Page 3 of Fall of the Alpha

Sliding into the shadows, she sidled alongside Marek. They both watched as the foursome stopped at an eatery, taking a table outside where they’d be able to see everything. Out of all of them, only Grigori’s son appeared alert to possible dangers, keeping his head up as he looked around, eyes constantly scanning those around him.

Perhaps he did know something.

Then again, considering where they’d chosen to eat, he might know nothing at all.

“How fortuitous,” Marek murmured. “Do you think it’s chance they chose Martina’s restaurant?”

It didn’t matter that it had been nearly twenty years and that the feisty Beta had found her own mate and had her own children. She had not forgotten Grigory and the way he’d used her.

“If it’s not, then he’s more foolish than his sire.” Zadia shook her head. Though Grigori had never been foolish exactly. Only blind to anything other than his own goals. His own wants and desires. “Perhaps he knows nothing.”

“You think his father would let him come here in ignorance?” Marek voiced her own thoughts back to her. The big Alpha raked his fingers through his dark hair, the hint of a growl deepening his voice when he mentioned Grigori, even though it wasn’t by name.

“I don’t know.” Zadia considered it again for a moment. “It doesn’t matter either way. This is too good a chance not to take it. I’ll go speak with Marina.” Her hand automatically patted against the pouch on her hip, checking to make sure everything was accounted for.

“I’ll keep watch.”

That was for the best. Marek would have had to cross several open spaces to get to Martina’s eatery. Zadia drew some attention, being such a tall female, but not the same kind of attention he would. The females would flock to him the moment he stepped out of the shadows and could be seen.

They wouldn’t get too close, most of them, but he could hardly walk unnoticed into the eatery. For discretion, Zadia was the obvious choice.

Bella

Sitting quietly next to Kenet, Bella peeked out from behind her curtain of hair to look around. Now that they were in a quieter space, she could see much more. The colors here seemed brighter than in Zone One, the decorations gaudier, yet everything was cruder as well.

It was certainly louder. A cacophony of excited visitors surrounded them. At least, she assumed they were visitors by their excitement.

A Beta came out of the eatery to take their order, completely lacking in excitement, which marked them as a native to the territory. Bella wished she had the courage to ask the Beta why they chose to be here rather than in Zone One.

Of course, her father said they couldn’t accommodate every Beta who lived in the territories. That’s why they needed toeventually expand outward if they were going to keep rescuing those unfortunate souls who were trapped under cruel Alpha rule. He’d been very upset to find out that she was going into Alpha Territory, but since Kenet was going, as well as Liana and Alek, he’d come around. She was fairly certain her mother had also interceded on her behalf.

“Ooooh, do you think that’s an Alpha?” Liana asked, bouncing in her seat as she pointed to a male passing by. Bella jerked her head up to see who the other female was looking at.

A tall male, broad-shouldered but thin, sauntered past.

“No, look, he has knives on his belt.” Kenet shook his head. “An Alpha wouldn’t need knives. They’re killing machines with their bare hands.” He sounded excited, as if that was a good thing.

Bella shivered. She felt as though she was the only one whodidn’twant to see an Alpha. Across the table from her, Alek sent her a sympathetic look. Well, perhaps she wasn’t the only one, though Alek didn’t seem fearful of possibly seeing one. Then again, he was a big, strong male. So was Kenet.

So many people had remarked upon Bella’s stature her entire life that she was worried, despite her curves, that without her suppressors, she might prove to be an Omega. Her mother was also worried, which was why she’d sent Bella with extra for the trip—just in case. She hadn’t wanted to hold Bella back, not like her father, who kept her hemmed in with rule after rule. She understood why, even though she didn’t like it.

Perhaps that was why this sudden freedom felt so strange. She’d never had it before.

She needed to relax and enjoy it. In several days, she would be back in Zone One and following her father’s strictures again. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, determined to have fun while she could.

3

WATCHED

Alek

The longer they were in the Territory with nothing happening, the more Alek relaxed. Somehow, he’d expected the Territory to be far more dangerous from the outset, but so far, it was like being in a less developed part of Zone One. Certainly not like the area he lived in, but not nearly as exciting or dangerous as touted, either.

It didn’t seem nearly as dangerous as his father had always said. Then again, his father was paranoid to the extreme about everything, as far as Alek could tell.

That didn’t mean that he approved of Liana and Kenet’s idea to stop taking their suppressors. There was the appeal of doing things differently, running a little wild, and then there was foolishness.

“This is very good,” Bella said, digging into the food. It was the first thing she’d said since they sat down.

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