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Chapter 20

Alaya and Lenara arrived back at the safe house in record time considering neither shifted. Lenara was particularly quiet the entire walk over, constantly fiddling with the hem of her top. Alaya knew it was because she was worried about this plan of theirs, quite possibly because it wasn’t Lenara's plan at all. She was for once, just a passenger along for the ride purely because she couldn’t get out. But when the crash inevitably happened Always knew she would be left just as broken.

When they reached the front door, Robert seemed to puff out his chest and stepped to the side, effectively blocking their way.

"Robert?" Alaya pressed, annoyed at his obstruction.

"Alpha said no one is to leave," he stated, his brow furrowed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"No one is leaving? She left it a moment, watching as the realisation spread across his face.

"But-"

"But nothing. My father said no one apart from me could leave. But Lenara is coming inside..."

Robert didn't reply, just held Alaya's gaze uncomfortably as he clearly got lost in thought making his decision. His eyes fell to the floor before he moved to the side, thankfully making the right one.

“I’m home,” Alaya called out sarcastically as she finally walked through the front door. Noah’s scent surrounded her like a blanket before she even saw his gorgeous silver eyes that would forever mirror her own. She fought the urge to have his arms envelop her, still not comfortable with the need to be touching him every time she saw him. And even when she didn’t.

“Luna. I was worried about you,” he breathed as he enveloped her in a hug that made her knees go weak. So much for not touching him. She breathed him in deeply before stepping out of his embrace, knowing the scent of him would satisfy Adolpha for a little while and keep her from pushing the boundaries of their connection.

“That’s because she bolted with no explanation at all,” Neve barked, tone sharp. Alaya hoped she would be a little less mad after she heard their plan.

“Yeah, I know, I’m sorry. I had to get over to see Lenara and find out if this idea of mine would even work. Didn’t want to get your hopes up if I was to come back empty-handed,” Alaya explained as she sidestepped a little, letting Neve see that she indeed had not.

“Oh great, your friend who tried to kill me this morning,” Neve muttered, barely giving Lenara a second glance.

“Well that’s overdramatic,” Lenara retorted, rolling her eyes as she strode into the lounge and plonked herself on the couch, not even looking at Neve in return. Fast friends clearly...

“What an awesome story to tell the grandkids. Now can I explain my plan so you two can tell me how amazing it is?” Alaya interjected, hopefully before the two of them decided a repeat of this morning was necessary. She smiled at Noah, trying her best to fill her words with enthusiasm and not let the fear creep in. Alaya hoped that if she managed to get them to believe in the plan then surely it would make Lenara believe too. Also, it was the only plan they had.

“Eager to hear it,” Noah said gently, as he pulled the hand she hadn’t realised he was holding and led her to the couch. She turned from it, not wanting to sit, restless energy forcing her to keep moving.

“Ok. Lenara here, apart from being my awesome best friend, is also a reader in training,” Alaya began, desperately trying to keep the mood light.

“Ex reader,” Lenara interjected, not particularly helping to sell Alaya’s idea.

“The reader part is what’s important, lets not confuse them. They don’t even have readers at Shadow Moon.” Alaya glared at her best friend as she continued, not wanting to fill the two of them in on Lenara’s past drama with Tunika. They certainly didn’t have time for that.

“Anyway she can read me,” Alaya finished, smile big on her face even if a little forced.

“Oh thank God...so she read you as an Omega?” Neve responded with an actual smile on her face in return. Alaya hated the fact she would be the one to wipe it off in a matter of seconds.

“Not exactly,” she hesitated, realising that maybe her plan had a few more holes in it than she had first thought.

“A Beta?” Neve continued but the joy has already left her voice.

“No. I read her as an Alpha. No, not an Alpha actually, it was way beyond an Alpha. It was like her power was all the Alphas combined. An Emarl or whatever you call yourselves,” Lenara replied, wiping the smile off Neve’s face herself instead. Alaya could feel the excitement in Lenara’s voice and at any other time, she would have shared in it but not today. Today the thing that was making Lenara fit to burst was what was making Alaya’s core run cold. It could be her death sentence.

“Wow, so the plan is we all die.” Neve’s voice was filled with worry and frustration and Alaya put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

“No. I’m going to explain to my father that I went to Lenara and asked her to read me. She is going to say that she read me as an Omega and ta-da no need for Tunika to read me again,”

“That won’t work,” Neve condemned straight away, not even willing to give the plan a chance.

“Why?” Alaya asked, even though she knew a fair few reasons herself.

“Firstly, even I know no one can lie to their Alpha and from what you’ve been saying your father isn’t just any Alpha, he is THE Alpha. Secondly, what happens if your dad asks your friend a question? If he pushes her for an answer? She definitely won’t be able to lie and then, thanks to you, she will be able to explain to him exactly why she lied. All about Shadow Moon and everything else you have told her without even thinking about the danger you put her in by doing so. The danger we are all in. So congratulations Alaya, you actually managed to make a bad situation a million times worse,” Neve shouted as she shrugged out of Alaya’s touch. Alaya stepped back a little as if the onslaught of words had physically hurt her. The power and anger behind them left her feeling a little fractured. She had hoped this plan of hers would have brought light to the end of a really dark tunnel but she realised now that she had just broken things even further.

“I’m...I’m sorry,” she managed to get out, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over. She refused to let them fall because Neve was right, this was her fault. It was all her fault. And tears would solve nothing.

“No. No Luna you have nothing to apologise for.” Noah stepped out from behind her to glare at his sister. The air around them seemed to change a little, Noah’s wolf clearly pushing to the front and for the first time Alaya felt his power as it tinged the air.

“Neve, there was no need to attack her so. She is just trying to find a solution,” he growled, his eyes glowing so that it looked like moons had taken the place of his irises.

“And by doing so she has created a bigger problem. A problem we don’t have time for. I told you we shouldn’t have come here, we should have listened to the elders and stayed at home. But no, you’re too stubborn and had to find out what was calling you. Is she worth it? Is she worth our death?” Neve continued, obviously ignoring just how far she was pushing Noah.

“She is worth everything so enough of this! I don’t want to hear you utter another word!” Noah bellowed and the weight of him, of his presence for just a moment, was overwhelming. It was like nothing Alaya had ever felt before in her entire existence. Not even when her father had spoken with his wolf fully in control. It was as if he was everywhere yet nowhere all at once.

Alaya felt as Adolpha pushed a little inside the walls of her mind. She clearly felt proud of her mate and wanted to join him at the forefront but Alaya pushed her back. Because what Alaya felt in that moment wasn’t pride, it was fear. It seemed to tinge every memory they made together. Fear of what was hiding inside of them both.

Neve stared at her brother with tears in her eyes as her breath caught in her throat. She tried to speak but nothing came out as she clutched at her neck. The gravity of what Noah had just done made Alaya freeze where she stood, knowing any attempt to help would not be received well.

Alaya watched as the realisation spread across both their faces in unison before Neve turned and ran upstairs. As her footsteps echoed, Noah’s presence ebbed from the air around them. Alaya took a step towards him but held off, despite Adolpha urging her to soothe their mate.

“Wow,” Lenara breathed out and Alaya turned her attention to her instead. Lenara stood there, her eyes wide with excitement and awe as she gazed at Noah. Adolpha grumbled a little inside her mind and Alaya had to fight the sound rising from her own chest.

“Noah,” Alaya breathed, letting the sadness stay a little in her tone. His sister had just been scared and she had every right to be and now was not the time to be fighting one another. And certainly not the time to be going all hulk Alpha on everyone. What if her dad had felt that surge of power or anyone else for that matter? The pack would have even more questions that they couldn’t answer and they were failing this quiz already.

“I didn’t mean to...I just... She can’t talk about you like that,” he replied, hands in his hair before rubbing his face in frustration. Alaya couldn’t fight the urge to calm him any longer as he stood in front of her so raw. He was struggling too, she could feel that and all her wolf wanted, no, needed to do, was heal the hurt he was feeling.

“I know. And Neve will know that you didn’t mean what you said or what you did. I think everyone is just a little frayed at the moment and we all need to take a breath and collect ourselves,” Alaya soothed as she nuzzled into his neck and rested her head softly on his chest. She felt his arms rest around her middle and the tension eased a little as his hands splayed her back. She inhaled his scent and the smell seemed to drift into her mind, soothing Aldolpha as well. Alaya felt as she laid down and curled up in her mind like a newborn pup.

“Ummm Alaya,” Lenara’s voice was an unwelcome interruption and she felt Adolpha grumble a little but thankfully didn’t stir properly.

“What Lenara?” Alaya replied, albeit curter than she intended, Adolpha still pushing through maybe more than she had realised.

Lenara didn’t reply with words just flicked her eyes over to the front door and Alaya could literally taste the worry that flowed off her in waves at that moment. Alaya screwed her eyes shut for a moment, repeating slowly in her mind,

Please don’t be my father.

Alaya stepped out of Noah’s embrace causing Adolpha to perk up significantly. As she opened the door and her eyes landed on Fen, her heart filled with joy and despair all at once. Joy that is was him and not her father but despair that it meant it was time to see if this plan of hers would even work out. Or if it would seal all of their fates.

As she took in Fen’s sharp features she smiled at him hoping that if she could atleast convince herself they would be fine at the end of today then they all would be. Fen didn’t mirror her at all and Alaya took a deep breath before she felt a hand grip her own. She looked up expecting to see Noah but instead, Lenara’s purple eyes glistened back at her. She gave Alaya’s hand a quick squeeze, silently letting her know they were in this together.

“Best get this over with then shall we?” Alaya announced, taking steps towards Fen and the doorway even though her feet felt like lead.

“Alpha has asked for you all to come. Tunika is waiting to read you all.”

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