Elijah and Lacey Ch. 02

Thank you, everybody, for the comments! I loved them. I'm having a lot of fun with this story and I hope that you have fun reading it.

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Chapter 2

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I really needed a mental health day. I was so tired; mentally, not physically...this time. Everything so far turned out to be a disaster and it was all my fault.

Why couldn't my life be simple and plain? In two in a half decades that I have been alive, I have lived more drama than those stupid soap operas Sam loved to watch.

Speaking of Sam, the male was acting like he had some sort of a death wish. I couldn't figure it out and no one was offering any explanations. All I knew was that, suddenly, Sam wanted to get me away from Elijah as soon as possible. Elijah, on the other hand, wanted to kill Sam for trying.

I wasn't dumb enough to believe that Elijah was so enamored and attached to me that he was unwilling to lose me. If I could leave me, I would write myself a 'Dear John' letter in a New York minute.

With new knowledge of my certain...peculiarities, I was but a second away from being stripped of Alpha mate title, anyway. Though, technically, I was only his wife. In the were community, without a true claiming to have taken place, the word 'wife' by itself didn't amount to much.

Elijah had Sam put in a holding cell down in the basement, or what I'd like to refer to it as a modern day dungeon. It was fitting that the walking pocket protecter had a dungeon stashed in his home, I thought bitterly.

I stayed down there with Sam even though I was still healing from my neck wound. I felt responsible for Sam being here. If I hadn't acted like a little scared girl when I spoke to him over the phone, he wouldn't have been put in the dank and grimy cell. He wouldn't have made that promise and he'd be at the sports bar right now, doing manly male stuff...eating baby back ribs and buffalo wings.

Instead, he was stuck here in hell's public toilet with vermin and rodents. He had no suitable light in which to see to avoid them. I don't care how good a werewolf's sight is in the dark; the light still served a purpose in my opinion. Sam chose to sit on the ground next to the small cot for reasons I would rather not know. The cot versus whatever was crawling around the ground...I dared not ask Sam what was on that cot.

Sam was quiet, for the most part. He raked his fingers through his shoulder length black hair once or twice. Scratched his denim covered knee one time. He hummed a few tunes; the only one I recognized was the song from the 'Peanuts' cartoon...their favorite dancing music. I had pulled a chair close to the bars of the cell to be near him and to keep him company. However, Sam seemed to be in his own little world, making it clear that I wasn't really needed. So, I stayed at his side as a matter of principle.

"He's going to replace me, you know?" I had had enough of the silence; it made me focus on my gross surroundings way too much.

Sam only grunted. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell if the grunt meant he agreed or disagreed with my statement. Sometimes he could be a big pain in the butt.

"Well, don't you think you should apologize and go home? THIS really isn't worth it if I'm going to be dismissed soon, anyway." I held my hand up to stress our current environment...in case he hadn't noticed.

"When I leave here, you will be going with me." He insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "Sam, this was all a misunderstanding. I told you. He didn't try to hurt me. He just wanted to claim me. I'm the one who flipped out and got myself hurt." Man, he was starting to get on my nerves.

He didn't respond at first but just when I was going to beg him to see reason, he answered, "Alpha knows what he did wrong."

I gaped at him, waiting for a more detailed elaboration. None came. I was right back at the frustrating location of square one. When I needed answers, Sam was too busy being Sam. Though, I wanted to go and talk to Elijah, I was scared of letting Sam out of my sight for even a minute. And no, I hadn't planned for what I would do if I had to go pee. Strategy was, obviously, not my strong suit.

Thankfully...or not, Elijah and his guards saved me the trouble of having to figure out how I could appear in two places at one time. The butterflies in my stomach began to flutter around like crazy as I took in Elijah's current facade. He had an eerie calm and neutral expression on his face. It was nearly impossible to read him but that didn't stop me from trying.

Sam got to his feet and stood up slowly to face Elijah. Nervously, I stood up too, pushing the chair backwards. The scraping against concrete sound it made in the process was the only thing heard.

"I want you to go up to our room. Wallace will escort you." Elijah said quietly.

I shook my head in denial. As soon as he got me out of the room, they would attack Sam. I didn't know how I was going to stop it but I was not about to leave Sam's side.

"Please, Elijah. I will do whatever you want but don't hurt Sam. He didn't even DO anything...really!"

"Go to our room!" He commanded angrily. I flinched but I didn't move. I really would like to claim bravery on my part but I was just scared stiff.

This was stupid. STUPID! How did a misunderstanding and me freaking out over a bite warrant taking Sam's life? He was the only person in my whole life that ever tried to look after me...protect me.

My mother spent my whole existence proving over and over again that I was NOT her major concern. There were times that I prayed that Child Protective Services would take me away from her but with a failing system I found my life struggles ignored. They considered the fact that we had a clean place to stay and food in the fridge good enough to overcome any neglect I suffered at my mother's hands. I was the one cleaning our tiny apartment and the food was brought in by my efforts through the local food banks in town. Any cash my mother did get from the state government monthly went toward her crack pipe. I was a part of the percentage that fell through the cracks of the system and no one gave a damn until I met Sam. After all the years I had been alone, he, Tia, and Jazmin were all I had.

Sam's sighing brought me out of my runaway thoughts and back to our present problem. "She needs to either be told the truth or you need to let her leave with me, now. Give her a little time--" Sam pleaded, much to my confusion.

"There is NO truth to tell. After everything that has happened, I'm more than convinced you are wrong. She's practically a human! She's jumpy. She faints! Does she even shift? CAN she even shift? There is nothing to support your theories and I am tired of waiting. She stays with me." Elijah argued moving closer to me.

"She's not ready for this! She may be stuck in 'flight' mode right now but what do you think will happen if you push her too hard?" This wasn't the Sam I was used to seeing. This Sam was agitated. It was like seeing a totally different person. The words he was saying made no sense to me; like I dropped in on the wrong conversation. He pointed his finger at Elijah and besides the warning growl, Elijah did nothing. "Are you ready to risk the lives of others because you want a mate?"

"The only reason...the ONLY reason that I haven't ripped your throat out is because my mother respects you and has secured your safety. Don't think for a moment that I'll let you use that to control what's mine. Get out of my house and away from my female or I will remove you piece by piece if need be." The temperature in the room seemed to drop exponentially as Elijah stood there with his fists clenched.

Sam sighed and looked over at me. "Just go home Sam. I'm okay. I'll be fine. I'll call you tomorrow. Text me when you get home. Don't forget. Tell Tia and Jazmin I said 'hi', okay?" I whispered reassuringly.

Sam's jaw tightened but he nodded curtly. One of the guards unlocked the cell and escorted him out. The dark look that Elijah and Sam shared didn't go unnoticed by me.

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I began to pace. I needed some answers. Something about the events of the night did not add up. I went over what Elijah and Sam argued in my mind but I was just as confused as I was before. I waited for Elijah to join me in our room but I got the distinct feeling that he was avoiding me like the plague.

I also wanted to know where I stood with the mini Alpha. I could lie to myself easily and say that it wouldn't bother me one bit if he sent me packing but I realized that that wasn't what I wanted. Maybe I had abandonment issues or something? Maybe I WANTED the pocket protector to like me? Stranger things have happened.

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"I want to know what's going on. What were you and Sam talking about?" When Elijah finally showed up to our room, I wasted no time questioning him.

"Nothing for you to worry about. Go to bed and get some sleep." Elijah turned away from me but I grabbed his arm to stop him. I pulled my hand back quickly when I realized what I did.

"You're not going to hurt Sam...or have him killed, are you?" Sam texted me when he got home but I needed to be sure he was going to remain safe.

Elijah's face clouded over with anger. "Sam is the last person you should be worried about, trust me on that."

"I don't know you well enough to trust you so why don't you just tell me about this 'truth' Sam mentioned?"

"Drop it and go to BED." He ordered, making it clear that this conversation was over by getting into bed himself.

I couldn't accept that and I turned and left the bedroom to go into the front room where my clothes and belongings were temporarily stored. I quickly rooted through my things looking for a pair of jeans and a shirt. I slipped them on and went through one of the boxes that was labeled 'shoes'. Once I found my tennis shoes, I put them on and I headed back to the bedroom for my purse.

"I thought I told you to get into bed? Why are you dressed?" I knew I was going to have to face Elijah when I went back for my purse. I hoped he would have been asleep so that I could just tip toe in and out without his knowledge.

I cleared my throat, needing the few seconds to find some courage. "I'm leaving. I can't stay here and I can't sleep next to someone who lies to me." I refused to look at Elijah. Instead, I kept my focus on my purse, hoping to avoid any fireworks.

Just...a...little...bit...closer. So far, so good! I reached my purse and quickly headed for the door. Again, I kept my eyes on the door and my heart beat sped up as I got closer to freedom.

I blinked once. Just ONE blink and Elijah was right in front of me, blocking the door with his arms folded across his chest! I gasped. How could he...anyone...be that fast? My confidence in being able to leave without a big scene sunk.

"Going somewhere?" He lifted one eyebrow and I could tell he was fighting the urge to laugh at me. "The bed is THAT way. We should also get you out of these clothes." He reached for my shirt but I took a few quick step backwards and scowled.

"I'm going to talk to Sam since I obviously can't count on getting the truth from you."

His jaw clenched and then relaxed. "Some things are better left alone, Lacey. Like you said, it was all a big misunderstanding. Sam is home and we can get back to getting acquainted." He pulled me closer to him, wrapped his arms around me, and began to nuzzle my ear. As much as he was making my body tingle all over, I couldn't believe that he was actually serious about blowing off my questions.

"You don't get it, do you? I'm not letting this go. Sam was freaked out for a reason and I want to know what it was." I leaned away from him so that he could see my face clearly. Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to distract me, he sighed.

"Before I tell you this, I want you to know that I do not support any of his beliefs. I may not know you very well--"

"Or at all." I interrupted.

"The point IS that I trust my instincts on what I DO know so far." He assured me.

"This must be bad." I was beginning to worry and I wished I had been sitting down. Sam never showed any hint of worry, having such a laid-back personality. Earlier tonight Sam showcased...well...HIS version of hysterics. Why would he be so adamant about dragging me away from the Alpha?

"Sam thinks you are on the verge of becoming a...rogue." He waited for my reaction. I waited for the punchline.

Silence.

"Wait, are you serious?" I asked him. I couldn't fathom Sam thinking that about me and I wondered if this was Elijah's way of trying to drive a wedge between Sam and me. He did seem to be jealous.

"You're lying." I ripped myself from his arms and stepped away to avoid any future contact.

"Lacey, Sam called me after you called him. He was concerned about how you would handle becoming my mate. He begged me to wait or to be absolutely sure that you were ready. I didn't know that you were going to have such a violent reaction to me attempting to claim you. I mean, one minute you were aroused and the next...

He says that you have spent the whole time over the last three years practically ignoring your wolf half. He was concerned about your mental state and didn't think you could handle any new changes."

I listened so intently to what he was telling me that I didn't notice my lack of breathing. My heart began to speed up again. My mind felt cluttered with all the thoughts that popped into it. In my head, I denied everything he said and then I questioned my own past actions and behaviors. I denied everything once more, with an abundant of excuses for why I was the way I was, and then I defended my self all over again. My thoughts were so back and forth on this that I was starting to feel dizzy. My emotions were all over the place with fear, anger, guilt, and shame.

If Elijah had been speaking, I didn't hear him. My own inner dialog took center stage until I felt his hands cradling my face. He forced me to focus on him and for the moment my head cleared...somewhat.

"You're NOT a rogue, Lacey. Sam doesn't know everything. Yes, I'll admit that you are...unique, but you're not a rogue."

"But HOW do you know? Why are you so sure? Sam has known me a LOT longer than you have.", I said, trying desperately not to cry. I wanted him to convince me because I was scared. I needed him to convince me that I wasn't the monster that secretly felt I was.

Elijah took my hand and lead me to the bed where we sat down. "My father was...is rogue. I know a little something about it, up close and personal."

My mouth dropped. "Is that why the books at the council library say--"

"No, that's from something else and this isn't about me; it's about my father.", he cut in. "My mother and father's mating was forced--"

"I know the feeling.", I interrupted with a snort. Elijah gave me a frosty glare. I shrugged. He continued.

"My paternal grandfather, Loren, didn't want to do it but the pack, at that time, was not as strong or as populated as it is now. He was facing war and needed an ally. My mother's father, Cyrus, though he had his own agenda, was facing the same problem with his pack. Both fathers felt that linking the two packs would send a message to all other packs who thought them to be an easy mark.

My parents were good friends, actually. They hung out with the same circle of friends but they never felt anything remotely romantic for one another. It was another female that should have been my father's mate and my mother knew it. Her name was Esella and she was my father's true mate. She was also my mother's best friend. My mother would arrange "dates" for her and my father to spend time together. You can imagine how excited my grandfathers were, thinking that my parents were becoming closer. However, she was secretly helping Esella and my father have time together behind both my grandfathers' backs. Unfortunately, when the time came for my mother and father's wedding ceremony, my father refused outright with my mother's full support. My grandfathers were livid."

"But they still mated?", I asked.

"Yeah. Cyrus found out about Esella. He had her hidden away and he pretty much forced my father's hand. Esella would die if he didn't mate with my mother. Esella's parents went along with my grandfather. Their whole family faced death if my father couldn't be convinced to give his true mate up. Feeling helpless and hating himself for it, he agreed to mate with my mother. That was the beginning of the problem." Elijah took time to gather his thoughts. It couldn't have been easy talking about his father. I wasn't the only one with a messed up childhood.

"My mother tried to make the most out of a bad situation. She knew that she would never have a mate that was in love with her but she counted on their friendship to make things at least bearable.

My father rarely came to their bed and it was basically a miracle that I was conceived. My mother hoped that he would finally find some happiness in his family and for a time, he did. Then, he found out that Esella was mated and he seemed worse than before, according to my mother.

He lashed out at everyone who was unlucky enough to cross his path; including his family. I spent a majority of that time peeling him off my mother. He'd attack her without provocation and many times there were eyewitnesses.

I don't know if you realize how unnatural it is for a were male to abuse his wife. It's typically a sign of mental instability. Members of our pack demanded that my grandfather finally step in and do something to stop my father. Loren reluctantly agreed and thought it was best to lock my father up for a time but when he tried, my father attacked and killed him. He ran away and was never found."

"Why would Sam think...", I began to ask.

"I told you. He is wrong. Sam hasn't gotten over losing his own mate and he just sees shadows around every corner."

"I want to talk to him. I have to."

"Go to bed. Tomorrow, I'll arrange it."

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I sat at the table going over everything Elijah told me the night before. No matter how much he tried to soothe my feelings I couldn't escape the fear deep down inside. What if I was a rogue underneath the surface? I didn't want to hurt anyone.

I only shifted into my wolf form twice a year and only for five minutes at a time. I was afraid of my wolf half. I was afraid of being like the thing that attacked me. What if my subconscious knew I was a rogue and the phobias I had about shifting was to keep everyone else safe from me?

I watched Sam stroll into the dining area as if he had not a care in the world. He gave a small smile but when he saw that I didn't return it, his smile faltered.

"You look better today...a little troubled, but better. Sleep well?", he asked politely.

"Thanks. I slept as much as I could." I replied evenly.

He sat down in a chair across from me and quietly studied me. I resented how he made me feel like a science experiment put on display; especially now that I knew what he was looking for.

"Was it hard?" I asked Sam, breaking the silence.

"Was what hard?" Sam's confusion wrinkled his brows.

"Having me around your family, knowing that at any moment..." I snapped my fingers. His eyes filled with dread and understanding. "How did you do it, Sam? How were you able to stomach having me in your home, so close to Tia and Jazmin, having to look at the same type of monster that tore the life from your mate's body? Did you get a rush from having me around?" Sam looked away briefly but not out of shame or guilt...he looked annoyed. His jaw tensed and the vein in his temple throbbed.

"I guess Alpha told you the truth last night."

"Funny thing about 'truth' is that it only registers that way to those willing to believe it. I am NOT a rogue. I can't be." I didn't sound so convinced myself.