"Theodore? Theodore!"
"Eleanor?" His voice is so quiet, so weak, so... broken. Every fiber of my being wants me to go to him, to run to him, to tell him I'm okay, to just give him any sign that I'm okay, that he doesn't have to be sad.
But I stay still.
I trust Scott with the thing I always have.
My life.
"Shift back." Johnson orders, and a second later Teddy begins screaming.
"You! How could you!? She was your sister! Did you even care!? Do you even care!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"Pipe down, how about you let the men handle this, okay sweetie?" There is a single moment of deafening silence. "You have the damn nerve!? As soon as I get my hands on you you'll be bleeding on the-"
"Teddy stop!"
"Oliver! Let go of me! Right now!!" I hear struggling and squeeze my eyes shut.
I feel someone sit down next to me and grab my hand.
"Eleanor... I'm trusting you right now, I don't know what you're doing, but I'm here." She squeezes my hand tightly before slowly lifting my shirt up to reveal the cut Scott gave me. I hear a sharp intake of breath from her before she begins tending to my first wound.
My ears ring as I listen for any sound from Theodore, for an indication as to if he's okay.
"Are you sure about this, Eleanor?" She questions, slowly wrapping bandage around me as she "checks" for my pulse.
I don't dare move, and Lillian takes that as my response.
"Okay. I trust you."
"Teddy! Calm down! I need you to calm down!" I hear a pained growl and flinch. "No! Let go of me Oliver! He doesn't even care! That was his own blood and he doesn't even care!"
I hear Johnson laugh again. "Oh, the poor thing, so upset over something so meaningless." I hear Teddy growl again.
"Teddy stop! This is what he wants, he just wants to get under your skin!"
"Eleanor, if you're going to do anything, please do it soon." Lillian mumbles, her mouth barely moving as she continues to apply pressure to my wounds.
"Now now, miss Lillian, I will have to ask that you step away from dear Eleanor here. We have some business to attend to."
Lillian looks up from me, and when she looks to Johnson and my brother, I see something in her eyes that I've never truly seen before.
I see pure, undeniable anger.
"Do you really have the nerve to tell me to step away from her? Truly? Are you that high on power, or are you just plain stupid?" I cringe at her defiance against Johnson, and I almost hear the smile fall off his lips at her words.
"Kill her."
Lillian's eyes hold their defiance as the Beta quickly approaches her. I have to fight myself as he grabs her by the throat, picking her up like she weighs nothing.
He lifts her up before slamming her on the ground. Lillian coughs before spitting at him.
No.
I can't just watch this.
I can't stand here and watch him kill one of the most important people in my life.
Lillian meets my gaze for a moment, and in them, I see no fear, only anger, only defiance.
Something clambers to the ground next to me, and I have to stop myself from reacting in any way as the Beta's knife glimmers in the sun next to me.
I squeeze my eyes tightly before slowly, carefully, moving my arm to the knife, tucking it closely by my side.
My body screams at me to give up, to stay down, to rest. Blood soaks through my shirt and pools  around my wounds, soaking into the ground I lay on.
I take a deep breath and push down the vocal screams of pain coming from all across my body. I feel Johnson approach behind me.
"Oh, the poor thing, such strong willpower, yet no strength to show for it. Maybe you'll know to keep your mouth shut in your next life."
I push myself off the ground quickly, my hair falling in my face as I do so.
"El-!" Scott cuts himself off quickly as I snarl towards Johnson, taking a step towards him and keeping the knife tight by my side. My frame in minuscule compared to Johnson's, but despite this, when I look up into his eyes, I see the opposite of what I usually do.
I see fear.
I hear Theodore yell, but his words come blankly into my mind.
"You treated me like dirt, Johnson. You treat everyone like the filth of the earth."
Johnson staggers back, casting a glance at Scott. "Stop her, now! Finish her like you were supposed to."
"What you fail to notice, however, is that you set your fate in stone as soon as you stepped foot on this packs land."
My blood pumps viciously through my veins as I step closer to Johnson.
"I may not have been able to protect my blood pack then, but I can protect my chosen family now. I will never make the mistake of giving you control again, Johnson."
I step up to him, keeping eye contact as I do so.
"Here's a word for the wise, Johnson."
I smirk up at him.
"Karma's a bitch."
The knife in my hand plunges into his stomach, and in the midst of his confusion, I see recognition dawn across his face.
He looks down at the handle, and his face contorts into what I imagine fear looks like for Johnson.
"What have you done."
His hands loosely caress the handle of the knife, and I see, with unmistakable pride, that Johnson's hands are shaking.
I sense Scott move next to me as I watch Johnson helplessly handle the knife, and I moment later, I am jolted out of my focus by Scott's hands on my shoulders as he pushes me backwards away from Johnson.
"Eleanor!" I turn my head quickly, my eyes locking onto the figure that is running towards me, and a moment later, my body is embraced in a tight hug.
"Oh my god, Eleanor." Theodore rushes his hands through my hair as he holds me tightly.
"Theodore! Quickly, we need to get her taken care of." I cringe against Theodore's tight embrace and turn to look at Lillian. My eyes then trail to behind her, where the Beta lies bleeding and unconscious.
"Right, right, I'm sorry. Let's go. Oliver! Teddy! Get Johnson and the Beta!" I look around quickly, panic overtaking me as my eyes scan for Scott. "Where did he go? Where did..." I trail off. My eyes land on Alex for a moment, his expression is stricken with panic and fear. I didn't even notice him approach. But I still don't see Scott. I fight against the black cloud that begins to keep up my vision.
"Where did he go? He can't just leave? Can he?"
No, he couldn't have. De didn't just leave me, did he?"
"Theodore where is he? Where did... Where did he go? You have to... Theodore you... you have to... find..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's almost like I forgot what it was like to be in so much pain. I'm not sure how, this level is what I was used to for thirteen years of my life, this was the normal.
It was a shock at first, to be in this much pain. Naturally. But I think my body got re-accustomed to semi unbearable.
I'm here, but I'm not awake. I don't want to be awake. I'm too scared about the things I'll find out once I wake up.
There are too many variables, and it hurts my head to think about them all.
So many people, so many injuries. Is everyone okay? Am I okay? Is everyone alive? Where is-
"Eleanor, can you wake up now? Please?" I hear Teddy. Her voice is low and scratchy and full of pain. It hurts to hear her like that, so broken, so done. It's not because of me, is it? Oh god I hope not. I don't want Teddy to hate me because of this.
"Please Eleanor, we need you here."
We. I like we, it means I have people. I have to remember I have people.
I take a deep breath before forcing myself to wake up. I squint at the light around me, casting my gaze around the almost completely empty room before they rest on Teddy.
He hand is holding mine, and her eyes look puffy. Has she been crying?
"Oh my god. Oh thank god. Lillian!!" Teddy quickly shouts before directing her attention back to me.
"She'll be here shortly Eleanor. Oh my god. You had us so worried! Please, for the love of everything, never do that bull again." She is crying.
"Oh! Here, take some water." She grabs a cup from the side table that has a straw sticking out of it. "Here, drink some." My eyes scan her face as I take a few sips of water. It oddly hurts, but I ignore the pain as I take in Teddy's distraught appearance.
"Are you okay?" My voice is a little hoarse, but considering the circumstances I can't really be surprised.
Lillian laughs shortly, her eyebrows knitting together as she looks at me.
"Are you seriously asking if I'm okay right now?" I hesitate for a moment but nod.
"You're impossible, Eleanor."
~~~~~~Lillian looked over me, and apparently I'll be perfectly fine in about two weeks. I'll be able to move around before then, but I won't be one hundred until then.
I'm alone now. They didn't want to leave me, but they had things do to. It took a lot of convincing for them to actually be able to go. Teddy left me her phone and made me promise to call someone if I felt even a little off.
So now I'm just sitting here, staring at the same three landscape pictures over and over again in varying orders.
A knock suddenly sounds at the door, making me jump slightly. A moment later, the door silently opens, and Theodore's head peaks through the gap. "Eleanor, are you awake? Oh good! You are!" He quickly rushes into the room, closing the door quietly behind him as he does so.
He takes a seat on the edge of my bed and stares at me for a long moment, an unrecognizable look in his eyes.
"How are you? Lillian said you would be fine. I am so sorry I didn't come sooner. I got so caught up and busy with dealing with Johnson and his Beta and his Delta and the other wolves that were with him. You know what though, that's no excuse. I should have rushed over here like I wanted to as soon as I heard you were awake. I am so-"
"Theodore oh my god, it's fine. I understand, your Alpha duties come before me always. I'm not mad or upset. "
He stares at me for a moment, a look of regret in his eyes. "Are you sure? I know you've been in here alone for a while because they couldn't stay. I could have been keeping you company so you weren't alone. Oh god Eleanor I'm so sorry. I'm terrible."
I grab his hand quickly, causing him to send me a panicked look.
"Oh my god! And I hugged you! I hugged you and I didn't even ask first! I am so sorry! I wasn't thinking and I should have been! Eleanor I am so-" He stops abruptly, taking in my expression before sinking down into himself some.
"Theodore?"
"Yes, Eleanor?"
"It's okay."
He scrunches his face up at my words. "But what if-" I sigh deeply as I force myself forward. I wince slightly at the pain in my body as I wrap my arms around Theodore, who's expression turns to one of panic once he realizes what I'm doing.
"Can I-"
"Hug me back Theodore."
I instantly feel Theodore's arms wrap around in me a protective hug as he squeezes me lightly.
"Now please stop freaking out. That's my job and you're weirding me out by taking it." Theodore pulls away from me and places his hands on my shoulders, staying silent as he looks into my eyes.
"Theodore...?" I question, hesitance clear in my words. His hand slide up my neck so hes holding my face lightly in his hands.
"Can I kiss you, Eleanor?" I debate saying no for a moment, thinking of Johnson and his hands, his mouth. I quickly push those thoughts away, though, nodding my head hesitantly.
Theodore waits a beat before slowly leaning towards me, placing his lips on mine in a soft, gentle kiss.
I feel his hand tense on my face, and when he pulls away from me, there is a look of sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry..." I avoid his gaze.
"I thought I lost you Eleanor. I just got you and I thought I'd lost you." I look back up at him, surprised to see a glisten to his eyes.
"Please, never do that to me again, okay?" I nod my head despite the fact that, deep down, I can never promise that. Deep down, I know I can't promise to never leave him, I can't promise that my thoughts won't get to me before Theodore does.
"I promise." I lie.
I lie because if I can't be truly happy, I at least want Theodore to be.

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hEyyyyyyy guYyyssssSSss
What's uppppp?
Long time no... see? :)
Ha hA.
Yeah I'm just not even gonna do it this time.
I'm SORRY alrighttttt?
It will definitely happen again so I won't even lie.
Love you guys!!

Also we hit 200k on this!? That fecking wild!
Thank you so much!
I appreciate every single one of you who stick with me on this!!

Have an absolutely spectacular day/night loves! (Its 2 in the AM for me <3)
Word Count ~~ 2460

A lie can be kept a hundred times, and a promise can be broken a thousand more.

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I need to stop publishing chapters at 2 in the morning ngl