novelraw Chapter 94: Choose Who
Chapter 94: Choose Who
Leo’s POV
I settled onto the rug, my back against the cold stone of the balcony wall. It was uncomfortable as hell, but I didn’t care. Being in the same room as her, hearing the steady rhythm of her breathing, was enough to quiet my wolf for the first time in weeks.
The silence of the room was heavy, broken only by the ticking of the clock. I closed my eyes, trying to drift off, but then I heard it.
A small, broken whimper.
I opened my eyes instantly. Scarlett was tossing under the covers, her fingers clutching the duvet so hard she had left a tear. Another sound escaped her—a choked-off sob that made my chest tighten. She was back in that nightmare.
"No," she whispered, her voice thick with terror. "Liam... Leo... please, no."
Hearing my name on her lips, dripping with that much agony, destroyed me. I stayed on the floor for as long as I could stand it, but when she started thrashing, her heels kicking at the mattress as if she were trying to run from something, I couldn’t stay away.
I stood up and moved to the edge of the bed. "Scarlett," I whispered, reaching out to shake her shoulder gently. "Scarlett, wake up. It’s just a dream."
She didn’t wake. Instead, she let out a sharp cry and jerked away from my touch, her eyes flying open. But she wasn’t seeing me. She was still trapped in her nightmare.
"You’re dead," she gasped, her chest heaving as she stared right through me. "I saw you. The blood... the Luna said it was my fault..."
"I’m right here," I said, my voice assuring. I sat on the edge of the mattress, reaching out again, more firmly this time. I grabbed her hands, which were freezing despite the blankets. "Scarlett, look at me. I’m alive. I’m right here in your room. It was just a dream."
Her eyes finally focused on mine. The sea-blue returned, hazy with tears and lingering fear. She looked at my face, then down at our joined hands, and then back at my eyes.
"Leo?" she breathed.
"Yeah. It’s me."
Unexpectedly, she lunged forward, throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face in the crook of my shoulder. She was shaking so violently I thought she might break. I didn’t hesitate; I pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her flush against my chest.
"Don’t die," she sobbed into my skin, her fingers digging into my back. "Please, don’t leave me alone."
My heart shattered into a million pieces. I didn’t care about the floor, the rules, or the fact that she’d technically rejected me at the lake. Right now, she needed me. And god, I needed her.
"I’m not going anywhere," I murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
I shifted, pulling her back against the pillows so we were both lying down. She didn’t protest. She clung to me like I was her only lifeline in a storm. I pulled the covers over both of us, my large frame shielding her from the rest of the world.
I was just starting to feel her breathing evening out against my chest when the air in the room shifted. It wasn’t the wind. It was the heavy, suffocating scent of Alpha testosterone and fury.
The balcony doors creaked, and two shadows filled the frame. Liam and Leon stepped into the room, their eyes instantly landing on us.
"What the fuck is this?" Liam’s voice was a low, angry growl that vibrated the floorboards. "What are you doing in her bed, Leo?"
Scarlett flinched, her body tensing as she retreated further into the crook of my neck. She was still trembling, her mind clearly stuck between the horror of her dream and the reality of two more Alphas invading her sanctuary. She looked terrified, her eyes darting between them.
I tightened my hold on her, my own wolf snapping his teeth at the back of my mind. I wanted to scream it. I wanted to yell that I was her mate, that I belonged here and they were nothing but intruders. But the secret felt heavy in my mouth. I couldn’t risk the fallout—not yet.
"She had a nightmare," I said, my voice forced and tight. "I was passing by the balcony and heard her scream. She was hysterical."
Liam stepped closer, his fists clenched so hard I could hear his knuckles cracking. "I heard her scream, too," he spat. "So did Leon. We didn’t realize she needed a bodyguard under the covers."
"I told you, she was terrified," I hissed, glaring at him. "I’m here now. I’ve got her. Both of you can leave."
"The hell we are," Leon countered, his voice flat but vibrating with a suppressed rage I’d rarely seen from him. He moved to the other side of the bed, his deep brown eyes fixed on Scarlett’s pale face.
Liam reached out, his hand moving toward Scarlett’s shoulder as if to pull her away from me. "Come here, Scar. You’re shaking. Let me—"
"Don’t touch her!" The growl tore out of my throat before I could stop it. I shifted my body, shielding her from Liam’s reach. The possessiveness was a living thing in my chest, hot and demanding. "I said I’ve got her. Back off."
"You don’t own her, Leo," Liam snarled, stepping into my space. "You’re crossing a line. You think because you got here first, you’re the only one who cares? Get out of that bed before I drag you out."
"Try it," I challenged, my eyes flashing.
The air in the room was electric, thick with the threat of a physical fight. Two Alphas standing over the bed, and me, locked in a protective stance over the woman who was secretly mine.
"Please... stop," Scarlett whispered. Her voice was strangely weak, drained by the aftermath of the vision she’d seen. She looked up at the three of us, her bottom lip trembling. "Just... stop."
Leon ignored me, looking directly at her. "Let me hold her, Leo. She’s always liked my arms more. I know how to calm her down better than you do."
I wanted to spit that she was my mate, that her soul was tied to mine, and she had responded to my kiss at the lake with a fire neither of them would ever know. But I held back my words.
Liam growled, his patience snapping. He looked down at Scarlett, his expression a mix of desperation and authority.
"Fine," Liam said, his voice echoing in the small room. "Since we’re all here to ’help,’ let’s settle this. Scarlett, look at us. Choose. Who do you want to stay here with you tonight?"