Chapter Three

Chapter Three. 

Nala. 

Olive skin, midnight hair, strong features and heavily muscled body… all so familiar. Even the gray fur that peppered his flesh and the yellowed eyes that overtook the normal chocolate hues were familiar. I knew his body almost as well as i knew my own. We had touched, tasted, and loved each other for three montjss before it all came crashing down. And now he was back. Would he destroy me all over again?

Probably.

Fury coated his features, and i knew it was only a matter of time before his roars echoed off the walls. Rather than causing the spectacle in the middle of the hallway, i brushed past him and carefully made my way into my home.

“Salvatore,” i murmured as i passed by him. I didn’t miss his growl.

I would brave this out. I would explain my position, tell him exactly what would happen, and then he would leave. I thought to myself, giving myself the strength I so desperately needed. 

“Nala,” he snarled my name.

I ignored the violence in his tone and looked around my small apartment, noting its apparent emptiness. “Where are your minions? Paul.. ” he immediately cut me off. 

“Leave others out of this mess! Do not say another man’s name in my presence!”

So very, very Salvatore of him. 

He wasn’t done. “You will get your things and you will leave with me right now. This game is over.”

I fought the nerves that threatened to make me tremble before him. “I wasn’t aware I have been playing a game. I left you, Salvatore. I left you started over here incase you have forgotten.”

More fur coated his skin, sliding down his arms and onto his hands. “With my child.”

“No,” I rested both hands on my stomach, “with my child.”

Pure rage filled his features and his cheekbones sharpened, the low snap of

bones easily heard in the suppressing quiet of the room. “Nala, it is only because we shared so much that my beast has not attacked. You have disobeyed my orders and kidnapped the next Liakos pack Alpha and my heir. Any other wolf in my pack would be dead by now. ”

I gasped and tightened my hold on my stomach as i backed away from his intimidating presence. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do. Without question.”

“I saved this baby from hell at your hands.”

His features tightened and his body seemed to grow in size. His shoulders

widening, muscles increasing, hands slowly transforming into claws. I took

another step back, putting more space between us. Not that the increased

separation would truly protect me. Nothing would shield me from an alpha bent on destruction.

“Our history and that child are why you are still breathing. The fact that you are not familiar with our culture is also staying my hand. Do not mistake this hesitancy as weakness.” His chest expanded as he breathed deeply, and when he exhaled, his size seemed to lessen slightly. “There is no reason to fear me. Now. There are many things to discuss, and there is still much time before you give birth to devise how to handle things going forward.” Another deep breath.

“Now, gather your things. We will leave within the hour.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Salvatore.”

“Yes, you are. I will not have my orders questioned by you once again.” He was

so unforgiving, so unbendable, which was yet another reason i refused to go with him.

“No.” There wasn’t much more for me to say. Excuses and justifications weren’t

anything amidst Salvatore’s overwhelming power. So nothing else was worth saying.

The yellow in his eyes overtook any hint of humanity within him. “I do not think you understand your position, Nala. You carry my child and that child will be born in New York surrounded by his pack. That is the way every Liakos Alpha came into this world and my child will be no different!”

“And I don’t think you realize we are not in New York, and my baby will be born here. Unless you are willing to start an international interspecies incident by kidnapping me.”

“Like you kidnapped my own pup?”

Fury filled me, the emotion fueled by the constant fear that had dogged my heels

for so long. “I did not kidnap my own baby. I saved him. Why can’t you understand that? How can you so callously throw away his life?”

Salvatore pressed his lips together, forming a white slash across his face, and a rolling growl filled the room. “I will pretend I did not hear those words from

your mouth. You are the mother of my child, and you are pregnant, so much will

be forgiven. But do not think for one moment that your behavior can continue. I

cannot and will not allow your constant insubordination.”

I snorted. “You act as if you will be in my presence long enough for me to continue acting this way when that is just not going to happen. You are leaving without me. That’s all there is to it. Because I refuse to allow my baby to be pulled into your violent, hate filled world. A child needs love and safety and he wouldn’t find either with the Liakos pack. With you.”

A new emotion flickered across his features so quickly that she wasn’t sure what I had seen. It was there and gone from one heartbeat to the next. “Regardless of your feelings, that doesn’t change the fact you carry my heir and you will return to New York with me. Immediately.”

A bone deep lethargy overwhelmed me, sinking into my body and dragging me

down. I had been working so hard these past months, spending hour upon hour

on my feet so i could save money to support myself after the baby’s birth.

Now, being so close to Salvatore, and fighting with him, sapped me of what little

strength i still held. I just had to hold on a little longer, remain on my feet a few more minutes. Once i got him out of my apartment, i could fall to pieces. But not a moment sooner.

“And regardless of your feelings, I am not returning to New York . I’m staying right

here and having my baby at the hospital down the street. Nothing you say or do

will make me change my mind. Are you so heartless that you make me return to a place I hate?”

His expression remained firm and unshakable. “Yes.”

“Salvatore,” i leaned against the wall, catching my weight with first my hand, and

then i leaned against the firm surface. The tiredness continued to pull it , as darkness crept into my vision.

No, not now.

“Salvatore,” i squeezed my eyes shut tight and battled to push the urge to faint back. “I am ”

“Nala?”

“I am not” I was losing the fight as the darkness wrapped around me in a

cloying blanket.

“Nala?” Salvatore’s voice was hoarse and thin.

I didn’t want him near me, I didn’t want to depend on him once again, but i hoped he was still human enough to care for our child. “Don’t take him from me, please. Please don’t take him. He is all I have left. Please…”

The last thing I saw before unconsciousness took me was a brief flash of worry.

Salvatore. , worried? Never. Then again, i was carrying his heir. I must not forget the heir. After all, the Alpha bitch wasn’t going to.