Page 91 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

“And make sure you wash your car and your hair. You smell like a dog. It must be the wolves you decided to hang with instead of choosing your family. Levi says ‘hey,’ by the way.”

And then he steps out of my car and is gone.

My stomach churns at the mention of Levi, another reminder of my past that I’d rather forget.

Alone in the car, I pick up my phone, feeling the urge to call someone.

Anyone.

Liam.

I need to warn him about the impending attack, but it feels like I’m betraying my own family.

If Levi knew I was conspiring with wolves, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me himself.

If the wolves knew of my existence, they would stake me before I even had a chance to explain.

The conflicting emotions leave me trembling and unsure of what to do next.

Chapter 34

Liam

I’m on the scent, following the small wolf’s trail through Cedar Creek’s dark streets.

Finally, I spot him rummaging through trash cans for scraps of food. I change back into my human form, and the wolf startles. His fur melts away to reveal a boy no older than fourteen. He’s dirty and disheveled, with hollow cheeks and eyes that betray a hunger that goes beyond the physical.

He reminds me of Grayson when he was younger. “Hey there,” I say softly, trying to put him at ease. “What’s your name, kid? And why were you running?”

The boy shifts nervously on his feet, his eyes darting around as if expecting danger at any moment. “I’m Emmett,” he says quietly. “I... I’ve been on my own for a while now. Trying to stay away from... them.”

I nod, understanding the fear in his voice. “Come on, Emmet. Let’s go somewhere safe where we can talk.”

Emmett hesitates for a moment, but the promise of safety seems to outweigh his fear. He nods, and together, we head back to his trailer.

As I sit across from Emmett in the dimly lit trailer, his young face illuminated by the soft glow filtering through the dusty windows, I feel a deep sense of empathy for him. He’s just a kid, barely fourteen, yet he’s already experienced more loss and hardship than most adults ever will.

His voice quivers as he recounts the events that led him to this moment. “Elias left one day and never came back,” he murmurs, his gaze fixed on the floor as if he can’t bear to meet my eyes. “It was just me and Grandma after that.”

I reach out and place a hand on his shoulder, offering what little comfort I can. “And then the vampires came,” I prompt gently, knowing the answer but needing to hear it from him.

I can smell them in this small, cramped room.

Emmett nods, tears brimming in his eyes. “They... they killed Grandma,” he chokes out, his voice barely above a whisper. “I tried to hide, but they found me. I thought they were going to kill me, but they just laughed. One of them said they should feed on me, but his partner just warned him saying I was young and maybe they can come back when I am a little bigger. I was so scared.”

My heart clenches at his words, a surge of anger coursing through me at the thought of this senseless violence. They kept him alive just to taunt and torture him.

Those vile, despicable creatures.

“I’m so sorry, Emmett. You didn’t deserve any of this.”

He looks up at me then, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Why are you here? Earlier, you said you were my brother’s friend. Where’s Elias?”

I swallow hard, steeling myself for the difficult task ahead. “Emmett,” I begin, my voice barely a whisper. “Elias... he’s not coming back.”

The words hang heavy in the air between us. Emmett’s shoulders slump in defeat, fresh tears streaming down his cheeks as he comes to terms with this new, harsh reality.

Without hesitation, I pull him into a tight embrace, holding him close as he sobs against my chest. It’s all I can do to offer him some small measure of comfort.

---