Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin Page A

way out of it.”
    It was like he couldn’t even hear us. Dad paced back and forth in the tiny area next to the bed, but he wouldn’t speak a word.
    I tried not to freak out—Dad was freaking out enough for both of us—but everything smelled too strongly. It was almost as if I could taste my parents’ growing anger and frustration. It was too much. The world started to spin again.
    My whole body trembled. It felt like I was lying on hot coals. “Mom.” It came out a whisper.
    She held my hand. “I’m right here, baby.”
    “I feel like I’m on fire.”
    Mom dug through cupboards and found a cream colored plastic pitcher. “Get her some ice and a bottle of water.”
    Dad left without a word.

Chapter Eleven
    Dad still wasn’t speaking by the time Dr. Schel came back with another man. I didn’t have to look up to know who the man was. I watched the floor as he walked toward me in that graceful, soundless way. I took a breath and glanced up at him. His eerie hazel eyes bored through me. I had to stop myself from squirming under his gaze. Mom patted my glove-covered arm.
    What was he doing here?
    “This is Michael Dawson. He’s the head of St. Ailbe’s Acad—”
    “I know damn well who he is.”
    The doctor stepped back out of Dad’s way. Probably a smart decision.
    “What in the hell did that boy do to my daughter?”
    “I’m so sorry, John. I warned her—”
    “Bullshit you did. Don’t give me that crap like it’s an excuse.” Dad raked his fingers through his hair. “You will not blame this on my daughter. Her life is ruined. Ruined!”
    “John!” Mom said. “Not yet. We don’t know anything for sure yet.”
    I cleared my throat. “Why is my life ruined exactly?” They ignored me.
    “I can help her,” Mr. Dawson said. “It won’t be the end for her.”
    The end? Holy shit, this sounded bad.
    Dad blocked Mr. Dawson’s way as he tried to look at my shoulder.
    “Let me look. I have to confirm it. It’ll only take a second. If it’s shallow or small, it won’t be enough to turn her.”
    Dad stepped in Mr. Dawson’s space. “I don’t give a shit about this job. Someone hurts my girl, they pay. Understood?”
    “Perfectly. No matter what this is, we will make it right.” Mr. Dawson didn’t back down, but he didn’t get mad either. He had some major cojones to stay calm while facing Dad’s anger.
    “You’ve got exactly thirty seconds,” Dad said.
    Mr. Dawson walked toward me. I tried to retreat, shaking. He stopped and held his hands up. “I won’t hurt you. I won’t even touch you. I promise. I’m only going to look.”
    He won’t touch me? How much did he know about me?
    “It’s okay, honey.” Mom tried to get free of my grasp. For some reason I was afraid of Mr. Dawson, and he hadn’t done anything. As he walked toward me, the overhead light hit his eyes, making them glow for a split second.
    Mr. Dawson hung his head and scrunched his shoulders, and the motion made me feel more comfortable. “Let’s get this over with.” I sat up with Mom’s help, and he bent toward me. I could have sworn I heard him sniff before he straightened and took a step back.
    “We should talk outside,” he said to my parents. They followed him past the curtain and down the hall.
    Free of his gaze, I could breathe again. But why did they leave the room? I was the one who was going to be affected by whatever he had to say. I wasn’t a child.
    I could hear their voices faintly moving away from my room. Squeaky wheels turned beneath beds as they rolled down the hallway. I focused on them, but everything got too loud until I was drowning in sound. Footsteps on the floor. Beeps of the machines. Frantic murmurs of the nurses. Weeping down the hall. Every little noise filled my head.
    I plugged my ears and started to hum. I had to concentrate on my parents and Mr. Dawson. I could do this. I had years of experience blocking visions out. When I pulled my fingers from my ears, the noise had gone