Back and Stronger: Alpha's Daughter
Chapter 82

“What about all the bodies?” Sophia wondered despairingly, turning to watch the front of the court building as they drove away in the Jeep.

The aftereffects of the battle that had ensued there was the most horrific sight, and though she suddenly wanted to go back to make sure Ailis got a proper burial, she was also glad that she was being taken away from having to deal with it.

“I left Rudy and Sam to take care of getting the bodies to the morgue, and from there their families can go to identify and claim them,” Neil informed her, placing his reassuring hand on her knee. “It’s a horrible task, but I trust them to be able to handle it.

Sophia watched until the bodies and the court building disappeared when Scott made the car turn down another road. Neil gave her a sad smile, knowing how terrible she felt, and felt him wrapping his arms around her right before he pulled her tightly against his side. She sidled up into him there, welcoming the protective warmth of him, and laid her head on his sturdy shoulder.

Leo was sitting on the other side next to her in the back of the car. Sophia reached out and took hold of his hand, hoping she could reassure him like Neil was doing for her. He gave her hand a squeeze, letting her know that he was alright.

Despite all the miserableness of everything that happened in the past two days, Sophia felt more content and hopeful than she’d felt in a very, very long time. She had the two men she loved most in this world on either side of her, and both of them were safe and uninjured.

She then looked to Connor in the passenger’s seat and also felt grateful that he’d only gotten shot in the thigh, which would heal quickly. And then her eyes met with Scott’s in the rearview mirror. She couldn’t actually see it, but she just knew that he was smiling at her as his eyes seemed to shine with the same gratitude that she felt. They were all safely together again, which had seemed to have been an impossibility only a few hours ago.

All of them were bloody, dirty, and reeking of sweat, but they were happier than ever. For a moment, everyone looked around at one another in silence, this same realization in every set of eyes inside the Jeep, also seeming to take this moment of appreciation of what they’d been through together and still made it out the other end in one piece. They took this moment to reflect, because what would come after this. All of them were faced with new challenges and uncertainties now.

The Lucian pack had just been split in the middle. They were officially at civil war now. Half of the military had defected after they had heard what happened, and sided with them, looking to Neil to lead them having had enough of Thorin’s tyranny. And so did the majority of the pack it seemed, but there were still too many that sided with their Alpha. A great number of his most vicious and loyal soldiers and council members had made sure that he was safely away from the growing resistance against him, but they were most likely planning their counterattack soon, and that was why they were in the car right now, and why they were driving to Vlad’s house.

Despite Sophia’s protests that they couldn’t trust him, Leo was insistent that they could. He had saved him and Bella from their father’s clutches, and had even said that if it wasn’t for Uncle Vlad’s help, that Bella would have been raped and tortured – or tortured more than she had already been.

She’d reluctantly conceded to his certainty that Thorin’s best friend was not on the Alpha’s side anymore. She wouldn’t have agreed on his insistence alone if it hadn’t been for what she’d overheard from the police car when they’d been ambushed in front of the house, as well as what Benson had told her. It all matched up, and it appeared as though Vlad truly had been concerned about what Thorin had become and was doing, and then called in some help from their neighboring pack. But that just presented another concern to her, for that ‘help’ had turned against them in the end.

Sophia didn’t know what to think, and certainly couldn’t come to any conclusion as to what Benson’s, nor Vlad’s intentions were, as both seemed to be good and bad at the same time.

She sighed in frustration, and felt a smidge of helplessness in there as well, but felt Neil’s arms tighten around her. He was a little uncertain too, she could feel it, but he was determined to do all they could do to replace Thorin and end his rule once and for all, but first, they needed to get their own side in order as well. They needed to be equipped and ready for the next phase of their fighting for the freedom of the Lucian pack to work. Soon.

For now, however, they needed to make sure everyone was safe and had what they needed to rest, re-evaluate, and prepare. Only then would they be able to strike back.

She’d heard when they’d discussed the next plan of action for everyone. They were certain that Thorin and his men wouldn’t risk an all-out attack immediately, especially not after the losses they had suffered today. They too would first establish a base, assess, try and get more supporters and strategize, which could take a week at the very least. So, to be safe, they had to take the week to do the same.

For that reason, they were taking Leo back to his Godfather with specific instructions to vacate as soon as possible – taking Leo and Bella with him – and go to one of three secret safe houses Neil and Scott had ready for whenever the proverbial shit would hit the fan, and it seemed that their preparedness for almost every scenario had paid off.

Vlad was to ensure Leo and Bella’s safety. Bella’s parents had been notified that she will be going into hiding for a while, and they’d sorrowfully agreed that it was the best thing for her right now.

After hugging Leo tightly to her, holding back a sob, she promised him that she would see him again within a week when everyone would rejoin at the safe house she and Neil were heading out to prepare for them. It was the biggest and most advantageously located safe house but the hardest to get to, apparently. Neil had said he would inform her later about the reason for that specific fact though.

She assured Leo that Scott and Connor would come to pick them up and bring him to her once they had prepared the third safe house and ensured that things were going smoothly there with the shifters that needed to live and train there for a while.

Sophia watched grief-stricken out of the car window as Leo ran up to Vlad and Bella, who had both been waiting for his arrival in front of his house. The tall and burly male locked eyes with her, and his usual contempt for her was gone. Instead, he was looking at her in a sincere way, a way that reminded her of a time she’d called him Uncle. His eyes spoke of regret and shame, and it was only then that she felt at peace with who she was leaving her brother with.

“He’ll be fine, baby,” Neil whispered against her ear as she settled back into his embrace.

The plan now was to go back to the apartment, and because it’s been compromised, they were going in weapons hot, and blazing if necessary, but they needed to pick up a few things there depending on what the soldiers did with the place after they’d entered yesterday looking for her.

Scott had said that they most likely had left after not replaceing her, as they had been Benson’s men, and he didn’t expect that they would have taken anything, or be waiting for them, but they had to be prepared for all possibilities.

After that, the plan was for her and Neil to go to their designated safe house, while Scott and Connor would start their journey to theirs. They were separating again, and Sophia didn’t like it, but she didn’t have one of those bad feelings about it either.

She knew that it was part of the strategy they’d put into place to provide safety and a place to prepare for those that had wanted to fight with them, against Thorin. They needed to be strong and ready when the time came, so it was necessary for them to go and take care of different tasks separately before they could safely reunite again.

Sophia pressed her face into his neck and took a deep lungful of Neil’s scent, letting the dew meadow freshness of him fill her. Though she had to discern it from the smell of violence and exertion masking it there after everything they’d just faced, she was still able to replace it underneath that mask and let it warm her heart. He seemed to do the same to her as she felt him take a whiff of his own from her hair at the top of her head.

She felt her toes curl at the sigh of satisfaction and pleasure he gave right after, as though she had the scent he needed to feel whole, as much as he had the scent she needed to feel complete as well.

“So, are you going to tell me where this mysterious safe house is that we are supposed to go to?” Sophia asked against his neck, letting her lips lightly caress him there as they moved.

She felt the shiver that went down his spine as if it went down her own, right before he answered with a smile in his voice. “Whale Island.”

She pulled back and lifted her face to him, her head tilted in question. “Whale Island of all places? Why? Nothing’s there.”

“For exactly that reason,” Neil said, smiling down at her confused expression. “The perception that it’s an isolated island with nothing there.”

“As much as I want to be on an island alone with you,” Sophia said coyly, placing her hand on his chest and leaning in close to him, she stopped just inches away from his mouth, smiling up at him when she felt his heartbeat quickening under her hand. “I need a hot long bath more, I think.”

He chuckled softly as his smile just grew wider. “That could be arranged, Miss Sophia,” Neil breathed hotly against her mouth as his hand came up to tuck a loose strand of hair from her face. “But only after I’ve given you the tour of our awesome underground base there.”

“Oh, hells yeah!” Connor hollered from the front, breaking the spell somewhat, as the guys started talking about all the good times they’ve had at this safe house that was surprisingly inside the island.

Sophia found herself becoming more and more curious and excited about going to this island as she listened to their tales. But she was mostly looking forward to finally having a chance to truly be alone with Neil for once.

Despite the nervous fluttering in her stomach at the daunting but exciting thought, Sophia prayed that the Goddess would have lifted the sun and moon curse from them by then so that they could truly be together this time.

No walls. No keeping at arm’s lengths. And definitely no flashbacks.