The Alpha’s Heir
Chapter 17

*** Eva ***

Waking up in my own bed in my own room with Summer and Aiden makes up for the fact that my whole body aches and pulses. It’s like an electric current is charging through all my nerve endings. Yesterday was a lot harder than anything else I have had to endure so far. Although I knew hearing Rose’s confessions would be difficult, I had been naïve in thinking that she may be remorseful for everything she had done.

Even though my body is in pain, I feel lighter and at peace with what has happened. It isn’t nice, it certainly isn’t pretty, but the truth is a healer and I’m sure once the physical toll eases, I will be ready to move away from that part of my life.

Lina has been incredibly quiet since last night. She cried for Roman, and he didn’t let us down. The way he nuzzled me, comforted me, and accepted every part of both Lina and I was overwhelming. I am eager to have Lina and Roman finally meet and mate too. But first, I have a little one to grow in my tummy. I whisper to my tiny bump that’s hardly even visible yet, though I know my baby is growing strong inside me. I stroke my tummy, hoping that my baby knows how loved and wanted they are.

“How are you doing in there, my little pup? Mummy is so sorry if you felt any pain yesterday. Hopefully, that’s the worst of it all over and done with. We are all looking forward to meeting you and for you to join our family. I love you, little one, please hold on tight in there.”

Tears sting my eyes; I love Summer and my new baby so much that I cannot comprehend how my own mother could feel the way she does about me. I could never ever treat my children that way. I would never conduct myself in such a lowly manner. A part of my healing has been the realisation that Rose is damaged. This all stemmed from her actions, and I can move on now, safe in the knowledge that no matter what I did, even if I had managed to be the most perfect daughter in the world, Rose would still have behaved the same because that’s who she is.

It is a relief that I will never have to see her again. I can’t have her in my life, not when I have a daughter who will be learning what it is to be a strong, principled woman from me.

“Hey, baby, you’re awake.” I turn towards Aiden’s voice. He looks exhausted too, still absolutely gorgeous but tired and wary. His black hair flops down and the urge to run my fingers through it overcomes me.

“I am, but you should try and get more sleep, you look tired.” He leans up and k!sses me on my head as I reply to him. “I need to go to the toilet and replace a hot water bottle or something. My whole body aches.”

Aiden will not hear of it. He tells me to go to the toilet while he organises everything and, sure enough, once I pee and freshen up, I return to the bedroom and Aiden has summoned hot water bottles, hot tea, aspirin, and a couple of bottles of massage oil.

“Don’t worry,” he reassures me. “These oils are recommended by the doctor herself for expectant mothers. I know you are probably too sore and tired right now, but I’d love to give you a massage later.” My heart fills with joy. It’s been the crappiest time, but with Aiden by my side, I know we can weather any storm. We are solid and the future is bright for us.

“I love you.” It’s a sweet and simple statement but it’s true, and there was nothing more romantic than honesty.

“I love you too, and now you’re out of your cell, you have my mark and you’re carrying my pup… when are you going to make a happy and honest man out of me?” I am eager to make us official too.

“Soon, really soon. I promise.” As the warmth from the hot water bottles seeps through my skin and deep into my bones, my eyelids start to droop again. But before I fall asleep, there is one more thing I must do. “Could you pass me the phone please, Aiden? I need to make one last call so I can move on to the present and future with you.”

Aiden passes the phone to me and looks at me with concern. “Don’t overdo it,” he warns me.

“I won’t, this shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.” I tap my phone and pull up Luke’s phone number. I take a deep breath and puff out my chest before dialling. It rings twice before he answers. “Hi, is that Luke? It’s Eva Smith-Jones.”

*** Junior ***

Gr0aning as I wake up in a cold, dark and damp room, I replace I am completely naked and all four of my limbs are bound with rope, which stretches and pulls them tightly. My mouth is gagged.

I hear the men call for someone. “Mrs Morales, he’s waking up.” My bowels turn to ice water. The Mafia have caught me. I am surely about to be tortured to my eventual death and, despite my posturing, I am terrified of what Salma Morales is capable of.

“It’s nice of you to finally join us, Junior.” I try to plead with her, but the gag prevents me so all that echoes around the stark room is my muffled m0ans. “Shhh. You’re going to listen while I talk.” Her cold and controlled demeanour scares me more than if she were to shout and threaten me.

She stands in front of my naked body with her hands behind her back and looks me up and down.

“I must say I can see why Dominga was attracted to you. You have a decent body, and your c0ck is thick and long… did you know how to use it?”

Under her hard stare, my c0ck seems to shrivel and invert.

She smiles as she looks away for a moment. “Karl here thought we should cut your d**k off and make you eat it.” Another man laughs in the background. “After all, you took away something that was precious and sacred to me, and the saying is an eye for an eye, isn’t it?”

I shake my head and m0an continually at her as much as I can through the gag. Not my c0ck! Anything but my c0ck, for f***s sake. Tears begin to sting my eyes. I’m in all this sh!t and it’s way over my head.

“Oh, don’t worry, I ruled that one out. It’s not final enough and a bit too messy for my liking.” With her arms still behind her back she paces in front of me. “Now Willy thought you might have loved Dominga, and your new mate was right. Dominga is dead, her body is on a slab in my private mortuary, so we thought we could have baked her into a pie for you. A nice, big, juicy Dominga pie. What do you think? Do you fancy a bit of that?”

I shake my head furiously at her, no. No, NO, NO! I don’t want to eat Dominga. Pain twists in my gut. I can’t believe Dominga is dead, she can’t be. I don’t want to believe it.

“Oh, yes. She’s dead, and to prove that I only tell the truth, I brought you something to confirm it.” She nods her head, and two burly men walk into the room, pushing a serving trolley between them. They lift the large silver dome cover from the top of the trolley and Dominga’s bloody head sits there.

Bile rushes up from my stomach, burning my throat, but the gag prevents its exit and so, I have to choke it back down.

“I usually pull every fingernail and toenail out on the people who slight me. I once even pulled someone’s teeth, but I’m not going near your mouth after you just puked up. My other favourite thing to do is to cut off people’s eyelids and then they have no option but to watch as I end the world they live in. That would be appropriate, seeing as you ended the world I lived in when you killed my papa.”

I cry out, and my knees buckle. The thought of losing my eyelids is grotesque. I need to talk this out with Salma, but she won’t let me talk. Panic and fear fill my entire being. There is no way out. I am overwhelmed with terror and Salma’s self-controlled, cool as a cucumber façade is frightening the living daylights out of me.

“I could have granted you a quick death, a bullet right between the eyes just like that backstabbing wh0re, but you don’t deserve the dignity and swiftness of relief that would give you.”

Right now, I would give anything for a quick death. I don’t want to plead for my life. I just want this to end soon. I can’t take much more.

“I could have given you a drawn-out death. Scaphism… I’ve always wanted to do it but it’s so messy and time-consuming. Hung-drawn-and-quartered… I didn’t want so many people being able to take credit for killing you. I want that pleasure all for myself.”

A small grin spreads across her face at that anecdote, marking one of the only times she has shown any emotion in front of me.

“The newest torture I’ve found is the Spanish Donkey… you’d love it. It’s a large triangular shape that your victim sits on like they are riding a horse or a donkey. But it has razor sharp edges, you would have your legs tied up and they would slowly be pulled, forcing your body to completely split in half.”

Her eyes light up and I thrash my body about as hard as I can to try and escape. I don’t want to be slowly split in half. I’m crying and trying to plead. It’s all futile as there is no escape for me now.

“You killed my papa. And now I want you to know that I am going to kill you, but I am going to do this my way. I am the Donna here now, and men like you have been oppressing women like me for years. Telling us we aren’t good enough, or we aren’t able, or that you are superior. Forcing us into marriages because we are told we cannot do it because the Mafia is a man’s world, and I am just a girl.”

The hair stands up at the back of my neck and my skin puckers into goose pimples. I get the overwhelming urge to defecate, so great is the fear building inside me.

“Well, look at this girl. Look at me. It’s my turn to conquer the world and I am going to start with you.”

*** Amber ***

This is not the outcome I have been anticipating. The more I discovered about Nikki, the more convinced I had become that I am going to rip her throat out. She went after MY mate. She tried to hurt me through the sacred bond I have with Preston. She promised to destroy me. She made this personal against me. And I get it. I truly get it. I killed her mate.

Everything changes the moment I see her pleading desperately for her unborn child’s safety, as Junior, the f*****g big bully, pins her to the wall by her throat. She is just as broken and fvcked up as I am, except I have my family, and most importantly, I still have my mate and the promise of our pups to come. She has nothing left.

I am not a cold-blooded killer. I didn’t kill her mate in a premeditated or targeted attack. There hasn’t been a day and night when I haven’t thought about the man whose life I snuffed out when I responded to what I thought was the second abduction of my brother and Alpha. The weight of my sword as it connected with the junction between his neck and shoulder still wakes me during the night. The sight of his open body will haunt me until my dying day.

So, as this broken, bedraggled woman accuses me of destroying her life, I do the right thing. I hold my hands up and apologise, because ultimately, I did. I didn’t intend on doing it, I didn’t set out with that objective, but nevertheless, that is what had happened. I killed her mate and her hopes and dreams with him.

I don’t expect her to accept my apology. If I am being truthful, I wouldn’t. I probably would kill her on sight if our roles were reversed. But she does accept it and my own guilt and discomfort ease when she does.

I’m not completely naïve. I know what Nikki is capable of and so to prevent her escaping, I cuff her to me and give her the same serum she injected into Gamma Max. It is only a tiny dose, but it is enough to subdue her wolf and mage powers until I get her back to the Onyx Moon and hand her over to my brother and Alpha Xavier.

We travel in silence for a short distance before Nikki turns to me, concern lining her face. “Is that woman going to kill Junior?” Without much thought, I give a short nod to her question, and she loses all control. “Let me out! I have to help him. I can save him; I don’t want him to die. Not again.”

Her gut-wrenching screams fill the car, and it takes all my might to hold her down as she thrashes against me, the car door, and the seats. I panic when I hear my arm snap. It’ll heal fast enough but it will make holding Nikki a bit more tiresome.

“It’s too late. Nikki, stop. It’s already too late. The Mafia have him and he’s done some serious sh!t, including killing a powerful Spanish Don and critically injuring a human, causing her to miscarry her baby. He made threats against his sister and tried to hurt her daughter. He’s got no chance of surviving tonight, Nikki. I’m sorry, but you seriously cannot want to be mistreated by him for the rest of your life?”

Her shoulders shake as she inconsolably sobs into my chest. “You should have just killed me. I don’t think I can survive another dead mate. I can’t go through that pain again.”

Onyx River can be seen in the near distance, so I periodically try to mindlink Preston to get back up to help me, hoping we are close enough for me to reach him, but there is no reply. I know he is helping Aiden and Eva today with Eva’s mother and therapy, but I thought he would be finished by now.

I try Aiden but he blocks me. Not now, Amber. Try Billy.

So, I mindlink Delta Billy, who arranges a Delta contingent to meet the car. “Be gentle with her, she might be pregnant. Can you get Alpha Xavier and Luna Lydia here, please? I need to discuss something with them. Tell them we will be in the hospital.”

We enter the hospital and the first person I see is Gamma Max. “What the f**k is she doing here?” he growls at me.

“She’s my prisoner and she has been assaulted and needs to be seen. We’ll stay on this side. Go back to your mate, Gamma.” I try to use my authority as Lieutenant, but Max’s anger overrides me. He is riled and his back is up.

“I’m not happy about this, Lieutenant. I don’t want her here. Make sure she stays away from my mate.”

He walks away, leaving me under no illusions of how hard my task will be to get them to spare Nikki’s life, a life she now no longer wants. For f***s sake.

Nikki continually whimpers and cries, and her thin and emaciated body trembles. By the time Alpha Xavier and Luna Lydia arrive, she is talking manically and incoherently to herself too.

“Lieutenant Amber, please call the Council and tell them she is here. She isn’t our problem anymore,” Alpha Xavier instructs me.

“I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that. Please, sit down and I’ll tell you everything I know.” And so, I explain to them how Nikki and Junior had mated and marked each other, that the Mafia had caught their son and that Nikki is highly likely to be carrying his pup.

By the end of my telling, Luna Lydia looks ashen and has to sit down and Alpha Xavier holds his hand in his hands. “My son isn’t coming home, is he?” Uncomfortably, I confirm that Junior is as good as dead now.

“Is all this true, Nikki? Did you and Junior mate and mark each other? Could you be pregnant with his pup?” Through her nonsensical ramblings, she confirms what I have told the Woodwards.

“I know this is a difficult time for you, but if she is pregnant, that is your grandpup.” Lydia processes the thought before Xavier has a chance to absorb the information.

“X, this is our grandpup. X, say something please.” They look at each other as they mindlink and I shift awkwardly like a voyeur in their private moment.

“I would like for Nikki to have a scan to confirm there is indeed a pup. We will decide from there what will happen,” Alpha Xavier requests and so, I quickly locate the nurses and tell them this is urgent, and they quickly arrange the staff and equipment.

Twenty minutes later, I sit at the side of Nikki, and I am stunned into silence when the nurse confirms not only is Nikki pregnant, but she is also expecting twins.

Nikki smiled at the grainy black and white image on the screen. “My family,” she whispers gently as she reaches out at the screen. For the first time since she arrived here, she appears settled and rational.

The calm doesn’t last very long. Alpha Xavier promises to keep Nikki safe until her twins are delivered and then she will come to us to reverse her curse. Before we can complete a b***d promise, Nikki begins screaming. A high pitched, b***d-curdling howl of pain, something I have never heard before.

Nikki writhes in agony, clutching her chest. Perspiration beads her forehead before eventually drenching her whole body. She howls like a wild animal and the sound echoes all around the hospital, attracting the attention of other patients and staff.

Lydia cries too, obviously realising this is the pain of the bond breaking. Nikki feels everything her mate is. When the emptiness and pain of the broken bond hit, it leaves her a shell of a person. She rocks back and forth, her eyes large, glassy, vacant orbs. Nikki’s mind has completely broken. She lies on the hospital bed, catatonic. The only sign of life is her occasional whimpers of pain.

Junior must be dead.

*** Salma ***

Patience is not a virtue I am blessed with, but today I can wait. I will wait until that piece of sh!t wakes up before I kill him. I have visualised this moment many times since I found out Junior Woodward is responsible for killing my papa.

We bring him to the docks and to the same warehouse his lover died in. I inject him with wolfsbane, which eradicates any risk his wolf poses and stops his superhuman abilities such as speed, strength, and fast healing. We are now evenly matched and that makes me feel even more powerful.

I have fantasised about slowly torturing him until he squeals like a pig for his mami. I dream of a nice clean gunshot to his head. None of them seem appropriate and it takes a while to figure out that it doesn’t matter how he dies. It won’t bring my papa back.

My heart will remain broken for him. It shattered my heart into a million pieces that he took my papa away in such a way. I don’t think my heart will ever feel whole again without him, but taking vengeance for him will allow me to move on in the knowledge that I made the culprit pay.

So, after I mind f**k him a little bit, I get down to business. I want to get back to Ale. I want my ice-cream.

I walk towards him with my hands behind my back, relishing the small, childish whimpers that emit from him. “Well, look how times change. You are here at my mercy, and I am the Donna of the biggest firm in Britain. My papa’s legacy lives on, whereas yours ends right here, right now.”

His unclear protests continue to echo about the room.

“Carry on interrupting me and I will draw this out, Junior. You attempted to hurt Summer. You seriously hurt my friend, causing her the unimaginable pain of losing her baby. You have threatened my best friend, your own sister. All of these things are the reason why I want to hurt and humiliate you.”

I stop in front of him and look him dead in the eyes, the same eyes as my best friend, and my heart twists in pain.

“You broke my heart when you killed my papa. Now, I’m going to take yours.” From my belt, behind my back, I take out the dagger gifted to me by Amber and plunge it into Junior’s chest right up to the hilt. Warm b***d covers my hand as I twist the dagger and drag it down, separating his bre*astbone.

The life drains from him, but I am not finished. I pull the offending dagger out of his chest, passing it to one of my men. Then I force my hand into Junior’s chest, clutching on to his heart and yank it out of his body. Junior makes a horrible gurgling noise before dropping dead on the spot. I throw his heart on the floor and stomp on it and confidently walk away from him.

“Can you guys clean this up, please? I’m going back to see Alejandro so I can share my ice-cream with him.”

*** Aiden ***

Eva dials the number for the boy she was supposed to go on a date with all of those years ago. A twinge of jealousy flares inside me but I quickly dispel it. Eva is mine, her heart belongs to me. This is nothing more than her settling the past for our collective future.

I wink at her, noticing her nerves and wanting to reassure her.

“Hello, is that Luke? Hi, it’s Eva. Thank you for taking my call.”

I put a thumb up to her and she returns it with a small smile on her face. She will shout for me if she needs me. I return briefly to my Alpha duties that have been neglected for far too long, but I can still hear Eva’s conversation.

“I wanted to call you because I found out recently that… that it was you who asked me on a date and not Ryan. He told me that you had set us up, I got a text from you and everything saying you thought we would be great together.”

I can hear her making agreeing noises back to the inaudible voice coming from the phone.

“Yes, I know. Why didn’t you tell me? I did? I mean, well yeah, I suppose. I got Summer from it, and she is one of the best things to ever happen to me. No, I’m sorry too. I hope you’re happy, Luke. Yes, I have, I’m really, really happy, and incredibly lucky. Aiden… he’s amazing and we’re expecting a baby. All the best to you too, Luke. Bye.”

A warm feeling spread throughout my chest. I pop my head back into the living room and watch my girl as she watches television and laughs at the terrible jokes. “Are you feeling better, Shortie?”

Her eyes regard me with the remnants of her smile still there. “The best. I am finally free.” Those little words set my heart alight. Eva’s pain used to restrict us. I didn’t realise how much it weighed on her, and therefore us, until it was gone. My girl had been similar to a fish stuck on a fishing line. Her therapy has allowed her to be thrown back into the sea, free to swim and live and, most importantly, love again.

“Good. Now we concentrate on your pregnancy and our Mating Ceremony and on us.” My c0ck stiffens in reaction to the scent of her ar0usal which fills the room. Summer is still asleep in our bed, and I have been summoned to the hospital by my sister, and whatever happened overnight does not sound pleasant.

I have also had an irate Max asking me if Melanie could continue to recuperate in the packhouse instead of the hospital. I have no idea what the issue is, but sooner or later, I am going to flip out if things do not start to calm down and fast. No one can accuse us of having a boring start to our relationship, that’s for sure!

“Lina is very happy and content. She has to wait until after our pup is born but she is finally ready to reveal herself to Roman so they can mate and mark each other too. His support last night sealed it for her, she adores him as much as I do now.”

Too right she does, I’m a catch! Watch out, human, they’ll both be fighting for me. Roman, the cheeky scoundrel laughs as I grumble.

Eva sits looking at me, biting her bottom l*p, with a hint of a grin. “You know we love you too, Alpha. I cannot resist you.” Where has my little shy and timid mate gone? The strong and fierce warrior in front of me, with her teasing and flirting, is the same girl I fell in love with, but now she has shown me the strength she always had inside her. She isn’t strengthened by the suffering; she endured because she is strong. She always had that strength within her.

I sweep her up and k!ss her, I want nothing more than a week in bed with my precious love, but her tummy rumbles and then Summer runs in. “To be continued,” I tell her and her eyes flash as she m0ans a little, clenching involuntarily as she does. I love the way she reacts to me. Every touch is exquisite and leaves me craving more and I know she feels the same.

“Mummy! Daddy!” Our little girl shouts to us, bounding into Eva’s arms. I know it’s been hard for them to be separated by bars. All they had was each other for such a long time. It’s good to see them able to hug one another without a barrier in the way.

“What would you like to do on your first day of freedom?” I am hoping I get to tease her some more but from the expression on her face, I can tell she already has some ideas.

“I need to get both Summer and I something nice to wear for Amber and Preston’s Mating Ceremony and I was hoping we could stop by the hospital to visit Melanie and Alejandro.” A pink blush covers her cheeks as she looks down timidly. Goddess above, she is so f*****g hot! “I also hoped with you being the Alpha and all, you could arrange for us to have a scan so we can check that everything is okay with the baby?”

I pull her back to me, k!ssing her on the temple. “Whatever my Luna wants, my Luna will surely have. I will call them straight away. I can’t wait to see our little pup.” I am such a lucky man. I can hardly believe this is my life.

While Eva calls the seamstress and the hairdresser, I mindlink Max. He is already moving Melanie’s stuff to his apartment. She is not staying in that hospital while that creature is there, Alpha. I’m sorry, but no. My mate’s mental health is more important, and this could knock her right back.

I am perplexed. Is he referring to Alejandro? Mr Suarez is there as my esteemed guest; you will mind your tongue and show him the respect his station commands, Gamma.

I physically feel Max’s confusion. Alpha, I wasn’t talking about Mr Suarez, I was talking about the Mage that has been screeching like a banshee all night long. Nikki is in your hospital right now. And after her involvement in Melanie’s accident, I cannot keep her here. I don’t want to.

Nikki is in my hospital? Am I hearing this right? I quickly organise help for Max to move Melanie into his apartment, while also hoping Max has cleared this with Melanie.

I then call the hospital manager. First, I arrange for Eva to be assessed and scanned, and then I enquire about Nikki.

“She was brought in last night by Lieutenant Amber. She’s dying, Alpha.”

I need to talk to Amber, and I growl in frustration. There is never a settled moment. Not even just a little five minutes to exhale and bask in the last triumph before something else starts up. It’s only going to increase now that I have agreed to be Alpha over the Moon Stone too.

It’s a surprise to replace Alpha Xavier and Luna Lydia are at my hospital when I arrive. Is there any fvcker not in my hospital right now?

I need to get my ducks in line. My duties have been neglected for long enough. I need to take back control and be the Alpha I was born to be and, with my new Luna at my side, nothing will tear me down.

*** Xavier ***

My son is dead and although he was difficult and idiotic, my heart is destroyed thinking of the little boy I helped learn to ride a bike and of the young man I encouraged through his first shift. The tiny baby I cradled in my arms moments after he entered the world.

There is no doubt in my mind that he is dead. His new mate’s suffering confirms what we suspect and, despite the trouble she has caused, I am devastated that she is having to endure another bond breaking because of the untimely death of her mate, especially now she is carrying his pups.

Twins. The last set of twins born into my family were my younger sisters. The only thing that seems to be keeping my Lydia going at the moment is the thought of Junior’s pups, the future generation. She wants to move Nikki in with us so we can help her raise the babies, but Nikki has not coped with the breaking of the second mate bond in such a short period of time. The healers say she is dying and not even the promise of her babies can save her. Her heart and soul are irreparably damaged, and Nikki is already starting to fade.

“We can try to keep her comfortable and alive until her babies are born, but there are no guarantees she’ll make it to a viable gestation.” Despite the doctor’s warning, we have to try. These little pups are all we have left of our son, and they now represent our hope for the future. I don’t know if Lydia will survive without this.

“I know now isn’t a good time, but we need to keep her under guard, she won’t be able to break her curse on our pack until after she’s had her babies. By then, it might be too late and we would have to complete the only other ritual that would break the curse.” Amber squirms uncomfortably as she explains. I know she doesn’t like having to discuss this as Nikki slowly and painfully fades from this life.

I decide to request a meeting with Aiden and my daughter to discuss all our replaceings and to finally combine the packs. I can’t do this anymore. My heart can’t take much more of it.

Luckily, Aiden has finally been briefed on what has been going on while he has been caring for my daughter and is ready to get the ball moving as soon as possible.

By the end of this week, I hope to relinquish my position and concentrate on rebuilding some sort of ordinary world for me, my mate and hopefully the grandpups that will come to us.