Page 30 of Alpha Marked

"How could Bianca be so stupid? Why would she introduce you?"

"Because you and Strider thought it was better she not know what happened to me. Zeke is a hybrid. His boss is an Alpha Lycan of some sort."

Her mom opened the closet and tossed a duffle bag into the room. She retrieved clothes River hadn't worn in ten years and piled them on the bag.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting you out. You can stay with your Uncle Jape in Alaska. It should be far enough away." Her mom pushed past her, opened her drawers, pulled out a handful of cotton underwear and socks, and shoved them into the bag.

"I need to buy you some winter stuff. No. I'll call Jape. I'll have him pick you up stuff when you arrive."

"Mom-"

"I'll have to buy you a ticket, but it can't be in your name. You'll need a fake I.D. Strider can do it."

"Mom-"

Her mom ran from the room, and River followed her to her bedroom. Cherry pulled up the rug and removed several wooden planks, exposing the safe below.

"I have money I can give you, and you have your trust fund, but I'll need to figure out how to send you money without them finding out-"

"Cherry!" River shouted. "I'm not going to Alaska."

Her mom huffed. "The hell you aren't."

"No. I have an art show tomorrow night. I have to go. I've spent six months getting everything ready."

"River. What is more important? An art show or your life?"

She didn't answer.

"Now you are being a dumbass. Do you not remember what happened the last time an Alpha Lycan found you? This one will be no different. He will take you, enslave you, chew you up, and spit you out, River." Her mom stood and moved to her. "And I know you, River. You won't submit. You won't give in. You'll fight and fight and fight until one of two things happens. He breaks you, or he kills you. And I won't let that happen to any daughter of mine."

River's wolf whined.

No. He won't.

Nothing about the male's actions has suggested he meant her harm. She remembered the look in his eyes as he'd gazed at her. Like she was the only thing in the world. The way he'd touched her, sniffed her, protected her from the cameras.

"Maybe not all of them are like the stories."

Cherry snorted. "If you believed that, you wouldn't have come here."

Had she been scared of mating or scared of him?

"Okay," River said. "I'll go to Alaska. But I must at least stop by the gallery."

"River-"

"Mom, it may be the only chance I ever get. I've spent my whole life dreaming of this. I can't walk away and never know if I was good enough. I have to do it for Dad."

Her mom stared at her. "Okay. It will take about a day to organize your paperwork. What time is it?"

"Five."

"I'll find you a flight at eight from JFK. But you can't arrive any later than six thirty, or you won't make take-off."

"I understand."

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