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16. I Don't Hover. I Protect What's Mine
Last Updated:
2023-09-12 18:49:03Related chapters
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 17. The Devil You Know
AellaAs I unlock my apartment door and step inside, I can’t help but feel an odd sense of relief mixed with confusion. Tonight was a rollercoaster of emotions—fear, vulnerability, and an unexpected comfort in the form of Jay.My fingers absentmindedly drift to the place on my arm where he held me, as if I could still feel the warmth there.“I’ll walk you home from now on,” he’d promised. Something about the way he said it felt almost territorial. As if he was staking his claim, making sure the world knew I was off-limits. But that couldn’t be right. This was Jay, the guy who always kept a safe emotional distance. Could he be the same person who’d held me tightly last night, his grip almost desperate?I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I need to focus on the more immediate problem: someone’s been following me. Two nights in a row. And though it’s terrifying, the presence of Jay beside me on those nighttime walks makes it more bearable. Is this how I’m going to live now? L
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 18. Ladrón Cartel
RomanI close the door behind me, my apartment dark and eerily quiet as if sensing the storm that brews within me. I take off my coat and throw it on the chair. My phone buzzes on the kitchen counter, the screen lighting up to display Kaden’s name. I consider letting it go to voicemail but relent, picking it up on the last ring.“What is it?” My voice is terser than I intended.“Got that surveillance footage you asked for,” Kaden says, cutting to the chase. “This is fucked up and something we definitely didn't prepare for, Ro. It’s the Ladrón Cartel.”I pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes as if that could somehow shield me from the gravity of his words. The Ladrón Cartel. A knot of loathing tightens in my gut. I had hoped to avoid this complication, hoped that maybe Aella’s stalking was just a random, disconnected event.“Do they know?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.“Not sure, but why else would they be after Aella?” Kaden replies, uncertainty clouding his usually c
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 19. Comfy Chic
AellaI wrap myself tighter in my fluffy robe, staring blankly at the Net-flix home screen. It’s asking if I’m still watching, and I can’t muster the will to click ‘Continue.’ I’ve taken the day off, not really telling anyone why. My phone sits on the coffee table, neglected, buzzing occasionally with messages and calls I’m currently ignoring.There’s a half-eaten bowl of ice cream next to me and a pile of tissues on the other side. My tiny apartment feels like both a sanctuary and a prison, and I’m wallowing in the tension of that paradox.I startle when there’s a soft knock on the door. For a moment, I consider pretending I’m not home, but the knock repeats—gentle, patient. With a sigh, I drag myself off the couch and look through the peephole. It’s Jay. My heart jumps, and the fog of my self-imposed pity party lifts slightly. I rush to clean up the discarded tissues and switch off my laptop before flattening my hair and pulling my robe around my waist.When I open the door, he’s h
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 20. The Only Work Of Art Is Her
RomanI take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts as I dial her number. It’s been a week since our lunch—when I had casually infiltrated her day-off fortress of pajamas and comfort food—and I’m itching to see her again.“Hello?”“Hey, Ella, it’s Jay,” I say, pleased by the instant warmth in her voice when she recognizes it’s me.“Hey, how have you been?”“Good, good. Listen, are you free this weekend? There’s something I think you’ll really enjoy.”She sounds genuinely excited as she accepts, her curiosity piqued when I don’t divulge any details. I hang up with a sense of satisfaction that borders on smugness. She’s intrigued, and that’s a start.***Her eyes widen when she realizes where we are and the look on her face does something to my heart that I don’t know if I like or loathe.“Oh my God, Jay…” she trails off, her heartbeat picking up its pace as she places her hand into mine. “This is … unexpected.”I watch her every move as we arrive at the gallery opening, her eyes growing
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 21. Walls Crumble
RomanI meet Kaden in a dimly lit bar that we both know is frequented by people who mind their own business. He’s already there when I walk in, nursing a glass of whiskey, his face veiled in seriousness. The moment I sit down, he puts a sealed envelope on the table between us.“Roman, the Ladrón cartel is back on the radar, and this time they’re not just playing around. They’re circling Aella.”I feel my fist clench involuntarily, my jaw tightening as I process the words. Kaden pushes the envelope closer to me. “Read it. It has everything we could gather in a short period.”With trembling hands, I rip open the envelope. Photos, transcripts, and more. The bastards have been scoping out Aella’s workplace, her apartment. I’m there too, right from the first day I walked into that cafe.My vision blurs as a haze of red descends, fueled by anger, possessiveness, and an emotion I dare not name—fear for her safety. The bar, the envelope, Kaden—everything fades away.“I don’t know how they cou
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 22. Lose Control For Me
RomanOne word of affirmation and I rip her t-shirt from her body, kissing her anew and relishing the feeling of her bare skin on mine. Fuck, every inch of her is silky smooth and begging for my teeth; but then I remind myself that my perfect Aella is pure.A pure fucking Luna, just for me. As I lift up, I find her without panties and realize in my rush I didn’t even notice she isn’t wearing any. I raise my eyebrow and am about to say something cocky when the sight of her perfect pink pussy shuts me the fuck up.Gods, she’s wet already. The scent of her arousal sends me on a different type of high; better than a bloodmoon hunt and my cock throbs painfully just breathing her in. I need to taste her, I need to taste what belongs to only me. I run my hands down the length of her body, loving the way her body bows under my touch. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Ella,” I say, catching myself as I nearly say her name. “How did I go my entire life not having someone like you at my side?”Aft
Last Updated : 2023-09-12The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 23. A Picture Is Worth…
AellaI wake up, stretching and rubbing my eyes, still half in that fuzzy dream state. The sun’s creeping through the curtains, laying warm stripes across the bed. I roll over, feeling strangely content; the kind of happiness that leaves you suspicious because life has taught you that too much of a good thing is often followed by a crash … that’s when I realize something.Jay’s not here. The pillows are still dented from his head, and it hits me like a small punch to the gut; he’s gone.I sit up in bed with a frown on my face, then I grab my cellphone to see if he’s left a message. The relief that floods through me makes me feel uneasy, because there’s a message from him.[“Ella, something came up, and emergency. I’ll explain later. I didn’t want to wake you, you looked peaceful. — Jay"]Emergency? My gut clenches, the word heavy with a thousand what-ifs. What kind of emergency pulls a guy away at dawn without so much as a whispered goodbye? I shake my head, clearing away the unease.
Last Updated : 2023-09-13The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 24. It's Not Supposed To Be Like This
AellaI open the door and there he is, standing in the corridor with that signature grin of his. In his hands, a box of sushi from that expensive place downtown. The one I mentioned I liked, just in passing, ages ago. For a second, I forget about the photo, the ominous note, the feeling of being watched. All I see is Jay and the way he’s looking at me.“ I thought you might be hungry,” he says, stepping inside as I take the box from him.A wave of conflicting emotions hits me. His presence instantly melts away some of the anxiety I’ve been feeling. But then I remember the photo, the warning, the lurking doubts. I push them aside, at least for now.“Thank you, Jay,” I reply, momentarily pushed back into the comfortable groove of our relationship, or whatever it is we have.We sit on the couch, the coffee table between us now a makeshift dinner setting. “Something on your mind?” he asks, peering into my eyes. “You seem a little distant.”I hesitate, my eyes flicking to the phone and th
Last Updated : 2023-09-13
Latest chapter
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna The Beta's Burden
Kaden I’m sitting in my study, surrounded by the leather scent of old books and the muted light filtering through the heavy drapes. The room, once a sanctuary where I buried myself in work and pack matters, now feels like a cage. A trap. I flip through some documents on my desk but don’t really register what they say. My mind is a mess, a whirlwind of thoughts I can’t, and won’t, share with anyone. Especially not Roman. God, Roman. My brother, my closest friend. He seems so happy these days, so settled with Aella and their son. His life has taken a turn for the absolute best, and it stings. Not out of jealousy, I’m thrilled for him, but out of the sharp contrast it creates with my own concealed turmoil. I think about Elena, my wife. She’s beautiful, loving, and loyal to our pack. But she doesn’t know. She can’t know. The secret I’m holding is too damaging, too explosive. It would tear us apart, tear the pack apart. And so, I’ve distanced myself. Retreated into a shell to protect e
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 80. Epilogue - One Year Later
Aella As I stand by the intricately carved crib, my heart swells with a love so fierce it feels like it could consume me whole. I look down at Aaron, our son, sleeping so peacefully in a cocoon of soft, moonlit blankets. His little fists are curled beside his cheek, and he has his father’s rebellious blonde hair and the beginning of my mismatched eyes. The room is filled with the comforting scent of lavender and freshly laundered baby clothes. The light from the nursery’s lamp washes over his tiny form, casting gentle shadows on his crib. I can’t help but think how profoundly my life has shifted in just two years. Nearly two years ago, I was a ball of defiance and fear, literally running through woods and brambles to escape an engagement my Alpha father had orchestrated with Roman. The irony is palpable. Roman was everything I thought I didn’t want, but ended up being everything I didn’t know I needed. I went from clawing at the idea of a life by his side to craving his touch, hi
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 79. Claim For Claim
RomanFour words shouldn’t make me feel like an absolute king, but they do.She shimmies out of her bottoms and walks naked towards the shower to regulate the water. Gods, my cock is aching just watching her. Slipping out of my board shorts, I join her under the spray of hot water and pull her closer to me.There’s no hesitation when I lean down to kiss her. She molds into me, her body perfectly flush against mine as she moans into my mouth. It’s taking every bit of my self control to not snap and just claim her body, but Aella doesn’t need my beast right now. I walk her up against the cold wall and trail my kisses down the length of her neck. “I love your sweet scent, baby,” I murmur against her skin. “God, I could drown in you forever.”She makes a small noise when I draw a pebbled nipple into my mouth, and pushes out her chest as her hands get tangled in my hair. I cup her perfect tits in my hands, laving them with my tongue and loving the noises she makes when I nibble on them.
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 78. Restless Alpha
RomanThe goddamn sound of waves lightly bitch-slapping the shore should be soothing. It’s what people fantasize about—a secluded beach, the woman you’re batshit in love with beside you, the freedom to do nothing at all. Aella looks like she’s in fucking heaven, the sun on her skin, a gentle smile on her lips, a book lying forgotten on her lap. But me? I’m crawling out of my damn skin.And yet, I’m restless. Why the fuck can’t I just relax?Aella senses it before I even realize it myself. She opens her eyes and looks at me, her gaze soft but probing. “You’re thinking about something. Spill it.”I chuckle. “It’s nothing, really. Just getting a bit antsy, I suppose.”“Roman, we’re on vacation. You’re allowed to relax, you know?”I nod, knowing she’s right, but not feeling any less restless. “I know. It’s just not something I’m accustomed to, that’s all.”The ingrained habits of an Alpha, the constant state of alertness and readiness, they don’t just disappear overnight. They’re a part
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 77. Isle Nikolaev
AellaThe hum of the private jet’s engines seems to blend into the background, like white noise in a sea of my restless thoughts. Roman sits across from me, in a seat made of the finest leather money can buy, absorbed in some files on his tablet. The rich interior of the jet, with its ambient mood lighting and plush furnishings, contrasts sharply with the tension I feel in my bones.“Would you like another glass of wine, Luna?” the flight attendant offers, her voice polished as the silver tray she’s holding.I shake my head. “No, thank you.”As she retreats, Roman finally looks up, his stormy eyes meeting mine. “You’re not usually this quiet,” he observes.“Well,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek, “you’re not usually this secretive. Where are we going?”He grins, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “It’s a surprise.”“I’m not particularly fond of surprises,” I retort, although a part of me thrills at the mystery.“You’ll like this one,” he promises. His eyes darken a shade, and I
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 76. The Gathering Storm
AellaWe step out of the hospital and as I spot the black SUV, it takes me back to my time spent here. More specifically, when Roman finally confessed his feelings to me. It was sort of a simpler time back then.Before Vasily, before…everything else.“What’s on your mind, little bird,” he asks as he takes my hand and draws it to his lips. “You’ve been quiet, even as I went off at the nurses.”I chuckle. “That was just me letting you have your own way after everything that happened,” I say, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. “Kaden’s message over the mind link just had me reeling.”Roman sighs, because I know he’s already so pissed off and now he has to face Diego. Alpha Javier is at the pack house with Kaden and Elena and has demanded his son answer to Roman.“Yeah, well I suppose he has to face the music sometime,” he says, sitting back and shaking his head. “As much as I just want to fucking sleep, it needs to be done.”We remain quiet for the rest of the ride, but as soon as th
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 75. The Aftermath
RomanSitting in the hospital room, I still feel the residual ache from the fight, both physical and emotional. My mind plays back the confrontation with Vasily, a twisted dance that was always leading to this dark aftermath. What he said in Russian through clenched teeth left me shaken. Now that Aella is gone, I feel it’s time to share it with Kaden.“I never thought it would come to this, Kade,” I say, the words coming out heavier than I intend.Kaden leans back in the visitor chair, his eyes locked onto mine, searching for something—perhaps reassurance that what’s been done was necessary. “You did what you had to, Ro. If you hadn’t, more lives would have been at stake.”“Yeah, but Vasily said something,” I start, hesitating a little. “He said things about father that I think you should know.”Kaden raises an eyebrow, intrigued but also wary. “What did he say?”I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the weight of the words I’m about to unleash. “Do you remember the night Father
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 74. To Protect My Pack
AellaThe sterile smell of antiseptics fills the air, mingling with the earthy scent that is uniquely Roman. Even unconscious, he smells like the forest, like the wilderness we both call home. My hand finds his, dwarfed by the size of his palm, but perfectly molded to fit. I’m holding onto him as if he’s my anchor, the one constant in a world that has spiraled so far from what I knew.I replay the night over and over again in my head. The tension in the room, the way Roman’s eyes narrowed as he exchanged words with Vasily in rapid Russian. I couldn’t understand the words, but the intent was palpable—two titans locked in a battle of wills and strength. And I’d stood there, unable to do anything but watch and hope that Roman would come out unscathed. My heart aches at the thought. What was so personal that it had to be shrouded in their mother tongue? Was it just a string of profanities or something deeper? A sharing of old wounds and familial grievances that led them to this terribl
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 73. True Alpha
RomanThe second Vasily had his hands on Aella, my world went red. The ground beneath my feet might as well have been ripped away, because for a brief second, I’m free-falling into a chasm of self-doubt and gut-wrenching fear.I had to keep my wits about me. I had to be smart. Because this wasn’t just about me—this was about Aella, my pack, and a future that Vasily was hell-bent on destroying.“Is this what an Alpha looks like?” I can almost hear Vasily’s voice sneering in my head. “Can’t even protect his own mate?” And for a devastating moment, I almost agree with him.I’ve spent years trying to prove that I was worthy of the Alpha title, not just to my pack, but to myself. Yet here I am, watching the woman I love being tormented by my own flesh and blood. It’s a cruel mirror, reflecting my deepest insecurities, mocking my so-called ‘strength.’Aella’s face is pale, eyes widened in terror, but even from this distance, I can see a flicker of defiance in them. It fuels me, but it also
