บททั้งหมดของ In Service of the Alpha: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

Johnathan’s StoryThe boy ran through the forest, his footing sure and strong. At eight, he was already stronger and faster than most human adults, and almost the size of a grown man.He knew these woods better than he knew his own body, and he knew exactly where to step, where to jump, and where to duck.His lanky legs pumped like two pistons as he streaked through the forest, heading for his newest hiding place. He was sure Eli wouldn’t be able to find this one. And even if he did, the boy knew his big brother would never fit. They gave him just enough food to survive, but not so much that he could grow strong and big enough to fight. Johnathan’s mother very carefully monitored how much he ate, but sometimes he managed to sneak a little extra food.The kept him weak on purpose. They didn't want the pack to know how strong Johnathan was. The boy knew, but there was nothing he could do about it.“Johnny,” Eli called out in a sarcastic voice. “Come here little pup. You need to be corre

MaraDespite sleeping most of the day and half the night away, I have no trouble falling asleep. I only wake when a bell rings through the house. I found out yesterday that there are two different bells - one to wake the house, and one to summon everyone for breakfast.The waking bell is loud, shrieking like a fire alarm, and it's impossible to miss. I grunt and rub my hands over my face. My eyes feel swollen and my head fuzzy. I glance at the clock on my nightstand. It’s six. I vaguely hope that Johnathan relaxes the early waking hour over weekends. I can't imagine waking this early every single day.I stumble to the bathroom and go through my usual morning routine. Twenty minutes later, I am standing in front of my wardrobe, surveying the clothes I bought. Most of the items have long sleeves, but I did buy a few sundresses - mostly to please Rhoda, but now I’m glad that I listened to her.The light green dress brings out the colour of my eyes and only shows the vivd bruises on my a

JohnathanThe rest of the week passes smoothly. I can’t bring myself to tell Mara about that night I fled my pack, and she doesn’t ask any questions about it. I can't put it off forever, but I keep finding excuses not to do it.Within days, Mara settled into my routines, and upon my request joins me for meetings and discussions with the town's leaders. Despite Joshua’s job offer, I still want her to learn pack business and politics. When the time is right, she can decide for herself where she wants to be. Here with me, running the pack, or at the school, wrestling with the pups.Most of the day, she aimlessly wanders around the house, or I can find her in the garden, puttering around in the dirt. She found a little patch of land and asked me if she could plant some seeds.I agreed, although I have no idea what she planted. She’s happy out there by herself, and growing more confident by the day. She doesn’t care who sees her bruises anymore, although they have now faded to the point w

MaraAs I shower and get ready for supper, I realise that this will be my first weekend at Haven’s Crest. I’ve been here since Monday afternoon, and the week flew by in a blink and blur of activity.It amazes me how quickly I settled in and how comfortable I am. So much so that I plan to ask Johnathan if I can go into town tomorrow. I want to treat Rhoda to lunch. I haven’t seen her since they brought me here, and I want to thank her for all her help.There’s still a little money left on the card Johnathan gave me, and while I'm in town, I want to buy a swimsuit. The Alpha was right, I regretted not having one. I watched the father and son sliding down the smooth rocks, splashing into the deep, cold pools below, and I wished I could join them. Johnathan already saw my scars, and I think Gregory will just accept them the same way he accepted my bruises.I think I'll be okay if it's just the three of us.I saw a different side of Johnathan today. A playful, fun side. I saw a man who kn

JohnathanThe panic that rises up in Mara is palpable. Not that I blame the girl. I don’t feel much better about the whole mate issue and rushed mating ritual. We have another two weeks until the next full moon, and I did plan to ease Mara into it. If it weren’t for Douglas’s plea to mark his daughter still ringing loudly in my ears, I would have told the whole lot of them to go to hell.This is not the right way to do it. Mara is still terrified of me. There are moments, glimpses, when she lets her guard down and shows me her true strength. And then there are nights like tonight, when I snap at her and instead of fighting back, she pulls back into herself, shutting me out."Answer the girl," Felicity urges me. "Does she have to be marked tonight?"“Yes,” I finally say, wondering how much of my conversation with Mara's father I have to relay to her. “Your, uh, your father also requested that we do it as soon as possible.”“My- my dad?”“Yes.”“Why?”I look at Felicity who is regarding