Page 42 of Alpha's Revenge Luna
“See, you overreacted for nothing, you should know him better than that, Dion.And you can’t say you wouldn’t have done the same thing,” Deacon says calmly in my head.
There are about twenty of them, and not one of them is a male, all women, and children.They are dressed in rags, their hair dirty, faces dirty, bodies in poor shape.These aren’t the rogues we see every day; these are the ones who have fallen prey to the other packs or been running for days and have nothing to their name.
Sighing, I instantly calm.“You’re just on edge because she didn’t shift, but you need to keep focused, stop allowingemotion to rule you,” Deacon reminds me, and he is right.I’ve been all over the place since Emery came here; it’s hard being so close to your mate but not being allowed to fully have her.I crave her, and it’s driving me slowly insane.
Kyrio, hearing me come up behind him, turns swiftly with his hands out in a placating gesture as if trying to calm me.“Alpha, they’re just hungry,” he tells me.
“It’s fine, Kyrio, send them to the dining hall, we have leftovers.Tara!”I call out and she rushes forward.
“Set up the gym for a makeshift sleeping quarters until we find room,” I tell her, and she nods.“Yes, Alpha.”she says, about to rush off.Cursing, knowing I won’t be headed back to the room for hours, I call her back.
“Tara,” I wave her back to me while digging in my pocket.
I pass her a key, and she stares at it, as if it may burn her.“Let Emery out to help you, keep an eye on her and don’t let her out of your sight, cuff her to you,” I warn her, and she chews her lip, her eyes darting to Kyrio.
“Cuff her, Alpha?”she murmurs warily.“To me, like a prison…” Kyrio seeing her panic, steps forward, grabbing her face in his hands.
“You’ll be fine, just to keep the Luna safe, you’re not a prisoner,” he reminds her, and I suddenly feel guilty at the position I’ve put her in.
“I’m not a prisoner,” Tara breathes out, her eyes closed.
“Never,” Kyrio reminds her, and she nods softly, and I turn back to the rogues, taking in the many helpless faces.It’s obvious, they haven’t eaten in days, they have barely any belongings, no bags, nothing but what they’re wearing.
“Where are the men, your belongings?”I ask them.The women murmur softly trying to will each other to step forward, their voices are strained with fear and hushed so as not to frighten their children.
However, it is an old lady who speaks for them, she must be about seventy years old.Her steps slow as she pushes through the crowd.She is hunched over and very thin, her face wrinkledand spotted with age, her eyes a cloudy gray, and she is missing two teeth.“They took them, sir.We all fled but not all of us got away, the men fought, but they took them.Those who refused were killed.”
“Who did?”I ask them, and everyone nods nervously, glancing at each other.
“The council, sir,” one of the younger mothers speaks up.“We’ve been walking for two days now, no packs would take us in or help; we just need somewhere to stay until they return,” she says quietly, before peering down at the baby in her arms.
“If they return…” She pauses momentarily before speaking again.“I know we must apply for entry, but at least take the children.”She thrusts her baby at me.“Please, we know what happened to your pack, but the camps aren’t safe.We’re being hunted out here, please,” the old woman steps forward, nodding toward the baby while nudging a small boy closer.
Most rogues don’t apply to join packs, they stay away, and the packs help where they can.The fact they’re willing to means it must be bad out there.
“Please, Alpha.We came here because we’ve all heard the rumors…” the old woman hushes her as I take the baby she is still holding out to me.Kyrio lets out a breath as if he were truly worried I would turn them away after losing Anastasia.
“What rumors?”I ask her.She drops her gaze, her matted hair falling forward.
“That you were once one of us, that you’re the rogue Hybrid Alpha.”
Deacon comes forward, peering out at them cautiously.“We can’t leave them, Dion,” he tells me, not liking the idea of taking the children and leaving the women to fend for themselves.
“We have shelter and supplies, you’ll have to help us hunt.The council will soon be trying to cut off my pack, but we’ll manage, you agree, you can all stay,” I tell them and they nod eagerly.I gaze down at the child in my arms, she is about four years old, sucking her thumb while staring at her mother nervously wondering why she’s been handed to a stranger.Thelittle girl’s hair is light brown, a mix of blonde streaks and knots.Her eyes are a deep brown.Her clothes are torn and bloodied, she’s covered in dried mud, and her stomach growls hungrily.
“We’ll get you food soon, little one,” I whisper to her.She’s tiny and pale.Her eyes look tired, and droopy, as if she hasn’t slept in days.
“Why haven’t you hunted?”I ask angrily.
“They’ve blocked the main foraging areas off, trying to force us out.Every time we’ve tried we’ve had to flee.We were going to try your land, but we were caught by,” her eyes go to Kyrio.
I nod.“Very well, hurry, it’s cold out, and these children need food.”I tell them, passing her child back to her when the old woman speaks up.
“Sir?”I pause, peering at her.“I know I am no use to you, I can no longer shift to hunt,”
“What is your name?”I ask her.
“Dorothy, sir.”
