Page 41 of Stalked By the Alphas
“You aren’t putting me out. You are merely encouraging me to make some foundations I was perhaps putting off.”
She nods slowly. “Are you sure?”
“More than.”
“Okay. Thank you, Carter. I’ve missed having someone to lean on.”
“That’s what friends are for,” I say with a reassuring smile, wondering how in the hell I’m going to furnish an entire house in a couple of hours. “Let me run some errands about the furniture, and then I’ll walk you to your appointment in a bit.”
She nods, and I force myself not to hug and kiss her but instead walk away, gripping my phone as I dial the lesser of two evils, Zach, to help me furnish the house so it looks lived-in in under a few hours.
26
HAZEL
As soon as Carter leaves,I slump against the counter, my mind reeling. What just happened? How did I go from smashing a creepy, masked figurine to agreeing to stay with Carter?
Part of me is screaming that this is a terrible idea. Carter represents a past I’ve been running from for years. But another part, a desperate, lonely part, is clinging to the lifeline he’s thrown me.
I busy myself with tidying the shop, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The routine tasks help keep me calm somewhat, but I can’t shake the surreal feeling of having Carter back in my life so suddenly.
As I’m restocking a shelf, movement outside the window catches my eye. For a split second, I swear I see a figure in a white, half mask staring at me from across the street. My heart leaps into my throat, and I stifle a scream as a car drives past, blocking him from view. The pavement is empty after the vehicle moves out ofthe way, and I close my eyes, shaking my head. My palms are sweating, and my heart is thumping. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t live like this. These hallucinations are getting worse. Maybe staying with Carter isn’t such a bad idea after all. At least I won’t be alone. But on the other hand, what if I hurt him in some way? What if I have a terrible episode, and I think he’s a masked magician, and I stab him to death in the middle of the kitchen? What then?
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Hazel,” I mutter, turning from the window, but something catches my eye, and I turn back to come face-to-face with my worst nightmare.
The scream that rips from my throat is raw and anguished as I see a masked magician leering at me from outside the shop window. I stumble backwards, knocking over a stack of books. The man presses his white-gloved hands against the glass, his sinister grin stretching impossibly wide.
I can’t breathe. I can’t think. All I can do is stare in horror as the masked magician tilts its head, studying me with dead eyes.This can’t be real. It can’t be.
“No, no, no,” I whimper, squeezing my eyes shut. “It’s not real. It’s not real.”
I count to ten slowly, trying to calm my racing pulse. When I open my eyes again, the man is gone. The street outside is empty and peaceful, as if nothing had happened.
My legs give out, and I sink to the floor, trembling violently. Tears stream down my face as I struggle to catch my breath. This can’t go on. I can’t keep living likethis, jumping at shadows and seeing monsters everywhere I look.
The door opens, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Hazel!” Carter’s concerned voice calls out.
I look up to see him rushing towards me, his face etched with worry. Without thinking, I throw myself into his arms, clinging to him desperately.
“What happened?” he murmurs into my hair.
“I saw something,” I sob into his chest. “A masked magician. It was right there, looking at me through the window.”
Carter’s arms tighten around me. “Shh, it’s okay. There is no one there, Hazel. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
His familiar scent envelops me, soothing my frayed nerves. I cling to him, trembling, as he strokes my hair gently. For a moment, I let myself believe that everything will be all right.
“I can’t do this anymore,” I whisper brokenly. “I’m losing my mind.”
Carter pulls back slightly, cupping my face in his hands. His blue eyes are intense as they search mine. “You’re not losing your mind, Hazel. You are under some stress, or perhaps your heat is due and throwing your perceptions off kilter.”
“I just had my heat; it’s not that!” I cry and then shake my head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You don’t need this in your life when you are trying to find yourself. I’ll be fine. You can go back to your home, and you don’t have to worry about me.”
Carter’s grip on me tightens slightly as he shakes his head. “Hazel, I’m not going anywhere. You need help, and I’m here to give it to you.”
His words should be comforting, but a chill runs down my spine. There’s an intensity in his eyes that I can’t quite place. For a moment, I feel trapped in his embrace rather than sheltered.
