ELEA
I watched, not breathing, not even blinking, as the mate I had abandoned, the man I had declined all those years ago, without reason, without meaning and beyond rationality, stood before me, staring right into my eyes.
I did not know if it was the weight of my mistake or the threat in his eyes, but I almost recoiled until the small fingers of Liam clutching my dress tighter jolted me a little from my dazed state.
Instinctively, I pulled him closer and behind me.
It was only then Landon’s shocked gaze fell on him. And it widened.
The recognition instantly flared, glowing brightly in his orbs, and I knew he saw it. Liam looked like Landon in so many ways, and not just those shiny golden curls on his head or the silvery orbs of his eyes, but in every manner and from every angle, he was the spitting image of his biological father. So much so, that Liam was a living, breathing reminder of that night five years ago.
An eerie silence pressed heavy, almost choking the life out of me.
“Mama?” The soft voice of Liam sliced through the silence. He was scared, I could tell, and immediately I ruffled his golden locks to soothe him.
“It’s alright,” I assured him, even though my own voice shook.
I watched Landon saunter closer and slowly get down on his haunches, extending his palm to Liam. A twinkle of protectiveness flashed in his eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he put on a friendly act.
“Hey buddy, what’s your name?” He asked.
Liam had barely ever been exposed to strangers, and given the circumstances we were brought down here, he was wary. He looked up at me, seeking my approval, and I nodded with a forced smile.
“How about I introduce myself first?” He tried again. “My name is Landon. And yours?”
“Liam.”
“It is so nice to meet you, Liam. And what is your mama’s name?” His eyes briefly met mine, and all that layer of friendliness shed away, replaced by a vicious look.
“Elea.”
“Elea,” he reiterated, not taking his eyes off me. It was a warning, I could tell, and so much more. Landon tore his glance away, smiling back at my son. “Are you hungry, Liam?”
Innocent as he was, he nodded, slowly warming up to him.
For a brief second, their exchange melted my heart. I knew that I had been the best parent to Liam to the best of my abilities, but a father’s role in a son’s life can never be replaced. And the way Landon befriended him, despite my worst fear coming true, I could not help but feel a little content at their reunion.
He rose to his feet, pulled out his phone and dialled. “I need you to come to the basement,” was all he said into the speaker before snapping the call.
I watched him pace around the cell while I pressed myself against the wall with Liam by my side. Within thirty seconds, a man appeared. He was the same guy who was called ‘Chief’ by the soldiers, the one who showed me mercy.
“Alpha, you called.”
“Alex, escort Liam to the guest room and see to it that he is well taken care of,” he ordered, and immediately my eyes widened. There was no way I could let Liam be taken away, least of all now, but when Landon narrowed his eyes at me in warning, I recoiled.
A part of me wanted to believe that he would not hurt my son, OUR son, but then again, did I really know him? The mate I rejected was Landon Knox, but this man? He was ALPHA Landon now, and ruthlessness ran in his veins and seeped from his pores.
“Yes, Alpha.”
When the man approached, I cupped Liam’s cheeks and assured him that it was okay and that he would see me soon, even though I did not know if I could keep my promise. But for the sanity of my son, I braved a smile and watched him being taken away.
The iron door creaked close as I slowly met his eyes. There was something unhinged, wild and hungry about him I noticed.
Landon padded closer, circling me like a predator would do to a fallen prey. “I had often wondered what it would be like to meet you again,” he said. “A strange, lone wolf who disappeared into the night, never to be found again.”
“I am not the rogue you are looking for,” I said.
“Are you not?” One of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose in question.
Tamping down the fear, I boldly asked, “What do you want?”
“Answers. But I will have them at my own sweet time.”
“As to why I rejected you?”
He let out a mock laugh, less boyish and more vicious. “Don’t kid yourself, Elea. I have been over the rejection a long time ago.”
“This is not the Crimson Moon pack house. Where are we?” I asked. I had been careful not to step into his territory for years, but it seemed like the Moon Goddess had different plans for me.
“I think you are mistaking our roles. I ask the questions, and you answer. Not the other way around. Is that clear?” he snapped.
I looked away, muttering, “Yes.”
He grabbed my jaw, forcing my gaze back on him. “Yes, what?” He seethed.
“Yes, Landon.”
In a flash, he twisted my arm at the back and pushed my body against the wall with his hot breath fanning my ears. “Try. Again.”
With each passing second, his grip tightened to the point I could barely take it. “Yes, Alpha,” I gritted out, knowing he would not settle for any less respect than he commanded.
His death grip loosened, still pinning me against the wall. “I see it will take quite some time to break you.” He chuckled and yanked me around by the shoulder. “Not that I would love any less of a challenge. Lucky for you, I have all the time in the world. So, let’s begin. How old is your kid?”
“Five,” I blurted out too fast.
He shook his head, levelling me with a look. “I am going to ask Liam, and if your answer does not match his, there will be consequences. Do you want to try again?”
“He is…he is going to be five. And…and…”
My words drowned when he pressed a finger to my lips and his other hand slapped on the wall beside my head, imprisoning me with his body.
“Elea,” his voice low and guttural, “…do you want to see your son again?”
I nodded. “Landon…I mean Alpha, please. Leave him be. Do whatever you want with me, beat me, torture me…let Liam go. Please, I beg of you.”
I knew what he was capable of, especially when the tables were turned. And if he was furious now, he would be livid if he found out about my previous identity and my association with my previous pack.
“Save your tears, woman. You will need them later.”
With that, he pushed away, putting a healthy distance between us.
“What do you want?” I asked, a little too desperate. “What the hell do you want?”
“Raise your voice again, and you will regret the day you were born.”
“Then kill me and get it over with,” I cried out.
“And miss all the fun? Hell no.” He was playing me, I knew. While the anticipation chewed me inside out, he relished watching me squirm under his mercy. “So this kid…is he…”
“Liam is innocent,” I stated. “Spare him, please.”
He cocked his head to the side. “How badly do you want him to be safe and sound?”
“Please…he is all I have. I’d do anything, please, Alpha.”
I knew I had lost already. The least I could do was keep Liam from harm, and for that end, I was ready to make any deal with the devil.
“Anything?” He challenged, almost amused.
“Don’t hurt my child.”
He shrugged a shoulder, turned to face me and crossed his arms. “Well, in that case, kneel.”
I froze. “What?”
“Did I stutter?”
A shiver ripped viciously down my spine. He was taunting me, trying to break my spirit knowing I’d protect Liam at any cost. He knew my Achilles’ Heel, and it was enough for him to win this war.
I swallowed back my pride, knowing I’d have to accept a thousand defeats before securing Liam. So, I slowly lowered myself on the floor as my knees crashed painfully into the cold floor and met his eyes.
Alpha Landon should know that he’d have to do a lot more to break me.
LANDON “Now, that’s a good girl,” I said, noting how she seethed from within at the condescending tone. In the shortest time I have seen her, I knew she hated being patronized. I smirked at that. “If only you were obedient enough to know that servants should not look at the Master directly unless permission is given. But since I am in a generous mood today, I’d allow this once. Next time, you will be punished accordingly.” Her amber irises glowed brightly like the sun and I could see her wolf was raging to take over. There was no way I would believe that this woman was anything less than an Alpha. My equal. But to have her admit her identity was another challenge I had stored for another day. “I am not your fuc—” she paused, swallowing. “I am not your servant.” “Good catch.” I smiled and then leaned down to grab her chin. “I have half a mind to drag you out of here and declare in front of my pack that you are the new slave, so little siren, don’t tempt me. My generosity will o
ELEA I was again being taken to another room, with my blindfold on, roughly being dragged to unknown hallways and three flights of stairs. I could sense that I was made to walk the same place twice because I caught a distinct scent several times, all thanks to my unique gift of Alpha genes. Our genetic characteristics were always superior to any other average shifters, giving us an edge over others. The idiot who was dutifully trudging me around had no idea that I was no ordinary rogue. I carried alpha genes in my veins, and it would probably take me a few good seconds to pin him down on the floor and beat the hell out of him. But I was no fool either. My energy was reserved for something better. After tedious long minutes of dwindling, I was delivered into a room and the blindfold was removed. “Liam!” I hollered, rushing over to the couch where my son happily played with noisy video games and whatnot. “Mama!” He screamed giddily, crashing into my arms. And everything in t
LANDONUnspoken emotions crackled like summer storms for the longest time until I slowly trained myself to breathe easier. As much as I would like to shift right now, to hunt, to maim and to kill, I knew I had to be somewhere. I have a son, a child who was such a splitting image as I was, I could not believe my eyes. My phone beeped with Alex’s message, informing me that my order had been well carried out and Liam was made comfortable in one of the guest rooms on the second floor. I looked down at the watch, knowing it would take Elea some time to be delivered to my room. And I could not tame the restlessness of seeing my boy. So, I headed down, marching towards the guest room and as soon as I cracked open the door, the boy turned around to face me. He was visibly strained for his age, with wide eyes looking over my shoulder, expecting his mother. And it broke my heart a little when he found out that I was alone. With a warm smile, I slowly approached and joined him on the couch.
LANDONLuke was no match for her wolf, I knew that. But she was proud, graceful and beautiful—just like her human. As soon as I intercepted her flawed escape plan and had her sedated by one of my trusted warriors, I handed Liam over to Alicia with strict instructions that no one enter his room apart from her.It was a little difficult to make Liam understand, all the more reason I avoided attacking Elea in front of Liam so that she could not pollute his mind any more than she already did. But Liam was smart enough to sense that he was being duped.Thankfully, Alicia was well-equipped to handle him. Soon, exhaustion and hunger consumed him. After his belly was full, the boy fell asleep.Striding back to my room, when I opened the door and saw her in the little bit of morning light that was streaming through the lace curtains, every rational thought slipped out. There was a certain sense of déjà vu having her in my bed after all these years. I took in her sleeping form, long cinnamon br
ELEAIf I could breathe fire, I would have burned down this whole bloody place to ashes. Instead, I was down on my knees and scrubbing a toilet. For Fate’s sake, I have Alpha blood running in my veins. I was most definitely not meant to clean a toilet. But I was not ready to give Landon the satisfaction to see me break. He had already humiliated me this morning once when he let the maid inside the bedroom after ripping off my clothes and rendering me naked to his eyes. So, I would not give him any more satisfaction than he already had. Flashback:The maid entered and her eyes fell on me, letting out an involuntary gasp. "Alpha, I am sorry, I can…I mean…come back later,” she said and, in an instant, turned around.Landon, as nonchalant as ever, said, “That won’t be necessary.”She nodded, flicking a glance at us as I struggled to cover myself with my hands. She strode across the room, gathering the tray and glass abandoned near the fireplace before bowing to him and advancing toward
ELEAI was growing impatient by the second. A day passed by, and I did not see Liam. Actually, I was not allowed to see Liam until the asshole thought he could trust me. And it was no easy feat to regain his trust after all that I had pulled. Looking back, I knew it was risky. But I should have known Landon was no fool. And now he was a man on a mission to make my life miserable. It was bad enough that I had deliberately hidden his son for years and denied him the identity of his heir, I had also rejected him and taken off. But five years ago, things were different. I could still endure his wrath and deal with his brutish behaviour as retribution for denying him, rather than letting him find out my identity. There was no idea I could tell him that I belonged to a pack he loathed his entire life, and that night was meant to be something else. Truth be told, my entire life changed the night I found out that I was pregnant. And deep down, I knew there was no going back. I was done b
ELEAAs much as I enjoyed spending time with Liam, his questions provoked some deep questions within me. Where will this end, I wondered. Now that Landon knew about Liam, will I ever be allowed to leave this place?And even if I manage to do that, maybe in years, Landon Knox would scorch Earth to find me. And his forgiveness would only be so much after all that had happened between us. Every moment in this place made me anxious and paranoid.After my time with Liam, I was delivered back to Landon’s room and was listed with detailed chores in his absence. Not wanting to go into another tussle, I began to clean and arrange the things in his bedroom as part of my duty. The man was fairly simple when it came to his things. He’d left most of the things uncovered, as if a man like him could hold no skeleton in his closet. But something caught my eye as I came near the chest of drawers. There was a decorative keyhole in the first drawer, far different than anything in the room, and out of
LANDONI shut the door and turned to face him. “Maximus. You are back early.”He has not changed in months in his absence from the pack. Almost as tall and muscular as me, my half-brother, Maximus, shared a few genes with our father. But all his charming looks were inherited from his mother, a woman my father met in a chance encounter. It took my mother years to forgive him, but she has always treated Maximus as her own. Bastard children were never welcomed in any pack and often destined to be rogues, but my mother, being the strongest Luna I knew of, made sure that the identity of Maximus remained hidden. It was not to protect my father from scandal but to protect him as a boy. Growing up, I had always known that he was a loyal friend and family. It was not until I found my wolf and shifted that I learnt of his identity. Even then, it did not make a difference to me. He was my brother, and he would always be. “Did I cause a little inconvenience for you?” he smirked, throwing hims