Alexa POV
I found a small diner once I got into town. It was cute. It gave off the mom-and-pop shop and looked like it had been around forever. I walked in and it looked like they had just opened. I mean, it was early, like seven am early. There was no one else in here, which was nice. A little old man came walking out and the second I smelled him, I knew I was dealing with another werewolf. He grabbed a menu and walked over to me and placed it down.
“Are you passing through town?”
“I don’t know, sir. I am looking for a new home. I can move on if I need to.” I said, looking down. It was a sign of respect and hoped that he wouldn’t take it as a threat.
“Let me get you some coffee while you look over the menu.”
He walked away and let me look at the menu. I was starving. I think at this point I could eat one of everything on the breakfast menu. He came walking back over with a pad and pen in his hand.
“Do you know what you would like yet?”
“Yes, can I get biscuits and gravy, a side of sausage, two eggs over easy and a side of hash browns and a cup of coffee and water, please?”
“Been a while since your last meal?”
“Dinner last night, but it’s been a long night and plus, I need to keep my energy up.”
“Give me about fifteen minutes.”
He walked off and quickly came back with a cup of coffee and placed it in front of me and walked back off.
“Jade, how do you feel about this?”
“Good, something feels right here. This wolf could have kicked us out, and he didn’t.”
I was sitting there lost in my own thoughts and didn’t hear anyone come in, but suddenly two giant men sat down across from me. They scared me when I looked up and I could instantly tell that they were wolves and I am guessing one was an Alpha and one was a Beta. They were radiating power.
“Hello boys, can I help you?”
They both looked at each other and kind of laughed. I wasn’t going to back down to them. I wasn’t going to back down to anyone.
“Want to tell me what you’re doing here?” The bigger of the two asked.
“Not really.”
“OK, well, how about you go ahead and just tell me? It’s not an option anymore.”
“Well, it is an option and I do not have to tell you.”
I could see that the man asking the questions was getting mad because he was putting an Alpha command behind it, and I was able to ignore it.
“Alright princess, you are in our pack, and we have the right to know what you’re doing here.” The other man said.
“Look, I will leave town if there is a problem. I was looking for a new place to settle down. Also, I am not a princess.”
“What are you running from? I can smell that you’re not a rogue and most people don’t just leave their pack unless they are running.”
“I can’t discuss that with you. I don’t know you, and I certainly don’t trust you.”
“I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let’s start over. I am Alpha Julian, and this is my Beta Luca, and you are at Blue Lakes Pack.” Alpha Julian said.
“My name is Alexa.”
“What is your last name Alexa?” Asked Beta Luca.
“Nice try. I am not giving that out yet.”
“Look, we can help you if you just tell us what is going on.”
“I can’t tell anyone that at this time.”
“We can respect that for now. Why don’t we have some breakfast and then you can come back to our pack house and get some sleep?”
“Wait! I was told to ask for you, Alpha Julian. Mary at the bus station said if I needed help to ask for you.”
“So, you’re from around the Silver Moon Pack.”
“That’s not what I said. I just said I met her at the bus station, not that is where I am from.”
”OK, let’s just eat and we can discuss all of this later.”
It didn’t take long for the little old man to bring out my food, and he hurried back with two other plates as well. Julian looked up and raised his eyebrow at me with all the food I had ordered.
“What I’m hungry.” I told them.
“It’s just most females don’t eat that much, princess.”
“Well, I’m not most females and I’m not your Princess, Beta Luca.”
He just laughed at me again and started eating. I just kept my head down and ate my breakfast.
“Lex, I’m a little hesitant about these guys. You need to be careful.”
“I will be. I don’t get any bad vibes, but right now I don’t trust anyone.”
“Good. I am going to take a nap now.”
She cut our link and went and curled up and was snoring softly.
We had all finished eating, and they both stood up to leave.
“Let’s go princess.” Said Beta Luca.
I just narrowed my eyes at him and reached for my bag to pay for my food.
“No need, I have taken care of it,” said Alpha Julian.
I threw a twenty down on the table for a tip. I wasn’t going to let anyone but me take care of me. I really didn’t want to go with them, but I am sure it wouldn’t be good if I refused to go. I followed them out to a blacked-out SUV. Great, nobody will see me here. This is how I die, I thought.
I slipped into the back while they got in the front, and we took off. We drove out of town and up a mountain. The scenery was beautiful. I really could live here. I loved the mountains and the fresh air. It was crisp and clean. We drove for about thirty minutes when we finally came to their entrance. It had a large iron gate and guards standing by. They were let in immediately and we drove down a long driveway until we came to the pack house, where they pulled to the side and into a garage. He pulled in and turned off the SUV, and got out.
I got out and followed them inside. The beta took off and Alpha Julian led me to a room and opened the door for me.
“Why don’t you shower and get some rest? You look exhausted. We will talk when you wake up. I will place someone outside your door. Just let them know when you’re awake.”
“Thank you,” I said as I walked in, and he shut the door.
I turned and locked the door and turned back to take in the room. It wasn’t large, but it was nice. There was a queen-sized bed in the corner and a bedside table beside it. The bed had a clean, bright white comforter on it and several pillows. The bedside table had a lamp and a remote. I turned and looked at the wall on the other side and a TV hung there. The walls were painted a light gray color. I threw my bag down and walked into the bathroom. It was pretty standard. Nothing special, but still nice.
I turned the shower on and stripped out of my clothes and stepped under the hot water. It was amazing, but I didn’t want to take too much hot water, so I washed my hair and body with the soap in there and got out. I went and threw on some panties and a t-shirt and crawled into bed with my hair wrapped in a towel still. I was so tired I didn’t care. I needed sleep.
I don’t know how long had passed, but I was woken up by banging on the door. I jumped out of bed and threw the door open and was met with Beta Luca. His eyes roamed my body up and down, taking in all of me. His eyes changing from black to his normal color, telling me either his wolf was pushing forward, or he liked what he saw.
I cleared my throat to get his attention and his eyes finally snapped back up to mine.
“Can you please put on clothes?” He said.
I walked back over to my bag and opened it, but left the door open. I wasn’t ashamed of my body. I worked hard for how I looked and let him look because that is all he will be doing.
I slipped some yoga pants over my legs and then grabbed a sports bra. I turned my back towards him and peeled my shirt off and slipped my bra on.
“Really?” He got out through gritted teeth.
I turned back around and could see that I definitely affected him.
“What you told me to put clothes on.”
“Get your shirt on and some shoes the Alpha wants to talk.”
“What time is?”
“Seven pm. You slept all day.”
“Well, I was tired.”
We walked out the door and he led me to the Alpha’s office, and he just walked in and held the door for me, and then closed it for me.
“Alexa, welcome to the land of the living. We need to talk, and you need to be honest with me because I think you’re running from something and if you need help, you need to tell me.” Alpha Julian said as he shoved a piece of paper at me.
I looked it over and it was a picture of me, and it said missing and if found to return to my old pack. s**t, they sent out missing flyers with pictures and everything.
“Jade, what do we do?”
“Tell the truth and if that doesn’t work, let’s run again.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I began.
“My family are not great people and my dad sold me to another pack. I was to marry the Alpha and he wouldn’t listen to what I wanted. I ran that night and ended up here.”
“What about your fated mate?”
I didn’t want to answer this. It could cause me more trouble, but I didn’t want to lie to him.
“He died.” Is all I said. I didn’t include that my dad was the reason he died.
They both just stared at me when I said that. I really hoped they didn’t press it.
“Who were you sold to?”
“Look, I can leave; I don’t want to cause trouble.”
“We will help you, but we have to know everything,” Alpha Julian said.
“Jade, do we tell them?”
“It’s that or a life on the run.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” I asked.
“Well, we didn’t kill you when we had every right to, and we fed you and gave you a safe place to sleep.” Alpha Julian answered me.
“I know, and I am sorry. It’s just if this gets out, it can have serious implications for people.”
“I understand that, but in order for us to help you, we have to know what we’re dealing with.”
“Jade, do we do this?”
“We don’t have a choice. We need help, and I feel like we can trust them.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I tried to control my emotions. Just thinking about him made me cry and now I had to talk about him.
“My father killed my mate.”
You could hear both of them gasp at what I just said. I didn’t know how they would react, but I haven’t even told them the worst part.
“Why would he do that and who is your father?” asked Beta Luca.
“My mate was an Omega, and my father was an Alpha, and when he found out who my mate was, he called me into his office. He had him tied to a chair and told me to reject him or he would kill him. I begged him not to, but when my mate begged for his life, I gave in and rejected him, and he accepted, but before he could break my bond and reject me, my father killed him.” By the time I was done speaking, I was crying hysterically, and I’m not even sure how I got the words out.
I had brought my hands over my face and sobbed into them, as my wolf still cried every time as well. Someone came up to me and picked me up and walked with me to the couch and just held me and let me cry. I wasn’t sure which one it was, but I had to get off their lap. I didn’t need this. I had to be strong.
I got off his lap and ran to the door but heard someone say, “Princess, wait.” But I was out the door and headed to my room.
I threw myself on my bed and continued to cry. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I heard someone open my door and they came and crawled into bed with me. I looked up to see Alpha Julian just holding me.
“I have lost my mate so I know how you feel, and I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but for me it hasn’t.”
I just started crying harder as he held me and rubbed my back, trying to make me feel better. I think this is the first time that I have truly grieved for him, and it felt so raw, so new, even though it’s been two years.