The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 28: Almost Lost Him

Alpha Oliver’s POV

​Her phone rang, and I frowned, wondering if it was that silly boyfriend of hers calling her. Last night, there were no thoughts that didn’t cross my mind. I even thought of sending an assassin to kill him... maybe with him out of the way, she will accept to be mine. But I shook my head against it. I am a killer, yes... but I don’t stain my hands with innocent blood. Every person I killed deserved to be dead; with them away, the world would be a better place.

​I concluded on paying him off. Once I offer him a huge amount of money he can never make in his lifetime, he will accept and let go of her.

​As we walked towards the car, I noticed she picked up the call, and my sensitive hearing activated as I listened to what she would say.

​"Oh my God... I’ll be there," she said in a panic.

​I raised a brow and turned around, only to see her eyes already gathering tears. Instantly, my heart sank. I don’t know how else to say it, but her tears... they had become my newest weakness. Each sob felt like a physical blow to my chest.

​"What is wrong?" I asked, my voice coming out soft and tender.

​I wished I could pull her into my arms right there. I wished I could tell her that I would make whatever was making her cry disappear. That was how bad it was—the Alpha King, a man who had built an empire on cold logic and blood, was ready to burn the world down just to stop a few tears from falling down her face.

​She swallowed hard, her eyes red and swimming with fresh tears. "Please... can I get permission to leave?" she choked out. "I have to go somewhere... it’s really important."

​I frowned, the old, possessive part of me tightening. "Where, Aurora? It’s the middle of the day."

​"Please," she whispered, the word breaking into a full sob. "I’ll work extra hours. I’ll do anything. I just... I have to go."

​She burst into tears, her shoulders shaking so violently she could barely stand. I couldn’t take it anymore. I moved over, closing the distance between us, and held her face in my hands. I forced her to look at me, my thumbs brushing over her wet cheeks.

​"Tell me what is going on," I commanded, but my voice was soft, pleading. "Tell me."

​"I have to be at the hospital," she gasped out.

​My blood ran cold. "What’s wrong? Did someone get in an accident?"

​"No... please, I just need to leave!"

​"I’m taking you," I said firmly.

​She hesitated for a split second, her eyes searching mine for a motive I didn’t even fully understand myself, then she nodded. We got into the back of my car. I didn’t wait for her to ask; I barked the order at my driver.

​"City Hospital. Now. Break every traffic law if you have to."

​The drive was the longest ten minutes of my life. She sat huddled against the door, staring out the window, her hand pressed against her mouth to stifle her cries. I wanted to reach out and hold her hand, but I remained still.

​The moment the car screeched to a halt at the emergency entrance, she ran out. She didn’t look back, didn’t wait for me. She just ran.

​I followed her, my long strides eating up the distance. I watched her fly through the sterile, white halls, past the smell of bleach and sickness. She reached a door in the pediatric wing and stopped, her hand trembling on the handle.

​I watched as a young man—the same one from the club—stood up from a plastic chair. My wolf snarled, but I silenced him. This wasn’t the time for jealousy.

​"Is he okay?" Aurora screamed at him.

​"He’s stable, Aurora," the man said, his voice exhausted. "The doctors say his lungs are still weak."

​I stepped into the room behind her. My breath hitched in my throat. There, in a bed that looked far too large for him, was a young man, barely in his early twenties. He was hooked up to monitors, his skin pale and his breathing shallow.

​"James," Aurora whispered, collapsing into the chair beside the bed and grabbing his pale hand.

​I stood at the foot of the bed, my gaze fixed on the young man lying there. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion. He had brown hair that was strangely mixed with streaks of deep red. Looking at his facial structure, the resemblance was undeniable. He looked exactly like a male version of Aurora.

​The door swished open and a doctor walked in, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw me. His eyes widened, and he quickly bowed his head. "Alpha King," he stammered, before turning his attention to Aurora.

​"Aurora," the doctor said softly, his face grim. "We almost lost him today. The lung infection was aggressive, but he’s stable for now. However... we have to start the new course of medication immediately."

​Aurora wiped her tears with the back of her hand, nodding frantically. She turned back to the unconscious man, squeezing his pale hand. "I thought I lost you too," she whispered. "Please, James... don’t leave me. You are my only family."

​It clicked. This was her brother.

​I cut a sharp, angry glance toward the "boyfriend" standing in the corner. What the fuck was he doing? He was standing there like a statue, useless. He should have been comforting her, holding her, or doing something other than breathing my air. I felt the urge to punch him right in his pathetic face just for being so incompetent.

​Unable to stand the suffocating grief in the room, I turned on my heel and walked out. I leaned against the cold hospital wall, waiting. A moment later, the doctor emerged. He bowed again, sensing the dark energy rolling off me.

​"What is wrong with the patient?" I asked, shoving my hands into my pants pockets.

​"He was shot, Sire," the doctor whispered, looking around to ensure we were alone. "The bullet passed near the heart. He’s been in a coma for over six years. It’s a miracle he’s survived this long, but his body is failing."

​I was stunned. Six years? That meant he had been in this bed since the night her parents were killed.

​"He needs a series of specialized surgeries and a new experimental medication to even stand a chance of waking up," the doctor continued, sighing. "And sincerely... I don’t think Aurora can afford it. She’s already working herself to death just to keep him in this ward."

​I frowned, my jaw tightening. "How much?"

​Just then, the door pushed open. Aurora walked out, her face pale and her eyes hard as she caught the end of my question.

​"How much for what?" she asked, her voice trembling but defensive.

​I looked at her, seeing the exhaustion etched into her beautiful face—the weight of six years in pain and medical bills. My wolf was pacing, demanding I claim her and her burdens as my own.

​"How much to bring your brother back," I said, my voice leaving no room for argument. "The surgeries. The meds. Everything."