The Alpha's Heart

by Nana Adu

  My eyes scan the room for Noah but to no avail.

  He's still busy I guess.

  Alyssa and I make small talk as I explain to her about my room. Others members trickle in as dinner time approaches.

  The table fills up around us quickly as some shoot glances my way. My hands tremble in my lap.

  "Are you ok?" Alyssa ask, tilting her head at me.

  No.

  "Yeah, I guess I'm just hungry."

  The looming eyes of the pack watch me, whispering and laughing. They already look like they don't like me.

  What if they don't want me to be a part of their home?

  My heart pounds in my chest as the food comes around the table.

  They continue to eye me and the tremble in my body grows stronger.

  Would they kick me out? Would I be forced to go back? If enough people want me gone, would Noah kick me out?

  "Hey, Eliana, you ok?" I flinch as Alyssa's hand grazes my shoulder. I send her a shaky smile, letting it fade as I turn away from her.

  What if they're not as nice as Alyssa? I'm a wolf who has been hidden in shadows my whole life, how can I impress these people? Where do I start?

  I swallow and the hairs on my skin rise.

  The air around me becomes suffocating and hot.

  Noah walks in the room. His eyes meet mine and I slip a small smile onto my face.

  What if I disappoint him too?

  CHAPTER 12

  Eliana POV

  "...she's my mate and soon to be your Luna. Treat her nice for me." Noah finishes his toast. I put a smile on staring at him from my seat across the table.

  My heart drops, as Noah sits down and the pack cheers.

  Luna.

  The thought hadn't even crossed my mind.

  My fork stabs into the beef and I shove it in my mouth.

  The pack members speak among themselves, Noah with his beta and others and Alyssa with some women. My eyes stay trained down on my plate.

  I was sure I was going to enjoy this a lot more than this. I continue to munch on the food, as no real taste registers.

  Being around others and having to adapt is something I never did. Or had to do. If anything, I was insulted and treated like shit, but that made everything clear.

  I didn't expect anything from my old pack. I knew how our interactions would go.

  Here I'm like a new-born cub.

  "Hey, I'm Kate." One member sneaks up behind my seat, introducing herself to me.

  I nod, unsure what to say. She already knows my name.

  She nods back and goes back to where she sat.

  I internally facepalm. I should've said something, I could've asked her anything.

  Dinner wraps up soon after and I wave to Alyssa as turn, heading upstairs.

  I ruined it for myself. I wish I had tried to talk to everyone, or even Noah. I just sat there.

  I'll try again tomo-

  "How is she supposed to be our Luna?" A voice says as I pass the bathroom.

  I freeze close to the door.

  "She seems like she's scared of us, like a sob story type of bitch." Another voice adds.

  I knew it.

  I continue walking.

  I knew I ruined it for myself.

  Maybe my old pack was right. I don't deserve anything but a broom and a dustpan to sweep with.

  I make it to my room, glancing over at Noah's door.

  He doesn't deserve me. I can't speak, much less rule a pack by his side.

  The door creaks open and I shut behind me softly. I throw off the shoes Alyssa gave me and get settled into the plush soft bed.

  If I could just hide here forever, I'd be happy.

  Why can't I be comfortable? They aren't bad people, I don't they are.

  When I met Noah, it was easy to trust and talk to him. But with everyone else, I'm too afraid to even try to speak up let alone make friends.

  I fucked up and now they think I'm some wuss who leeched on to Noah.

  I don't know how to lead a pack or meet new people.

  Is it even worth trying?

  I pull my covers over my head.

  "I can do better. I can do whatever I want now." I escaped. I'm not in that basement anymore. They don't control anything I do. They can't.

  But what if better isn't enough?

  Noah POV

  "Do you think she liked the food?" I ask, my father as he takes a seat in my brown leather chair behind my desk.

  He smiles at me, stroking his baby smooth chin as it reflected the lamps light.

  "You were staring at her the whole time, you should've talked to her if you were so worried." He reason, setting his elbows down on my papers.

  I sigh. I wish he would stop sitting there.

  "She needs to warm up to the pack on her own I didn't want to hog her." The documents under his arms, wrinkle and bend.

  My finger twitches.

  "Then stop feeling bad about it now." He leans back in the chair and the papers slide off their stack.

  Ugh.

  "Can you get out my area? You're too much of a mess." I lean against the corner of the desk, waiting as my father sits before me, not attempting to move.

  "Did you get any leads on the rogues?"

  I tense, standing up and walking to the chair across from his.

  "Not yet."

  No matter what we look up, or the packs we reach out to, the answer is they disappeared. Just like that.

  People say they're dead.

  "You don't have to keep this up, Noah. Your mother and I have moved passed it, you should too." He sits up, placing his hands on the edge of the table.

  My eyes snap to his.

  "That's not even an option." I shake my head.

  Not this again.

  "Noah, listen." He reaches out to me.

  "No. you know they're still out there. I can't put up my walls like you and mom did. I won't." I turn, storming my way out the room.

  My father and I can never have conversations too long. My mom too.

  Certain things can't be forgiven, especially when poked and probed every few days of a lifetime.

  I reach the upstairs hall and Eliana's scent dances in the air, waltzing with my senses, as I find myself at her door.

  I peek into her room, slipping in, tip-toeing on the wooden floor boards. My feet stop by the side of the bed, as her form is outlined by the teal blankets that cover her.

  "I'm glad I found you." I whisper, kneeling close to her face.

  Her skin, rich in melanin lays peacefully as snow. She breathes soft, the sounds of her inhaling like wisps in the night.

  "I'll keep you safe here." My pinky draws across her jaw and she stirs, rubbing her shoulder up into her cheeks as they press together like pillows.

  Her lips pout in her sleep and I lean in closer, her breaths fanning my face.

  "Noah..."

  I jump back, breathing heavily.

  She turns around, muttering some more. I let out a deep breath.

  I've overstayed my visit.

  I hurry out the door careful to be quiet. I peek back at Eliana as I close her door, moonlight illuminating the room.

  Crossing the hall, I enter my own room. I plop myself down, throwing my head back to look at the ceiling.

  She says my name while she sleeps.

  I grin.

  Adorable.

  CHAPTER 13

  Eliana POV

  The Moonstribe didn't start off as horrible as it became.

  Liam and I were good friends, from the beginning of when I can remember.

  My parents had died and I couldn't remember a day before my 6th birthday so he was my world. The adults would stand by look down at us, mostly Liam for playing with me, but he didn't care much.

  His father was nice to me as well. He'd give me candies and chocolates.

  I used to love the both of them.

  The day the Alpha slapped me across the face for asking him who my parents were was the end of our re
lationship.

  They're dead. Get over it.

  He dismissed me and they was the last time we spoke as equals. The next time, I was told to get in the kitchen and start learning how to cook.

  Liam left me soon after that.

  I was alone by age 8 and tears became my companion.

  What did I do wrong?

  Why are they so mean?

  How do I get them back?

  Questions would drown me every night, until it was my normal.

  Until I accepted that I was below them and they were above me and as long as I did what they wanted me to, maybe those lines would blur again, like they did when I was younger.

  I sigh, staring up at my ceiling. The gossip from the bathroom comes to mind.

  So, how do I make them like me here?

  Noah pops into my mind like he has been every two seconds since I met him.

  I wish I could say it's getting annoying, but my wolf really likes his face. I do too.

  It's been three days since we really talked.

  A couple days ago, I couldn't even sit next to him at dinner and he couldn't even show me around house. He sent Alyssa to do it instead.

  How am we supposed to work on this mate bond if I never see him?

  I turn, groaning into my pillow.

  Being Alpha is a hard job, I can imagine, but I just want to be near him like all the time.

  I can't make him choose between me and his pack, but I just want to know more about him.

  I'm a dog. I can't even pull myself to get up and out of bed let alone, talk to Noah or his pack members.

  I'm free to do whatever I want do and yet the things that held me back before, are holding me back now as well.

  When can I truly escape the cage made by years of oppression and loneliness?

  How do I try?

  The battlefield out of this room, scares me more than leaving that old reality did.

  Sitting up, I shake my hair and nod.

  I'm hungry.

  I can't keep stressing myself out. Food is available to me without sneaking it, I'll eat and then worry. Sounds like a plan.

  I get dressed, brushing my teeth and showering in the bathroom within my room. Noah really went all out. I slip on the shoes Alyssa gave me, using my finger to get my heel in around it.

  My fingers wrap around the door knob.

  Into the battlefield.

  I twist it open and Noah stands before me, his hand up ready to knock.

  I flinch back a bit as he clears his throat and puts his fist down.

  His scent oozes off him.

  I was too distracted to even notice him. Have I always been this air-headed?

  "I was going to check if you were up yet. Let's go to get breakfast." He grabs my arm, pulling me out the room and by his side.

  I had no idea those words coming out of his mouth would sound so sexy.

  "Yeah, let's go." He lets go of my arm and I ignore the internal pouting of my wolf and a little me.

  We walk together down the hall in silent.

  "So-"

  "Um-"

  We both start at the same time. I glance at him, as he does me and we laugh.

  "I don't know how to talk to anyone."

  "Just talk to me then." He smirks. I nod, rolling my eyes.

  Like that's easier.

  "You wanna go somewhere with me later?" He ask, as we go down the stairs.

  "Like where?" I grin at him.

  "Just somewhere."

  "Ok." I try to hide my smile behind my shoulder.

  "That's not fair." He stops. I freeze as well walking back towards him.

  "You can't just smile all cute like that when I'm trying this hard to hold back already."

  My eyes widen, as he licks his lips and approaches me.

  Oh.

  I step backward until the wall hits my back. His arms cage me in as I look up into his eyes. He leans in.

  "You have no idea how hard it is being civil with you when all I want to do is hold you and never let go. I'm your mate, don't forget that, ok?" He backs up, but the air around me remains hot.

  This mate thing is deadly. We haven't spoken much about it but I'm glad to know it's still there.

  I nod, my eyes trailing along the ground as I join his side again.

  He chuckles. I smile as we enter the dining room.

  The members sit at the table, like last night and chat with each other.

  Alyssa sits with an empty beside her and as her eyes meet mine she waves me over.

  It's good to know I have one friend here.

  I head over to the seat but a hand on my arm stops me.

  "You're sitting with me." Noah pulls me back to his side. I hold back my grin as we continue walking and I sneak a look back at Alyssa.

  She smirks at us and waves at me.

  He's being cute today. My wolf wags her tail as my smile grows.

  The pack members watch us, some like Alyssa and others silently. We reach the spot he sat in yesterday and he pulls out the chair for me. Glancing up at his face, he avoids my eyes as a small redness sits at the top of his ears.

  What is he trying to do to me today?

  I take my seat.

  "What do you want for breakfast?" He ask, leaning above me.

  Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes...

  "I'll get my food myself." I get up again, and he backs up, putting his hands in the air shrugging.

  We walk to the kitchen as pots of food sit on the stove and the beta stands with a couple of other guys.

  They approach us as I swallow, the delicious smell of breakfast so close, and the fact I might have to speak to these guys coming into play.

  "I see you're not going anywhere without your girl now, Noah." One big guy hits Noah's shoulder, I cringe.

  Do they beat each other up and call that playtime?

  "Shut up, Hunter. We're trying to get breakfast, can you guys move?" Noah sighs, rolling his eyes at them.

  "I'm surprised, princess. I thought he would be just as cold to his mate as he is with everyone. I guess love really does change a person." He elbows the beta next to him. They both smile.

  Noah? Cold?

  I stare at them, as my brows furrow.

  "Oh, she doesn't know!" They all burst out laughing. I stay looking at them.

  It's good to know Noah has friends like this to joke around with.

  "I'll make you guys run 15 miles more, if you don't shut up." Noah grabs my wrists and pushes through them. I look over my shoulder to see the hunter guy sending me a thumbs up, trying to recover from his laughter.

  I send him one back, as Noah drags me to the cabinets.

  That was progress. If I had spoken, maybe it would've worked better.

  "Your friends are funny." I say as Noah reaches for plates.

  "They're not my friends." He shakes his head with a small grin playing on his lips.

  So, they're his best friends good to know.

  "Can you please hurry up with the plates?" Noah's gaze snaps down to mine and I roll my eyes.

  Food now, worries later, but the food has been stalling for too long now.

  "You're hungry, huh?" Yup.

  "Let me get the cup, where do you guys keep them?" He points to the cabinets next to the plates and I reach up, grabbing myself one.

  "I guess you would be super hungry after the couple of days you've been through." His tone darkens. My heart warms.

  "Don't worry about me. I just need to recharge and I'll be better than ever." I nod at him rocking on my heels.

  He nods.

  I push past him, moving to the pots and pans of food.

  It's time to eat real breakfast. The kitchen here is heaven on earth.

  CHAPTER 14

  Noah POV

  Eliana stuffs her face with sausages and waffles and down it with a cup of ice water.

  Just how bad were they treating her?

  I take small bites of my food, not wanting to eat everything in case she'
s still hungry.

  What did living as her pack's slave do to her diet or her body? How much time has it stolen from her?

  This morning I decided that I wanted to do whatever felt natural, and so like the night before I ended up at her door.

  Even after a lifetime of discipline of telling myself to wake up bright and early, I stayed in bed until I could hear her footsteps pattering around the floor.

  I wanted to knock on her door and invite her breakfast like a gentleman or whatever, but she beat me to the knob.

  In the hallway walking down with her, I couldn't help but want to have my hands on her the whole time. I wanted to pin her on the wall and act on instinct but with her big brown eyes staring at me, I could only retreat back.

  I let a few things slip, though.

  It's easy to imagine ravishing her, but when it comes to putting thoughts to actions, the innocence in her expression stops me every time.

  She chomps away at her last bit of breakfast on her plate and her eyes sneak a glance at my food after she finishes her water as well.

  "You can have it, I brought extra just in case what you got wasn't enough." I slide my plate towards her.

  "Ok, just cause I'd hate to waste your pack's delicious food, are you sure you had enough?" She bats her eyelashes at me, stabbing her fork into a sausage.

  "I just want to see you eat it." I shrug. She flashes me a toothy smile as her afro bounces and she tilts her head me.

  She's so beautiful.

  "I used to cook stuff like this all the time back at my old pack. Cook and sneak a couple bites." She swallows down a bite.

  "They wouldn't let you eat?" I should've just let my wolf tear up the whole place the moment I got there.

  "Rarely." She stares into her plate, as her pace slows down.

  "You won't ever have to do that here, not if you don't want to." I assure her.

  I'll make sure of it.

  "Yeah, I don't even know why I brought it up. I'm bigger here than I was there." She nods to herself and picks back up momentum.

  "I'm glad you came. I was going to get you that day with my pack soldiers." She scoffs and hits my arm playfully.

  "That's stupid." She shakes her head as the food on the plate finishes.

  "I can be stupid if it's for someone that important to me." She tenses as I lean into her side a bit.