The Alpha's Heart: A Forbidden Love Story

2. Leaving Eclipse Pack

Five exotic cars I saw in the courtyard when I ran out of our pack house increased my anxiety. I rushed into Alpha Kian's exclusive lounge where the tiny voice was echoing from and I saw an armed bodyguard holding my pups captive.

"Lily, they want to take us away," Ryan cried out, while Tyler bravely tried to hide his emotions. My heart raced with terror.

"Please, release them," I pleaded. But the armed bodyguard did not even look at me.

The Alpha of Nightstalkers, Alpha Alvin, emerged from the shadows and whispered, "I'm going with them," in a tone that suggested he would not be persuaded otherwise.

"What did they do, Alpha Nightstalkers?" I humbly asked.

The Alpha ignored me too and snapped at his bodyguards. They began to walk towards the exit with my pups. Ryan screamed at the top of his voice. I felt my panic rising as the situation appeared to be spiraling out of my control.

Tears streamed down my face as I saw my children being taken away by the Nightstalkers. I sprinted towards Alpha Kian, who was sitting in his Alpha seat, hoping he would help me. I fell to my knees and clutched onto his feet.

"Alpha, please help my pups. They are only five years old," I pleaded desperately.

The Alpha remained silent, and I could feel his cold gaze on me. I could sense that he had already made up his mind about my children. Suddenly, he spoke with a sneer in his voice.

"Alpha Alvin will help you raise them very well since you are raising thieves in my pack!" he said, smirking.

I was taken aback by his words and felt a pang of grief in my heart. I couldn't believe that he was implying that my pups were thieves. I rose to my feet and held my head high, determined to defend my children.

"They are not thieves!" I shouted, my voice quivering with emotion.

The Alpha seemed unfazed by my outburst and continued speaking.

"Oh yes, they are!! Alpha Alvin's Pink Star Diamond pendant fell off as soon as he got out of his car. The diamond rolled where your kids were. No one saw the pendant again, and your kids denied ever seeing it. We are sure the little thieves hid the pendant!" he said, his voice rising with anger.

My heart was racing with fear and anxiety. I knew that my kids were innocent, but no one would believe me because they had been accused of stealing more than twenty times. It was as if someone desperately wanted the boys out of the pack.

"They are not with it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Alpha Kian shrugged, clearly annoyed by my response.

"Tell… Alpha Alvin…to release my boys. I'll...buy a new diamond for him!" I sputtered, with my head lowered.

Alpha Kian curved his lips into a smirk and burst into laughter.

"Alpha Alvin bought the Pink Star Diamond for $70 million. Do you remember the new bill made by Alpha Brady that was approved by the council recently, Lily Brown, or should I remind you again?"

I felt a lump in my throat and knew what was coming next. I had heard this new law many times before, and I had been afraid because of my pups. Even though it was better than the former law that gives Alphas power to kill thieves.

"Well, according to the new Packs law, if you steal an Alpha's thing, you will become the Alpha's prisoner forever. Your little thieves broke the law, and they are now prisoners in the Nightstalkers. You can join them if you want," Alpha Kian said, turning his back on me.

I fell to the ground, screaming and crying. My pups are my life and I couldn't stand Ryan's screams. The innocent boys' screams echoed in my head. I raised my head to see Alpha Kian leaving the room without a backward glance. I thought of what to do to stop the Nightstalkers from taking them away, but nothing came to my mind.

The only person who could give order and the kids would be set free was Alpha Brady, the Alpha of Alphas. He is like the president of the werewolf community, and we have no other government except him. However, it takes shifters five months or six to see him. Some people I know have been trying to speak to him for the past one year, but his visitor's administrators won't allow anyone to get close to his pack gate - the almighty gate of Lunar Guardians.

After approximately five minutes, a strong hand grasped my arm and pulled me upright, escorting me outside. As we reached the car, the door slid open, revealing Alpha Alvin seated inside. His gaze met mine as he spoke.

"Alpha Kian said you mentioned p*****t. Are you going to pay me?" Alpha Alvin questioned with a wicked smile on his face, and I responded with a nod, assuring him that I would pay him.

"When are we looking forward to?" Alpha Alvin further asked.

"Give me four years to raise the money," I said and they burst into laughter. As the door of the car began to close, Alpha Alvin dropped five words for me.

"You have just four weeks."

.

The bodyguards forcefully thrust the boys towards me. I held them tightly in my embrace and tears streamed down my face. As I raised my head, I caught a glimpse of Emily's displeased expression.

"You should have allowed them to take the thieves away!! They are nothing but a bunch of kidnappers!! They only bring trouble!" Emily scornfully remarked. "You just let a chance to get rid of them escape from your grasp, and mark my words, you will regret it when you're still searching for your mate at the age of forty!"

Emily stormed off into the pack house, leaving me to hold onto the boys. I felt a mixture of emotions- relief that the boys were still with me, but also anger towards Emily's callous attitude towards them. I knew that while they may have caused difficulties, they were not to be discarded like trash. I vowed to love and protect them, no matter what challenges may come our way.

"Hei...champs, did you see the pink star diamond?" I asked, kneeling to meet the height of my pups. Ryan quickly shook his head, but Tyler, the braver of the two, remained silent and still, as if in shock. Wanting to reassure them, I reached out and ruffled their hair, before standing up and declaring, "Let's go, we are leaving this pack now!"

Taking their hands in mine, I led the boys towards the pack house, where Emily was sitting and reading a novel. She let out a long sigh before getting up from her chair and walking out. I knew all too well that the boys reminded her of her own horrific kidnapping experience, which made it difficult for her to be around them. So I never get mad at her each time she sighs or spits at us. However, the boys hate her as much as she hates them.

As we entered the house, my mom and Lucas caught our attention as they stood behind the window, watching the entire drama. They turned to face us as we approached.

"Where is the invitation card?" I murmured, shamefully lowering my face. I couldn't bring myself to look them in the eyes.

"Are you accepting the offer, Lily?" My mom asked.

"I have no choice," I responded.

"Since you knew you were going to accept his offer, I think you should have allowed the Nightstalkers to take the boys away. Now that you're leaving, who's going to take care of them?" Mom asked, concern imprinted on her voice.

"I'm going with them," I murmured.

"Oh, my Goddess!" Mom exclaimed. "Lily, when will you have some sense? Alpha Brady did not invite you and the boys! His security gatekeepers only allow authorised personnel and invited guests into the pack! Lily, you will ruin your chance of becoming the Luna of Lunas if Brady finds out you have children!!"

"Everybody knows Lily has children."

"Lily!!"

"Give me the invitation card," I said, stretching out my hand. My mom tightened her lips as she handed me the card, taking a step back while Lucas stepped forward.

"Lily, listen," Lucas began, but I sighed, turned, and walked into my room with my boys. I was no longer willing to listen to Lucas's lies. His once cherished words now sounded like a hot slap in my ear. I wished I could tell him how much I detested him now.

.

I immediately grabbed my phone and called for a cab. My heart was pounding with a little fear. We hastily gathered a few of our clothes and packed them into a small bag. The boys were jumping up and down with joy because we were leaving the Eclipse Pack for good. I wished I could explain to them that we were moving from the frying pan to the fire. But it is better than seeing my mom and Lucas together and my pups constantly being accused of stealing.

Within ten minutes, we heard the sound of the cab horn blaring outside. We quickly grabbed our small luggage and made our way out of the door.

"Lily...." Lucas took my hand, but I violently shook his hands off my wrist.

I took one last look at the pack that had caused me so much pain and was relieved that we were leaving it behind forever. With a deep breath, we put our luggage in the car's trunk and drove out onto the open road.

As we drove away, I rolled down the car window and gazed out at the Eclipse pack one last time. Tears began to flow down my cheeks as I thought back on everything that had happened, the death of my father and younger brother. I couldn't help but wish that my father was still alive. If he were, no one would have dared to treat my family like a piece of trash.

I began to wonder how things would be now that I was set to become the Luna of the most ruthless Alpha in Austria. My heart was heavy with the weight of the unknown. Alpha Brady, the notorious president of all the werewolves in Austria, was nothing if not a disaster.

My mind raced with worries and anxiety, thoughts of the unknown flooding my every thought. My boys continued playing and jumping in the car.

Two hours later, we pulled up to the famous and biggest rotunda with the name "Lunar Guardians" boldly imprinted on it. With every passing moment, the anxiety within me intensified. My heart continued racing.