The Alpha's Heart

chapter 8

Eliana POV

9:30 pm.

The pack should all be asleep by 10 pm. Even Liam, Vanessa should have him wrapped up then.

30 more mins.

Luckily, Liam's been busy with Alpha training and Vanessa and other stuff he does in the day, every day like I knew he would be.

The 'later' he was talking about could only happen the same time he tried today and I don't know if I'll be gone by then but that's the plan.

I wipe the floors down as the members head upstairs to rest.

I take the paper towel and throw it out just as the last person goes upstairs and out of my sight. The silence surrounding me hums but the thump in my chest drowns out even that.

It's time.

I jog downstairs, careful to be light on my feet and grab my blanket.

Sneaking up back up to the kitchen, my hands grasp the handles of the cabinet, swinging them open. I lay out my blanket and throwing bread and snacks on to it.

I don't know how long it'll be until I find Noah. If I find him. As an Alpha, his scent should stick around for a couple of days.

I hurry to the fridge and pull out some drinks, tossing them on my pile.

Tremors in my arms intensify. I rub them down.

It's now or never. The pack is most distracted when they're putting their kids to bed and having late-night talks. In the dead of the night, they would wake up at the sound of a crow.

I tie up the sheet and turn towards the door. My eyes glance back at the place I've called home for my whole life. The white hallways I used to run through and the black tile floors stare back at me.

A sigh escapes me and warmth embraces me. On to better.

A creaking sound above the stairs halts me before my foot can finish its first step.

I gasp. Shit.

I duck behind the kitchen counter as the steps thud down the stairs.

The tremors from before run up and down my body. It's going to be Liam.

Why so early? Why now? Did they hear me?

I inhale, trying to pick up a scent but a strange one makes its way to me.

This isn't someone from this pack.

The footsteps enter the kitchen and I hold my breath. It didn't smell like Noah either.

Footsteps stop next to the counter, I sit under. I'm caught.

"Eliana?" My heart drops and my body shakes harder. Vanessa.

My gaze falls on her as I push up against the counter to lift myself.

"Vanessa, I was just cleaning up. Do you need something?" I lick my lips. Her eyes narrow and she spots my bundle. She looks back at me.

"Are you trying to leave?"

My stomach jumps up to my throat. I open my mouth to answer but no words come out.

This is it.

"Get out then."

My eyes widen and I freeze.

"What?" I breathe out.

She bends down and grabs my stuff, thrusting it into my arms. My feet rock back as my finger grip the sheet.

"Get the fuck out, now. I don't want my mate to ever look at your ugly ass again, so leave. I know what he tried to do to you yesterday... and I hate the thought of him touching anyone other than me." Her hands pinch my side. She turns me around and pushes me toward the door.

My legs catch up to the words she said before the rest of me does.

We reach the exit and she urges me to go, waving me out.

"Thank you." I whisper. She shuts the door in my face.

"Don't come back." She gives me a small smile through the glass.

I won't.

I take a deep breath of the fresh air.

The scent of flowers in the yard with the herds in the back garden greet me, filling my lungs with their final goodbye.

A whiff of my mate's smell also lingers in the warm night. I take off running down the driveway, ripping my rubber band out my hair, letting the wind breathe through it. Although not really.

My wolf nearly howls within me.

The air whips past me as I reach the main road and turn left, following his earthy scent.

Once you meet your mate, it's so much more clear to than any other smell.

My bare feet hit the paved road, lighter than they've ever seemed. My heart pounds hard and my legs burn but they all remind me how alive this all is. How alive I am.

The burn in my legs wear me out and I slow my sprint to a walk. I guess my wolf's boost can only take me so far.

My head turns to look at the distance I've covered. It's miles away from my old pack but they can run just as fast as I can.

My eyes glance at the dark forest that surrounds the road on either side. Their long statures dwarf me but liberate me as well. They're beautiful.

The night sky twinkles above and the moon watches down on me, smiling.

A dream couldn't be more real. Maybe, I am dreaming.

My beating heart calms. I pull a water bottle out of my pouch and take a swing.

A howl shatters the night and I tense. Liam.

Coldwater soaks my clothes, the substance tickling as it runs down me. The bottle runs dry.

I need more than this to hide my scent. fuck.

I take off sprinting again.

Pain engulfs me as my bones crack and twist, bending into my wolf.

Her form would be much faster in the forest than mine.

I turn into the sea of trees, as my mate's scent grows stronger and stronger.

I'm getting close.

A bark catches me off guard as it comes from at least 100 meters away from me. They already caught up.

Of course, they did. They're trained soldiers and I barely eat.

They're going to catch me.

A howl comes from even closer, as my ears ring from the sound.

I throw my legs forward, breathing quick and hard.

This can't be it. I just started, I just got out.

I wanted to see him again.

The ground beneath my feet vanishes and I fly.

I glance at the place above me, as wolves line up, growling down at me. Liam's bright green eyes stare at my falling form.

A smile comes to my face.

This is better. I'm glad it ended like this.

I'm sorry, Noah. I tried.

A stabbing pain shoots through my body, as its pushed side to side on branches.

I hit the ground and the world so peacefully, fades to black.
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1,140 ~ 4/29/20

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