CHAPTER 60: 60

NYLAH

Following my conversation with Xavier, I had to get back to my normal self. I visited the garden to help push the bad thoughts off my mind.

I also apologized to Sofia for leaving her in the dark and stressing her in a way.

Xavier also didn’t touch me this period. He only did routine checks on me to see if I was fine, and then he would let me sleep wherever I wanted to. He didn’t ask for sex or anything from me, and I was surprised he could be like that.

Maybe the man was changing indeed.

I sat on the seat in the small garden and admired the flowers that were blooming. I made a mental note to check the pack’s hospital after my stay in the garden. I had left everything in Sofia’s hands these few days.

"So you’re still here? That’s new. He doesn’t keep them longer than a month." An oddly familiar voice spoke from behind me, and I tried to remember where I heard the voice, but my brain was blank.

I turned, and my shock was visible in my eyes. It had to be because he laughed, he noticed the surprise.

"I know you didn’t expect to see me again." He mouthed.

"Hi." I managed to say, and he smiled.

"For some reason, I love your reaction to seeing me. Makes me want to leave again and appear months after to get this reaction.

I didn’t know if that was a tease, and I didn’t know how to react to it.

"Anyways, it’s good to see you again. I doubt my brother will let me get close to you, but perhaps we can meet up in a public place. Like here."

Was it a question? I didn’t know, so I gave a shrug.

"You know, I was thinking about you while I was gone..." he sucked air into his mouth with closed teeth and placed two fingers on his jaw.

"Did she last there for a month? Did my brother discard her already? Where is she now?" He shifted his gaze from the sky to my face.

"But it is surprising and kind of a relief that you’re still here." He finished looking at me with a smile.

I didn’t know what to do. Didn’t feel like reciprocating it. Didn’t even know how to react.

The words Alpha Xavier told me last time about him kept ringing in my ears and seeing him now. Things just felt awkward for me.

"Do you still know my name? Cause you’re unusually quiet. You used to be real inquisitive." He noted, and I swallowed. I had to say something.

"Wait, do you remember me at all?" He asked when I didn’t say anything after two seconds.

"I remember... your name is Rex." I voiced finally, and he seemed like the happiest person to hear me say his name.

"So, tell me. How has my brother been treating you?" He asked, and I felt a little uncomfortable about the question.

I shrugged. "He’s trying..."

"He has to." He chuckled.

"He knows he can’t get anyone again, so he has to" I squinted at his words. What was he saying?

"I know you are confused about the whole thing, but I can tell you more about this. We will meet here tomorrow, at the same time." He said, and as much as I wanted to refuse, I just shrugged. He nodded and left the garden.

Questions kept filling my mind.

’Why was he back here? Xavier said he was not a good influence and chased him the other time, and now he was back.’ I also thought about the night Xavier saw a man talking to me. That was the cause of my trauma.

Perhaps talking to Rex again wouldn’t be a good option. The lots of questions I had to ask initially weren’t bothering me as much, but I would still love to know what happened to the ladies that had something to do with Xavier.

I still wanted to know if I was being treated specially by Xavier because he really had no choice. I mean, he refused his supposed fiance and even went to war for it. So how is it that he has no choice but to hold onto me?

Was Rex here again to confuse me?

I had to find out either way.

Just like I intended, I went to the pack’s hospital to check on how things were going, and they were going pretty well. Sofia held things down.

I walked up to her

"You are doing great here." She smiled at me and shifted her gaze to the volunteers who had turned workers unpacking some suppliers.

I leaned in and whispered.

"Did you hear that the Alpha’s brother is back?" I asked, and she looked as surprised as I was a few minutes ago. Even more surprised than I was.

"What?" I had to ask.

"It’s just surprising to hear that he is back. I heard that the Alpha had to go save his ass. That was why he travelled." She replied.

"I don’t know if I can trust him," I added, and she looked at me again.

"I don’t advise you to. But like they always say, there is always a trace of truth in every lie. So listen but filter." She advised, and I nodded.

***

The next day, I went to the garden as usual and exactly at the same time as the previous day, I heard his voice.

"Hey, you." Then I saw him. He took a seat beside me.

"Hi," I greeted. "So, where have you been, and why did you come back now since then?"

He shrugged.

"I’ve been out and about trying to get a few things done."

"So, why are you back here? He let you back?" I couldn’t help but ask.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he couldn’t help himself. Not after what I did for him. Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. Do you still want to leave here since the last time we spoke?" He asked so raw I almost choked on my spit.

I didn’t expect the question.

I hesitated, and he smiled.

"I don’t think so. If I’d asked you this a couple of months back, you would have jumped at it and said yes and even gone further to ask for my help on leaving but you don’t seem like you do anymore." I didn’t reply. Didn’t even flinch.

Even if I was to get out of here, where would I go? I’d left my stripping life, and I didn’t plan to return to it. I liked that I could do whatever I wanted to do over here. I only answered to one man, who was also a plus.

I wasn’t seeing those men who thought I was a puppet because I was stripping. I didn’t have to worry about bills. The only person I worry about is Arianna, and that is minimal to the worries I used to have back then.

And then I had Xavier, who was willing to do anything to make me happy. I didn’t have that out there.

"What about you? Still, hate your brother?" I asked, and he laughed.

"Hate is a strong word."

"Look, I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think the Alpha would like to see us talking again," I said before I could stop myself, and I noticed his face contoured into a frown. Like I’d opened a closed wound.