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*~~Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Nine~~*
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}A few days have passed since we first read that note, and the gravity of what it revealed has been weighing on all of us. Ryan has been busy putting together a team to check out the motel we uncovered, piecing together clues, and preparing for what we might find there. Meanwhile, life has been marching forward, but it feels like we’re all holding our breath, waiting for the next disaster to hit.When I woke up this morning, the only thing on my mind was getting to the hospital. The lawyer and social worker were scheduled to arrive in a few hours, and it was critical to ensure everything was in place for the transition. We’d taken on the responsibility of Ava’s daughter, but with everything happening so fast, I felt woefully unprepared. We have a room for her, but cribs, clothes, diapers, and all the other things we still need? Yeah, we’re nowhere near ready.I cursed under my breath as I threw on clothes, running through a mental checklist. I had planned to take t
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-One~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I bit my thumb, trying to make sense of these brutal murders. I’d texted Logan already. Telling him to send his mother over to the house to fix up the spare room as a baby room since I won’t be leaving here any time soon. The victims we’d seen in the photos kept at Rex and Ava’s place were all accounted for.But as mentioned, the king’s daughter was missing. Why keep her? Leverage? He could be halfway across the world right now. What happened, Darren? Why the madness?I get his actions are a combination of the traumas he faced, and then ava... but people are still responsible for the choices they make. Couldn’t these women fight him off? There are thirty women here.The number of women found, the number of children discovered. This is all wrong. This method. Maybe I need to sink back and consider what his motive truly is. Because he’s not doing anything in a particular pattern like a serial killer would.They leave pieces of themselves in each murder. Be it the way
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Two~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Today was an exhausting day, and it was only past noon. Fucking hell.The lawyer and social worker were a disappointment, to say the least. They barely spared me more than a glance when they arrived, handed me the paperwork with all the enthusiasm of someone handing out fliers, and told me to sign them and have them delivered to the head office once Avery had signed as well. I was taken aback by their lack of engagement. When I asked when they’d be coming to the house to check things out and make sure everything was in order for the adoption, they casually informed me they wouldn’t. No inspection, no follow-up visit, nothing. It was as if the whole process was just a formality to them, an item to be ticked off a checklist. Because of the case surrounding the girl, they’re not even close to being interested. They were out the door within fifteen minutes, leaving behind an unsettling sense of indifference.I sighed deeply, the weight of the situation pressing down on me
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Three~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan’s mother did an exceptional job with the spare room. She must have worked tirelessly because when I stepped inside, it was as if the room had been designed for a child to grow up in—a little haven of warmth and safety. The walls were painted a soft, calming lavender with hand-painted butterflies fluttering across one side. The crib was a gleaming white, surrounded by plush toys and blankets neatly folded on top of the changing table. There were shelves already stocked with baby books, diapers stacked like towers, and jars of baby food arranged in perfect rows. She thought of everything.Earlier that day, after my panic attack, Logan had taken me to the hospital. My heart had been racing, my breathing shallow, and my mind scattered in a dozen directions. I could barely think straight. Logan, calm and ever patient, had sat with me as they administered something for the headache that had been pounding at my temples. He told me I should try to sleep it off, that
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Four~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}“You want to talk to Rex? Why not tell me what your decision is.”“I have no business with you Darren. You’re not the top dog of this operation. Prison rules state the strongest either runs the block, starts a gang, or keeps you safe. Rex was part of a gang, convicted for a horrendous crime, people in prison would have likely wanted him dead so he must have done things to stay alive until you joined him. So now you’re new, you need protection. What were you charged with? Contamination of food? You nearly killed a little girl by poisoning the cotton candy you sold to her. So with your stature and your abilities being refined to a lab, I’m guessing you’re not the heavy lifter. You might be the brain, but you’re not smart enough to carry everything else out. So put Rex on the line, and go sit somewhere.”I heard him grinding his teeth on the other line. No fear was in my tone of voice. Someone is getting an ass-kicking from me today. I’ve made a decision, I’ve made a
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Five~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The drive was exhausting, mentally not physically. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, making me tap my steering wheel with uneasiness. I arrived only a few minutes late, hopping out of the car after I parked it next to the king’s.“Okay, I’m here.”“Yes, you are. So you knew what I was up to, and you brought me here as what? Muscle so I can back you up when they take you?” He scoffed then laughed.“I have no such hope. I want you to have your daughter.”There must have been something in the way I said it because he immediately looked at me with suspicion. I walked past him. The edge of the town is where that dusty motel was. The crime scene tapes are still all over them. So we waited until twelve pm when a black van pulled out. Rex was in the driver's seat, and I know Darren was at the back. But with tinted windows, we couldn’t see him. I'm simply making a calculated guess.“Follow my lead, you don’t want the second guy to kill your daughter. Stay close, and
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Six~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}After her phone call with Ryan, Avery told me she needed rest, and of course, I agreed. I could see how much today had taken out of her, both mentally and physically. A bruise was already forming on her jaw, its dark purple hues standing out against her pale skin, a painful reminder of just how close she had come to real danger. She had thrown herself into this plan headfirst, taking risks that I wasn’t sure I could have handled myself. As I stood there watching her, a mix of relief and concern weighed heavily on me. She just needed rest, I thought. Rest, and time to heal from everything that had happened today.But her plans worked. Ryan caught Rex and Darren. Finally. After all the nights spent in dread, after all the carefully laid traps, it was over. We had them. Those two had caused so much pain, not just for us but for so many others as well. And yet, despite that victory, I couldn’t shake the uneasiness that gnawed at me. It clung to my chest, heavy and suffoca
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Seven~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I woke up to a faint yet sharp feeling of pain that tugged at my awareness, coaxing me out of the thick, hazy blanket of sleep I’d been wrapped in. The kind of pain that was more of a distant reminder than an immediate problem. I blinked, slowly coming to, my vision still blurred from the night. My hand instinctively reached out, and I felt the cool metal of the baby monitor right in front of my face. Logan must have placed it there, probably sometime in the early hours while I was deep in sleep. That small act of consideration—of knowing I would want to hear her, to be close to her even in my sleep—made my heart swell a little. He was thoughtful like that, even in the smallest details. I smiled despite the slight discomfort in my muscles from having slept in a bit of an awkward position, grateful for him.Rolling out of bed, I moved gingerly, feeling the weight of the previous day's events settle into my bones. It had been a whirlwind, bringing Hope home, and fin
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The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride Epilogue 3: Rustic Honeymoon pt 2
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The waterfall is majestic and stunning. Logan suggested we go in naked since we’re the only ones here. I’ll admit, trusting a radically vegan hippie to plan my honeymoon was a bold and disturbing choice. Third year in college she lugged me off to the rain forest where we camped for six weeks so we could connect with the gods who brought us here.It was my worst summer vacation. Six long weeks. But I got so much work done that I felt like I came back even smarter. I love Agatha, but my goodness, her ideas of fun are always nature-like. The lack of wifi is going to kill me, but thank god I got another honeymoon present from Logan’s parents as an apology for the way they acted at the start of my marriage to their son.And that one is for two months on a cruise. We’ll be leaving for that after a week of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.The water is cold, and the view is even better. I talk alot of crap about Agatha but the woman is far more connected to this world t
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride Epilogue 2: Rustic Honeymoon pt 1
{~~Logan Grey~~}My honeymoon is not at all what I expected. It’s one of those situations where you step back and think, How did I not see this coming? But I guess that’s what happens when you go with the flow and don’t plan out every last detail, just trusting that things will fall into place. We decided not to bring Hope with us, even though part of me wanted her to be here. She’s spending the week with my parents—her grandparents—which feels like a huge milestone, not just for her, but for me too. Avery and I wanted this time to ourselves, to really celebrate our marriage without any distractions, to focus on us for a change.We’re an odd pair to most people, and I know some didn’t expect us to last, but we’ve made it work in ways that surprise even me sometimes. Over the last year, we’ve settled into this rhythm that’s become second nature. It’s a good rhythm, one that’s brought us closer, and made us stronger. It’s funny—when you think about it, but it feels like so much longer.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride Epilogue 1: The Wedding
\One Year Later/{~~Avery Sterling~~}So, you know how little girls always dream about their wedding day? It’s supposed to be this big, magical event, where everything falls perfectly into place, and for some, it’s the pinnacle of their dreams, right? But not me. I never had those kinds of dreams. You know how my life was, how crappy my sister and parents treated me. There was never much room in my head for fantasies like that. Growing up, I couldn’t even imagine what marriage would feel like because I was too busy surviving and getting through the mess of my family. But, okay, maybe deep down, I had some dreams. Everyone does, right? I just never thought they’d come true.And marrying Logan Grey—that’s a whole different thing altogether. I mean, when we started planning the wedding, I was so overwhelmed. There were just so many details, and so many decisions, and with everything I’ve been through, I just didn’t have the energy to care about floral arrangements or seating charts. So, I
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~One Hundred and Ninety-Three~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The almost-car accident shakes me up more than I expected, but Logan is fine, and I’m fine. It all happened so fast, and yet I can still feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my throat when I think about it. That truck had come out of nowhere. The driver didn’t even slow down. Had I not tripped over that stone while I was looking for a signal on my phone and he’d come to check on me... logan would have died a painful death before my eyes.So of course I was a fucking mess. That driver is crazy. Did he not see the car? Why did the car even stop? What was wrong with the engine? I have like six million questions!He called Ryan to come get us. I was in his arms on the side of the road, watching as other cars drove around the wreckage. They don’t stop but look on surprised at the mess. Whoever that driver was I hope to god his truck breaks down and he’s fired. Because what the hell?He should have at least stopped. Panic fills me but so does anger. The panic wins though.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Two~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had left Hope in the hospital. The tiny bundle of life—so fragile, yet resilient—was resting safely in the nursery, surrounded by the quiet hum of machines and the gentle presence of nurses. We’d return tomorrow, once we were sure they’d had time to scan her brain and ensure she was truly safe for release. My heart ached to leave her, but it was necessary. Thank goodness she was a baby, still too young to understand fear in the way that we did. She wouldn’t know the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the never-ending worry. All she knew was warmth and the safety of sleep, cocooned in blankets too big for her tiny form.The snow had started falling again, soft and silent, covering the world in a layer of purity that felt both soothing and unsettling. Logan drove carefully through the winding streets, the heater on low, warming our chilled fingers. We didn’t speak much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that sat between two peo
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-one~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I’m back in this beautiful pack, surrounded by familiar faces, and yet it feels so foreign after everything we’ve been through. the rain stopped while I was away and now we have a new season. The landscape is stunning, especially now, with the first snowfall of the season transforming the dense forest and the lake into a quiet, white wonderland. The snow blankets the ground in thick, untouched layers, making the whole world seem calm and serene, but cold—bitingly cold. It's as if the snow carries the weight of my worries. The weather has shifted dramatically over the past few days, moving from endless, gloomy rain to this sudden onset of winter. So, congratulations on freezing my butt off, even with all the layers I'm bundled in.Logan and I had spent last night at the lake house, a place of solace for us, trying to reconnect after everything that’s been thrown at us. It was bittersweet, those quiet moments by the fire, the crackling logs filling the air with warm
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery is coming home today. Avery is coming home today. I’ve been repeating that sentence in my head for the past 48 hours, counting down the seconds like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipation—it’s all bubbling up inside me, and I can barely sit still. I glance at the clock on my phone for what feels like the hundredth time, knowing it hasn't moved much since the last time I looked but somehow hoping the hands of time have sped up. It's been far too long since I’ve seen her.The air in the terminal is thick with the usual airport chaos—people rushing by, announcements echoing through the speakers, kids whining in the background—but it all fades into the background noise. I’m laser-focused, my heart pounding in sync with the roaring engines of planes outside. She’s been gone for weeks, and though it wasn’t that long, it feels like an eternity. We’ve been working tirelessly on the cure—sleepless nights, constant research, trial and error.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Nine~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Agatha and I had been at it for hours, possibly days, though the passage of time had become something of a blur in the dim, candlelit room. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and burning incense, their heady aromas mixing in a way that both calmed and invigorated me. I had never spent so much time in the presence of a witch doctor before—not like this, not in such an intimate setting where every movement, every word, every breath was part of a delicate and complex dance of life and death.I’d seen witchcraft before. In university, we had a professor who dabbled in the ancient arts, using it to enhance her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. It’s why i wished I’d been chosen to be a doctor, it would be so nice to be able to do so much than what a nurse can. But even she had never worked with the sheer precision and raw power that Agatha wielded. It was... mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but be drawn in, watching her every move, the way her
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride *~~Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Eight~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Two days without Avery isn't an eternity, but it sure feels like a long time. I’m surviving, or at least I think I am. Tonight, I’m having dinner at my parents' place, and the whole family is here to celebrate the newborns. Felix’s child, Marley, and my daughter, Hope. It feels good to be around everyone, even if my mind keeps drifting to Avery. The house is buzzing with laughter and chatter. The babies are in their playpen, tapping at toys, oblivious to the joyful chaos around them. My parents are practically glowing as they fawn over their grandkids, doting on every little coo and babbling like they’re treasures.I sit back in a rocking chair, watching the scene play out before me. My brothers are in the kitchen, joking around while they cook, and their wives are on the couch, chatting and laughing. And Ronan’s children are lying on the floor coloring something. It’s one of those moments that feels picture-perfect, like a scene out of some old family movie. Even Rya
