Page 18 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

TILDA

How did I miss that they have kids here?

It hits me like a ton of bricks. All the little details I’ve picked up surveilling this place over the last couple of weeks—the guards, the weapons, the tight-knit structure—those were just the surface. A mask.

Reyes has been careful, hiding the most vulnerable parts of his pack from anyone who might do them harm.

I get it. I’ve done the same for Homestead.

But man, do I feel like an idiot. Not because I didn’t know about the kids, but because I truly believed what the Heavenly Host told us. They said feral wolves were monsters—wild animals that hunt raw meat, screw anything that moves during the full moon, and live without rules. I bought it.

Now I’m sitting here staring at crayon drawings on the wall and thinking about how Reyes—the Alpha Prime, the so-calledmonster—is not only a priest but someone who’s been nothing but decent to me since I got here.

And then two people walk in from the kitchen, chatting like it’s a lazy Sunday. One of them looks like he hasn’t slept in days, smiling and shaking his head, while the other is a redhead with a loud laugh and a wild mane of red curls piled on top of her head.

“Mornin’, Father!” the redhead says in a thick southern accent with a grin big enough to light up the room. Her eyes flick to me. “I see you brought your ladyfr?—”

“Her name is Tilda,” Reyes cuts in, his voice firm but not sharp. He doesn’t even look at me. “We were just discussing the rations issue…you know, with the fresh fruit and vegetables?”

The redhead’s eyebrows shoot up like they’re trying to escape her face. “Oh, is that so?” she says, clearly amused. “Been dyin’ to get a garden goin’ here, but, uh…” She shrugs, holding up her hands. “I don’t have a green thumb.”

“I thought you might be willing to work with Tilda on that,” Reyes says, glancing between us. “She’s got farming experience. And didn’t you mention finding seeds in storage?”

The redhead lights up. “Yeah! Tomatoes, beans, maybe some corn. Not much, though. But it’s a start!”

“I could help with that,” I start, but the words falter when the redhead’s nose wrinkles. “...Is there something wrong?”

She winces, giving me an awkward, apologetic smile. “It’s just... a wolf thing. You still smell like blood. Sorry, I didn’t mean to?—”

Mateo snorts, cutting her off, and Reyes lets out the longest sigh I’ve ever heard. “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” he mutters.

“I assume you’re taking her to the springs next?” she asks.

“Actually, I was hoping to run into you,” he says. “Will you take her? I can’t exactly go in.”

The girl grins, clearly enjoying this far more than Reyes is. “Ah…just relying on me to be the welcoming committee, huh?” She shakes her head, already stepping toward me. “Come on, farm girl. Let’s get you rinsed off before my nose gives out.”

She goes to take my arm, but Reyes stops me–and when he touches me, I feel that familiar pull toward him once again. He meets my eyes, amber glimmering in the depths of his irises. “Tilda, you know I still can’t trust you. Right?”

I raise an eyebrow. “So the blindfold’s going back on, huh?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” he says, and there’s a hint of regret in his voice. “Turn around?”

For a second, I think about arguing…but what’s the point? I’ve got leverage now—an offer they can’t refuse. I’ve also got a sister back home waiting for insulin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Even play along.

I need to be adaptable for Enid’s sake.

I turn around, letting him tie the blindfold over my eyes. His fingers brush my skin, lingering just long enough to make me hyper aware of the warmth of his touch.

And then a new hand slips into mine, smaller and lighter, but still firm. “Hey, darlin’,” says the redhead. “You can call me Peaches. I’m gonna get you all cleaned up.”

Before she can lead me away, a low growl rumbles behind us, stopping us both in our tracks.

“Tilda,” Reyes says, his voice cold and unyielding. “Don’t try anything. If you hurt anyone here…”

“Let me guess,” I interrupt. “You’ll kill me?”

A beat of silence stretches between us. Then, finally, he exhales, his tone dropping lower.

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