The Alpha and his Mate, page 5
I didn't get much of a chance to see much of the downstairs part of his house, but what I did see made my eyes widen in shock. His house was huge, how did one person live in a house this big? I mean presuming he did live alone that is. It was extremely elegant looking and I shuddered at the thought of having to polish the glass that makes up one of the walls in the living room, giving the room a gorgeous view of the forest lining his back garden. I had done that for years and it was a job I wouldn’t be missing any time soon.
At my shudder Jax slightly tightened his hold on me, probably thinking that I was chilly seeing as it was dark out and I was only wearing a pair of joggers and a t-shirt.
"I should’ve gotten you one of my jumpers as well," he muttered near my ear as he slowed down to a stop outside the opened front door, his voice causing slight goose bumps to appear across my arms. “Would you like me to go and get one for you?” He asked as he looked down at me.
I shook my head but otherwise didn’t say anything. I wasn’t even that cold if I was being completely honest, Jax was like a space heater and with him next to me I was more than warm enough.
After staring at me for a second, probably making sure that I was telling him the truth, he nodded his head as he continued to make his way over to what I'm presuming was his car. It was a glossy black colour with slightly tinted windows and was clearly big enough to comfortably fit five full grown people.
Jax clicked something from inside his shorts pocket and the car lit up with a little beep. Once the door was unlocked Jax shifted me easily into just one arm, freeing up his other to open the passenger door and smoothly place me into the front seat.
"Annabelle, can I just know one more thing about you?" Jax muttered as he started to do up my seatbelt for me.
I could tell by his tone that he didn't really expect me to say yes and the fact that he looked so sad about it nearly broke my heart. I took a breath of courage before nodding my head slowly, nervous about what he was going to ask me.
A grin spread across his face as he took in my small nod but after that we remained quiet. I didn’t really know what to say and it wasn’t like he had asked me anything specific.
The sound of an owl in the distance broke the silence between us and Jax sighed as he ran his hand over his face before looking back up at me. He was still crouching in front of me as I sat in the front seat of his car and I couldn’t help but stare at him expectantly as he looked back at me.
“Please Annabelle, anything at all,” he smiled reassuringly but I just remained silent as I stared at him, unable to think of a single interesting thing to tell him. I'm just me, apart from being able to cook and clean there was literally nothing else that I could do. “How old are you?” he asked, when he realised I was struggling for things to say.
I stuttered as I tried to come up with the courage to speak but still no sound came out. Thankfully Jax relented and smiled reassuringly at me before starting to stand back up. Even though I could tell that he wasn’t angry at me for not saying anything, I still felt an unwelcome feeling bubble in my chest. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt in such a long time that it almost shocked me that I could feel some form of emotion other than sadness and pain. I felt guilty that I had let him down.
I went to grab his hand as he started to close the passenger door and froze as I felt his skin connect with mine. There it was again, that overwhelming feeling of calmness as I looked at my hand in his. We both stood there for a second, marvelling at the feeling of our hand in the others, a connection that for the first time, I had initiated.
I took a calming breath before looking up at Jax’s awe struck eyes, still staring at our joined hands. I could do this, after everything he had done for me, the least I could do was give him a little information about myself.
"Nineteen," I whispered, flinching slightly as I watched Jax’s eyes snap back to mine. “I-I’m nineteen,” I repeated, making sure that he understood what I was telling him.
It was silent for a moment, the only noise coming from the owl as it continued to hoot in the distance. It wasn’t long thought before Jax released a smile so bright I was afraid it would crack his face. He looked like a kid at Christmas from one of those adverts on the television.
"Thank you my angel," he smiled before leaning down to place a small kiss on my forehead. It was probably the most innocent thing in the world to any onlookers but as his lips connected with my skin a little shiver ran down my spine and I blushed a deep red. What was going on with me? I looked up through my lashes to see that Jax had frozen as he stared down at me with a fearful expression. I'm guessing he was afraid of my reaction, that he had gone a step too far and I was going to have some sort of panic attack.
I waited for the panic within me to bubble to the surface, but when I felt nothing but a slow warmth blossom throughout my chest I blushed. I had no idea what these new feelings meant, but all I knew was that Jax had made physical contact with me without my knowledge or permission and I hadn’t freaked out.
I looked in my lap as I fiddled with my clothing, suddenly finding the fabric of the shirt I was wearing remarkably interesting. Did he know what was going on with me? Everything was so new right now I was having a hard time figuring out what I was supposed to be feeling. I risked one sneaky look up at Jax and froze again as I came face to face with his grin that was plastered back on his face. He knew, he knew what my feelings meant and he wasn’t telling me.
I frowned as I felt Jax slowly stand up and make his way around the front of the car and towards the driver’s side, still not uttering a single word. He silently put the key in the ignition, starting up the engine with a purr and proceeded to backup out of his driveway. There was a soft hum of music that played through the speaker system, but it was too quiet for me to hear, I had never heard anything like it. It was soft and strong all at the same time and I found myself placing my hand on the speaker by my feet as I felt the vibrations tickle my fingertips.
“You like classical music?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the dark road that stretched before us. We were weaving our way through the trees on a country road as the leaves fell around us. The branches acted like a tunnel that blanketed us from the moon’s glow and the leaves falling like snowflakes as they drifted silently to the ground. It was very rare for me to experience something as simple as being in a car and even then, I was never allowed in the front seat, always in the back and hidden away from view. Like I was a dirty secret that they refused to air.
I remained silent as I closed my eyes and just immersed myself in the musical notes that had now turned into a soft melody, almost matching the hum of the engine perfectly as they continued their musical duet. I smiled as Jax turned the volume up slightly so that I was able to hear the notes, it was almost magical.
We said nothing else as we continued our short five-minute drive to the hospital, and it wasn’t long before we made our way to a clearing with a lone building standing proud in the middle.
I was surprised when we pulled up to the building that was supposedly the local hospital. I had only ever seen a hospital on the television, when Natalie would watch her soap dramas as I cleaned around her, but I thought that the shows were based on some element of the truth. The building in front of me looked nothing like the tall skyscrapers that I had seen on the telly, this building just looked like any other red brick building in the area. The only thing that distinguished this building as a hospital was the sign that was illuminated at the top of the door stating that it was ‘Crescent Moon hospital’ in big white letters.
What a weird name for a hospital.
"Are you ready to go, my angel?" Jax asked as he held the car door open for me, his arms outstretched and ready to carry me into the waiting room. I hadn’t even realised he’d gotten out of the car and opened my door, too focused on taking in the scene around me to notice.
I nodded my head, indicating that I was ready and let out a little squeal as he lifted me into the air before settling me into his arms bridal style. He smiled down at my reaction before heading over to the entrance of the hospital, the warmth from his chest keeping the chill from the outside wind at bay. "Now the doctor may have to ask you some questions which you will have to answer,” he explained as he walked across the carpark and towards the front entrance. “Just be as honest as you can, and she will get the examination over and done with as soon as possible okay?”
I looked up at him, as I felt the worry and anxiety of having to meet new people resurface. My panic was probably clear as day on my face but as I looked up and saw Jax's encouraging expression I suppressed the panic as much as I could, slowly nodding my head in understanding. If I wanted to get better then this was the only way to do it. The sooner I get in there and get this over with, the sooner I could leave. Jax smiled down at me in reassurance as he nodded his head, making sure he didn’t jostle me as he went to open the main door.
When he walked through the first thing I noticed was the smell, the smell of cleaning products and antiseptic that was so strong it almost burned my nose. I sneezed from the intensity of it and rubbed my nose. God how was Jax dealing with such a strong smell?
"Don't worry, you’ll get used to it," he muttered, as if he could read my thoughts and I smiled shyly at him.
As I looked around and took in my surroundings I started to notice that more and more people, both workers and patients, were starting to stare at us. If I was being honest, I was surprised that this many people were even up and about at this hour. It was way into the early hours of the morning, more towards dawn than dusk, yet there were at least fifteen people here mulling about the place as if it were daytime.
"They’re staring," I whispered to Jax as I shrank further into his chest, needing the security of his arms to battle my usual fear and paranoia that always surfaced when people paid too much attention to me.
He grinned down at me and brought me closer to his chest, probably hearing the erratic pounding of my heartbeat as it tried to jump out of my chest. “The sound of your voice is like music to my ears,” he muttered as he kissed the top of my head, his action causing a slight warmth to creep along my cheek bones just like earlier.
Jax chuckled but otherwise didn’t comment on my reaction as we continued through the reception area and into a long corridor. "They are probably just staring because they're not used to seeing me with anyone like this," he explained as he gestured to me, or more accurately, the situation we were currently in.
I stared at him in confusion, not understanding what he was talking about. Seeing him like what? Was he not usually the kind of person to take someone in and help them in their time of need? I found that highly doubtful, but decided not to comment on it. Jax had a kind and gentle aura about him that I just couldn’t explain. It was the main reason why I trusted him so much, he made me feel calm and safe, it was the first time in such a long time that someone had made me feel that way.
He must've seen my slight confusion because he sighed as he sat down in one of the waiting room seats with me firmly held in his lap. I hadn’t even noticed that we had exited the corridor and entered another spacious room. This one was smaller than the reception area but kept in with the same theme that ran throughout the building. Lino flooring, bright orange plastic chairs, calming blue wall and the same nearly unbearable smell of antiseptic.
"Most people in my pack don't usually see me this devoted to a particular person," he tried to explain. “Especially after the mood I was in yesterday. I haven't told people yet that you’re my mate. I wanted you to be a bit more healed before you officially met any of the pack members as it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. People are curious to why I'm being so protective of you, that’s all," he shrugged.
I frowned, still not understanding what the heck he was talking about. What does he mean when he says words like pack and mate? I thought when he called me little mate it was just some weird kind of nickname he had given me, like how I've heard Tony call his friends mates when they came round for their monthly poker game.
I shuddered at the memory of the last poker game he had held just over two weeks ago. Let's just say that Tony’s friends liked to torment me just as much as the Leftens did.
"Annabelle? Doctor Tessler’s ready for you."
I looked up to see where the voice had come from and saw a lady on the other side of the small waiting room as she poked her head out from behind a reception desk. I nodded slightly at her, thankful that she had distracted me enough from my thought trail but then froze when I thought about what she had said.
How did she know my name? I had only told Jax that piece of information and I had been with him the whole time since then, he hadn’t told anyone. Unless she knew of me through the Leftens and worked for them? Oh god what if she tells them that I was here and they come and get me? I can't go back to that place again, not now that I know what it's like to have escaped and not constantly live in fear. My heart rate suddenly hit the roof, perspiration covered my forehead and palms as I broke out in a cold sweat.
"Hey...hey little mate it's okay, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Not a single person in this building would dare do anything to harm you," he stated as he held my cheek in one of his hands. He had shifted and was now crouched down in front of me, when did he even move?
"Do you trust me?" He whispered, his face close enough to mine that I can feel his breath ever so slightly fan against my cheeks. His touch calmed me, but I didn’t allow myself to relax just yet.
Did I trust him? That was the big question I kept asking myself… Did I trust him? Do I trust this stranger whom I've never met before to not lay a hand on me, not only that but to protect me from people who did want to? I looked into Jax's eyes, his soft chocolate brown eyes, and I knew my answer instantly. Yes. I don't know why I trusted him not to hurt me, but I did.
I took a deep breath and offered him a small smile before ever so slightly nodding my head, letting him know that I was okay and that I did, in fact, trust him. My heart started to slow down its pace as I continued to take in slow, calming breaths. I was positive that I had not seen that woman behind the desk before, meaning that she couldn’t have worked for the Leftens. Jax must’ve told her my name when I wasn’t paying attention I rationalised as I let my fear slip away from me. I trusted him.
Jax let out a breath I hadn't realised he’d been holding and gave me a soft smile which caused a cute dimple to appear on one of his cheeks. My heart stuttered at the sight and I suddenly became very warm, when did it get so hot in here?
"Come on angel, the doctor’s waiting for us," Jax smiled as he stood up with me safely tucked back into his arms.
I snuggled into his hold, loving the warmth that always seemed to radiate from him, he was just so comfortable, like a heated blanket that cocooned me in safety. I was so distracted by the feel of Jax's arms around me that I hadn’t even noticed that we were already in some form of office. It was a simple room, with a desk and two chairs in one corner, a bed pushed up to the other side of the room and a filing cabinet by the now closed door. An indoor fern tree sat by the open window, making the place feel a little more inviting, but I couldn't help but tense as my eyes landed on a woman in her mid-fifties standing in the middle of the room with her hands clasped behind her back.
Her copper hair was streaked with white and was tied back into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She had a thin set of glasses balancing on the bridge of her nose and only a very minimal amount of makeup on her face. She wore a white coat over a pair of trousers and a light pink blouse, and she had something weird hanging around her neck. All in all, she looked nothing like Natalie and her friends when they decided to come over.
"Annabelle I'm Doctor Tessler, it’s lovely to meet you," she smiled calmly at me. Although she appeared nice when she held her hand out, presumably for me to shake, I shrunk back into Jax's arms slightly and just stared at her.
"Annabelle doesn't speak much," Jax filled in for her, thankfully saved me from anymore awkwardness, and I looked up at him to see his eyes slightly unfocused and looking straight ahead at something. I frowned and looked over at the doctor to notice that she had the same far-off look in her eyes before they both snapped back to reality and went to sit in their respective chairs around the doctor’s deck. I frowned but otherwise didn't comment on the weird actions of the two, it was always best to never ask questions.
"Now Annabelle, I gave you a once over when Jax took you back to his house, but I just wanted to do a more thorough examination of you once you’d woken up, that way you could answer some questions for me. Would that be okay?" she asked as she placed her clasped hands in front of her on the desk.
She had a kind smile on her face the whole time she was speaking, making me feel slightly more relaxed, but when she asked me if I was okay with her doing more tests on me I looked at her in confusion. No one had ever asked me if I was okay with someone doing something to me before, they just kind of… did it, without concern for me and my opinion. What would happen if I said ‘no’? Would she perform these so-called tests on me anyway, even when I didn’t agree to them? That sounds like something the Leftens, or more specifically Natalie, would do. She would always do things like that; she’d ask to cut my hair and then after I’d tell her that I liked it the length that it was and to please leave it she’d get a pair of kitchen scissors and just start hacking away at it. She usually left me with some weird lopsided pixie cut which I’d have to wait for it to grow out before I could even it up.
I looked up at Jax for help on how I should answer her question and when he noticed my unease, he smiled a small supportive smile down at me as he nodded his head in encouragement. I turned back to the doctor and copied his actions, trusting in him that he would keep me safe.
