Alpha Ch. 07

"Do you feel him anymore?"

For a minute she didn't answer, her eyes opened and she looked into his face. He felt as though she was seeing everything he had ever done and felt a clenching in his gut. Finally, she shook her head and tears welled in her eyes.

"No."

A shuddering breath wrenched from her as the tears began to fall and he stood quickly. Grabbing a towel, he pulled her from the bath and wrapped her up tightly. She was still sobbing quietly and he touched her cheek gently.

"Don't cry."

Immediately she stopped. He tutted and held her arms.

Bending his knees to look into her eyes, he spoke seriously, "You don't have to do that. I'm not here to tell you what to do, I'm here to help you."

She didn't say anything. She was shaking and her eyes were still scared. Lucius didn't know what to do, she seemed calmer when he was giving her instructions and again he thought back to Elena's words.

'Encourage her to do things, don't tell her to stop.'

Lucius sighed, "Do you want something to eat?"

"I don't know."

She looked scared and he stroked her hair.

"I'm going to make us some food. Let's get you dressed and we'll go downstairs."

She didn't react and he lead her from the bathroom. In his bedroom he pulled a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants from the chest of drawers and handed them to her. She dressed quickly and he looked her up and down. His clothes swamped her small body and he felt something grip his gut. He turned and left the room.

Oana listened as he walked downstairs. She was alone in his room and she couldn't move. She hadn't been told to follow him and she fought with herself. Everything she had been taught in the last 60 years told her that she should wait for a command but none came. This man hadn't told her what to do so for the first time in as long as she could remember, she was in control. She tried to make her feet move, tried to move towards the door but she couldn't. She felt the tears stinging at her eyes again but he had told her not to cry. She couldn't feel Daddy but she still felt helpless.

"Come on Oana, you can't stay in here forever." She looked down at her feet. "Move."

Nothing happened and she felt frustration creeping up. Clenching her hands in fists she glared at her still legs and took a deep breath.

"Move Oana, fucking move."

Finally, her foot shifted forward and she let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. Relief spread through her and she spoke out loud.

"Good. Now keep going."

Slowly, she made her way across the room and to the door. It got easier the further she got and when she entered the kitchen again she didn't have to force herself to move. Lucius was stood at the stove and turned to look at her over his shoulder.

"Are you hungry?"

His question threw her off and she felt herself closing down.

"I don't know."

Lucius didn't react to her answer, instead he piled a plate full of pasta and placed it on the table. He motioned for her to sit and she dropped into a chair. He filled his own plate and sat opposite her. He waited for her to start eating but she didn't move, she was waiting for him to say something.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do darlin," Lucius said as he began to eat. "This is your choice, if you're hungry then eat."

She looked at the food in front of her but she didn't know what to do. For so long, Daddy had told her when she was hungry, when she should eat, now she didn't know what she wanted. The smells from the kitchen permeated her nostrils and she heard her stomach growl in hunger but still she couldn't make her hands move. She looked at Lucius with a pleading expression on her face.

"Please help."

Lucius heard the desperation in her voice and pity welled within him.

"Go ahead and eat."

She fell on the food and within minutes it was gone. He watched her with a sick fascination. He wanted to understand the girl sitting at his table.

"How much do you remember?"

She looked up, a frown creasing her pretty face.

"From my time with Daddy?"

Lucius shook his head, "No, from before him?"

Oana paused, then nodded.

"I remember everything. I remember my mother and father; I remember my brothers. I remember Sorin and I remember Fane." Oana looked down at the table trying to hide her tears from Lucius. "He was such a perfect little boy, he was my perfect little boy and he was taken from me. I still remember the day he was born."

Lucius didn't know what to say. Instead he just reached out and took her hand.

"What happened to him?"

"He was taken from me." She wrenched her hand away and stood. "You took him from me. You sent the Order to my family and they were killed because of you. My father let you go and you repaid him by destroying his family."

Lucius frowned, "What? Your father let us go and we came to protect you but we were too late."

"No, you sent the Order to us and I watched my family die."

Oana reached up and touched the black stone that hung round her neck.

"I know you won't believe me; you have no reason to trust me but I can promise you that we didn't send the Order to your family."

"You're right." Oana felt something inside her that hadn't been there for years. She felt strong and she took her knife from the table as she spoke. "I don't trust you."

She leapt at him, landing in his lap and bringing the knife to his throat. It wasn't sharp but she pressed it hard enough against him that a drop of blood rolled down his neck. Lucius was calm, he leant back in his chair and dropped his arms to his sides. Her face was close enough that he could count the freckles on her nose and her dark blue eyes burned.

"Oana," he spoke softly and she shook her head.

"Don't."

She knew he would tell her to stop and she knew she wouldn't have a choice but to obey.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your family, I truly am but me and Drago had nothing to do with it. We tried to find you after what your father did for us but we couldn't. I wish it could have been different and we could have got to you first; I wish you could have seen your son grow up. I'll do whatever it takes to prove that to you."

She shook her head again, vehemently and pressed the knife harder.

"You're lying. Daddy said it was you, you're lying!"

"Oana stop," he said with a sigh.

The knife fell from her grip onto the floor. Her expression was a mixture of despair and frustration and he saw her swallow trying to keep the tears back. She dropped her head but didn't move from his lap, her lower lip trembled and her eyes closed.

Lucius didn't push her instead he leant back in his chair and waited to see what she would do. Her damp hair fell forward and hid her face from him. She tried to speak but the words were stuck in her throat, she couldn't even think as she struggled with herself trying to force herself to speak.

Her hands twisted in her lap and she was shaking with frustration. The words clawed at her throat, desperate to get out but she couldn't make herself speak. Lucius watched her internal battle but he was unsure of what to do. Elena had told him to encourage Oana to do things but he didn't want to give her commands and watch as she blindly followed them. He wouldn't turn into a replacement for 'Daddy'.

"You don't have to tell me anything." Finally, he spoke breaking the silence. "I'm not here to tell you what to do or force you to do anything you don't want to. I'm not like him, none of us are."

"I don't know how to live without him. I can't do anything; I can think for myself anymore. I don't know what to do." She felt stronger as she spoke. "I've never been apart from him, not in 60 years but I've dreamed that I could escape. Now that I have, I'm lost."

Lucius touched her cheek, he didn't know what else to do.

"We'll help you if you'll let us."

"I don't know how to."

She turned her face into his hand seeking comfort. It had been so long since she had felt a comforting touch and now she struggled to understand how this was the same man that had torn into her skin before.

Lucius pulled his hand back and stood. Catching her round the waist he let her slide down his body until her feet were on the ground. Stepping back, he looked down at her.

"I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed."

He turned and started towards the door out of the kitchen. Oana watched him leave and dread settled in her stomach.

"Wait, what should I do?"

Lucius didn't turn around and threw his answer over his shoulder, "That's up to you."

He left the room and Oana heard him climbing the stairs. She was alone. She felt the panic well up again.

"Please don't leave."

Her voice was small but he didn't come back. She remained where he had put her trying to will her legs to move. Eventually, she hung her head and let the tears fall.

*

"So? What do you think?" Drago asked.

He watched Ealasaid stare out of the windows at the sprawling grounds. She turned back with an incredulous expression.

"I thought you wanted us to keep a low profile? How the fuck are we going to do that here?"

He had taken her to a large stately home. It was huge and lavish and exactly what she thought Drago would show her.

Drago shrugged, "I asked the investors, they suggested this place." He looked around and shoved his hands into his pockets. "You might be right though. This does stand out."

Ealasaid walked to him and slid her arms around his waist.

"The investors are thinking about what other people will say, that's why they chose here. We need to think about where the Order would never think to look. You've kept away from humans for so long so let's get right in the middle of them."

"You have somewhere in mind?"

He held her round the back of the neck and his thumbs stroked the skin behind her ears.

"As a matter of fact, I do." She had a smug smile on her face and he stared at her plump lips. His eyes burned as his pupils dilated and he tilted her head back. She smirked and ducked out of his grasp. "Down boy, you don't own this house."

"We could."

His mind drifted as he thought of the huge wooden dining room table. He could have her bent over it within minutes, he would buy the house just for that.

Ealasaid rolled her eyes and clicked her fingers in front of his face.

"Focus. If you want to see this place, then let's go."

Drago grumbled, "Fine."

He followed Ealasaid back outside and into the back of the waiting car. She leant through to the front and spoke quietly to the driver before settling herself back beside him. He turned with a raised eyebrow.

"What? You not going to tell me where we're going?"

She turned in the seat and folded her legs beneath her. Kissing his neck, she shook her head.

"Be patient. We'll be there soon."

Her soft lips against his neck made him grit his teeth. An unsteady breath fell from him and he held her round the waist to pull her closer. Her lips moved up his neck to his ear and he held her tighter as her hand slid over his thigh. Pulling her leg over his he glanced up at the front of the car. Blindly, he reached for the button to raise the screen between them and the driver as she stroked him through his jeans. The hand on her waist clutched at the dress she wore while his free hand held her thigh.

Ealasaid kept her touches light as she rubbed her palm against his cock through his clothes. His thick length pressed against the zip of his jeans and he shifted in discomfort. He looked down at his lap as she unfastened the button on his jeans and slipped her hand inside.

Ealasaid felt the wet patch on his boxers where his precum was already soaking the fabric and smirked. She loved that she could affect a man like Drago LaBelle this way.

Drago still watched her hand. Her fingers curled round his cock through his boxers, gripping him gently and he groaned low in his chest. Her mouth was busy at his neck; kissing, licking, nibbling at his warm skin.

Drago's eyes closed as she slipped her hand into his boxers and her soft fingers gripped him. His breathing faltered as he dropped his chin to his chest. Her thumb swiped across the head of his cock, collecting the drop of precum there and rubbing it into the sensitive skin. He felt her lips move from his neck and raised his head to watch what she did next.

Ealasaid brought her hand to her lips and spat into her palm. Drago moaned as she moved her hand back to him and began to stroke his cock. He moved his hand from her thigh to her neck and kissed her roughly.

Tilting her head back, Ealasaid surrendered her mouth to him. She felt his grip on her turn desperate and clutching and it made her smile. She sat up straighter, pressing her breasts hard against him and her hand moved quicker with long strokes from the base of his cock to the tip, stopping to collect the drop of liquid that leaked out. Soon he was panting, his hips flexing up into her hand and he broke the kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he watched her hand moving on his cock.

"Spit on it."

The command was hoarse and Ealasaid shivered. Doing as she was told, she let a drop of saliva fall onto her hand and stroked faster as she listened to his grunt of pleasure.

"Ugh fuck. Faster."

She obeyed. Drago loved this submissive side of his Mate. She was so feisty, so stubborn in her everyday life that he knew she was only like this with him. It made his chest swell and the Alpha Lycan inside him howled in triumph.

Without warning, Ealasaid moved to kneel on the floor of the car between his legs. She was small but he was still glad they had taken the bigger car. She looked up at him with a naughty glint in her eye. Without breaking eye contact, she leant forward and took the head of his cock into her mouth.

"Bon Dieu," Drago groaned loudly and stroked her cheek.

Ealasaid bathed his cock with her tongue, running it sensually up and down his shaft before sucking him back into her warm mouth. She moved slowly, savouring the feeling of him pushing down her throat, dominating her even when she was in control. She lightly ran her nails over the exposed inch of thigh at his open jeans.

Drago's free hand twitched and reached for his cock but she linked her fingers with his and stopped him. He groaned and his other hand tightened in her hair. He thrust against her mouth and listened to her muffled moan as he slipped down her throat. He dropped his head back against the seat. His breath tore from his chest as she moved on his cock and his stomach twinged.

He began to thrust up into her mouth. Her hand still held his tightly and the other clutched at his t-shirt.

Ealasaid moaned again. Her pussy was dripping wet and all she could think of was ripping her panties off and impaling herself on his cock.

Suddenly, the car stopped and Ealasaid pulled back. Drago's head snapped up and his eyes glared at her.

"What are you doing?"

She reached up and kissed him.

"We're here."

He watched in disbelief as she slid back onto the seat and climbed from the car. Without thinking, he took hold of his cock but her soft voice made him falter.

"Don't."

He growled in frustration but moved his hands to the seat. Ealasaid waited at the door with an expectant look.

"Are you coming?"

He growled again, "Fucking tease. Just give me a minute."

He heard her giggle as the car door closed. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the beating of his heart. His hands twitched to touch himself, it wouldn't take long before he exploded but he held back. Tidying his jeans, he winced as his erection strained against the zipper. Swearing under his breath he stepped from the car and looked around.

They were in an underground parking lot. Ealasaid stood a little way away speaking with an elderly man. Her eyes shone and a grin curved her mouth.

"Mr LaBelle," the man spoke as Drago approached, "very nice to see you again."

"Mr Bennet." Drago shook the old man's hand. "Please call me Drago."

"Then it's Dexter." The old man smiled widely. "I have to admit I was surprised to hear you two were coming."

"We're looking to relocate." Ealasaid linked her fingers with Drago's. "I hear you have a beautiful view from the top floor here."

Dexter beamed, "You should have said! I would have got it ready for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bunch of keys. He continued to talk as he sorted through them. "The penthouse was finished a few weeks ago, some parts are furnished but I haven't got around to doing all of it yet."

"Do you mind if we take a look?"

Ealasaid was excited. Drago let her take the lead feeding off her enthusiasm.

"Anything for you Saidy." Dexter handed her a key. "The elevator there is solely for penthouse tenants use. That key will let you in and also unlock the door."

As he spoke, they moved to the elevator. There were three buttons on the wall, one for the parking lot, one for the lobby and one for the penthouse. Dexter pressed the button for the lobby.

"Go on up and have a look, I'll leave you kids to it."

Dexter stepped from the elevator and Ealasaid pressed the button for the penthouse. He was silent as they ascended and hung back when the doors opened again.

Ealasaid once again took charge and unlocked the door. Stepping inside, she looked around with wide eyes. The penthouse was on two stories, a large staircase stood in front of them and through the corridors, on either side, she could see the rest of the apartment.

Ealasaid went upstairs first. The rooms were empty but as she looked at them she could see her and Drago's life together. She could see him waking her up in the huge room with floor to ceiling windows along the walls. She could see them decorating the room next door as a nursery. She could see the crib in the middle of the room and Drago singing softly to their child. The image was unexpected and hit her right in the gut.

Shaking herself she came back down the stairs and frowned when she saw he hadn't moved. Passing him, she walked through to the rest of the apartment. The bottom floor was all open plan and it had been furnished. The back wall was made entirely of glass with doors that opened to another outside room. Sunk into the marble floor was a huge pool and the wall behind that was made of the same glass doors that opened to the balcony. On the other side of the wall was a long black bar that looked out over the city. Ealasaid couldn't help but smile.

"So?" She turned back to Drago who had followed her through. "What do you think?"

He didn't say anything and she sighed.

"Look, I know it's not what the investors would suggest but it could work. It's something that you would have never even considered before. We're surrounded by humans and this whole building is filled with Weres, Vampyres, Shifters, Naiads, anything you can think of. We're surrounded by our Pack. It's so out of character for you to be so close to humans and the Order wouldn't risk exposing themselves just to get to us. I have some money saved and here I can actually help out with buying it. I wouldn't even make a dent in some of those other places."

He still didn't say anything and a heat started in her chest. Her fists clenched and her beautiful face scrunched in anger.

"What? Because it's not a fucking manor you won't even look at it? Are you really that far up your own asshole?"

"I love it," Drago smirked.

Instantly the fight went out of her and she looked at him in confusion.

"You haven't even looked yet."

"I don't need to." He stepped forward and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Your face tells me everything I need to know. You didn't like the last place but you love this one. You're happy being back in the city and you love the thought of living near Dexter and Grif again. You were happy here before and you know you would be happy here again. I watched you, you could see a future here. That's all I was waiting to see."