Alpha's Legacy (Black Moon Saga Book 3)

52. Delivery: Anna Jade

“I’m really sorry about this,” Lita apologizes to me for about the fifth time in the past half hour.

Which is understandable, since what we’re doing is far from pleasant for me, and it seems to be bothering her conscience that they must handle me this way. Currently, she’s working on stuffing my head into a dark, heavy hood that will hide my face and hair, not that anyone is going to see me once I’m tucked away in the wooden crate they plan to use for transporting me.

In the back of a cargo van. During what I’m sure is going to be a bumpy ride.

Yeah, she should be apologizing.

But I also understand why it’s necessary. I was right about my suspicion that Alpha Miles isn’t going to let me just walk around his city. If anyone were to spot me here, it would be as good as spotting my mom, and apparently, that’s a big problem. So, I guess the plan is to smuggle me into his custody like any other illegal commodity, some of which I’m sure will be accompanying me in the back of the van for this trip.

I’m not going to even bother asking what’s in the rest of the crates, though. I’m sure it’s one of those, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you” situations.

“And I’m sorry about the smell,” she continues apologizing.

“Luckily, I’ve got this hood to block it out,” I point out, not even sure which smell she’s talking about.

I’m not a fox like she is, my wolf hasn’t awakened yet, and like I said, the cloth of the hood seems to be a pretty good dampener. All I smell is the faintest hint of her perfume or soap or something, probably from how she was carrying the hood in her pocket. It smells like her now.

And I would know, since I shared the bed with her last night. It was only a twin bed, so that was … cozy. I woke up with some of her hair in my mouth, and with her head trapping my own hair beneath it so that I couldn’t move without waking her. Most awkward night of my life.

“I suppose that’s true,” she chuckles, and though I can’t see her face anymore because of the hood, I’ve spent enough time chatting with her that I can picture her smile as she laughs.

“Alright then, girl,” her mate cuts in impatiently, “looks like you’re all set. Time to get you all packed away for transport.”

“Let me,” Lita insists. “You’re too rough, and the least we can do is handle her gently.”

Girl. That’s all anyone ever seems to want to call me. It’s understandable, considering that I haven’t told them my name, but it still irritates me. Grayson always did that, and I’m fairly certain that he did know my name. I hate being treated like I’m insignificant, and I can tell just by the gruff way that these guys always say it that they’re not calling me that to be cute. More like they can barely stand me, or they find my presence annoying.

One thing’s for sure, I’ll be glad to get home and back to people who treat me like a person again. Well, other than Emerick and his friends, who always took pleasure in calling me anything but my actual name. Good thing he’s not even there anymore.

True to her word, Lita is gentle about guiding me into the crate and helping me lie down and fold myself up the way that I must in order to fit. With my knees bent and feet tucked at an odd angle, I can only hope that the trip won’t take long. I can already tell that by the time I get there, my legs will be like rubber, and I’ll be lucky to only have one or two minor cramps in my lower limbs.

But I suppose that’s the cost of the safety that comes from anonymity. If I rode up front and walked in the front door of the place like any other person, there’s no telling who might see me, nor what they might do with that information.

After I’m all loaded into the van with the rest of the cargo, I can’t tell whether it’s hours or only a few minutes until we make it across town to wherever we’re going, but it feels like at least an hour. Judging from the conversation that’s been going on up front, it might even be the Alpha’s own home we’re headed to. Some of the guys seem excited to finally be allowed inside of it, which is apparently something they’ve never experienced before.

Happy to help your wildest dreams come true, boys. Truly, it’s been an honor. Not.

I shouldn’t complain, though, or even allow myself to get mentally grumbly about it. I was warned about how risky and dangerous this city is, and yet I wanted to come anyway. I’m definitely feeling the truth of “be careful what you wish for” as my wish is coming true all around me. Tian was right, this place is awful.

Honestly, I’m surprised that he eventually came around to the answer of “maybe, but no promises” about visiting here, if my mom and her family are so unwelcome. "Nope, never, not gonna happen" is the answer he should have given because riding around in the back of a van tucked away in a cargo crate is not exactly my idea of a fun road trip. Tian had to know that this is the state of things around here.

Or maybe he didn’t. He did mention something about even The Council struggling to keep accurate and up-to-date surveillance of this city. And Bria, too. She said that intel is hard to come by, and it seemed to bother her beyond measure that she has such limited influence here. So why in the heck did I ever want to come again?

Not that my being here now is any fault of my own, unless you count the part where I pressured Tian into letting me visit the hunters. But strangely, in a way, I don’t even regret that. Sure, things went sideways on me in a hurry and it’s been unpleasant for me ever since, but I’ve also gained some valuable perspective that sadly, I don’t think I would have come by any other way.

I’ve learned that Black Moon is my home, and I’ve gained quite an appreciation for the life I had there that always seemed so dull and unfulfilling before. Now, I miss it and want nothing more than to get back to it.

Plus, it’s not like anything too terrible has happened to me. Grayson was a jerk, but he kept me fed and cared for. These guys are also jerks, except for Lita, but they’ve taken care of me too. I’ve been relatively safe and comfortable throughout this whole ordeal.

Except for this very moment, when I can feel the cramp that started in my foot crawling up the rest of my leg, tightening my muscles painfully and without me having any way to move and find some relief. This is the most suffering I’ve endured this entire time, and since the van has finally come to a stop, I have a feeling it’s almost over.

I’m back in werewolf territory, and despite having to hide out with a strange pack for an unknown length of time, I expect that I’ll soon be able to resume a somewhat normal life. And eventually, I’ll be home. I really can’t wait.

I hear the back doors of the van open, creaking and squealing from want of lubrication, and then the sound of a man’s deep voice as he laughs and chats with a couple of the men Lita works with. It sounds like the burly, scowling one who seems to be in charge, plus Lita’s mate.

“Brace yourself,” the warlock whispers through the top of the crate. “We’re about to load you onto a cart, so you’ll feel some jostling, and then you’ll be rolling on your way. I hope you don’t tend to get seasick.”

But I already know that I’m not supposed to talk or make any sound at all, so I can’t answer him. I do appreciate the warning, though. It will help with the not making any sound part if I’m not surprised by what they’re doing.

The being rolled on a cart to Goddess knows where part, though, is not the least bit pleasant. He wasn’t kidding about the motion sickness. I feel like I’m floating, and not in a good way. My stomach is in my throat the whole way there, and I’m getting incredibly dizzy.

Which is weird for a werewolf, especially since I was feeling a lot like this just yesterday when I wasn’t even moving. Motion has never bothered me before, and other than from injuries, I’ve never really suffered from headaches or dizziness before.

It must be the collar that’s responsible. Maybe it’s suppressing more than just my magic. It could be that some of my wolf traits are lacking too, which would also explain why I was always so cold in Grayson’s tunnel dungeon.

“Those boxes on top go in here, and then take that big one all the way up to the penthouse,” a man whose voice I do not recognize instructs.

I think the cart is stopped, but my head is still spinning so much that I can’t be sure.

Penthouse, though, that sounds exciting. I suppose it would make sense for this pack to use a high-rise building for a packhouse, considering that we’re in the city and not out in the woods like I’m used to, and for the Alpha and his family to live at the very top. It’s kind of like back home, except taller and probably fancier.

I can’t help but wonder if Alpha Miles is one of those Alphas who likes to wear expensive suits and put on glamorous parties and events for the pack to enjoy. Not that I’d be invited to any of them, what with having to keep out of sight while I’m here and all, but the daydreaming gives me something to keep my mind off how sick I’m feeling.

I get jostled around quite a lot as whatever was stacked on my crate gets unloaded, and then I’m being rolled around some more. It takes everything I’ve got to keep the contents of my stomach where they belong, especially once the cart is pushed into an elevator and I can feel the motion of rapidly ascending to the top floor.

Then I’m parked again, and my battle escalates to include biting my lip to keep from crying out from the pain of the cramping in my legs. I can feel muscle spasms in my back now too. I have a feeling that getting out of here will prove to be quite a chore with how useless my legs feel.

Someone taps twice on the top of my crate, and then I hear multiple sets of footsteps walking away. Three or possibly four male voices rumble from somewhere near enough that I can hear them talking, though they’re distant enough that it sounds muffled and garbled, and I have no idea what they’re saying. A woman’s voice joins in and grows louder and clearer as she draws nearer, still talking to someone who has yet to respond by the time she enters the room with me.

“I can open it, if you hand that to me,” she says, and I hear some shuffling around as whatever she asked for is presumably handed over.

Then there’s some pressure on my back briefly as she works at the fastenings on my crate, pushing down slightly on each one.

“Anna Jade? I’ve almost got you out,” she informs me, grunting as she works on what seems to be a tricky fastener.

“And you can speak now,” the gruff man in charge of Lita’s team adds.

“Okay,” I answer, cringing from how dry and strained my voice sounds and feels.

I suppose it has been a while since my last drink of water, and I also haven’t said much in days. How many days, though, I can’t be certain.

“There,” the woman says, sounding satisfied with her work. “Now help me lift this off.”

I’m assuming she’s speaking to the man out there because I’m definitely not in a position to do much to help her. But it’s only seconds later that they get the top off, and then I feel her hand on my arm as she tries to help me get out. She pulls the hood off my head as she helps me sit up, and then she works at unwinding my legs and pulling me up and out of the wooden crate.

As I predicted, the whole process is both painful and challenging. My body is stiff and doesn’t seem to want to move the way that I wish it would, and my legs have been asleep for so long that the return of proper blood flow leaves them prickling painfully once I’m on my feet and they’re waking up again.

“Careful, now. Go ahead and lean on me,” the woman instructs gently, wrapping an arm around me to help hold me up.

Which is when I finally get a good look at her. Her long, dark hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail, and she’s tall and thin, though I can tell from the feel of her as she holds me that she’s strong too. Honestly, she reminds me a bit of Margot, especially since she doesn’t seem much older than I am.

“Hey,” she says warmly, meeting my curious eyes with her own, “I’m Kendra, by the way. Alpha Miles is my dad, and he sent me to receive you because he thought you might appreciate being greeted by someone young, fun, and radiantly gorgeous instead of any of the other options around here.”

“Anna Jade,” I tell her weakly, struggling through the interaction because of the state of my wobbly legs and sour stomach, not to mention the fact that I’m only now regaining my sense of which way is up. “But I suppose you already knew that.”

“I did,” she laughs, and she seems content to just keep standing here and holding onto me while I regain my bearings. “And I won’t lie. I’d never even heard of you until like, yesterday, but that doesn’t mean I’m not glad to meet you. I’m thrilled, honestly. I’ve been lonely and bored all pent up in this stupid place, so I’m happy to finally have a buddy to keep me company.”

“Are you grounded or something?” I can’t stop myself from asking, wondering what she means by that.

Because why would the Alpha’s daughter be “pent up” here rather than having free roam of the city? And why does she seem to think that this place is stupid? Is it not her home?

“Hah, yeah. Something like that,” she agrees, shaking her head slightly. “Long story. But for now, I need to take you to meet my dad.” She pauses, looking me over appraisingly. “That is if you’re up to it, anyway. I could just as easily take you to where you'll be staying and let you shower or rest or whatever.”

“No, she needs to see the Alpha now,” insists the gruff man, who has hung back and kept quiet while she’s been handling me. “He needs to put eyes on her and determine whether my crew has done a satisfactory job of retrieving and delivering her to him so that we can get paid and be out of your hair.”

“Okay, yeah. Sometimes I forget that I don’t get to make any of the decisions around here,” she answers, getting a bit grumbly herself. “Let’s go then. I think my dad’s in his office.”