FRACTURED by Amber Lynn Natusch Page B

andhewasmyalpha.
    “Whatdidyousay?”heasked,hislookofdisbeliefslowlymelting intooneofunderstanding.
    “We'reapack,Cooper,youandI,”Isaid,standingmyground.
    “Thinkaboutit.Itexplains everything ,especiallywhyyougosonuts whenyouthinkI'mindanger.Yourjobistoprotectme. You aremy alpha.”
    Foronceinhislife,Cooperwasspeechless.
    Istartedtogointofurtherexplanationofmytheory,butwasrudely interruptedbyabangingontheapartmentdoor.Myadrenalinespiked instantly—peoplepoundingonmydoorinthepastneverbodedwellfor me.Coopershotmealookofirritation,mostlikelybecauseIhadonce againforgottentolocktheoutsidedoor.
    “I'msorry,”Icried.“It'sbeenabadfuckingday,Cooper.”
    Hemutteredsomethingwhilehemadehiswaydownthehall, frustratedbymyineptitude.
    “It'sasifyou want someonetojustwalkinandkillyou,”he bitched,walkinginfrontofme.
    “Hey!Atleastthey'dstillhavetogetthroughtheapartmentdoor,”I protestedasIhurriedupbesidehim.IflashedhimagrinthatIhoped wouldsoftenhimslightly.Itdid,butonlyminutely.
    “You'regoingtogivemeanulcerifyou'rerightaboutthisalpha thing,”hesaid,reachingforthedoorknob.“Nowwouldyoumind steppingbehindme,please?You'rehardertodefendwhenyouput yourselffirstinthelineoffire.”
    “Yes,master,”Iconceded,sidesteppingintoaspotdirectlybehind him,justashe’dasked.Asmallpartofmewasputoffbyhis domineeringremark,buttherealitywasthathewasright.Hewoulddie tryingtoprotectmeinanyandallsituationsthatImanagedtogetmyself into,mostofwhichcouldlikelybeavoidedifItookasecondtothink beforeacting.Foodforthought.
    Perhapswewerebothgettingparanoid,giventhatwedidn'teven knowwhowasatthedoor,butparanoiahadserveduswellinthepast.
    TheotherrealityIstillhadtofacewasthatIwasessentiallyhumanand morefragilethanever.Scarletwasgone,andIcouldn'tdependonherto healmeifIgotshotup,stabbed,ornearlyclubbedtodeath;yetanother inconvenienceofherabsence.
    Somethinginhiseyesflashedatmysubmission,anditcemented everythingforme.Hereallywasanalpha,throughandthrough.The questionthatstirredinmymindwas:what kind ofalphawouldhebe?
    “Shallweseewhat'sbehinddoornumberone?”hetossedoverhis shoulderatmeasheturnedtheknob.
    Whatherevealednearlystoppedmyheart.

    8
    “Iseethatyou'restillaliveanddoingwell,”avoicesaidfromthe stairwell.Coopergrowledatthemanwholookedpasthimatme.“Iwas worriedaboutyou.”
    “ We wereworriedaboutyou,”anothermalevoiceadded.
    InfrontofCooperandmestoodthethreemenwhohadfoundmein Maine.Onestoodslightlyinfrontoftheothers,soItookhimtobethe alpha.HewastallerthanCooperandthinnertoo.Hishairwasawashed-outblondthathekeptshort,andhisgray-blueeyeswerelargebutdull, likehewasinaconstantstateofexhaustion.
    Thetwobehindhimweresimilarinsizeandshape,bothofthem withbrownhair,butthat’swherethesimilaritiesended.Whereonewas muscularandscholarlylooking,theotherwasatadleanerwithhardcore tatsandsteeldecoratingwhatIcouldseeofhisbody,leadingmeto believethatthereweremanyothersjustoutofview.
    “Ruby...,”Cooperprodded,wantingmyexplanationASAP.
    “ShouldIassumethatthisistheoneyouspokeofatthecabin?”the talloneasked,stillignoringCoopertostareatme.
    “Whothefuckareyou?”Coopergrowled,clearlyunhappywiththe situation.
    “Coop,”Isaid,cozyingupbesidehim.“ThesearethemenItold youabout.TheoneswhofoundmeinMaine.”
    “They'renot men,” hereplied,stillstaringthemdown.
    “Okay,fine,poorchoiceofwords.”Ilookedoveratthemaleson thelandingandtriedtofigureoutwhatexactlywasimportantenoughto makethemdrivethroughoneoftheworststormsNewEnglandhadseen inyears.“Whyareyouhere?”Iaskedbluntly,notfeelinguptoidlechat whentherewasclearlynonetobehad.
    “Weneedafavor,andsinceyouoweusone,Ifiguredthatperhaps wecouldmakeanarrangementofsorts,”hesaid,foldinghisarmsacross hischest.
    “Likewhat?”Cooperasked,cuttingmeoffbeforeIhadthechance toaskthesamequestion.
    “Refuge.”
    “Likeyouwantto stay here?”Iasked,thoroughlyconfused.“I'm notafuckinghotel!”
    Theprofessorial-lookingbrunetsteppeduptothesideofthelanky