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184 A Plea For Help
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2025-03-06 23:02:58
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Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   185 From The Top
Kai"We live on the east sideâRavenhurst, just by the small Narva village," Gregory began.I remained still, my expression unreadable, though his words struck something deep within me.Ravenhurst. Near Narva.That alone was reason enough to press him with questions, but I held back.Let him speak.Let me hear the full truth before I decided what to do with it."We used to live in Narva," he continued, his voice steady, but there was a weight to itâan old wound that had never truly healed."But after my mother was killed, we moved to Ravenhurst. It wasnât safe for us anymore."His hands curled into fists, knuckles whitening.Even now, after all these years, the rage still lived inside him, simmering beneath the surface."She died in an attack eleven years ago. The Council was hunting Moonchilds, and because her wolf was whiteâgreyish whiteâsomeone spotted her in the woods."His breath hitched, and for the first time, his composure cracked."They followed her home." His voice was lower
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-07Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   186 What Made You Come For Us?
Kai"Do any of you have the ability?" I asked, watching Gregory closely.He shook his head. "Neither of us inherited it. It might have skipped our generation."Maybe. But I wasnât convinced.I suspected something elseâsomething deeper.If Jamesâs ability had been weak, the genetic pull might not have been strong enough to pass it on.Michelle, on the other hand, had been the stronger sibling. That much was clear. She had passed the trait to her daughter.To Adasha.But if Adashaâs compulsion was as faint as her uncleâs, then something had dulled it. Something had weakened it.Nightshade.That was a theory Iâd have to dig into.For now, though, I needed answers."So what made you come for me?" I asked, my tone edged with curiosity and something sharper."And where did you get your warriors?"I already had a nameâAbraham. Now I needed the full picture. I needed to know what had driven Gregory to seek me out, what had fueled his reckless attack. Because nothing about this situation was r
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-07Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   187 What Were You Thinking?
Kai "Did you ever stop to ask yourself why someone would give you that information?" I asked, my voice smooth, but edged with something colder. "And if they didâĶ did it ever occur to you that they probably knew exactly who you were?" Gregoryâs face shiftedâfirst confusion, then slow, dawning realization. His breath hitched slightly. "You were so desperate to find your father that you didnât stop to think about the danger you were walking into?" I continued. Shame flickered across his face. He swallowed hard, but he didnât deny it. "Can you lead us to the people who tipped you off?" I asked. He hesitated, then nodded. "I have numbers I can reach." I chuckled, shaking my head. "I doubt anyone will be picking up on the other end." Gregoryâs jaw tightened, frustration warring with understanding. He had been used. Had he succeeded, Abraham would have had the perfect excuse to eliminate us all, pinning it on the Moonchilds. Plan A had been to trap us in that banquet hall. Whe
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-07Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   188 What Weâll Do Now
KaiMorning came swiftly, and I hurried out of bed, eager to catch Draco and Randy before they left.Adasha was still asleep, her breathing even, her body finally at rest. She seemed better, but I didnât want to disturb her. Not after everything she had been through.Instead, I linked Darius, instructing him to delay the alphasâjust long enough for me to speak with them.When I reached the office lounge, I found them both ready to leave.Draco looked recharged, his usual sharpness back in place, but RandyâRandy was different.The lingering sadness in his eyes was impossible to miss.I considered telling him that it would get better. That time healed wounds like his.But would it?Would time ever dull the ache of losing a mateânot to death, but to someone else?No.And besides, saying something like that would be insulting, considering I was the reason he had lost her.So I stayed silent.Asking how he was doing would feel more like a mockery than genuine concern.Draco, sensing the t
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   189 We Shouldnât Play Fair
Kai"So we manufacture evidence," Draco said flatly.I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not exactly. We justâĶ tie what we have to themâwhether it fits perfectly or not."Draco raised a brow, but I continued."One thing is certainâeither Abraham used James to commit that atrocity and then had him eliminated, or the Narva massacre was a mass poisoning, deliberately staged to look like a Moonchild attack."Randy exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he processed the implications."Either way," I added, "it was orchestrated for reasons unknownâand Abraham was at the center of it."I let my words settle."Once Abraham is gone, we wonât have to live in fearânot for our lives, not for the lives of our people, and not for the fragile balance weâve all fought so damn hard to maintain."I looked between them, my voice hardening."He is a threat to all of it."They understood.I could see it in their eyes."Fine," Draco said after a pause, but then his expression shifted. "What about the Moonchild i
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   190 Emptiness In The Morning
AdashaI woke up to an empty bed.Cold.Silent.The weight of the absence pressed into me, thick and suffocating.A deep, unfamiliar ache curled in my chest, an emptiness I hadnât expected.If anyone had ever described the feeling of severance to me, I wouldnât have understood it.And neither would he.It wasnât something that could be put into words.It wasnât something you could prepare for.It was something you only feltâlivedâand I was living it now.And there was nothing I could do about it.How had I not realized how deeply Randy had been a part of me?I had believed that freedom would set me freeâBut I had been wrong.This wasnât longing for him.It wasnât about Randy himself.It was the space he left behind.A hollow, raw wound.Something that had been ripped from me without warning.I curled my fingers into the sheets. They were cold.Kai had been up early.A flicker of unease settled in my stomach.Had my reaction last night bothered him?Had I said something to make him qu
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   191 This Is It
AdashaI had barely stepped into the shower when I felt him.The water streamed down my skin, but it couldnât drown out himâhis presence, his scent.Intoxicating.Consuming.A force that wrapped around me before he had even spoken a word.I stopped, every inch of me attuned to his nearness, and turned.And there he was.All man. All muscle.Completely stripped, his eyes dark with something undeniable.He knew.He knew that I knew.That I could feel it now.The bond.The thread of energy that had always been between usâexcept now, it was no longer one-sided.A shiver ran through me, but it had nothing to do with the heat of the water.I didnât think.I moved.I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my cheek against his bare chest.I needed to hold him.To hear him.To let him knowâ"I know now."His breath hitched slightly before he exhaled, his arms wrapping around me, pulling me into his warmth, cocooning me in the safety of him."I have waited for you to feel exactly what I feel every
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   192 The Claim
AdashaKaiâs hands wandered, firm yet deliberate, mapping every inch of me as if I were something sacred.His fingers squeezed my behind, kneading, teasing, before one slid lowerâseeking, exploring.A soft gasp left my lips as he found my nerve bundle, brushing against the tip with a featherlight touch.A shiver ran through me.A moan escaped before I could stop it.His wolf growled in approval."Not wet enough," he groaned, his voice thick with need.I nearly laughedâbecause if only he knew.I was dripping for him.But he was in control.He decided when I was ready.Without warning, he slid a finger inside, curling it expertly until he found that spotâthe one that made my legs tremble, the one that sent a jolt of pleasure racing up my spine.In and out.Slow.Deep.Steady.I was grinding against his hand in seconds, chasing something just out of reach, my nails digging into his biceps as I held onto him, riding the intensity of his touch.Kai wasnât letting up."Iâve wanted this for s
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-17
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Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   Your Input Is Needed
I'm so glad you all enjoyed this story! ð As an adventurous writer, I'm excited to try something newâand Iâd love your input! âĻ I have two stories in the works, but I can only write one at a time: Vampire Book A WEREWOLF BOOK These stories donât follow the usual popular tropes, but I truly believe youâll enjoy them just as much (if not more!). Please let me know which one you'd love to read first. Your feedback means everything to me! ðïļððŽ
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   246 Happy Birthday, Redwolfs
AdashaThe sun was already high when the first cars pulled up the drive, tires crunching against the gravel.I stood near the front steps, Michelle balanced on my hip, Ethan clinging to Kaiâs hand beside me.The soft hum of laughter and voices rolled in from the yard where balloons bobbed in the breeze and long tables were set with food, drinks, and gifts wrapped in all colors of the rainbow.One by one, they stepped out of the vehiclesâand my heart swelled with something I couldnât quite name. Gratitude, maybe. Or just the deep, overwhelming warmth of seeing people you love all in one place, safe and smiling.Randy was the first to appear, looking more relaxed than Iâd ever seen him.Olivia walked beside him, glowing in a flowing dress that barely disguised her growing belly. He had one hand protectively resting on her lower back, the other carrying a stuffed bear nearly the size of Ethan.âDonât say anything,â Randy said with a mock glare as he saw me smirking.âI wasnât going to say
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   245 Two Years Later
AdashaTwo Years LaterThe war with Tamara and Edmond felt like a lifetime ago.Now, the only battles Kai and I fought were over who had diaper duty or who could make the twins laugh harder.Our twins were turning one, and the house buzzed with energy as we prepared for their birthday celebration.Weâd been wrapped in a bubble the past yearâbusy, blessed, and exhausted. Life had shifted. Priorities changed. And in that quiet, weâd drifted from everyone we once fought beside.This party was more than just a celebration for the twins. It was a reunion. A chance to gather everyone who meant something to us. To laugh. To remember. To feel like a family again.So much had changed.Randy had ended up fated to OliviaâUncle Jamesâ daughter.They were mated now, and from what I heard, completely inseparable.They were expecting their first child, and I couldnât wait to meet the little one when the time came.Randy had softened, grown into himself, and it showed. I was genuinely happy for him.
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   244 I Accept
RandyâWell, are you just going to stand there?â Her voice snapped me out of the trance.I blinked. She was staring right at me, arms crossed, like Iâd kept her waiting too long.âIâĶ I thought you wereâ I was justââ I stammered, completely unprepared.She laughed. Soft, amused, but laced with something that curled in my gut.âNow that my familyâs free, you thought Iâd leave?â she asked, eyes locked on mine like she was reading every thought Iâd tried to bury.I couldnât answer. Because yeahâĶ part of me had.She saw it. Smirked. And then, without a word, grabbed my hand and pulled me into the room.Before I knew it, I was sitting on the edge of her bed, heart pounding like Iâd just run ten miles.She stood in front of me, the wickedest smile tugging at her lips. Then she slid the sheer robe from her shoulders and let it fall.I forgot how to breathe.The lingerie underneath was designed to kill. Lace. Skin. Confidence. Everything about her said mine, and she wasnât asking for permissio
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   243 Homecoming
RandyI didnât stick around in Bridewood after the council hearing. There was no point. My business wasnât hereâit was back home.And after everything weâd seen, everything weâd nearly lost, I wasnât about to waste another second.The universe had given us a rare gift: survival. A second chance. That kind of mercy doesnât come often, and it sure as hell doesnât come twice.I had someone waiting for me. A sharp-tongued, stubborn woman who challenged me at every turn and still somehow made my world make sense. Olivia.Sheâd crashed into my life like a storm, and Iâd spent too long pretending I didnât want to get caught in it.No more second-guessing. No more keeping her at armâs length because I thought it was the ârightâ thing to do.I was done holding back.Adasha was smiling again.That look in her eyesâthat lightâI hadnât seen it in years. And if she could forgive me, then maybe it was time I started forgiving myself too.So we packed up. Jacob, Thompson, and I hit the road back to
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   242 A Fight For Balance
Kai"So what are you trying to suggest, Alpha Bouras, Alpha Olsen?" William asked.Draco didnât blink. âI say we abolish the law against the Moonchildsâand give them a seat among the Twelve. Itâs rightfully theirs.âThe room froze. Then exploded.Voices rose like a storm, clashing over one another. Some shouted in disbelief, others in anger. No one talked about making the Twelve into Thirteen. That was the part that made them really uncomfortable.Draco stood steady, calm in the storm.He didn't care.And neither did Randy.âI strongly support Alpha Bouras,â Randy said, rising to his feet. âWhen Edmond crossed the line, it wasnât the Twelve that stopped him. It was a Moonchild. When everyone else fell, she stood. Itâs time we stop punishing a bloodline and start honouring it. This is what justice looks like.âThe murmuring dropped, volume shifting as some heads nodded reluctantly.I stood next.And I didnât sugarcoat it.âI agree,â I said. âI donât care what anyone in this room thinks
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   241  The Sentencing
KaiIt explained everything.Adashaâs blood would have completed the serum. Stabilised Edmondâs mutation. Kept his eyes from bleeding, his mind from fracturing, his body from falling apart.Without it, he looked like something from a nightmareâa shell of a man, straining to contain power not meant for him.But what I still didnât understand was why. Why go this far?Why betray the very council he sat on? His family had power. He had influence.So why?And still, Edmond refused to speak. Sat silent in his silver cage, eyes dull with defeat. Or delusion.Tamara wasnât much betterâexcept she wouldnât stop crying.But not for her victims.Not for her daughter.Not even for the madness she helped unleash.No.She kept looking at Austin, pleading, weeping like the betrayal hadnât even happened.âI never cheated on you, Austin,â she said, loud enough for the entire hall to hear. âI justâĶ I wanted more for us. For our daughter. The Redwolfs were going to cheat our family. I couldnât stand by
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   240 Still In The Hall
Kai"You have a big heart, Malachi," Abraham said, his voice low but warm.It pulled me back from watching Adasha and Austinâthe quiet reconciliation unfolding in a single conversation.I gave him a faint smile. âA foolish one, too.âHe shook his head. âNo. You acted based on what you had. I must say, you three are wise. I had no proofâonly suspicion. And yet you gave me the benefit of the doubt.âHe looked around the council hall, his expression sobering.âItâs all in the past now,â he added. âAnd know thisâI bear no grudge.âI nodded, and for once, I felt the weight ease a little.Thatâs when the room shifted.The side doors opened, and Gregory walked in, flanking a man I didnât need to be introduced to.Tall, weathered, lean from hardship but still standing with dignity.The resemblance to Gregory was uncanny. But it was the eyes that told me who he truly was.James Moonchild.Adashaâs uncle.Michelleâs brother.One of the most hunted, most whispered-about survivors in our entire w
Trapped In The Alpha's Shadow   239 The Next Big Moment
KaiWe talked over the final details of our trip to the council, and thatâs when I learned Austin had insisted on joining usâeven though he hadnât fully recovered.But I understood.He needed to be there.Not just as a witness, but as a man with something to put right. His presence was required, and maybeâĶ so was his redemption.As for Lauraâshe was out of danger, physicallyâbut her path was clearer than ever.She would be returning to Rivercreek.Did Tamara ever tell her the real plan? Or was she just another pawn? Another disposable piece to be sacrificed for her motherâs social climb?I couldnât say.And maybe it didnât matter.I didnât feel sorry for her.I hoped sheâd be better. That sheâd choose better. But deep down, I knew Iâd dodged a bullet.If fate hadnât intervenedâif Adasha hadnât come into my lifeâI couldâve ended up just like Austin. Bound to someone who wore the name but none of the heart.There was no way Laura didnât carry some of Tamaraâs venom. It was in the way sh
