Chapter 41: Rolling off the hill

Noah’s POV

Cherry blossoms!

There are so many of them in this place, and it looks like something out of a coloring book, something magical.

I run forward before I can even stop myself.

A breathy laugh leaves my mouth with how fast I run, I stop at the edge of the hill and turn around to look at the alpha who made this happen for me.

First the shoes, now this? Is this a ploy to fatten the Thanksgiving turkey?

Elias Deus, my husband, is leaning against the sleek red car and staring at me with disinterest.

His eyes are hooded and his brows drawn together in a focused, yet disinterested look.

Why have I never noticed the dark circles under his eyes or the way his hair is always pushed back before? Why have I never noticed the way he keeps his hand in a fist in his pocket? What’s he holding in there?

My stupid heart does a flip, and my chest feels so light that I’m noticing weird things about my enemy for the first time.

"Can I?" I ask, pointing at the field at the bottom of the small hill.

"Do whatever you want" he responds slowly and tips his head back, looking at me like I’m an irrelevant matter in his space.

"But if you run, Noah, I won’t kill you. I will kill everyone that matters to you and then find you" he says.

The casual coldness of his tone makes the words feel extra chilling. I wrap my arms around myself and nod.

What a jerk.

I don’t plan to run away.

Freya is still in his family’s home, Zane is still in their basement, and I still don’t know if Winslow is still standing or not.

Where could I possibly run to?

"Come on!" Lucas calls as he run ahead of me, his loose round neck shirt flies with the wind and I run after him.

I’m wearing Elias’s clothes, so they make me feel and look like I’m flying.

The sleeves of black shirt flap around and they feel like visible angel wings. This is the first time I’m feeling this free in my entire life.

I throw my head back and laugh loudly. There’s no camera, no manner coach, no posture corrector.

Just me. It’s selfish to enjoy it but...I choose to indulge.

I trip over a loose rock and roll over while giggling like a drunk idiot. Drunk on clean air, I lay on my back and laugh at myself for falling over as if I’ve never been outside in my life.

Isn’t it ironic? I’m a captured omega in my enemy’s territory, yet I feel like I’m...free.

"What are you doing?" Elias asks and I open my eyes.

He’s standing over me and looking at me like I’m one of the rocks. He’s wearing formal clothes and it’s funny because he’s anything but formal.

"I’m not allowed to lay on the grass?" I ask and he blinks.

"I want to lay on the floor. It’s my walk, remember? You said I can do whatever I want" I say and turn to my side.

Unaware of how steep the part I’m lying on is, the little turn almost ends my entire life. I’m seconds away from rolling down the hill, but Elias catches me by my shirt.

"Ahhh!" I yell in surprise and he huffs before he pulls me back.

"Yes, Noah. You’re allowed to do anything but kill yourself"

"I wasn’t trying to kill myself" I squeak in the most unmanly way I have ever heard in my life. I sound pitiful, I’m still lying on my back and I’m still at the mercy of Elias.

The alpha tenses his arm and pulls me up.

"Are you two kissing yet?" Lucas yells from the bottom of the hill.

His hands are on his hips and there’s a teasing smile is on his face. Elias’s gaze suddenly turns steely as he helps me to my feet.

My knees are suddenly jelly.

"Thank you" I mutter and he lets me go, gesturing for me to go ahead of him.

I clear my throat and carefully move down the hill, making sure I don’t accidentally try to kill myself again. I would hate for Elias to look at me like a dirty rock again.

"Come look at this, Noah" Lucas calls and I run over to him.

I feel like I’m a teenager again, but instead of wearing a stiff suit and a practiced smile for political guests, I’m myself.

I’m just Noah Goldsmith, the boy who loves politics and real life at the same time.

"This one" Lucas points at a branch at the top of one of the trees, its leaves are still young and are not yet blooming.

"It’s like you, Noah. So stiff" Lucas says and punch him on the shoulder lightly.

"Shut up, I’m not stiff" I say and he snorts, he returns the playful punch before looking over his shoulder and suddenly dropping his hands by his side.

"I already lack a penis, losing another body part is not on my bingo list" he winks at me before moving away.

I look back too, and I find Elias looking at us, rather, looking at me.

Under the sun, his eyes look less dark, and his brown iris almost looks liquid gold.

"How can I do anything I want if you keep hovering like that?" I dare to say to Elias and he tilts his head like he’s trying to figure something out, "I get it, I’m your possession. Now what else, would you like to use a handcuff too?"

"Ohh kinky" Lucas responds.

"Shut up" Elias and I snap at the bodyguard at the same time, but the synchronization doesn’t stop me from glaring and stomping away to the next tree.

"Follow him. I have to finish this book" I hear Elias telling Lucas and a small part of me feels sad that he’s taking my complain personally.

’Seriously Noah, what do you want?’ I ask myself in my head.

"I want to go home to my daddy" a voice responds, but it’s not mine.

No, it’s my voice, but it’s younger...at least eight years of age.

"Lucas...did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Lucas ask and I look around. I’m probably having those hallucinations again.

"Never mind" I mutter as he continues to stare at the cherry blossoms, and no matter what direction I turn, I avoid looking at that angel statue.

It’s really scary.