The Alpha and The Enforcer [TATE]

Chapter 34

Ellie's P.O.V

1 week later

The moment I stepped inside Miranda's cabin, I regretted it.

It smelled like rosemary and burnt sage, sharp, earthy, intrusive. The air felt heavy, as if it were pushing down on my shoulders. I wasn't supposed to be here. Not again.

Miranda was seated in a deep velvet chair, legs crossed, a cup of something steaming in her hand. She didn't bother to stand.

"Back so soon," she mused, not looking up. "Did the waterfall finally lose its charm?"

"Don't start with me...and stop watching me," I muttered, slamming the door behind me harder than I meant to. A low growl rattled in my throat. Not intentional. Not controlled.

Her eyes finally lifted, cool and assessing.

"Still growling at everything that breathes, I see."

I exhaled sharply through my nose. I was trying, I really was. But even her voice grated on me, like fingernails dragging across old glass. I'm not surprised she knew the reason why I was here. Her being a witch and now at full power, thanks to me, gives her the luxury of spying on anyone she pleases.

Creep

"Something's wrong with me," I muttered. "Or with my wolf. Maybe both."

After what happened with Christian last week, I didn't go to the waterfall like I usually did. Jacob's been there every day waiting for me to return so he could make up for things. I wasn't ready to face him despite knowing that I knew that what happened wasn't his fault, and he was right to keep it from me. It wasn't his secret to tell. I'm just not ready. Especially now. Lizzy is getting out of control. She's becoming more hostile, dangerous. The simplest thing is setting me off and throwing me into a frenzy. I haven't seen my sister either. With everything that has happened and knowing how much she will purposefully piss me off, it's best I stay away from her for now before I actually rip her throat out. So instead, I found myself at Miranda's place. A place I never thought I'd return to.

She didn't look surprised when she opened the door.

I swallowed hard and nodded. "It's constant. I'm snapping at people without reason, growling at pack members just for walking too close. I can't shut it off. It's like... my wolf is on edge all the time, ready to lash out, and I don't know why. It started after I talked to Christian. I haven't felt right since."

The look on her face should scare me. She looked intrigued. Curious. She walked past me toward her room. "What else?"

"I'm restless. Can't sleep. My senses are sharper, and not in a good way. Everything feels too loud, too bright. Sometimes I hear growling in my head, and I don't know if it's mine or not. And it's like... the smallest thing sets me off. Like I'm on a hair-trigger."

"So... you're moody, paranoid, and having auditory hallucinations." She clicked her tongue. "Congratulations. You're either cursed or going through supernatural puberty."

I stopped pacing and glared at her.

"This isn't a joke."

"No, it's not. But you storming in here like a feral cat and expecting me to fix it with a snap of my fingers is."

She joked, but within a second her facial expression changed to something serious.

"Any power surges?" she asked without turning around.

"No, but I can feel the heat building. Like it's just under my skin, waiting for the anger to pull it out. I've been trying my best to keep it all in."

She turned back toward me, eyes scanning my face. "And mentally? What's going on up there?"