The Alpha And His Mate (Silver Hills #1)

Chapter 4

I woke up to a harsh beeping noise.

For a split second I imagined it was my alarm waking me up for school. There was several things wrong with that observation. Firstly, I had finished school weeks ago. Secondly, I wasn't in my bed at home and that wasn't my alarm.

I recognised the sound of hospital machinery from a trip to Silver Hills Medical last winter when I sprained my wrist whilst ice-skating.

The idea that I was in hospital was not comforting. Especially because that's where my mom was currently working.

"I know you're awake."

A voice like honey raised me from my stupor. Mom.

"How?" I said groggily. "I thought I'd got better at pretending to be asleep."

"Maternal instinct," she said simply. That was her go to answer for everything.

"What happened," I croaked out, trying to sit up. My mom saw what I was doing and steadily raised me into a sitting position before passing me a glass of water. I gulped it down like a dying man. "I don't remember much past the wolf attack."

That was a lie. I hoped maternal instincts weren't as effective as my mom made out. I remembered the woods. I remembered him.

"Well, apparently you lured the wolf away," her face creased in concern, strands of brown hair drooping onto her round face. "And then next thing anyone knew you just appeared, unconscious, on the Mason's yard. Obviously I had a heart attack when you showed up here, but you seem to be okay really. Nobody can work out what happened though, and it's clear now that you won't be shedding light on the incident anytime soon."

She leaned over to fussily sort out my hair and place a kiss on my nose. I grinned sheepishly.

"I really can't remember much. People were telling me to lead the wolf away so I guess I just did. I don't know how I ended up on the lawn though."

Lies mixed with the truth always made me feel better. As if I wouldn't go to hell just because I'd been honest half of the time.

"Hmmm," my mom didn't seem too impressed. "No more parties for you for a while I think. Okay?"

I pursed my lips and nodded. "Okay."

My mom grinned, her smile tired and worn. "That's my baby. Now, I think we can discharge you. Unless you think you're in danger of blacking out again?"

I shook my head. The pain had completely gone. How odd.

Whilst I watched my mom leave to talk to the doctors, my mind wandered to the man from last night. If anyone knew the truth I was certain it would be him.

The only issue was that I had no clue who he was.

That night I lay in bed, unable to sleep but unwilling to leave my cocoon of blankets. I sighed and rolled about, feeling mentally exhausted.

I had spent the remainder of the day after trying to piece together the puzzle. I knew it involved the Masons, probably Genevieve as well, and it revolved around the wolves that lived in the outskirts of town. To learn more I would have to investigate deeper. It looked like a had a fun few weeks ahead of me.

This was wrong. I should be spending this summer preparing for Harvard in September. I would be taking on a heavy load with my course in Literature. I couldn't afford to be distracted.

My first task tomorrow was to speak with the Masons. They were intertwined with this mystery; I was certain of it. I wondered whether to include Angel in this investigation. She had a big mouth and would likely ran it off to her many friends in town if I mentioned any of it. That meant I would need a good cover story as well.

Maybe I could tell everyone I was naturally good with dogs and that's why the wolf followed me. Hopefully they would ignore the fact I'd never had a dog in my life and all my pet fish died within the space of a month.

I rolled over to the right so I could check my clock. 12 0'clock. I needed to sleep if I was going to put on my detective hat tomorrow.

I snuggled down into my own paradise of pillows and blankets, being thankful for the absence of crippling pain in my head.

"Persephone."

I steeled myself, waiting for the waves of pain to hit. They never came though. Relief swelled in my heart. I couldn't handle another hospital visit. The voice in my head was bad enough on its own never mind...

I paused and sat up straight.

I could put a face to that voice.

Well, less a face than a body and strong arms. In my head I tried to reach out to that voice, mentally willing it to reveal its secrets. I squeezed my eyes shut and thought of myself speaking to that body. Saying what do you want?

Seconds after I went through this exercise a cold laugh bit through my thoughts. I gasped in surprise, hands grasping at my blankets.

I tried again. Who are you?

"Who am I? I am your worst nightmare."

I felt a chill go through me. Teeth nervously gnawing at my lips, I spoke again. Are you the man who carried me to safety yesterday.

I hadn't expected a response, especially not a straightforward one, so his answer shocked me.

"Yes."

I noticed how he spoke in a growl more than anything else. I couldn't think of much else to say but thank you.

There was a silence, in my room and mind. And then a howl crept in from my window.

"Are you afraid of me."

In my heart I knew the answer but my traitorous mind had already stubbornly declared no.

"You should be."

Whilst thinking of something to say to that, I heard a tapping noise at my window. Apparently there was no rest for the wicked.

I wrapped a blanket around me, unseasonably cold, and cautiously tottered over to my bolted windows. I'd found that if I did something quickly it made me less afraid.

I peered out into the darkness and recoiled at what I saw.

"Genevieve!" I exclaimed in horror. My high school nemesis was clinging onto the trellis that snaked around my house.

I couldn't hear her clearly through the window, but from her lips I made out "let me in."

Unsure what else to do, I unlatched the window and dragged her in. She looked at me imploringly as she straightened herself out. "Don't wake your parents."

"My moms working," I explained.

"Excellent." She brushed back her dark hair. I noticed she was adorned in black leather. The perfect outfit for sneaking about. "It's no secret that I have despised you for many years," she declared, sitting down on my bed. "However, for the good of Silver Hills, I come here unarmed with the intention of helping you. So please, treat me with some respect."

"You haven't helped me at all," I snapped, thinking of the voice in my head that was now gone thanks to her. "You've hindered me."

She raised a perfect dark eyebrow and patted the spot besides her on my bed. "Sit," she said.

I was about to make a comment on how despicable it was of how to boss me around in my own house when she lifted a finger to her lips and ushered me to the bed. The serious expression on her face gave me pause. Normally, I would never listen to Genevieve. But life hasn't been normal since I saw the wolf the night of the party. I just wanted everything to make sense. If Genevieve could offer that I should willingly accept.

"What you're about to hear is highly confidential," she warned. "The only reason someone as pathetic as you is finding out about this is because we have no other choice. But fate has dealt it's cards and now you're destiny is intertwined with his."

"Please just tell me what you're on about," I begged.

Genevieve sighed deeply, as if the air in my room were a wine she was savouring. "It's time you hear the truth. The truth of Silver Hills."