ONE NIGHT WITH MY EX'S FATHER

LOCKED IN

MALIA'S POV

“Please…I beg you…” I pleaded, my voice barely able to whisper the words.

I had never been asked such a dreadful question.

Even the fact that I had undergone the worst kind of toxic treatment and hatred growing up, could have never prepared me for this exact day.

My eyes took another round trip around the room and I was now in the center of most of the men in the bar.

My wolf, Mai, kept urging me to bolt for the door, but there was a zero chance I would survive because all these men would definitely catch up with me and possibly outrun me.

It was better to stay and appeal to whatever was left of their conscience.

“You're not of royal blood, are you?” Phil asked, his eyes boring into my face.

I was taken back by this strangely unnecessary question.

I knew men like them. It didn't matter who you were, they would still deal with you however they wanted. It was going to be irrelevant to lie to them.

“No” I answered, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Then be quick with your answer! We haven't got all day, chap” he screamed at me, his peers roaring laughter overpowering my mumbling.

“Pl…please, I have no one. I promise I'll disappear from this town and you'll never have to see me again” I mumbled, dropping to my knees.

Phil looked at the other men, locking eyes with each of them before turning to me. He squatted to meet my gaze and burst into another roaring laughter with the others.

His right hand traced my jaw, stopping at my chin.

“Do you know how many people we've heard this same pathetic little speech from? You're not special, darling. Now I'm going to give you just ten seconds to make the choice or we'll make the choice for you, and trust me…you won't be a fan of our choice” he whispered.

Then he stood, towering over me.

“Mike here is going to be doing the countdown” he added, pointing to one of the men in the small crowd. He had a crew cut and when he took a step forward, he smelt like death itself.

I gulped hard. This was it. The end. All my struggles in life had come to this. No redemption or a second chance at life. I felt like the moon goddess had picked me as her personal martyr to suffer without any alternative choices.

“Ten”.

I thought about Kurt, Lupita and Lowe and how they would rejoice at my death. It would be one of the peak moments in their lives.

“Nine”.

I tried to catch a glimpse of the bartender but he was not within view. I couldn't blame him, he didn't deserve to be punished for my sake. I was thankful for his fast thinking.

“Eight”.

I thought about Alpha Raul and how he would feel after the news of my death. How he would prefer to rejoice over the fact that I would no longer have the possibility of becoming a Luna than look into the fact that there were places in town where women still did not have equal rights.

“Seven”.

I thought about my mother and wherever she was. I imagined she would feel just a slight bit of nostalgia on getting the news of my death. If she would ever return to our town.

“Six”.

I thought about Alpha Alaric and how broken he would feel. I imagined he would have a fit of rage and kill off every man in this part of town. But it would be too late. I would already be gone.

I would allow these men to make a choice by themselves. I had nothing else to lose.

“Five”.

“Jeff! Get the ropes! Maybe she'll make a choice when she sees some of our finest works at the garage” Phil ordered, spotting a proud smirk.

I watched Jeff get to work, revealing a set of ropes under one of the tables and bringing them to where I knelt.

“Four”.

“Tie her up! Looks like WE'LL be making the choice for her” Phil ordered with an evil grin.

Jeff dragged me by my arm to one of the poles and began tying me up with the rope to the pole.

“Three”.

“I think she expects a savior to come running through those doors” one of them chuckled.

Jeff was done tying me up and I could not move an inch. I was completely trapped.

I shut my eyes and prepared for my death.

“Two”.

“Well she said it herself…she's a nobody. Who's coming to save ‘a nobody’, huh?” Phil mocked.

“One”.

“Her partner” a cool voice appeared from another part of the room.

I turned as much as my neck could let me but I still couldn't see the person.

The men created a pathway for Phil to walk through and then I caught a glimpse of a man I didn't recognise, standing close to the door.

“And who are you?” Phil wanted to know.

I couldn't make out all the features of the man but he radiated a cool aura.

“Melvin” the man answered, smiling.

“Phil, that's the Alpha's f*****g gamma. Don't do anything stupid!” Mike screamed at him.

“So what, do I bow to you? This is my territory…keep to yours and mind your business” Phil grunted.

“Ah! Unfortunately, you have one person that belongs to my territory” Melvin responded, moving an inch closer to Phil and locking eyes with him.

My heart raced. I didn't know what to predict in this situation.

For what it was worth, Melvin and I could both end up being tied here. But he was my potential savior and I was rooting for him.

A snap came from between the two men. Phil turned to face us. Melvin had his arm twisted and escorted him to the center of the small crowd around me.

“I'm going to untie her and leave with her. If you think you're up to task, try to stop me. I have the Alpha and half of the warriors outside this establishment. Pick your poison”.

Then he squatted to meet my gaze with a wide smile. He was more charming close-up.

“Hello Miss Malia. I am terribly sorry for what these low lifes have put you through. I got here as soon as I received the call from Alpha Alaric and led him here. I'll untie you now” he spoke, his rich voice making me feel at ease completely.

“Thank you, Melvin” was all I could muster up.

He untied me and we walked out of the bar just in time to meet the arrival of Alpha Alaric's car and a few other cars following behind him.

I turned to Melvin who had a knowing grin. He had played those men.

Alpha Alaric rushed to me and embraced me tight for a full minute.

“I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you, Lia” he confessed.

I looked at his eyes, unable to say anything in return.

I know I owed him an explanation but I couldn't get over the fact that I had actually attempted to leave the only welcoming life I knew.

“Wait in the car. I need to handle a few things” he instructed me afterwards.

I already knew what was going to happen to the men. I simply got into the car he had arrived in, and relaxed, shutting my eyes.

For the first time, I didn't care that I was going to be the most hated Luna in the history of Lunas or even the fact that Alpha Alaric's family would never come around to accept me.

I knew Alpha Alaric was not just the love of my life. He was my calm in the midst of all the chaos.

He was my redemption, my second chance at life. And I couldn't throw that away. I deserved it, truly.