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79. Claim For Claim
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The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 80. Epilogue - One Year Later
Aella As I stand by the intricately carved crib, my heart swells with a love so fierce it feels like it could consume me whole. I look down at Aaron, our son, sleeping so peacefully in a cocoon of soft, moonlit blankets. His little fists are curled beside his cheek, and he has his father’s rebellious blonde hair and the beginning of my mismatched eyes. The room is filled with the comforting scent of lavender and freshly laundered baby clothes. The light from the nursery’s lamp washes over his tiny form, casting gentle shadows on his crib. I can’t help but think how profoundly my life has shifted in just two years. Nearly two years ago, I was a ball of defiance and fear, literally running through woods and brambles to escape an engagement my Alpha father had orchestrated with Roman. The irony is palpable. Roman was everything I thought I didn’t want, but ended up being everything I didn’t know I needed. I went from clawing at the idea of a life by his side to craving his touch, hi
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna The Beta's Burden
Kaden I’m sitting in my study, surrounded by the leather scent of old books and the muted light filtering through the heavy drapes. The room, once a sanctuary where I buried myself in work and pack matters, now feels like a cage. A trap. I flip through some documents on my desk but don’t really register what they say. My mind is a mess, a whirlwind of thoughts I can’t, and won’t, share with anyone. Especially not Roman. God, Roman. My brother, my closest friend. He seems so happy these days, so settled with Aella and their son. His life has taken a turn for the absolute best, and it stings. Not out of jealousy, I’m thrilled for him, but out of the sharp contrast it creates with my own concealed turmoil. I think about Elena, my wife. She’s beautiful, loving, and loyal to our pack. But she doesn’t know. She can’t know. The secret I’m holding is too damaging, too explosive. It would tear us apart, tear the pack apart. And so, I’ve distanced myself. Retreated into a shell to protect e
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 1. Arrangement
Aella21 Years Old / Alpha Heir(Pronunciation: Ay-lah)The door to my father’s office creaks open, the sound warning me that my life is about to change. The study is a warm space filled with dark wooden bookshelves that reach towards the ceiling like ancient trees. The room smells of aged leather and paper; a scent I’ve always associated with wisdom and guidance.Usually, being summoned here means I’m in for a new learning experience with my father since I am his only Alpha heir. Maybe a discussion about pack politics or perhaps a lesson on the importance of our history. Today though, the air feels different—dense.My eyes catch sight of a stack of formal papers neatly arranged on my father’s mahogany desk. Official pack seal… That can’t be good.“Aella, come in,” Father’s voice reverberates from behind the desk, where he sits with his usual composed demeanor. He’s Alpha and Capo of Chicago; an Italian mafia sect that controls the city.“You wanted to see me, Father?” I say, moving c
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 2. Sacrificial Lamb
AellaI shut my bedroom door behind me, leaning against it as if it could barricade me from the life my father had just dictated for me. The room, once my sanctuary, now feels like a cage—luxurious but suffocating. My eyes scan the plush carpet, the ornate dresser filled with knick-knacks and makeup, and the lavish canopy bed. All these luxuries, yet I feel like a bird in a gilded cage.With shaking hands, I grab my phone from the nightstand and dial my best friend, Lily’s, number on a secured line reserved for our pack. She’s the youngest daughter of my father’s Beta and the only one I trust.She picks up after the second ring. “Aella, hey! What's up?” Her voice, always full of optimism, has never sounded so different to me.“Lily, I can’t… I don’t even know how to say this! He’s making choices for me and setting me… He’s setting me…” My voice wobbles, and I’m disgusted with myself for it. I’m a future Alpha, for heaven’s sake; I should be stronger than this!“Whoa, slow down. Wha
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 3. Expectations Outweigh Needs
AellaMy father’s limousine pulls up, sleek and black, designed to impress. He glances at me, an unspoken order in his eyes: Smile. I don’t need to be told; I’ve played this game many times before. There’s a time to charm, a time to foster good relations and a time to throw it all to the wayside. Alphas don’t show their weakness; they can’t.So, putting on a smile for show, I get out with my father at my side and walk inside to meet the vultures. Marcus, Lily’s eldest brother and my guard, walks next to me as a silent watchman.This is supposed to be one of the most important moments of my life. The grand hall of our pack mansion is so elaborately decorated, it could rival a royal wedding. Crystal chandeliers glisten above, casting warm light on fresh flowers and flowing drapes. I should be lost in the splendor of it all, but instead, my senses are dulled. My heart feels heavy in my chest.I’m not here because I want to be, but because I have to be. The man I am to marry will not be
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 4. Broken Link
Aella My room feels different tonight, like it’s aware of the secrets it’s holding. The house is quiet, not even the creak of a floorboard or the distant murmurs of nocturnal pack members going about their business. It’s as though even the walls are holding their breath, complicit in my defiance and aware of my plans. The moon is my only companion, casting a pale glow through the curtains and onto the floor.It has been three weeks since I started hatching this plan, and now I am putting it in place.Moving carefully, I pull the hidden duffel bag from the depths of my closet and start to refill it with essentials—a change of clothes, some toiletries, and a few snacks. I reach under my bed and pull out a hidden stash of cash I’d been saving for emergencies. This feels like an emergency. Shoving the cash into a small purse, I place it next to a knife in the bag. The cold steel feels heavy in my hand before I let it go, a grim promise of the threats that lie ahead in the world I’m s
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 5. The Only Choice She Never Had
AellaMy escape from the pack feels like a dream, a vivid haze of adrenaline and fear. After three days on a bus with strangers, none the wiser about my origins or my destination, I find myself in Seattle. The city greets me with its iconic skyline, each building a monument to human ingenuity and defiance. For a moment, as the bus nears its final stop, I marvel at how different this concrete jungle is from the natural terrains of my previous life.As I disembark, I pull my hood over my face to ensure that I remain anonymous. The sheer amount of smells in the atmosphere is causing my wolf senses to be overwhelmed, with a blend of gasoline and grease, as well as the sea-salted air. My eyes catch on a grunge band poster, its vibrant colors a contrast to the dull grays and browns of my old world. This is not just another chapter in my life; it’s an entirely different book.I head straight to the hotel I had booked two days prior. The lobby is nondescript, a mix of burnt amber and creams
The Alpha's Bounty: His Runaway Luna 6. A Latte, And Your Name
AellaLife has a way of becoming mundane, a dull routine of getting up, going to work and coming back home. Two years since my escape, two years since I severed all ties with my past, with the responsibilities that once threatened to suffocate me. Now, I live in a small town far away from my pack, my family, and most importantly, from Roman, the man who believed he owned me just because he is an Alpha.Each day bleeds into the next, a swirl of lattes, bagels, and forced smiles. I work at “The Corner Café,” a place small enough that it’s never crowded but just popular enough to keep afloat. I made one friend, Sam, at the cafe where I work. He’s a gorgeous Greek God of a man who also happens to be exceptionally gay, much to some of the female patrons’ dismay.But no one knows me here, not really. They know my face, my voice, even my schedule. But not me—not Aella. And I prefer it that way.I still look over my shoulder everyday, though; I haven’t let my guard down at all. When I walk
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