In Between The Alphas
Chapter 22

I didn't come out of the back until the end of the day and I was so on edge while we were driving home that I kept my head down through the entire ride and kept all my windows shut just in case.

"You need to get out of the house Charlie," Greg said as I sat across him in the living room, "You can't stay locked in here forever."

"What if they're here for me?" I asked, "If they see me then it's game over. I'm going to get punished for running away and I will be forced to marry your father. My life would be over and everything would be in vain." "I think you can get your point across without calling him my father," he said giving me a pointed look.

"I'm sorry; I'm just on edge," I said with a sigh, "Look, I just can't go out right now until I'm sure they're all gone from the town."

"That could take months," he said, "And they may never fully leave; there is no guarantee that they won't come here again." "Well do you have a better idea?"

"Actually I think I do," he said making me look at him, "You won't like it but I can guarantee that it's your best option right now."

"I don't like that tone," I said slowly, "But let's hear it; anything is better than going back."

"I think you should tell Jake-"

"No," I said not even letting him finish, "There is no way I can tell him, he's probably going to sell me out the minute he replaces out."

"I knew you weren't going to listen to me," he said and I rolled my eyes.

"I would if you had said something that had even a remote chance of me not going back to that horrible place." I said, "He isn't going to help me."

"What makes you think he won't?" he asked but I shot him a look instead of replying, "Listen, you don't have a lot of options and honestly this is your best one."

"So you just want me to walk up to him and say hey, your girlfriend is actually a runaway fugitive who was promised to some deranged Alpha," I said in a sarcastic tone, "Like that is going to end well."

"He loves you," I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off, "I don't want to hear whatever bullsh!t you've fed yourself but he loves you and he will keep you safe if you ask him to." I still didn't reply so he sighed and continued, "I know you're skeptical about this but have I ever been wrong or given you bad advice?"

"No," I muttered begrudgingly.

"Good, so I need you to trust me when I say you should tell him the truth."

"Even if I wanted to tell him, I can't leave the house," I said, "What if I see one of them outside?"

"That isn't a problem; he should be here in a few minutes."

"Excuse me what?" I couldn't help but yell.

"What were you expecting? You damn near gave the poor dude a heart attack. He was worried about you," he shrugged, "I told him he could come see you today."

"You knew I was going to agree to this absurd plan didn't you?"

"I hoped you would," he corrected, "But it's a good thing you did, because let's face it you would have done a sh!tty job of lying to him."

I rolled my eyes at him and he rose to his feet, "Greg?" I called and he stopped, "What if you're wrong this time?" I asked, "What if he doesn't help me and he wants to send me back?"

"Then I promise to do everything in my power to make sure that you don't have to go back to that monster."

"Even fighting off a Beta?" I asked

"Even if it means I have to fight off a beta."

"Thank you."

I heard a knock on the door and Greg shot me a sympathetic look, "Are you sure you can do this on your own?" "Yeah of course," I said with a small smile, "I told him you weren't a werewolf anyways so it just makes sense."

"I don't care what you told him," he said, "If you want me to be there just say the word."

"It's okay, I can do this."

"I'll be in my room if you need me."

I waited until he had disappeared before I opened the door. Jake rushed in and I quickly locked the door behind him.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded, "Why did you take so long to answer the door?"

"I was talking to Greg."

"Where is he anyways?"

"He's giving us a bit of privacy." I said and he sighed and walked up to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked again and I nodded, "I'm not asking for a bullsh!t answer; you were fvcking terrified yesterday and I couldn't do anything about it."

"Jake could you please calm down and take a seat?"

"Don't tell me to calm down," he yelled, "I'm worried about you and you aren't telling me a thing."

"I can't talk to you when you aren't being calm," I said, "I need you to calm down so I can talk to you."

He sighed and took a seat and I forced myself to sit still as well.

"You're not saying anything," he said and I shot him a bored look, "I'm sorry."

"I lied to you," I began and he shot me a confused look but didn't say anything, "Well technically I didn't lie but I wasn't totally honest about why I'm here." I continued, "And the reason I panicked yesterday was because I saw someone from my past." "What, so you're only telling me because you don't have a choice?"

"I always have a choice Jake, and I'm choosing to tell you so don't make me regret it." He pursed his lips but nodded anyways and I continued, "I'm the daughter of an Alpha and I ran away from my pack because I was being forced to marry someone I didn't want to." The expression on his face was unreadable and I continued before I lost my courage, "He was abusive and horrible and I just couldn't marry him so I ran away."

"Those people from yesterday," he began, "Where they from his pack?" I shook my head, "They were from your father's pack then?" I nodded and he sighed, "Did you marry him?"

"No, I ran away on my wedding day."

He seemed to think about it for a second before he nodded, "Okay."

"That's it?" I asked and he nodded, "You're not going to say anything else?"

"If you had married him then we would be having a totally different conversation right now but you didn't marry him so technically you're still a free woman." He said and I sighed, he wasn't going to take me back, "I wish you had told me earlier but I understand why you didn't."

"I thought you would take me back to him." I admitted and he frowned.

"I'm not a monster Charlie." He said as he ran his hands over his face, "But you're not safe here anymore."

"I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You can come back to my pack with me."