Tutoring the Alpha

Chapter Twenty-Four: The World Has Turned and Left Me Here

One month later

“Benny? Benny, I’m coming in.” 

        Waking up to hear Sam’s voice first thing was nothing new, but the way it made me feel was. My stomach clenched, my mind immediately scrolling through the list of excuses I’d compiled over the course of the past month to try and find one I hadn’t used in a while. I stayed up late studying for a test. No, Sam knew my schedule too well. There was a Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family and I couldn’t bear to turn it off. No, I used that one just last week. I came down with something and was up all night with a terrible cough. Required too much acting on my part.

I had yet to choose one when Sam burst in, stepping on an empty water bottle in his path. The loud cracking sound woke Mickey, whose arms tightened around me. Lately, he’d taken to spending the night with me, always slipping into my room even if I hadn’t seen him all day. When I’d told him about my difficulty sleeping, he’d thought it might be because of the nightmares, and his presence would make me feel safe. Instead, it just made me feel smothered, and I’d have to pretend to fall asleep for thirty minutes until he was out, before sliding out of his embrace and slinking down onto the floor.

“Ugh, what gives, Landover? We’re trying to sleep,” Mickey groaned, his warm chest rolling away from me as he flopped onto his back and stretched. Sam rolled his eyes once before fixing them on my face, the plate of food in his hands still steaming. I squirmed, knowing Sam could read the bags under my eyes and the pallor of my skin with ease. So much for my amazing excuse. He would’ve read right through it, anyway. Just like he read right through every lie I’d told him these past few weeks.

“Sorry. I brought you breakfast, Benny,” he mumbled, setting the plate down on my desk before backing out into the doorway.

“Do you need anything else?” 

“No, I’m fine, Sam. Thanks.” When he’d left, I let out the breath I’d been holding, my shoulders loosening as I slid my legs over the edge of the bed and made to stand up. Mickey let out a sound of protest, and the next thing I knew, he’d tugged me back to him by my wrists, my shoulders flopping rather gracelessly against his abs. I tilted my head up, letting out a laugh when I caught him faking a look of pain, and he grinned back down at me.

        “So how much longer do I get to keep you in my arms? Sam already tried to lure you away with the promise of breakfast,” Mickey said, a humorous lilt in his tone. Even though my life had slowly been splitting at the seams, one thing I could count on was my relationship with Mickey. Despite all the craziness - all of my fainting, throwing up, crying, nightmares - he’d stuck by me through all of it. In fact, it had almost brought us closer, as Mickey’s naturally protective and possessive nature made him more than adept to take care of me. The only thing he asked for in return was that I offer no resistance to his gestures, and so far he’d received none. I wasn’t the type of girl to turn away a guy who wanted to protect and look after me; on the contrary, I wasn’t sure if I would even be alive right now if I didn’t have Mickey to lean on. And it didn’t make me any less independent, but rather showed the give-and-take of our relationship. When Mickey needed me for support, I was there, and so was he. 

It was as if we were meant for each other. 

***                                ***                                        ***

          That night, after skipping my 4:00 Chem class in favor of messing around in the locker room with Mickey, we finally arrived together just in time for our World History class at seven.