The Alpha Who Broke Me

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I slip away to the elevator, needing air, needing space, my heart still hammering from the confrontation. The ride down feels endless, and when the doors finally open, I practically flee to the small courtyard behind the building. It's tucked between Moonfang Construction and the neighboring office complex, a quiet spot with a few benches and some landscaping that most employees never visit.

My legs feel heavy, but I sink onto one of the metal benches anyway, pulling in shaky breaths that don't seem to ease the tightness in my chest. I raise a trembling hand to my cheek, and it comes away damp.

"Kaia?"

I look up to find Lewis approaching, the bouquet of wildflowers still in his hand. His kind face is creased with concern as he takes in my tear-stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I manage, my voice raw. "I didn't expect him to... God, I'm so embarrassed."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he says, settling beside me on the bench. His voice is gentle in a way that makes the tears threaten again. "That wasn't your fault. Vincent was completely out of line."

I shake my head, swiping at my face with the back of my hand. "This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. The drama, the complications. I can't believe he did that in front of everyone."

Lewis reaches over and takes my hand, his palm warm and steady against mine. "Hey, look at me." When I meet his eyes, he continues, "You don't have to let him have that power over you. You're stronger than whatever hold he thinks he has."

Something softens in his expression, and for the first time since the confrontation, I feel almost safe. The way he's looking at me—not with pity, but with genuine respect and admiration—makes my chest feel less tight.

"You're right," I say, taking a deeper breath. "I won't give him the satisfaction of thinking he can intimidate me."

Lewis smiles, standing as he gently pulls me up with him, then wraps his arms around me in a warm embrace. I let myself sink into it, grateful for his steadiness. "That's my girl," he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "Don't let him win."

I pull away from Lewis's chest, suddenly feeling awkward after that kiss to my forehead. It was sweet, reassuring, and yet... it leaves a strange tightness in my stomach that I can't quite explain.

Not because I didn't want it. But because it should feel like enough.

I force a small smile as I step back, smoothing my hands down my outfit like that'll somehow erase the vulnerability I just showed. "Thanks," I murmur, not quite meeting his eyes, afraid he'll see the confusion swirling there.

Lewis studies me, his head tilting slightly, like he can sense the shift in my mood. "Kaia." His voice is soft, careful, as if he's afraid I might shatter.

I shake my head before he can say anything else. "I'm fine."

He doesn't look convinced, his brows drawing together. "Really," I insist, forcing a breathy laugh that sounds hollow even to my own ears.

"Listen," Lewis says gently, "why don't you take the rest of the day? I can talk to Vincent if you want—make it clear that his behavior was unacceptable."

The thought of Lewis confronting Vincent on my behalf makes my stomach clench. "No, please don't. That would only make things worse. I just need a few minutes to pull myself together, then I'll go back up."

"Are you sure?" Lewis searches my face, clearly not convinced.

"I'm sure. I won't let him chase me away from my job." The words sound braver than I feel, but saying them out loud helps me believe them.

Lewis nods, though he still looks worried. "Alright. But promise me you'll call if you need anything. And maybe we can reschedule our lunch for somewhere more private?"

"I'd like that," I say, managing a small smile.

After Lewis leaves, I sit for a few more minutes, letting the cool air clear my head. The last thing I want is to go back upstairs and face the curious stares and whispered conversations that are probably already spreading through the office. But I won't let Vincent win. I won't let him think he can control me.

When I finally return to my desk, the office feels different. Conversations seem to quiet as I pass, and I catch more than one person quickly looking away when our eyes meet. Great. By Monday, the entire building will know about the confrontation.

Vincent is nowhere to be seen, which is both a relief and somehow more unsettling. At least when I can see him, I know what he's up to.

I throw myself into work for the rest of the day, losing myself in spreadsheets and reports. It's easier than thinking about the feel of his hand on my wrist, the way my pulse jumped when he pulled me close, or the hurt in Lewis's eyes when he witnessed it all.

By the time five o'clock rolls around, I'm exhausted. The emotional whiplash of the day has left me feeling drained and hollow. All I want is to go home, check on Mom, and maybe lose myself in a mindless TV show.

***

Branches whip against my face as I run, their sharp edges tearing at my skin. My bare feet pound against the forest floor, leaves and twigs cutting into my soles with each desperate step. Behind me, something crashes through the underbrush—heavy, powerful, getting closer.

The low, guttural growl of a wolf echoes through the trees, so close I can feel its breath on the back of my neck. My lungs burn as I push harder, faster, but my legs feel like lead.

I have to look. I have to see what's hunting me.

Heart racing, I spin around—only to freeze in terror. Red eyes glint in the darkness, fangs bared and ready to strike. A vampire, pale and beautiful and deadly, its mouth curved in a predatory smile.

I blink, and the shape shifts again. Now before me stands a tall figure with long, pointed ears and ethereal features that seem to shimmer in the moonlight. An elf? But not quite. Something older, more dangerous.

My feet stop moving. I'm no longer running, no longer afraid. The figure watches me, silent and still, its features shifting like water. The more I stare, the stronger the resemblance becomes to someone I know. Someone I love.

Mom? But not quite. The eyes are wrong—too bright, too knowing. The smile doesn't reach them.

"Who are you?" I whisper.

The figure's mouth opens, and instead of words, a scream tears through the air—high, piercing, inhuman. Its body shatters like glass, dissolving into a storm of ravens that crash from the sky. One by one, the birds hit the ground around me, broken and dying, their black feathers scattered like ashes across the forest floor.

I wake up gasping, my heart slamming against my ribs like it's trying to escape my chest. Cold sweat clings to my skin, and the sheets beneath me are damp and twisted from my thrashing.

For a moment, I can't remember where I am. The familiar walls of my childhood bedroom swim back into focus as reality crashes over me, but the dream clings to the edges of my consciousness like smoke.

What the hell kind of dream was that?

I sit up in bed, running shaky hands through my tangled hair. The digital clock on my nightstand reads 3:17 AM. My heart is still hammering against my ribs like it's trying to escape.

The dream felt too real. Too vivid. I can still smell the earthy scent of the forest, still feel the phantom touch of branches against my skin. And those ravens—the way they fell from the sky, necks snapped, eyes glassy and dead.

A chill runs down my spine. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and pad to the kitchen for a glass of water. The house is quiet except for the soft sound of Mom's breathing from down the hall. At least the treatments are helping her sleep better, even if they're not stopping the cancer's progression.

As I fill a glass from the tap, moonlight streams through the kitchen window, casting everything in silver. For a moment, I think I see a shadow move in the tree line behind our house. I freeze, water overflowing from the glass and splashing onto my hands.

But when I look again, there's nothing. Just trees swaying in the night breeze.

Get it together, Kaia. It was just a nightmare.

I drink the water in three long gulps and head back to bed, but sleep doesn't come easily. Every time I close my eyes, I see ravens falling from the sky and hear that figure's terrifying scream.