Claimed by The Rogue Alpha
Claimed By The Rogue Alpha Chapter 51

==Matteo==

Something tickled me and I stirred, absentmindedly smacking where the sensation had been felt. I made to go back to sleep but my eyes accidentally slipped open. Light hit me square in the face. I squinted, grumbling as I turned my head the other way. I bat my eyes slowly, soon coming to realise that I was...outdoors. I peeled myself from the floor, spotting the dense vegetation around. Birds chirped-celebrating the dawn of a new day. I got a sting on my back and as I smacked that region, my eyes widened. I drove my gaze downwards and groaned. F**k.

I was naked. Out in the open. F**k, where am I? I looked around me, trying to see if I could spot anything of familiarity. I couldn't. Sunlight hadn't fully risen, so everywhere was still pretty much...foggy.. I groaned, sitting upright to begin the process of recollection. I had morphed, no doubt. Okay, that. What else? I had morphed and... Wait, why had I morphed? This was something I didn't do on the night of the fool moon. My ritual was to endure hours of pain and wake up lying on my bed or tub, or anywhere within the confines of my room. Not here in the woods. What's this? I couldn't for the life of me recall what had transpired the night before. And it sucked. Big time.

I rose from the ground, and searched around for some leaves or anything at all I could use to cover myself. I didn't replace-none that was wearable. It appeared that it'd rained yesterday. Reason why the ground was all wet with insects crawling around. F**k! F**k, f**k, f**k! What was going on. Why in f***s name had I morphed? Why?

I couldn't deal with this anymore. This episodes of memory loss. Couldn't deal. I turned around, darting my eyes about. I didn't know my way out. And to think I was in middle of nowhere naked... F**k. I groaned. I was now getting tired of cussing, but then, could I help it? Oh boy, I would so deal with those clowns I called workers. I would so deal with them, they'd be lucky if they were able to tell the story.

A scent wafted across my nostrils. I frowned. That wasn't right. I shot my head in different directions. Frangipani? Olivia? Was she here? The smell was faint but I had been able to pick it. Sniffing, I followed its direction-walking a fairly long distance. I began to establish familiarity with my environment. This was the woods that framed the highway leading to central Brookehurt. That set an alarm in me. And I picked my pace as the scent was getting more noticeable. She was somewhere out here. Some place. I stopped when I heard some rustling of leaves and a breath heaving. The shallowness of the breath was familiar. I frowned, jaw set and began careening forward. It wasn't long before I saw her, lumbering ahead. From the look of things, she was injured. Quite badly injured. I kept advancing, and taking me by surprise, she turned.

The look of horror on her face was pure. She shrilled and turned around, about to make a run. I grabbed her by the arm. On reflex, she faced me and tried slapping my hand off. "Let me go!"

She clawed at my hand, scratching it.

"Leave me the f**k alone!"

I gripped her other arm, my face opalescent, as I knew, displaying all the shades of anger. "What do you think you're doing, huh? You think you can runaway from me?"

Her face scrunched up before she sent spit flying my way. It landed in between my eyes. And I shut my eyes reflexively. I shut my eyes but didn't let go off her arm. She was still trying to free herself. When I looked back at her, all I saw was a hideous frown on her face.

"You f*****g psychopath. You gonna regret ever crossing my path. You gonna regret.."

"I regret ever offering your worthless, no-good-of-a-man father help in the first place," I said without thinking. When I realised myself, it was already late. Olivia's frown had softened into a sorrowful stare. I couldn't help but feel guilty given that Pete was dead now and I had spoken ill of a dead man in front of his daughter who was clueless.

"I hate you. I hate you! Don't care how many times you've heard this but I hate you." Her eyes began to water and her voice broke. "I hate you, Matteo. To think I wasted this much time before attempting an escape is just bloom! Mind-blowing. To think I made out not once, not twice, but three f*****g times with a man beast-and I mean it literally-just shows how messed up I've become. And it's all because of you. You monster. You thing I don't even know what to call."

I didn't know when my hands slipped from her. Her words had broken me. It had affected me in a way I never thought it would. I made out not once, not twice but three f*****g times with a man beast... She had kept count? Was she that meticulous, because to be honest, I'd actually thought it'd been more than that. Also, she had called me a man beast. Did she by any chance see me morph?

Everything happened in a split second. One minute I was deep in my thoughts and the other, Olivia was dashing into the woods. But I didn't go after her. I still was a bit shocked, not just by the make out session she had talked about, but because of her reference to...a beast. A part of me wanted to brush it off with the narrative of "that is just metaphor." But then I couldn't help but wonder. I mean, to begin with, how had she left the mansion? How had she made it all the way here?

A grunt entered my ears and I shot my head forward to see Olivia some distance away, on the ground. She tried pulling herself up, but was having a hard time doing so.

I raced towards her and crouched down. She took her face away, intent on standing on her feet. As she did, she let out another cry. And I on instinct, I looked down at her leg, noticing how swollen her right ankle was. "Wait. You'd hurt yourself."

"Who cares?"

I didn't reply her but rather, sought to take her leg. She shoot her hands there, forming a resistance.

I looked at her. "Your ankle is bruised."

She ignored me and went on to attempt rising. I let her be and she eventually pulled herself up, only walking a few steps before landing on her butt.

She landed on her butt. Instantly, I was taken back to my room. Red lights with me groaning. The image was fuzzy but then, there appeared to be a connection with someone landing on their butt. Possibly in my room. And speaking of butt, I took a glance down. I was naked, standing in front of Olivia. Rather than feel ashamed, I pulled my mind away from it. That wasn't the main issue at hand. I had to get her back to the mansion.

"Need help now?" She didn't look at me.

I took that as a yes. I walked up to her, crouched and took her foot in my arms. I closed my palm on them, red veins popping out on the back of my palms. I didn't bother to tell her to close her eyes because well, she wasn't looking. When I was done, I set her foot down. The bruise had cleared off and the redness was gone.

"How do you feel now?"

She didn't reply, neither did she make an attempt to leave.

"What were you doing here. Out in the open?"

Silence. My patience was falling

"Olivia!"

Silence.

I stood, like a fool. I knew I couldn't use an iron fist or any fist at all on her. So, I stood frustrated with myself. Frustrated for being put in this emasculating position

"F**k!" I blurted, going on to punch the tree beside me. I placed my head on it, eyes closed.

"You're a wolf. A wolf." The last part of her sentence came out in a whisper.

I frowned. She knew. I was no fool. I didn't have to be told she had somehow seen me morph last night. The problem now was, how had she known about that? What led to her knowing?

"What happened last night?" I asked. "Why are you here? Why am I here?"

As I said this, I turned to her. She pulled her gaze away. Her gaze that, from the look of things, had been fixed on my butt cheeks.

"Is that a scarf on your hair?"

She glanced at me.

"May I?" She stared with confusion written on her face. "It'll say you and I the embarrassment."

When she still didn't make a move, I was forced to blurt out." I'm not comfortable having you stare at my dick."

She gasped. Her eyes widened.

"The scarf, Miss. Haynes?"

Her nose flared but she set her annoyance and yanked the scarf off her hair. Her hair cascaded down, bearing dirt and debris. I took the scarf from her and covered my groin with it using my hand to keep it in place. "You haven't answered my question."

"And I'm in no way eager to do that." She frowned, standing in her feet. " This isn't your mansion anymore. You can't order my around."

"Oh yes, I can. Your are mine and nobody, not even you, can do anything about it."

"Then, watch me," she spat, turning on her heels and began walking. I went for her, gripping her arm yet again. I turned her around, bringing her to face me. My gaze fell on her lips. Those plump succulent lips of hers. It appeared the only thing fleshy on Olivia were her lips. Man, could anyone get lost in them and how soft were they whenever we kissed. When we kissed...

F**k. I caught myself, only for me to come to the realisation that I was inches close to her lips. A tiny movement forward would land me on her. Olivia's eyes were dreary, but as soon as I pulled away, she too came back to her senses.

"I can't let you go." More like I can't imagine being without you. I didn't know where that came from, but in a way, I couldn't help but kinda, sorta admit to it. And for what reason actually? "Your father and I had an agreement."

“།

I get that you both signed to make my life a misery. But make me understand, dear Mr. Matteo why in heaven's name you kissed me? All those kisses...those..." She gulped. "Why? I'm your slave obviously, so why all those?" I looked away from her. Yes, Matteo. Why? I frowned, as if the gesture would drive the thoughts away.

"Why did you accept the kiss? All of them. Why hadn't you pushed me away?" I turned to look at her. Her eyes were darting around mine, in a way that suggested she was decoding my words. "I'm your captor after all?"

She gulped and immediately looked away from me. I could see her cheeks, growing red like cherry. I moved a step closer. And another, till I couldn't make any other. I placed my finger on her chin, bringing her to face me. I inched my head forward and went for her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. It was intoxicating, so much so that I moaned. I planted her kiss on her neck. One by one till I got to her lips. With my hand still in my groin, I used the other to touch her neck before going on to place my lips on hers. Going slowly at first till the tempo increased and I got deeper. Olivia didn't move, but I could hear her shallow breathing. I began to reduce the intensity of the kiss, ultimately bringing it to a stop. I didn't pull away immediately but rather placed my forehead on hers, looking down at her shut eyes.

"I kissed you because I had to. Something about you makes me do so."

She raised her gaze, letting me see those pearls adorned with green-yellow centres. They glistened from unshed tears. And I was forced to let go of my other hand, now cupping her face with my both hands. I pulled my head away from hers.

I sighed. I sighed because what I was gonna say would hurt me, but then I knew I had to. I heard somewhere that if you liked... I can't believe I'm admitting to this.... They said if you liked someone, you should be prepared to let them go. Not sure if I had gotten that right or where I had heard that from, but the thing was this. I was beginning to have something...a little tiny silly thing that I knew wasn't gonna last long, for Olivia. And not just that, I knew who I was. Not a monster that held people for no just reason. I was a rational guy. One that knew it was pretty f****d up to keep a young girl captive, grope her at any sight chance, and deny her the knowledge of her dad's death. No, Matteo Roberto-Macini wasn't that kind of guy.

"A month." I said. "A month and if I'm satisfied with what I see, I'd let you go."

She blinked. "What?"

I took my hands from her cheek, bending to pick up the scarf, then repositioned it on my groin again. Bruh... "A month to make me believe I should set you free."

She frowned. Paused a while, then tried to speak again, but stopped. She pinned her lips, her determination fleshing out. "Fine."

Fine...

I smiled inwardly. A month I'd said. A month she'd heard, but here was the thing. I planned on keeping Olivia for as long as I could. Now, I knew that this went contrary to me not being that kinda guy, but well, I was...a mess. My mind was a scattered mess. Of course, I couldn't let Olivia go. Couldn't explain why either. But it was more humane for me to have put forward this proposition. The only shitty thing was that I would try everything I could to make her fail this task. I'd make sure she didn't pass the test. Because why not? I was the one and only Matteo Roberto-Macini, wasn't I?