The Alpha's Fated Mate Is an Outcast-Chapter 30

"Is it any better?" Keelion asked, wiping off her underfeet for the last time before tossing the towel into the bowl.

Alexis nodded. "It feels much better."

Was this it? Was it over? He wouldn’t make her go on that run with him again, would he? Hopefully not, because she would rather jump off the bridge to her own death than ever experience that hell again called ’running.’

She was not in any way made for that sort of activi—

"Why are you frowning your face at me?" Keelion asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She looked at him. "I’m thinking. Imagining myself climbing the bridge and jumping off to my death because I can’t imagine going on a run with you ever again."

He blinked at her. Silent for a few seconds.

"Alexis, if you ever even attempt to hurt or kill yourself in any way," he said slowly. "I’ll make you pay in the worst way possible. You’ll wish you never did."

Wha...

"It’s just..." she whispered, rapidly flickering her lashes in horror. "...A joke."

Keelion tightened the bandage on her feet and slipped her feet into his slippers. He rose straight and lifted cocked a brow at her.

"Stand up."

"Why?" Alexis eyed him suspiciously.

"I’m going to teach you how to act."

"Huh?" She blinked at him. "What does that mean?"

Sereia stared as well, curious.

"You claim that you’re a beta, then you should act like one. Betas may not be the most desired, but there is not an incredible gap in their strengths and standard alphas," he said. "They don’t have scents or pheromones like alphas and omegas do, but that doesn’t mean they lack confidence. And confidence, Alexis—"

He leaned over her, hand coming down to grab her chin. "Is what you lack the most."

She swallowed and blinked away from his gaze, but he forced her attention directly back on him. "You have no confidence at all and above that, you’re too weak. Always afraid from every angle of yourself, unable to do anything that even average omegas can do. Have you looked at yourself? Do you know how pitiful you look? It’s already hard to believe you’re a beta, and the only thing keeping that lie strong is that you have no scent or pheromones to them. How long before someone eventually figures out that you’re too weak to possibly be a beta? That it’s all a lie?"

She stiffened.

"W-what do I do then?"

"Stand up." Keelion let go of her chin and shoved his hands into the pocket of his sweats. "Even if you’re weak, confidence always overrides it and that’s what you need. When you’re confident but weak, your weakness can be overlooked, because weakness isn’t always one’s fault. It can be something you can’t control, after all, a confident person wouldn’t want to be weak too."

She nodded but glanced down at her feet. "My feet...though."

"Stop being a baby and stand up," he growled.

She muttered whatever curses she knew, and forced herself off the bed to stand on both feet.

Sereia moved next to Keelion who’d approached Alexis. He grabbed her and tilted her chin with his fingers.

"First of all, start by fixing that should you keep slumped every day. And stop keeping your head down and hiding your face."

"I’m not hiding my face—"

"Yes, you are," he snapped. "Do what I asked you to."

Alexis did as he asked, keeping her hands by her side but lifting her shoulder as she should while positioning her head high.

Seraia and Keelion gazed at her, both holding a cringed look on their faces.

"W-what?" Alexis asked.

Reia shook her head. "She’s hopeless."

Keelion pinched between his brows.

"Alexis, confidence isn’t just in that shoulder you’re raising like you’re trying to pick a fight. Or that neck you’re keeping too high past its length!"

"But it’s what you told me to do."

"You’re hopeless."

"Shut up!" she snapped.

He arched a brow at her, and she quickly waved her hands defensively, an apologetic look on her face.

"I-I wasn’t talking to you."

He eyed her feet that were suddenly taking her backward as if to get away from him and he frowned, pointing a finger at her and wiggling it in a commanding motion. "Come here."

"I should?" she asked. "I’m serious. I really wasn’t talking to—"

"Alexis, come here." Keelion’s voice was cold. "Now."

She froze but moved closer, and closer until she was just one or two inches away from him.

"Confidence is also about your eyes, your expression, and the way you carry yourself," he said, rather softly. "Look at me, like you’re not afraid I’ll snap your neck any second."

Alexis fluttered her eyes, ignoring the sting under her feet.

"Look at me, Alexis."

She forced her gaze up and met his eyes.

"With confidence," he commanded.

She tried. "How...how do I..."

"Alexis, look at me like your mate that I am. Don’t look at me like I’m just a terrifying alpha, but look at me like your mate. Get rid of that fear in your eyes."

She nodded, swallowing.

’He’s just my mate, he’s just my mate.’

"Yes, kid, he’s just our mate, and if you’re not to be afraid of him, you can’t be afraid of anyone else."

Keelion narrowed his attention on her and while she kept that look that was slowly burning away its pity-worthy glint, he stepped closer and adjusted her shoulders that were slumped.

"Those people, they are just staff like you. You don’t have to be afraid or fidgety around any of them. Obey what you’re told and keep your confidence." He grabbed her chin and lifted her head to make her look into his eyes. "Even omegas need that confidence or else people will walk all over you. They will push you over, and you can’t let them do that. Or will you?"

Alexis rapidly shook her head. "No."

"Wooo! I’m your biggest supporter, kid!"

Keelion patted her cheek. "Get some sleep, in the next two hours, I’ll drive you out."

"To...do what?"

"To see your mother," he responded. "You won’t be working today or tomorrow, this is your chance to see her. I’m sure you miss her—"

"I do!"

"Good. I’ll take you to her, before five in the morning, and I’ll bring you back tomorrow at exactly four. Take a bath and make sure not to get that bandage wet."

Then he proceeded to the door to leave the room.

Alexis, who was watching him, quickly moved closer, saying, "Thank you..."

"I’m not doing it for you, don’t get the wrong idea." And he left, slamming the door shut.

She was a bit startled, lowering her head to look at Sereia.

"He’s like ice and cold. Hot this minute, cold the next."

———

The door of his office pushed open and Augustus stepped inside. He approached the working desk and bowed before straightening up.

"Any problem?" Keelion inquired.

"It’s about Alexis."

He paused and lifted his head to meet his gaze. "What about him?"

"Althea is asking questions of him, and not just that, she thinks he spends his evening with you and is starting to suspect something is going on between the both of you."

He stared at the man and slowly relaxed in the office chair, ankle crossed over his knee. "And is there?"

"I don’t know, not that you’ve mentioned," Augustus responded.

Keelion eyed him and proceeded to ask, "What do you suggest?"

"I suggest we put him in the male quarters instead of your private roo—"

"No," he disagreed. "I don’t want him among so many men."

"But..." Augustus blinked. "He is a man."

Keelion shot him a look. He gave a curt nod. "Of course he is. But I still don’t want him among so many men in the same room."

"Ah...I see." Augustus nodded his head. He said, "Then can I suggest he shares the dorm with Lydon and me? We are both your personal staff and he’ll be safe with us. Safe from...any possible rumors that could spread as well."

Keelion held a serious contemplative look on his face for close to a minute before he agreed, "That is a better alternative, I suppose. I don’t want a single harm to come to him—not one Augustus. If anything ever happens to Alexis under your watch, you’ll have a heavy price to pay."

Then he averted his attention to his laptop. "I take it as you know I mean every word."

"Yes sir. I’ve known you for long after all."

Keelion dismissed him, not once lifting his gaze from his documents. "You may leave."

Augustus turned, proceeding to do so, but then he spoke his name.

"Augustus."

He paused and slowly turned to look at Keelion.

Keelion breathed out. "You sister, the search is still ongoing for her. I don’t want you to think I had forgotten."

A light smile Augustus couldn’t hide reflected on his lips and he deeply bowed. "Thank you."

Then he turned for the door.

"If Althea snoops into Alexis anymore than she already has, report to me immediately, understood, August?"

"Yes, sir."