Alvara’s Point of View
Light had barely reached the outskirts of Eiecrunt when Ciaran had woken me up. Bags had formed beneath his eyes. His hair was an oily mess, sticking up in every direction. One small bag lay on the ground next to my bed. Just enough random clothes to make it look like I hadn’t planned my escape to happen so soon.
Pain danced in his eyes and I sat up. Rubbing my eyes with the backs of my hands, I looked at him fully. Puffy red eyes. He had been crying, there was no doubt about it. Losing Sybil had affected him more than he cared to show. The sound of her body dropping would always play in the back of my mind.
“Today is the day.” Ciaran breathed. His hand wrapped itself around mine and he squeezed. I looked at him with a lopsided frown. None of us wanted this day to come but we saw no other options. We had dried up all other avenues. I hated that I had to part with them. Even if it was only for a little while.
Alvara’s Point of ViewRolling grassy hills and small streams dotted the countryside as we rode on in near silence. The radio was set to songs I had no idea about. Teagan would sing along every once in a while, but would silence herself the moment the car made a slightly different sound. Her head would also turn back every now and again, glancing at the road we had already driven.Farm houses were tucked into small hills, sheep and cows grazing at the grass in front. Neither of us wanted to admit how terrifying it was heading into the almost unknown. Teagan had never been to Half-Moon, lucky for her, so heading in now, she was blind. I had tried my best to explain to her what to expect but words couldn’t always do it justice. Just how backward those people were. Hopefully, my people were better.Mason had left an hour or so before us. Would almost be in Half-Moon by now. He was tasked with finding the most prominent figure i
Alvara’s Point of ViewEugene made us wait an extra hour. Had us sitting in our car as if we were criminals. A part of me knew he just wanted to show me that he controlled me. Controlled what I did and who I saw. The guards went back to playing cards. To laughing at each other and running around pretending to shoot their friends. None of it was amusing. But when the time came, Eugene arrived in style.A new Lambo drove towards us. Candy apple red. Sound bouncing from inside the speakers. I wanted to scream at him when I saw it. Punch him in the face and never apologize. He used the money that was supposed to go to the people for his own gain. Paid a lot of money for things no one needed. Never thought of his starving people. My people. I hated him more for it.When he stopped in front of the gate on the other side, I willed my wild heart to yield. Made myself look every bit of the damsel in distress I knew he wanted me to be. He w
Alvara’s Point of ViewWhen Angelique saw me, the blood drained from her face. Her eyes darted towards Eugene and then to Mariposa. Both seemed calm. Cool. They stayed a healthy distance away from each other but I could see them hover closer by the second. The mating bond between them was still strong. The life inside of her made Eugene’s Alpha instincts take over. Teagan kept a healthy distance away from them as well. Barely looked in their direction.But Angelique’s reaction was priceless. She nearly dropped a plate when she saw me. Her eyes went wide and her jaw slackened. As if she had seen a ghost. To my surprise, she greeted me with a tense smile. Not a usual sneer or comment. The old Luna knew that I had the upper hand here. That at the end of the day I would get out of this hellhole whilst her son made her life a living hell. So, she bit her tongue and placed the food on the dining room table.“Luna. I am
Alvara’s Point of ViewMason met us at the house. Unlike when I had first met him, he had a suit on. Sunglasses. Polished shoes. As if he had changed overnight. The young man I had come to know was gone. When Eugene greeted him, he simply gave a curt ‘Alpha’ and a bow of the head. Everything felt formal. Stuffy. As if the air had thickened in just a few seconds. Teagan looked between the two men and shrugged when I looked at her.I had personally asked for Mason, but it still didn’t mean that we were completely safe to wander around. The rest of the pack was still on Eugene’s side, and I had returned. Once an outsider, always an outsider. At least now I knew why they had stayed away.As for Lover’s Quarrel members, they had stayed away because Eugene had threatened them. Told them that if they interfered with me, they would lose their jobs or their lives. None of them would risk that. Until now.
Alvara's Point of View"You asked for me?" I said from the door. Eugene lifted his head, looking at me with a soft smile. He nodded and I stepped inside."Did you find everything you were looking for today?" A vague question. Very vague. It set me on edge enough that I lowered my gaze. Made my eyes appear larger than they actually were. Eugene put a hand out towards me and I took it when I got closer."I forgot how expensive everything was. I am sorry you had to spend money on me." I whispered back. Eugene kept that soft smile on his lips. Gently, he tugged me into his lap. I nuzzled into his neck, draping my legs over his.This was wrong. Utterly wrong. Being close to another man in such an intimate way hurt my heart. Every memory I had of my mates flashed into my mind, making my soul hurt even more. They were far away and I was inside the monster den with only Teagan to help me."Anything for you. I hate how we left thin
Alvara's Point of ViewAs I had thought, Eugene never came to dinner. He had made paint swatches with Mariposa. We could all hear them laughing and bantering above us. Then, she had insisted they go out to eat. Something about having a craving met. So, that was exactly what they had done. Without so much as a whisper about spending too much money, they were off.If she had arrived before any of this had happened, I would have believed it when he told me she was just some woman he was helping. Clung to the idea that some part of him was still good inside instead of rotten and foul. Now, I knew better. Knew that she was his mate and I had been used for my money all these years.Stolen from my pack. Kept under lock and key because they couldn't find the keys to my family's kingdom. Somehow, after spending so much time with my own mates, I understood why he was so excited. Happy. She brought out the best in him as all mates would. But she w
Alvara's Point of View All the lights in the house were off when I woke up. Glowing moonlight sifted in from the open curtains. A cool breeze drifted over my bed. Yet I had woken up. No nightmares plagued me. No monsters hidden in shadows. My body had made peace with my surroundings, even if my mind was a bit slow to adjust. There wasn't a sound to be heard. Barely a cricket chirping. But I was awake and it was hell. Maybe two in the morning. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes once more. Sleep danced at the edge of my mind and I rolled back onto my back. Then I heard it. The near-silent struggle in the room beside mine. Soft groans. Scraping of nails across flesh. Grunts of satisfaction. I covered my ears with a pillow. Eugene had a lady visitor over. As I had told Angelique, he would never change. I willed myself to sleep until I realized that Teagan's room was beside mine. Cold dread settled into my spine. Blind panic
Ciaran's Point of ViewMaverick nearly crawled out of his skin the moment Alvara left. Her mind link had shut between us. Locked us out of her thoughts. But I could feel every tremor of fear. Every quickening of her pulse. The panic she felt. Her small feeling of pride. Like she was still with us. Yet, none of us could reach her. Speak to her mentally. It drove us insane. Made us bite our nails and down glasses of whiskey. This was hell.Our minds remained open at all times. We had a plan but plans could change at any moment. Alvara had to be able to reach us at a moment's notice. Thus, we played riddles and made jokes through the mind link. To keep it sharp and make sure it was open even whilst we were sleeping.Ozias wouldn't stop pacing. Dargan smoked more than he had ever before. We weren't far from her. Maybe 80 kilometers, tops. Maverick and Dargan were closer. Harland camped out on a farm close to the edge of Half-Moon. We were w