The Alpha's Property

*** Salma ***

~*~ Four Hours Earlier ~*~

My phone ringing in the middle of the night wakes me from a deep sleep. I check my alarm clock before answering: it’s 2am, this best be good. Alejandro mutters in his sleep and Summer is in a travel cot at the bottom of our bed, flat-out.

“Hello?” I answer in a sleep-filled voice.

“Salma? It’s Lieutenant Amber Goldrick. I’m sorry to disturb you like this but we have a problem.”

I dart up in bed. “Ale, wake up now. ALE!” I give him a sharp kick in the ribs, and he grumbles as he opens his eyes. “Amber, what has happened?”

“Aiden and Eva are missing. They took a buggy car out at midnight. Don’t ask me why. The tracker alarm sounded, telling us they crashed, but we can’t find them. The tracker is now placing the car in The Moon Stone Territory and if they are there, this is bad, really bad. Aiden was told we are not welcome on their land and Eva’s human.”

My heart sinks as I take all that in. I really didn’t need to be adding further werewolf drama to Mafia business, but Eva is my best friend and she is in potential danger.

“We’ll be ready and at your border in an hour,” I say before hanging up.

“Aww, Chula, mi amor, soy agradable y comoda en la cama. Por favor dime que no temenos que salir ahora,” (Aww cutie, my love, I am nice and comfortable in bed. Please tell me we do not have to go out now,) Alejandro says to me as soon as I finish my call.

He looks so cute with his sleep-filled eyes, so I kiss him quickly. “Come on get dressed, we might have to crack some werewolf skulls. Eva might be in trouble.”

He is up and pulling on clothes before I can say another word. “Chula, I always thought Eva was quiet and meek. She has been a right troublemaker. I am going to be having words with her.” I laugh at him; he’s trying to allay my worries and I appreciate it.

This evening has been both difficult and heart-warming. My mami is taking the loss of my father very hard; however, having Summer here did brighten her mood. I think having our own baby soon will be just what she needs. Watching Ale with Summer last night just confirmed to me that I want us to be a family, he will make a brilliant father, of that I am so sure.

“Sal, you’ll have to wake your mami so she can watch over Summer.” I smile as he gently lifts the little pink-and-white blanket Summer has kicked off herself and tucks her back in. “She is such a sweetheart… are you sure Ryan Jefferson is her dad? How did that piece of shit create something so pure and innocent?”

Ale knows all about Ryan Jefferson. He has promised to help me take him out once and for all, and I have no reason to doubt his promise.

After waking mami, Ale and I get into his car and drive to the border of Onyx River Territory where Amber, Preston and around twenty other werewolves stand waiting for us.

I have to admire Amber; I had heard that she was an accomplished swordsman and more than handy with a knife. As much as she rubs me up the wrong way with her attitude, I begrudgingly accept that she is good at what she does.

I have had some slap-dash training with knives myself but what I would give to be able to wield one of those swords like her. “Let me see that,” I say to her as I approach the group.

Amber looks at me in surprise before handing over one of her swords. She holds it with such respect, leaning the sharp blade against the back of her hand.

“I didn’t know you liked swords, Salma. I had you pegged as a fan of guns.” I smile back at her, she isn’t wrong. Right now, I have several guns on my person as well as a holdall full of other weaponry in the boot of the car.

“I always wanted to learn to brandish a sword, but papa said a gun was more efficient. I agree they are but there is something very beautiful about the long blade,” I reply wistfully.

“When things have quieted down, I’d be happy to go over a few pointers with you and maybe have a spar,” Amber offers back.

“You’re on! Now tell me what has happened with Eva and Aiden.”  I look at the rest of the group when I say this, and I am taken aback by the look on their faces. “What’s wrong?”

Alejandro answers, “You two are scary, talking about your weapons like they are toys. Remind me never to get on your wrong side.”

I look back at Amber and we both burst out laughing. It’s about time men took us seriously. We are strong females, and they are seeing just the tip of the iceberg, we are capable and powerful.

Beta Preston takes over explaining what has happened. The scouts and trackers from their packs have traced Aiden’s scent to the Moon Stone Territory and the buggy car has come to a stop. However, Aiden is still not responding to their mindlink.

“Eva must be driving, she was seen driving off the courtyard, but why would she take him to Moon Stone and what has happened to Aiden that he has allowed it and will not answer the call of his pack?”

It is a strange one, but right now all I care about is getting Eva back to safety. The wolves will hand her over to me once they believe she is Mafia, why else would the Mafia come to her aid.

The plan is for the wolves to attack the guards and we infiltrate when they do, giving the people holding Eva and Aiden little time to respond to our attack.

As the Onyx River pack attacks, I run into the building behind Amber, with my gun out and ready to aim. Amber cuts down a guard that runs towards us, and Alejandro stays at the door to watch my back and to prevent anyone else from entering.

Eva stands in front of Alpha Xavier, and Alpha Aiden is on the floor surrounded by healers. Once we are in the halls, a few of the windows smash and wolves jump through, ready to protect their Alpha.

“That’s my daughter,” Alpha Xavier says, pointing to Eva, and when I look at Aiden, Amber and Preston, they are glassy-eyed, doing that telepathy thing they do. The next expression shocks me: they all look wounded and disgusted as they look at Eva and Xavier. Eva runs from the room and by the time I get to Alejandro, I see the dust coming off the back of the buggy car as she drives away at full speed.

“Why didn’t you stop her?” I shout at my husband, the stupid great oaf! I just wanted to make sure she was okay, she looked upset and confused.

“Chula, she is fast. She was out the door shouting about getting Summer and driving off before I’d even stood up properly. The warriors aren’t as fast as her.”

“GET OUT, THE LOT OF YOU! GET OUT AND NEVER COME BACK ON MY LAND EVER AGAIN. IF I CATCH ANY OF YOU HERE AGAIN, I WILL HANG YOU AND DISPLAY YOUR BODIES ON OUR TERRITORY BORDER. GET OUT!”

All the Onyx River members are being frog marched out of the hall, Amber and Preston hold Alpha Aiden between them and he looks devastated.

“Why were you both here? What happened, Aiden?” I ask as we hit the border of Moon Stone. Aiden looks at the floor, his head in his hands.

“I don’t know, Eva said she brought us there. We fell off a cliff in the buggy car and then when I woke up, we were in the hall. Eva seemed far away from me, and my head was ringing. She said she brought us here and Alpha Xavier said she was his daughter. Did she try to set me up, Salma? Did she know he is her father?” He looks up and I see the pain and despair in his eyes. Does he really think Eva would betray him like that?

“No. She has never met her father, didn’t even know his name. Eva is one of the most loyal people I know, she would never betray anyone, least of all you.”

Amber rolls her eyes as I answer. “Just because she didn’t tell you doesn’t mean she didn’t know. I’m taking my brother home, thank you for responding to our call. Come on, Aiden.”

I ask Ale to drive us home while I think. There is so much running around my mind and with Eva running out on us, everything is unanswered. Her buggy car is outside when we arrive home and I can hear her crying when I open the front door.

Eva sits on the sofa with my mami cuddling her while she sobs. Her tear-stained face looks up at me as I walk in. “I’m sorry I ran away from you, Sal; I just couldn’t stand it anymore. Did you see how he looked at me? And that bastard who touched me up is apparently my brother. And don’t get me started on the old man.”

Her shoulders shake as my mami tries to soothe her, so I sit on the other side and cuddle her too.

“So Alpha Xavier is your father? Did you know?” She shakes her head.

“She never told me. She said he wanted nothing to do with me because he didn’t want his wife to know about me.” She bolts upright as something else occurs to her. “Does that mean I’m a werewolf? Is Summer one? I’m 25 years old and I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Eva’s mother has some explaining to do, and I get the horrible feeling there are more blows to come for my fragile friend. I don’t know how much more she can endure.

*** Preston ***

Once we stormed the main hall at the Moon Stone packhouse, I mindlinked Aiden, but his link was distorted. Eva brought us here, Xavier is her father. My first instincts were defensive. I thought it was a trap.

That was until I saw the hurt and confusion in my future Luna’s eyes. She stepped back from the man who said he was her father and the instant she looked at me, Aiden and Amber, I knew she was as blindsided as us. I saw myself in her in that moment: the hurt I felt every time Amber had pushed me away was reflecting in her eyes, but it was too late. She had already drank in our expressions of mistrust, and she ran. I can’t say I blame her.

Amber is naturally protective of her brother, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that Aiden is devastated and disordered. As we help him back to his apartment when he refuses to go to the pack hospital, his anguish comes out as he finds Eva’s clothing and trinkets that she has left behind.

I stop Amber as she tries to snatch up Eva’s stuff to discard it. “Red, stop it. Aiden, come on man, you don’t believe she knew about this, right? She looked as shocked as anyone.”

“Why isn’t she here then, Preston? Why did she run away from me? What am I supposed to think? I woke up in my enemy’s packhouse and the woman I love tells me she brought me there and then I find my enemy is her father. And she ran off without explaining.”

My own anger starts to bubble away in the pit of my stomach. “And how would you react if the man you loved and his pack were looking at you in disgust? Would you be waiting around to be rejected? I have felt how she feels now, and I tell you there is nothing worse than the potential rejection of the one you love.”

“You don’t know that though, Preston,” Amber interjects. “She’s Xavier’s daughter for, goddess’ sake. Why did she take you there, Aiden? Why didn’t she bring you back here?” Aiden’s roar fills the whole house.

“Will you two piss off and have your argument about my relationship somewhere else please. I don’t have answers and I am not going to find them here off you two. I am going to talk to Eva. I need to know either way, but my gut says she didn’t know about Xavier… but I don’t know why she took us there.”

I mindlink Amber. I’m sorry, Red.

She gives me a subtle nod. I’m sorry too, I’m just trying to protect him, I don’t want him to get hurt. I’m scared for him.

I hold her close and kiss her head. I barely close my eyes but when I open them again, Aiden is gone.

“How does he do that?” I ask Amber who gives a little smile. “Red, baby, I’m so sorry but I think we need to postpone our ceremony.”

She nods. “I know. I am going to kill Aiden!”