Filed to story: The Alphas Contract Novel by Taylor West
“Bitten Lycans. Maybe it was something they didn’t see coming.”
*That makes no sense. If our mates were already chosen, then they would have known we were in the works otherwise we wouldn’t be mated.”
He looks up to the sky. “Or maybe they are just playing with our lives and throwing challenge after challenge at us. A game of survival. But we all die in the end. That much is guaranteed.”
I cock a brow at him, “Did you eat some mushrooms when you were in the forest?”
He smiles at me. “No, but sometimes we are missing what is right in front of us, Damien.” He walks to the gravestone and places his hand on it as he looks back at me. “She was your step to finding the one that you are supposed to be with.”
“Are you talking about Eris or Raven?”
“Maybe both.” He picks up the shovel as he walks away.
Sometimes, I was certain he was high on something.
Lowering myself to the grass, I stare at her gravestone for far too long. Wondering what she would think of all that has happened.
Maybe Brax was right. Maybe she did have an expiration date and was never meant to live this long. But I knew a part of her would always be with me.
It’s late when I get back. Samara is sitting on the sofa, with her hands clasped around a mug as she practically inhales the coffee. I glance around the room. Sheets were stretched out everywhere being held up with pegs and string.
*Sorry, we made a den. Dorothy wanted to show you, but she crashed out.”
“She’s asleep?”
She nods at me as puts her mug down. “She had a bath. A story and is asleep in her bed.”
I glance over my shoulder towards the stairs and furrow my brow. “She hasn’t made a sound?” There were very few people who she would allow to tuck her in. “How long has she been asleep?”
She glances up to the clock. “About an hour. When you didn’t come back, I told her that you might have been called to do something for the pack and that she was fine.” She pauses and frowns. “Sorry, did you not want me to
“It’s surprising, that’s all. Excuse me for a minute.”
Quietly moving upstairs, I poke my head around Dottie’s door. She’s sprawled out on her stomach. Her light brown hair is braided and soft snores fill the quiet. It was odd to see her so relaxed in her sleep and not curled up in a tight ball. And the teddy bear that she had been given not long after I rescued her was on the floor instead of in a death grip.
*Is everything okay?” Samara asks as I make my way down the stairs.
“Yes. There has just been a lot happening today. A few things I need to wrap my head around.”
She smiles at me and nods. “Do you want to talk?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay, do you mind if I get some sleep. Your kid is great but I am exhausted. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this active.” She lets out a small laugh
*Sure, take the bed. I will sleep on the couch.”
*Thank you, Damien.” She runs up the stairs as I settle on the sofa
****
Dottie talks her ear off at breakfast. Between mouthfuls of cereal, Dottie tries to give Samara every detail she could think of when it comes to school. I couldn’t get a word in anywhere and instead, I found myself watching Samara.
Her grey eyes are bright as she listens to every word that comes from Dottie’s mouth. And I was still surprised that Dottie had slept through the night without a single nightmare and because I couldn’t quite believe it, I hadn’t slept a wink. Well that and the fact I couldn’t get Raven out of my head.
“Daddy?”
I blink a few times and smile at Dottie.
“When am I going to shift?” she asks curiously and the question catches me by surprise,
“When you are much older.”
“But Evrin can.” Dottie smiles at me, ‘and he can barely walk.”
“Neah’s twins?” Samara asks
“Yes.
“One of them can shift?”
I nod
“Is that a thing?”
“Neah could when she was young.”
“Wow. Do you know if my mother could?” she asks with a frown
“I don’t know. I don’t think there is much information on your mother and I think it’s more to do with who Neah is.”
“The last female Alpha.” Dottie proudly announces and she looks at Samara. “Don’t be sad about your mummy. I don’t have one either and I’m okay.”
Samara looks away, running her hand through her short blonde hair, it was starting to grow out, though she still hated it. I liked it, it suited her.
“Go get ready.” I tell Dottie. She shoves another spoonful in her mouth and runs off towards the stairs.
“You want to find out about your mother?” I ask.
She frowns at me. “Yes and no. I understand that Neah and I are cousins and that our mothers were sisters. I know she gave me up to my dad. I know that she wasn’t ready to have me. But that doesn’t stop me from being curious about her. What was she like? Do I carry any of her traits? Do I resemble her?” She sighs. “Then there is the part of me that wonders if it’s better this way. I can’t see what I missed out on.”
She passes me as she takes the dishes to the sink. Holding out her hand she waits for my mug. Her fingers catch mine as I hand it over. A sharp current makes its way up through my finger and I almost drop the mug.
Samara doesn’t react to the spark. Instead she asks me if I didn’t get enough sleep while slowly taking the mug from me.
*The brain is on overdrive.” I tell her
“I take it you didn’t talk to Eris then.” she mutters with her back to me
“We talked and I rejected her.”
I see her freeze, but she doesn’t turn around.
“I was at the hospital with Neah and Dane. Neah wanted to talk with her, and everything that came out of her mouth was a lie.”
“I lied.” she whispers and I hear the sadness in her tone
“It was different. You were being forced to do something you didn’t want too. She just kept spewing more and more shit. Making demands. She couldn’t even look Neah or Dane in the eye as she was bullshitting them. And that Alpha Silas, was just something Cooper had told her.”
“So it’s not true? There is no Wolf that is trying to claim power?”
“No.”
*Are you sure?” She turns around to face me, supporting herself on the counter. “They seem to come out of nowhere. And she did say she was running from him.”
“I can’t be sure about anything these days. But Alpha Ryan of Ashburn City is alive and well. It hasn’t been taken over. Eris came from a place called White Cliffs.”
She frowns at me. “I know that name.”
“White Cliffs?”
“Dad told me that was where he met my mother.”
Samara
“Your mother was in White Cliffs?” Damien’s dark eyes lock on mine and I try to ignore how much I wanted him to kiss me. To feel his lips on mine now. To lift me up on the counter behind me.
‘Make the first move.’ Dakota cheers me on
“It’s not like I know anything more than that.” I shake my head, ignoring Dakota and wondering if I should have mentioned it when they confirmed Neah was my cousin. But it wasn’t something I had been thinking about. “I only know what I have already told you. She didn’t want me. And other than Dad telling me where they met, he never spoke about her. No matter how much I asked.”
I sigh and lower my gaze. “Sometimes, I wish I could speak to him, just for a chance to get a tiny bit more information. Does that make sense?” “You should have said something?”
“I didn’t think it was important.” I run my thumb across my finger tips, I’m certain I had felt something when my hand brushed his. A spark, some kind of heat snaking up my hand, it had taken my breath away but he hadn’t said anything. So I kept my mouth shut.
‘It’s your chance.’ Dakota mutters
‘He is still hung up on Raven. And I don’t even know what I felt. It’s not like I can smell him.’
“Was that where your mother lived?” Damien interrupts my conversation with Dakota.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?