Chapter 154: Help Me
Chapter 154 of "Mated To The Crippled Alpha" begins revealing exciting developments: Earlier, when Iād grabbed him too hard, Iād pulled his shirt loose. Now his collar... Donāt stop now!
Earlier, when Iād grabbed him too hard, Iād pulled his shirt loose. Now his collar sat crooked, showing a clean line of skin at his neck.Standing in front of me like this, he looked completely different.
Tall. Solid. Steady.
His legs were long and strong. There was nothing wrong with them at all.
I knew he must have had his reasons, but irritation still bubbled up inside me. Without thinking, I lifted my foot and kicked his thigh.
He didnāt even flinch.
Instead, he shifted his weight onto that leg, and the strength beneath my foot was undeniable. Firm. Grounded.
All those times Iād held back. All those nights Iād been careful, afraid of hurting his pride. I hadnāt dared to ask. Hadnāt dared to touch.
Even when we were close, Iād never gone lower than his chest.
"Lewis," I snapped, "you liar."
He caught my leg easily and hooked it around his waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.
"Elena," he said quietly, his voice low, "Iām sorry. I had my reasons. I never wanted to hurt you."
I glared at him. "You kept this up for so long. Why stop now?"
His dark eyes burned, sharp and hungry, the calm gone from them.
"Because," he said, his voice rough, "I want to give my mate everything."
My face heated instantly.
He leaned in, brushing his lips against mine, voice soft but dangerous.
"This stays between us. Promise me."
Even sitting on the piano, he had to bend down to meet my eyes. From this angle, I could see the shape of his chest through his shirt, the quiet power heād been hiding.
My heart raced. I didnāt have the strength to fight him.
I nodded. "Fine."
He chuckled under his breath. "So obedient. Makes me want to keep you close."
I muttered, barely audible, "You already do."
Then his tone shifted, slower now.
"But youāre still tender. If I rush you, it would be like taking fruit before itās ready."
So that was why heād always stopped himself.
I laughed. "If you count both my lives, Iām old enough to lecture you."
He smiled, brushing my cheek. "Still soft. Still mine."
He pinched my cheek lightly, just enough to sting.
"So gentle," he murmured. "Like morning dew."
I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned against his chest.
"How long will you wait?"
"Until you choose me completely," he answered. His grip tightened slightly.
"Just donāt make me wait forever."
Listening to his heartbeat calmed me in a way nothing else could.
"Thank you," I whispered. "For waiting."
A knock broke the moment.
"Mr. Lewis," Theoās voice came through the door. "Mr. Ashbourne is here."
Grant must have realized where the power truly lay. In Snowville, everyone knew who held the territory.
"Let him wait," Lewis said calmly.
He released me and straightened his clothes. Seeing how badly Iād messed up his shirt made my face burn again.
"Elena," he said, "I can help Lincy. But only if you want me to."
"No," I said firmly. "They made Riley and my mom suffer for twenty years. I wonāt forgive that."
He nodded. "Understood."
I hesitated. "Am I being too cruel?"
He rested his hand on my head, gentle but steady.
"If anything," he said softly, "youāre being too kind. Do what your heart tells you."
Then, in the blink of an eye, he sat back into the wheelchair every movement flawless. The mask was back in place.
Even I had been fooled.
After he left, I picked up my shawl and stayed in the attic, playing the piano. I wasnāt the best, but I knew my limits.
The door creaked.
Juilain stepped inside.
"Elena..."
He stared at me for a moment before sinking down beside me, his expression heavy.
Ever since the night everything was laid bare in the snow, heād been looking for a chance to speak to me alone.
And now, he finally had it.
By phone, Juilain could never say much. Too many ears. Too many risks.
Now that I was back at the Hale residence territory tightly controlled and watched he finally had his chance.
My fingers pressed the last piano key. The sound faded. I didnāt look at him right away.
"This place is safer than the outside," I said flatly. "But Camilla is still dangerous. No matter the situation, stop calling me that name."
I turned to him slowly.
"Unless you want me dead again."
Juilain stiffened.
I met his eyes, my voice steady but cold. "Juilain, it was unbearable. The blood. The fear. Even after I died, I couldnāt strike back. Now that Iāve been given a second chance... do you really want to see me lose again?"
"I donāt," he said quickly, pain flashing across his face. "I swear. I just want to make up for what I did."
"If you really want to make up for it," I replied, "then help me bring Camilla down. Thatās the only redemption you get. Have you made any progress?"
He hesitated, then sighed.
"Iāve been distant for so long that suddenly changing might make her alert. But she hasnāt stopped reaching out."
He handed me his phone.
The screen showed his messages with Camilla. No pet names. No warmth. Just her full name.
I remembered how he used to save her contact soft, intimate.
Now it was stripped bare.
Most of the messages were hers. Complaints. Fear. How hard the pregnancy was.
Juilainās replies were short. Careful. Mostly about the child.
I nodded. "Youāre doing fine. Sheās cautious by nature, but the child lowers her guard. Use that."
I gave him clear instructions what to say, what not to say. How to feed her trust without giving away control. How to let resentment grow without letting it turn toward me.
Juilain looked at me with desperation.
"Elena... if I help you finish this, can we start over?"
I felt nothing.
"The moment that knife went into me," I said calmly, "there was no starting over. What youāre doing now is just paying a debt."
His eyes dulled. "I understand."
I stood. "From now on, call me Riley. Donāt raise suspicion. Especially not with Camilla. She notices everything."
Then I added, "Her goal isnāt just me. She wants to tear down the Hales and the Sanders too. Helping me protects yourself."
"Alright," he said hoarsely. "I think Iāve caught a cold."
Once, I wouldāve worried.
Now, I barely cared.
"Take medicine," I said. "If it gets worse, see a doctor."
I turned to leave.
Behind me, his voice cracked. "Elena... is there really no chance left for us?"
I didnāt slow down.
"No. None."
When I reached the living room, I saw Grant sitting stiffly on the couch. Monica stood nearby, eyes red and swollen.
The moment she saw me, she rushed over and grabbed my arm.
"Riley," she cried, "Lincy is your sister. Youāre family. You have to save her. Sheās still young she canāt go away like this!"
Her grip was tight. Desperate.
And for the first time, I truly understood how fear smells when someone is cornered.