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Chapter 20
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The Code of The Alpha Chapter 21
I was regretting my decision to meet with Fallon as soon as I stepped outside in my gym shorts. Chill bumps immediately covered my body and I held my arms close to my chest as I walked towards the driveway.Deciding that I needed to warm up, I walked past the truck and the Jeep and continued my brisk stroll up the driveway towards the gate. The gate opened as it sensed me walking towards it, closing behind me as I stood in the street.Lifting my left arm, I tapped against my watch to start recording a run and began to jog down the road.As my feet hit the ground with each step, I was reminded how badly I needed new running shoes. A shin splint was sure to arrive the next day.Breathing in the cold morning air made my lungs squeeze in my chest and I found it more difficult to get air out and in. By the time I reached the bottom of the hill, I found myself hunched over and panting like I'd already run a marathon.I looked at my watch.0.63 miles.Kill me now.I was at least two more mil
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 22
The hot shower I took when I returned to Luca's house wasn't enough to soothe my aching body. My muscles and joints were screaming at me. The webbed skin in between my fingers was rubbed raw by the gloves I had worn Good luck trying to hold a paint brush for the next few days, I told myself.I knew that I wouldn't be able to lift my arms over my head for a week. But, despite the major soreness and discomfort, I felt satisfied. I had done something for myself and it felt rewarding.It was this feeling of accomplishment that drove me to the kitchen for lunch instead of Luca's bed for a nap. I cut up strips of chicken breast and sautéed them in a frying pan, then I moved on to cutting up a head of lettuce for my salad.When I sat down at the countertop after pouring the dressing over the chicken and caesar salad that I had prepared, I heard a door open and turned to see Luca strolling in."Did you make lunch?" He asked, nose in the air.I dropped the fork in my hand back down into the bo
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 23
Waking up wasn't as easy as falling asleep. I laid there for several minutes before finally sitting up, an action I regretted instantly.My back was so stiff. My shoulders felt like they were locked in place and my legs were shaking as I tried to stand up from the bed.God, I hate Fallon, I thought.The stiffness subsided slightly as I walked through the house, eventually wandering outside where I could hear someone talking.I stood under the breezeway, watching Luca as he paced the driveway while he talked on the phone.As soon as he saw me, he winked.I smiled awkwardly before Luca ended the call and approached me."I was just about to go see Lincoln, if you'd like to come," he offered."Sure."After grabbing my shoes, I followed him to the truck, where he opened the passenger door for me to climb in. I tried not to wince as I lifted myself into the cab of the truck, my legs burning as I did so.I hate Fallon, I thought again."How was your nap?" Luca asked."Not long enough."I hea
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 24
I could see the sky behind the mountains in the distance as it transitioned to darker shades, reminding me of how long I'd been sitting there. I think it's time to stop wallowing in self-pity, I told myself.Deciding I would make dinner, I stood from the couch, catching a glimpse of the pool in the backyard as I did so.A swim would feel so nice right now...Forgoing dinner, I went to retrieve my bikini from my suitcase. I changed and wandered downstairs where Luca had mentioned the pool access was.On the lower level were two empty bedrooms, two accompanying bathrooms, and a large bonus room in between the two bedrooms that boasted a TV the size of a small vehicle. Surrounding the TV was a large sectional sofa and several pieces of sports memorabilia. Hockey sticks, shadow boxes full of jerseys and pucks, and shelves lined with trophies were hung on the wall.Along the far wall was a large window that had a sliding door to get outside into the backyard. I slid the door open to be met
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 25
He came to walk alongside me as I hugged myself, shivering."Your tits look great in that bikini top, by the way."My jaw dropped in shock of his blunt statement.Watching him laugh, I reached out and shoved him as hard as I could, clearly taking him off guard as he toppled over into the pool.Luca was glaring at me as he surfaced and swam back to the edge.Now it was my turn to laugh.I didn't have enough time to run before Luca's cold, wet arm was wrapped around my torso and lifted me into the air. He chucked me into pool, but I had enough of a grip on his arm that he followed in behind me.The difference in the water temperature between the pool and hot tub had me gasping for air when I swam back up to the surface."Jackass," I quipped, despite trying not to laugh.Luca laughed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking the water from it."All jokes aside," he said."I was serious about your tits.""Stop talking about my tits.""Why? They're nice tits."I swam up to him, put one hand
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 26
Luca never came back to bed that night.I laid there, staring at the ceiling, until the glow of the early morning began to fill the bedroom. When I went into the kitchen to make my tea, I was shocked to see Luca sitting at the counter with a coffee cup to his lips.I never heard him come back inside."Is everything okay?" I asked.Luca's eyebrows knit together."Yes?" He answered, even though it sounded like more of a question."You left in the middle of the night," I told him, feeling the need to explain my concern."Oh, I went for a run," he said casually, taking another sip of coffee."You left the door open.."Did I?" Luca asked."I may not have shut it well.""You left your clothes strewn all over the floor," I reminded him."I guess I'm not used to living with someone who sees my mess. You didn't have to clean up behind me."Luca's attention returned to his coffee cup."Are you sure everything's okay?" I asked him.He looked up from his mug and smiled slightly."I'm fine."Despi
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 27
I could be one stubborn bitch--but, apparently, so could Luca. After packing all my things back into my suitcase and duffle bag, moved myself back upstairs to the spare bedroom next to the loft. I had decided that it was probably best to sleep separately since we now had to wait four weeks to have sex.During the four days after our argument, I didn't see Luca once. He was gone when I woke and when I went to sleep.The only evidence he'd been in the house were the dishes he'd leave in the sink after he drank his morning coffee or ate a late dinner. I begrudgingly washed them along with mine.Otherwise, my routine stayed consistent.I met with Fallon in the mornings, made myself lunch after showering, and painted or read during the afternoons. I was miserable and completely bored out of my mind. All I could do was think, think, and then think some more.The only thing on my mind for those four days was Luca; how much his stubbornness annoyed me, how much I couldn't stand him for causin
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 28
And yet there I was: jogging through a similar neighborhood, all the while knowing I would return to the biggest house of them all.Before I knew it, I had become lost in my daydreams and also in reality. I stopped running when I realized that I no longer recognized where I was. Feeling a little uneasy, I turned and began to run back the way I had come from.It wasn't long before I came to an intersection that I didn't remember.Did I turn the corner down this road or did I cross the street?As I stood there deliberating on which direction to take, I felt a raindrop fall against my cheek. I wiped it away and sighed, feeling more begin to fall on my shoulders and face. Hearing a car approach, I looked up to see an old, green pickup truck driving along the road intersecting the one I was on.I waved at the driver and the truck began to slow. I smiled as he rolled down his window."Hi," I said awkwardly."I'm a little lost. Could you tell me how to get back to the other side of the pack,
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The Code of The Alpha EPILOGUE
You can do this, you can do this.My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.Sweat dripped from every pore, making my hands sweaty as they reached out for the next bar in front of me.You can do this.As my feet landed on the wooden platform, I lowered shaking arms to look at the timer on my wrist.Four and a half minutes left.Chest heaving for air, I reached out and grabbed the salmon ladder bar and shifted my body weight to thrust it into the divider above it-continuing this movement until I was four feet higher and could reach the platform above it.I pulled myself onto the platform, trying not to think about how high I was in the trees.Swallowing my fear, I grabbed the rope in front of me and swung to the next platform that was a few yards away.When I landed, I saw Luca standing on the ground a little more than a hundred feet away.'"Go! Go! Go!" He yelled enthusiastically, hands pumping in the air.I smiled."Let's go! Move it! Hurry!" Fallon screamed next to him,
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 85
Luca and I arrived back home later that evening after a long day of meetings, calls, and wellness check-ins with those who had been injured.Even though I was physically drained, it had been good to get out of the house for the first time in two weeks.It had forced me to shower and put on clean clothes that morning, something that I hadn't realized would mentally help me as much as it had. I made a promise to myself I would do those two things every morning moving forward.As we walked through the door, I noticed Luca was carrying the laptop Lincoln had brought to him earlier that day."What's that for?" I asked him.He looked down at the laptop before sighing."There's something we need to talk about and I've been avoiding it for the past few days," he admitted.I followed him into the kitchen and watched as he placed the laptop on the counter, feeling my stomach twist."What's wrong?" I asked."Nothing's wrong," he clarified."It's just heavy stuff."Luca opened the laptop and I sa
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 84
The meeting room was cold.The air conditioning was on full blast as the summer had officially begun a week prior with high temperatures virtually unknown by northwestern Montana.That room was the last place I wanted to be, but it wasn't because of the chilled air that came through the vents overhead.I could still see where the pool of blood had blemished the concrete floor where an unconscious Bates had laid two weeks earlier. It looked like someone had tried to scrub it with bleach, but a deep maroon stain was still visible.Bates sat silently in the chair beside me, Dr. Witt standing behind him sterilizing the tool she was about to use to remove the medical staples from his scalp.There were five of the small, silver staples running vertically up the back of his head where it had split into a deep gash.He stared at the table as she gently pushed his head forward."You should just feel a little tug," she warned him.He closed his eyes tight, wincing as she wiggled the first one l
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 83
The doorbell startled me awake.My arms immediately reached out to find Luca's empty side of the bed.I sat up quickly, seeing the late morning sunshine streaming into the room through the cracks in the curtains covering the window behind his bed.Hearing the murmuring of voices in the living room, I got off the bed and walked over to the ajar door to listen.I heard Luca's mother's voice as she spoke to him, her gentle tone carrying down the hallway."How is she?" Ana asked."Traumatized." Luca answered.She hummed."Poor girl," she said, her voice laced with genuine sympathy."I can't imagine what's going through her head.""Death," Luca told her."She said something last night about wanting to die. It made me so nauseous I could've puked.""After what she witnessed, I'm sure she's confused as to how she's still alive," Ana said."Just give her some time and assurance.""It worries me." he admitted."It's enough to be concerned, but trust the mourning process," she encouraged him.T
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 82
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, bringing tears to my eyes I'd thought about him frequently in the past two days. Knowing he was okay eased the heartache slightly."That's good," I whispered.Luca looked at me solemnly."It wasn't your fault," he told me, moving a hand up to my jaw to tilt it towards him.I swallowed the massive knot in the back of my throat as I felt more tears rush to my eyes, blurring my vision. Shaking my head slowly, I began to back away from him but he stepped forward, preventing me from getting too far outside his reach."This was not your fault," he repeated, his voice firmer this time.I felt my bottom lip begin to quiver as a tear rolled down my cheek."He came looking for me," I whispered."If Bates hadn't been there, he wouldn't have gotten hurt-""You don't know that," Luca said."Bates could have easily been caught in the crossfire at the gate if he weren't with you."The intensity behind his eyes made me press back into the doorframe."With everyon
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 81
The first conscious thought I remember having was in the upstairs loft.It was dark outside.The moon was hidden by storm clouds, the occasional flash of lightning illuminating the room briefly. I could hear the strong gusts of wind, the rumbling of thunder, and the sheets of rain that pounded into the roof above me.I smelt like paint and misery.The canvas I'd dedicated months to laid in front of me, it's frame mangled and bent. The once carefully detailed collage of colors making up a portrait had been smeared haphazardly with black paint that also coated my hands.Sitting with my back in a corner, knees pulled into my chest, I felt a like a shell of a human.All the emotional energy I owned had been completely spent. I had cried until I couldn't cry anymore. My throat felt like l'd swallowed acid, raw with the screaming that came alongside mourning two traumatic deaths.The only thing I had left was a broken, beating heart.And all I could do was sleep.I didn't want to be awake.
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 80
My knees gave out from under me as I fell into the tree I stood next to, leaning on it with my entire body weight.His eyes were open, lifelessly staring into the abyss above him while blood flowed freely from the corner of his mouth into the hands of his daughter who held him.I felt my bottom lip begin to quiver, a feeling washing over me that wavered between grief and shock. Mady looked down at him, tears falling uncontrollably from her eyes, rolling down her chin and neck.Her cry could be heard throughout the forest, making Luca visibly nervous as he looked around us to see who was listening."Mady, we need to get you and Carrie out of here, okay?" He said gently.She fisted her father's flannel shirt in her hands as Luca touched her shoulders, urging her to stand."You can come back to him when it's safe," Luca told her."But right now you need to leave."Mady shook her head, struggling to breathe through her convulsive sobs. I could tell Luca was growing more and more anxious,
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 79
My paws bounded out in front of me.Haunches driving into the soil and propelling me forward, I was running quicker than I ever could on two feet.I had Bates's clothes in my mouth, holding them tight against the wind that blew in my face.Thankfully, the oversized clothing hadn't ripped the first time l'd shifted, but I wasn't taking any chances the second time.I bolted through the trees, following the metallic odor of blood that wafted through the pack land. I could only hope I wasn't following the smell of my own injuries.Hearing a deep growl, I skidded to a stop, coming up a portion of the densely wooded area where a large wolf stood in my path.The dark gray wolf stared me down, the fur on his neck standing at attention.I dropped the clothing from my mouth and snarled as a warning for him to move.He stood his ground, maintaining his gaze.Snapping my teeth, I took a few quick steps forward. But his stance remained solid, still blocking the path.A vision of Bates's bloody sku
The Code of The Alpha Chapter 78
Before my lungs could fill with air to scream, he lunged at Bates and I, jumping over the table.With a quick shove, Bates pushed against my shoulders and the chair rolled backwards in just enough time to separate us before my dad tackled him to the ground.My bare feet slid across the floor as I rolled backwards, unable to gain enough traction to stop myself before the chair came to an abrupt halt as it hit the wall.The sound of shredding fabric bounced between the concrete walls as Bates shifted into his wolf.I sprinted towards the two of them, watching as my father pinned Bates to the ground with strength that surprised me seeing as Bates had shifted and my father had not.I leapt onto my father's back, arms wrapping around his neck as my weight threw him off balance and we both fell to the floor."Stop!" I screamed, holding onto him as tight as I could while he stood back to his feet.I gasped as he pulled me over his shoulder by my elbow, my arm popping as it was jerked out of
