Chapter 8 - Amalea

“Amalea, wake up.” I open my eyes to Jackson standing over me. “Good morning, sunshine,” he says cheerfully. I brought you some fresh clothes and things. “Alpha wants to see you.” I sit up groggily. “Is James back?”

“No,” he answers, handing me an outfit, some wet wipes, a hand mirror, and a brush, “but it’s good news, I think. The Alpha says this will all be settled finally.” I don’t share his optimism. “Settled” could mean a lot of things, and it worries me James isn’t here. My kids aren’t in Green River. They’d never go to Green River. They are in the cave. I know it, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him, to trust him. What worries me more is that he said he had a reliable source.

This smells like trouble. The Alpha wanted James gone for some reason, out of the way. He has already interrogated me numerous times, ordering me not to tell James successfully, so that’s not it unless he plans to take things further.

Each time he’s tried thus far, he’s forced his command on me, and