Alpha Loren novel Chapter 60

November 12th

The next morning was a good one. We awoke to the beautiful smell of pancakes- homemade by Rosa of course. Even Xander seemed happy as he came into the kitchen with Bella at his side.

A few hours later, Leo got a call and had to leave suddenly without offering any of us an explanation which was surprising since he had plenty of time to give Xander a graphic warning of what would happen if he tried anything whilst he was gone.

Xander and Bella were sat on the sofa when I came downstairs to get a glass of water, Xander with his arm around her.

"Hey, Bella," I said shortly.

"Hey, Ells," Bella replied.

"Hi Alpha Xander," I added through gritted teeth but he said nothing for a few minutes

Eventually, he spoke up, "Good morning, Luna."

Bella then nudged him and he took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for beating up your mate," he added. "And for any grief it caused you."

I smiled at how much pain it brought him to say it.

"That's okay, Alpha Xander," I replied. "I can see that he gave as good as he got."

He smiled shortly before turning away.

"But if you ever lay a finger on him again, you better sleep with one eye open," I added with a wink as Bella laughed.

Half an hour later, Luca came over.

"Good morning Lunarooni," Luca greeted as he made his entrance into the house.

"Thanks for knocking," I said sarcastically from the kitchen table.

"Anytime," he replied. "Now get your shoes and jacket kind Lady. Your escort has arrived."

I giggled, "Where are we going?"

"On a road trip," he said. "I have Leo's permission...on the off chance you are concerned about that."

"Come on dumbass," I said already halfway out the door, "Let's go."

As I sat in Luca's car with my feet on the dash, he kept turning on the seat warmer as discretely as possible

"Stop it!" I exclaimed as I unexpectedly felt my ass heat up for the third time.

I hated seat warmers.

You wanna know why?

Heat + ass = ass sweat.

And I hate ass sweat.

"Don't reveal your weaknesses to me, Ella," he said, "Did you learn nothing from growing up with a brother."

"Awwee," I said, my heart touched, "Do you see me as a sister?"

He smiled, "Of course I do," he said pinching my cheek.

"Well in that case, you should tell me Leo went earlier?" I asked.

"Not strictly supposed to tell you the exact details," Luca replied.

"I'll punch you in the balls again," I stated.

"Okay I'll tell you," he said putting his hands up sarcastically. "There was a rogue attack. Quite a few of them by the sounds of things. Probably thinking they'd strike whilst the pack is weak from the war. But it was stopped before too much damage was done."

"Too much?" he asked.

"Some civilians were killed," he said, "One woman was raped."

I light mood from earlier instantly vanished.

"That's awful," I said, "Is the woman alright?"

"Actually...that's why Leo wanted me to take you on a road trip. His soldiers are around her home now, clearing the bodies and ensuring it is safe but she has no family and she needs someone to comfort her. Leo thinks you'd do a far better job than his men."

Luca drove for some time before he pulled up infront of a small home within the trees.

There were half a dozen soldiers around outside. One of them was boarding up a window on the house, another carrying a large man-shaped object wrapped in rag and others looked as though they were on guard. 

Leo was stood waiting and opened the car door when Luca arrived.

"So you like to have purpose, I know that," Leo said, "You used to go to work and school and it's my fault that you are no longer doing those things so I found you something else to do that puts that big heart of yours to use."

I smiled, "You're giving me a job?"

"My people like you Ella," he said, "I can't deny that. I keep them in check and the pack running smoothly but you make them happy. And I want to use that to improve the pack without weakening it. It's the perfect compromise."

"So I take care of things you don't have the empathy to do?" I asked, "I comfort people?"

He nodded, "Yes and this woman needs you more than anything. She won't speak to me or any of my men. But I thought you stand a better chance?"

I nodded.

Just then one of his men approached Leo.

"We've found a survivor, Alpha," he said, "He could lead us back to whoever organised this but he won't speak."

"I'll sort him out," Leo said sincerely with a flash of fury in his eyes. "Ella, do your thing," he added before marching back towards his car and driving off.

"I wouldn't want to be that rogue right now. He was already in a bad mood," I said looking back at the soldier. "What will he do?"

"Our Alpha can be very creative. It would be impossible to guess," he said and I shuddered.

I then looked over his shoulder to the house. 

I took a deep breath before approaching the door.

I knocked but there was no answer.

"Hello," I asked.

Still no answer.

So I gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

I instantly heard whimpering coming from inside. I followed the sounds, treading lightly and slowly. 

It was a small house, one story and with only three rooms. 

I opened one of the doors and my eyes instantly fell to the ground where a young girl sat huddled in the corner, her knees against her chest and her eyes puffy with tears.

"I'm Ella," I said softly as I crouched a few metres from me, "What's your name?"

At first she said nothing but then I shuffled a little closer and she suddenly looked up.

"Please," she whispered.

Her eyes were rounded, large and green. Her skin fresh and youthful.

She was young. No older than me.

"I'm here to help," I promised, "It's just me. The soldiers are staying away and the rogues are gone."

She nodded but still hugged her legs tight.

"Can you tell me your name?" I asked again.

"Polly," she said in a hoarse voice.

I smiled, "It's nice to meet you," I said, "And I know things feel dark and lonely right now but they'll get better. I promise you."

She shook her head and tears broke free.

"I am alone, Ella," she said, "My entire pack are dead. I've lost my parents, my home, my friends. The world I live in is cruel."

I sighed, "May I sit with you?"

She nodded and I folded my legs and face her.

"You're the Luna, aren't you?" she asked, "I heard you arrive with the Alpha."

I nodded.

She looked incredibly nervous, "Is he still here?"

"No," I said, "...why?"

I noticed how her hands shook, "I'm terrified of him."

"I presume he is the reason your entire pack is passed?" I asked.

She nodded

"They killed them all," she said, "I had gone for a midnight walk and when I returned..."

She then fell into tears.

"The entire pack was burnt to the ground and their bodies piled up high," she sobbed, "They attack had passed. They took mercy on me and brought me back here. But I really wish they didn't."

My heart wrenched.

"I am so sorry for the misery my mate has brought you," I said.

She shook her head, "It's not your fault. And there's nothing any of us can do to change it."

"How old are you Polly?" I asked.

"Eighteen," she said.

"You have so many years ahead of you," I replied, "You will never forget the pain you feel now but you will heal and you will move on. And you are not alone. I am here and somewhere out there you still have a mate awaiting you."

I then took her hands, "But for now, is there anything I can do? Anything at all?"

She gave me a small smile.

"I have no job, no money, no way of getting food," she said, "I don't know anyone in this pack and I don't know anything about these people and how they live."

I nodded, "The finance is something I'll bring up with the Alpha. I know you see him as a cold unfeeling man and for the most part, he is. But I will be able to get him to sort something for you. An allowance or provisions and then when you are ready, we'll find you a job. I'll see if we can arrange moving you to a village too where there'll be a better standard of housing and you'll have friendly people around you. As for the pack, I'm new here too. But I can try my best. What do you want to know?"

She smiled, more wholeheartedly this time, "Thank you, Luna."

I sat with her for over an hour, telling her everything I knew about the pack.

She cheered up considerably and I persuaded her off the floor and to sit at the table whilst I made her a cup of tea.

She didn't want to talk much about her previous pack so I didn't probe and we mostly avoided talking about Leo too but she was interested to hear about the factions and the cafes and restaurants and life at the base.

By the time the tea was drunk, her tears had dried and the worried look on her face long gone. I had cast no magic spell and her pain was far from over yet but it was certainlt an improvement.

Just as we were going into a conversation about all the cute boys she'll meet when she moves to a village, Leo's car rolled back up outside the house.

Polly's eyes darted to the window where we saw him get out and slam the door angrily. He had a stone-cold expression on his face as he strode across the square to soldiers.

"Your mate is scary," she whispered to me.

"I know it's hard to believe, but I do believe he has a gentle side," I sighed, "I just haven't worked out how to peel away the anger and immorality to reach it."

"Do you think you can?" she asked.

"Well...I don't plan on either of us dying any time soon. And I don't give up. So if I can't, it's gonna be one hell of a long seventy years," I said with a grin.

We then heard his voice outside speaking to his soldiers.

"Didn't take many threats or much torturing to get him to speak," Leo said deeply to the soldier. 

"What did he tell you, Alpha?" the soldier asked.

Leo looked up to the house and saw Polly and I through the window.

"The entire army will be informed later," he said turning back to his soldier, "The civilians don't need to know."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

What have you gotten us into now Leonardo...

After I'd left Polly, Leo took me home.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Well," I said, "I feel like I helped her a lot. But no amount of kind words will be enough. She needs money and food and then a job. And I want to move her to a village where she can intergrate with the pack and make friends-"

"Woah, woah. Slow down," he said, "All this will be arranged. Relax."

"I should fucking think so," I replied, "It's the least you can do to her."

He sighed, "So she told you what happened to her pack."

"Yes she did," I replied, "And I am appalled. How many other wolves are there in this pack in her situation?"

"She survived because she was off their territory at the time. There aren't many who had that kind of luck."

"Why would you do it?" I asked.

"I wanted the land," he said with a shrug. "It's on the North coast and has good trade links."

"So why did you kill all the people?" I questioned. "Why was that necessary?"

"They put up a fight. They attacked my men with poisoned arrows and fireballs," he replied. "I had to show them-"

"By slaughtering them all!?" I snapped.

"Do you have to question everything I do?" he asked.

"When it is killing innocents, yes!" I shouted.

"Do not raise your voice at me, Ella," he said. "And they weren't fucking innocent."

"Does that really matter?!-"

"I'm not talking about this anymore," he interrupted. "Not another word, okay?"

I scowled and rested my head on the window, "Fuck you."

"Delightful," he replied.