Rosalina's Hope by D.D. Dass (free novel 24 .txt) 📕

“D-don’t…please,” I whispered. Please, I wanted to shout, no more, but the shaking terror clogged my throat.

He threw back his head, answering with a loud laugh.

“Oh but darling, how will the world know you belong to me?” I tried to shake my head…I tried, but all I could do was watch as he stalked closer, knife in hand. It’s cold, sharp edge met my temple, not hard enough to cut though.

“Please,” I tried one last time. But the monster did not care to listen as he sunk the blade into the skin of my cheek, tearing the last remains of hope from my heart.

I fainted, my last thoughts…Death. 

Fury pulsed through my entire being. The all-too familiar heat started up, poison bloodlust making my canines sharper and my vicious begin to enhance, every movement slower. The words that came from Hailey fueled my wolf’s fury as he carefully charted the best ways to approach her, the most painful ways to take her down.

The crowd began to stare –at me – and belatedly I realized what they must be seeing. The monster –the Lycan. It was a power I didn’t bother to hide as I glared back at them, but a sickening slap and I nearly lunged for Hailey’s throat –until I saw Hailey on the ground, bleeding. Pride had me smiling, except Rosa…She had that look on her face, that haunted look I was all too familiar with by now. Unconsciously, I took a step forward, forcefully keeping my teeth concealed and my legs straight.

Ah Hell, the damned girl was close to being killed, but she was a complete idiot, stepping forward to actually lay a hand on my mate. 

Fuck. That.

Lurching forward, I tore Hailey away from Rosa, focused only on the protection of my mate. Murmuring a light apology, I wiped the blood from her lip. Her eyes remained closed and I ignored everyone surrounding us, the teachers, Hailey, every freakin’ soul, and cradled her closely.

I did not give one fuck about any of them. I just wanted Rosa safe.

Alarm made my movements inhumanly quick when her breathing spiked, a low moan reverberating between us. If Hailey had done anything to damage my mate further, her last breath would be soon.

I nudged the office door open, unaware of the secretaries anxious question, instead, following the wide-eyed nurse into the clinic where I carefully laid Rosa onto the thin mattress, cursing myself profusely when I noticed the gray tint to her skin.

When the nurse spoke up, I growled low in my throat, quickly trying to play it off as a cough.

“What is it that happened…sir?” She looked too preoccupied with checking Rosa, and I figured my answer hardly mattered. Intently, I stared at her as she gently wiped the blood from Rosas nose and lips with alcohol pads. My wolf whined at the girl’s sudden flinch.

“A fight,” I muttered, unable to meet her gaze I was so focused on Rosa, lightly stroking her soft blonde tendrils.

Ten minutes later, the nurse finished checking on Rosa, informing me that it was a simple nose bleed that would only lead to a headache at the worst. But that wasn’t all. Emotionally bonded, I felt the fear, the anguish and I would’ve killed to bear it for her. To take it away. And as the minutes ticked by, Rosa remained unconscious, mumbling revolting words: “please don’t” and “please stop”...In that moment I would have probably killed anyone as a substitute for the real bastard hurting her…Merde.

Just when her body loosened, going completely still, every feeling skyrocketed and I flinched at the overload. Her breathing hitched before a chilling scream ripped through the air and for a second, I didn’t know what the hell to do as the fear tore through me. Handing shaking, I grabbed her up, rubbing up and down the cold skin of her arms; she struggled hard and then…stopped, still shrieking lightly.

“Merde Roza!” The scream raised a decibel and I cursed. “Shh, Roza, look at me,” I whispered into her hair.

To my relief, her scream began to die out, but her eyes remained shut.

“Please baby,” I begged harshly, resorting to the Alpha timbre. “Look. At. Me!” And on command her eyes fluttered open. The relief lasted not even a second before tears began to fall passed the vivid blue of her eyes. Abruptly, she began to sob, clinging to me in a way that left me with no other choice but to hold her closer in attempt to comfort her.  For what felt like a long time, I held her while she trembled, discreetly shaking my head at the nurse eyeing us warily in the doorway.

Seemingly torn, the nurse shut the door softly, giving us that privacy and I let out a grateful sigh.

“H-hands…?” she stuttered. Gently, I laced her dainty palm in mine, brushing my lips over the baby-soft skin. She sighed deep in her throat, which I didn’t know what to make of at that point.

“You hands are fine,” I assured her, rubbing my face against those hands, trying to warm them. Bluntly, I watched her, noting that her face was refining color as she became aware of reality. Ever-so-slowly, she pulled her hands away from me, taking that bone deep warmth with her. I straightened, allowing her to collect herself one breath at a time.

Her eyes wandered before she spoke in a surprisingly even voice, “Where are we?”

“Clinic.” It was gruff with emotion as I really took in her health…She was fine again. She was okay.

Silently, she shook her hair, the blonde of it tainted with a light, off pink. Blood, my wolf snarled, and I had to close my eyes, worried that their color was becoming a depthless black. Once I opened them again, reassured, Rosa was blushing prettily, and something in my chest tightened as I knelt, cupping her face in my hands to make her meet my gaze. I could only really hope it wasn’t black.

“What’s wrong…?” Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply –that really concerned me. “You okay?” It took a moment before she finally blinked, glaring.

“I’m fine,” she chirped angrily, shoving me away. “Will you just take me home?” I sighed, wondering what more I could’ve done to piss the world off…I was so damned stupid sometimes.

The truth made me furious and I nodded curtly in response, opening the door and gesturing for her to walk through. She did, eyes on her feet as if they couldn’t be trusted. Fascinating. I suppressed the instinct to carry her, but instead led the way, her trailing behind quietly. 

Once again, I thought, I was Rosa’s fool.

Unlocking the car doors I opened her for her, watching as she stepped in while hugging her light sweater to her chest. At the driver’s side, I pulled out my leather jacket from behind, holding it out to her.

Her eyebrows creased and I sighed. “Put it on.”

“I’m not cold,” she lied just before another shiver rocked her smaller frame. My molars worked in irritation.  She wasn’t one to be bossed around, I decided, approaching it differently. I could not allow her to be uncomfortable or cold –she could get sick and Jesus, there were a good variety of sickness a human could contract which –no, just…no.

“Please, Rosa, put it on,” I breathed, leaning closer to stroke her cheek. Those blue eyes flickered shut, but she grabbed the jacket and I smirked in triumph. Silently, I watched her roll the sleeves up, pleased that she would have my scent masking hers…Yeah, I thought, she was going to receive the majority of my clothing sooner or later. 

“Drive,” she commanded in a feeble mumble and I flashed a grin before reversing and driving away. The silence however, began to eat away at me…

“I’m sorry you know,” it was sincere; I regretted ever having anything to do with Hailey.

When she didn’t reply, I felt like slamming my head into the steering wheel. I didn’t, but hell, I wanted too. The ride was an achingly long one, the hush taunting me as I watched Rosa from my peripheral vision. Her hands, I noticed, were constantly in motion.

Mercifully, we reached her house and I exited the car, heading for her door when it opened suddenly. I’d have to be quicker next time.

Starting toward the front door, I snatched the spare key from under the welcome mat, unlocking the door and holding it open for her. Head down, she walked in, peering at me through thick lashes and guarded eyes.

“How did you know where to find the key?”

“Lucky guess,” I lied lamely. It wasn’t like I was going to tell her I’d seen her enter the house that way yesterday. Yeah, not a chance in hell.

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on me as I closed the door, locking each lock determinedly.

“You didn’t have to lock them all…” she mumbled, but I only shrugged in response. The safer, the better, I thought, perhaps a new motto. She started up the staircase and I followed, entering her room close behind. Lavender assaulted by senses as I stared, famine for her surging through me. Selfish bastard I was.

“Here,” she said, shrugging out of my jacket. To keep from stopping her, I gritted my teeth, instead grabbing it back to put it on her dresser and lean on her mattress. Discreetly I made sure my scent was embedded in the material, a territorial act.

For a moment, she gazed at me, half-smiling and I quirked a brow.

“What?” It was husky, my body responding to her gaze.

 “Unbelievable,” she muttered before storming out and into the bathroom. Bemused the palm of my hands pressed into my eyes, and I listened hard, so hard I could hear the clothing slip from her skin and onto the ground. Merde. I pushed backwards, shutting my eyes to even out my breathing; control the hormones.

 By the time she came back into the room, her skin glistened, a beautiful flush spreading over her. Why the torture?

 Hastily, as to keep myself in line, I left the room, shutting the door firmly behind me. According to the wolf –to the Law, I was being denied. Most males took their female the first second the mating marks appeared, the instinct was almost impossible to refrain from carrying out, but I locked that part away –This was Rosa, a human. I couldn’t do that to her…But I could hurt myself. That was simple.

 Back inside the room I could hear fumbling until a minute later; Rosa opened the door for me, looking like a goddess. Her dirty blonde locks fell around her bare shoulders, dressing in a loose tank top, block joggers with socks to match. Her eyes had more life to them now and the relief swelled over me in rivers.

I was lucky as hell just to be looking at someone so stunning. And she was mine.

I went back inside, watching as she returned to her bed, groaning a little.

“You’re hurting.” The concern bled through my tone.

She smiled a little. “It’s just a headache…What, um, what happened?” I winced, reluctant to bring it up again.

“You just…shut down. Once…you went down –I don’t understand.