The Alpha's Heart

chapter 35

Eliana POV

What did he just say?

I stare wide-eyed and stunned at Noah. He smirks and burst out laughing.

My eyes stay wide as he catches his breath and turns back towards me.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm serious." He sobers up and a chuckle bubbles up inside me as my stomach nearly collapses from the butterflies fluttering around inside.

He loves me? Or was that a joke?

"I love you, Eliana." He leans into me and pecks my lips.

Okay, maybe he was serious.

When your mates with someone the attraction is there. Everything inside of you is begging to be near them. But love isn't that. That's just instinct. The same way it's natural to want to have something.

Love is different. It's personality, chemistry, and everything that makes you, you being accepted by another person.

I think anyway.

He loves me? I love him, but he loves me?

"I love you." The words stumble out of my mouth, clumsy and amateur but true.

His smile brightens, along with his eyes, as his arms wrap around me, pulling my against the arm rest and space between us.

"I didn't know what I would do if you didn't say it back." He whispers near my ear, his breath tickling me.

"Cry?" I say, as he laughs and pulls back slightly, still inches away.

"Maybe." His lips press against mine and I kiss him back, allowing his tongue to enter my mouth as we fight to push closer together.

The space between us hinders our need as I push up my arm rest, feeling a bit of freedom.

"Every time I think of you as innocent, moments like these come to mind." He breaths against my lips, coming back in to kiss me between his words.

"I never said I was." I smirk as he grabs hold of my thigh.

So right, it's wrong.

"I love that." He smashes his mouth back on mine as I itch to jump over on to his lap and do something I might like more than I should.

We tangle in each other's arms, as the tension gets higher and higher in the car.

Is this my wolf?

Noah freezes.

Huh?

He pulls back and turns the key, starting up the car and speeding down the path.

"What's wrong?" I furrow my eyebrows as the panic in Noah's eyes reflects off the moonlight.

"Someone's on our territory." He says, going down the hill and on to the human, moving pass cars and weaving through traffic.

What does that mean? Someone's on the-

Liam?

Moonstribe has been sending us warnings and it's late, maybe they came for me.

My hands begin to shake in my lap and we quickly are consumed by the sea of trees, leaving behind the human lights and freedom. Welcomed with problems from our reality.

Why am I surprised? They said they were coming and now they're here.

My chest rises and falls. I suck in air as fast as I exhale it.

I thought I was stronger than this. I thought I wouldn't let them get to me again. I said I wouldn't, I promised myself.

A hand rubs my knee as my head snaps up to Noah. His eyes are still on the road as he strokes my knee.

"Don't worry, I'm right here. They won't touch you as long as I'm around." He says, pulling into our property. My heart beats in my throat.

I believe that.

Noah POV

What the fuck happened? Hurry out here.

Ok.

I mind-link my beta as I park the car and hop out, Eliana leaving from her side. I keep my eyes o her as she walks to my side of the car and we continue on to the entrance.

My eyes dance around, a foul smell lingers in the air. Clenching my fist, I stop. Eliana tenses beside me.

It smells... like those rogues. No way. They aren't shameless enough to come on my land after what they did to us.

I sniff around again.

It smells like them but not completely. Somethings off.

The rage bubbling in my gut, only grows as Kai storms out of the pack house, stopping in front of Eliana and I. I hold her hand.

"This was thrown into your mate's room." He holds up a brick with white marking all across it. Eliana trembles harder as I pull her into my side.

Kai hands me the stone and I take it in my free hand, reading it over.

It's time for my little doll to come back from playtime.

My breathing quickens as I smash the brick on to the blacktop below us. It shatters into pieces as Eliana squeezes my hand tight.

"What the fuck are they thinking? They have no edge on us. For every soldier they have, we have 3. For every weapon, 10! Where are they getting this fucking confidence from?" I try to calm myself as Alyssa and Beth come out the house.

"What the fuck is going on?" Beth asks, as Alyssa races forward, towards Eliana.

I have to protect her. I need her for a little longer.

Wrapping my arms around Eliana's waist, I hold her against me. Her arms embrace me as well, her nails digging into my back as the porch light keeps those around us visible. Alyssa stops a few feet away from me.

"I'm going to take care of this. I'm going to fix all of this. Sleep in my room tonight. I'll have someone come and clean up the mess in your room.

She nods against my chest.

"I'll be back soon." I kiss her on her cheek and pull away, as Alyssa steps back up, grabbing on to Eliana's hand as Kai and I walk towards the entrance of the house. Beth grabs a hold of my shoulder before I pass her.

"What the hell is going on, Noah?" She asks again. I shrug her off.

"It's not my place to tell." I continue on my way, as Beth remains, looking after Eliana.

I'm glad she has some friends she can rely on, because I have to take of this now.

I won't have a couple of dogs barking at me, my pack or my Luna like this. I ignored it for way too long and now, Eliana's shaking, because I haven't acted sooner.

"Did you see who threw this?" Kai shakes his head as we enter the house.

"I want you to up our watch men."

"Yes, Alpha." We enter the room and my warriors stand in a line, waiting for me. I sit at my desk and lean back, adjusting a stack of my work.

"So what kind of attack do you guys suggest we give them?"

No one pisses me off this bad and walks away alive.
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18.2k ~ 6/21/20

Thank u guys so much.

Next update the 23rd.

XO.