Babies For The Alpha

Chapter3

JADE

Six Years later

“Be careful!” I said in pain as my kids ran after each other.

I sit behind the counter of my pharmacy, watching my little world run around me. My hands rested on the cool glass of the counter, and I smiled as I watched Clara helping a young woman pick out vitamins. My kids ran to the back, coloring and laughing. It’s a good day. No chaos, no drama. Just peace.

“Good morning, Jade,” Clara says, her voice cheerful. She’s been with me for years now. She’s like family.

“Morning, Clara,” I reply, smiling at her. “Anything new in stock?”

“Yeah, the new herbal teas came in yesterday. I’ll put them out later.”

I nod, feeling proud. I built this place from nothing. It’s not just a pharmacy. It’s a symbol of everything I’ve become. Strong, independent, and happy.

My mind goes back to those dark days before I left the pack. I remember how I was ridiculed and cast aside like a worthless rag when Brad betrayed me. That night at the ceremony, when I stormed out, I vowed that I would never return to the pack. Moving far away, I studied under a famous wolf doctor, learned everything I could, and then I opened my own pharmacy.

It wasn’t. There were days I wanted to give up. But I kept going. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. And I did.

The door jingles. I look up and see a young woman walk in. She’s wearing a bright smile, and her eyes look happy.

“Good morning,” I say warmly. “What can I do for you today?”

She hesitates, then steps closer. “Hi. I heard you have the best vitamins in the entire pack. I need something for my baby. I’m pregnant again, and I want to be doing everything right.”

I smile, feeling proud. “Congratulations. You’re. Let me show you our prenatal vitamins.”

She looks relieved. I walk her to the shelves and help her pick the right ones. We talked a little about her pregnancy, her hopes, and her worries. She’s , but I can see she’s too.

I remember how I felt during pregnancies. How scared I was that I wasn’t going to make it. It was , knowing that the father of your kids didn’t even have an idea that you were pregnant. But I knew I could make it. Ever since they were born, my triplets became my world. Lila, Logan, and Luke. They’re loud, mischievous, and full of life. They make every day worth waking up for.

I took a quick look at the back. They were coloring on the table, arguing over crayons. Lila wants the blue, Logan insists on red, and Luke just wants to scribble everywhere. I just giggled. They’re my little firecrackers.

“Mommy, look at mine!” Lila calls, holding up a scribbled flower.

I walk over and kneel beside them. “That’s beautiful, sweetheart. You’re so talented.”

Logan grins and shows me his picture. “Look, I made a wolf!”

Luke just giggles, waving a crayon. “Mine’s a bigger wolf!”

I smile, feeling so lucky. I never thought I’d be this. I used to believe I’d never find love, never be free. But now I have everything I ever wanted in my kids.

There’s a soft knock on the door. I turn and see a tall, well-dressed man standing there. He’s unfamiliar, but I sense something familiar about him. His eyes are sharp, and his smile is polite but intense.

His face was serious but calm, and he looked around the store quietly.

“Can I help you?” I asked, smiling politely.

He nodded slightly. “I’m just looking,” he said softly, his voice calm and cool.

I watched him for a moment. Something about him made me feel uneasy, but I didn’t say anything. Maybe he was just a new customer. I went back to helping Clara stock the shelves.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed on the desk in the office. I hated it when calls had me distracted.

“Give me a minute, I said to Clara as I went into my office to take it.

Walking in, I glanced at it and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.

“Who could this be?” I wondered.

“Hello?” I whispered into the phone, trying to keep my voice calm.

No one spoke. Just silence. I waited, feeling a little confused. Maybe it was a wrong number. Or a prank.

“Hello?” I repeated, louder this time.

Still, nothing. Just strange noises—faint static, maybe a whisper, then a rough sound like someone just being silent intentionally.

I frowned. Something wasn’t right. I looked toward the front of the store, where the man still stood near the door, watching me.

He wasn’t there anymore.

Then I heard it—shots.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I just had this feeling.

My heart stopped. I froze for a second, then ran toward the sound. My mind was racing, trying to understand what was happening.

Without thinking, I quickly ran out as I was so worried about my kids.

I hurried toward the back, past the shelves. The kids were still coloring, but I saw that Clara wasn’t at her usual spot. I called out, “Clara? Are you back here?”

No answer. Now I was almost running insane.

I ran into the back room, and what I saw made my blood run cold.

Clara was on the floor, holding her side. Her face was pale, eyes wide with pain. Blood was pooling around her. Her hands were shaking so badly as she tried to hold her wound.

“Clara! No!” I shouted, dropping to my knees beside her.

Her lips moved, but no words came out. She looked at me, her eyes full of fear and pain.

Where were my kids?

They weren’t there. The table where they had been coloring was empty. The crayons were scattered, but there was no sign of Lila, Logan, or Luke.

They have been kidnapped!!

How? Why?

Suddenly, my phone rang again, and I picked it up with so much haste.

I then heard a voice through a small speaker, cold and clear. It was a man’s voice.

“You want your kids back, Jade?”

I looked around, seeing if anyone was still in the shop. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“You’ll do exactly as I say,” he said. “Or your children will pay the price.”

My heart’s all in my mouth. I looked at Clara, who was trying to stay conscious, even though she was passing out.

“Listen,” I whispered, tears in my eyes. “Tell me what to do. Just… just tell me.”

There was a pause. Then the voice continued talking, “You know what I want. Come to the old warehouse on the east side of town. Bring what I asked for. Or they’re gone.”

“Please, don’t hurt them. Please…”

******

I stood in the cold, dark warehouse. My head was really pounding like a drum. My hands shook as I held my phone, listening to the cold voice from the speaker.

“You want your kids back, Jade?”

I swallowed hard. My voice shook when I answered. “Yes, please. Just… just tell me what to do.”

There was a long silence. I could hear breathing. Then the voice came again, calm but deadly.

“You’ll do exactly what I say. Or your children will pay the price.”

I looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching me, but I saw no one. The place was empty except for a few broken boxes and rusted metal all scattered on the floor. I felt trapped. My mind raced. I had to think fast.

“Okay,” I whispered. “What do you want me to do?”

“You’re going to do something very hard, Jade,” the man said. “You’re going to go to Brad’s house. You’re going to make him fall in love with you. And then… you’re going to reject him cruelly in front of his pack. That’s your task.”

What!!

How did he know I knew who Brad was?

“Are you listening to me?!” he shot back.

“Yes, sure, I am sorry,” I said as I jerked back to reality.

I didn’t want to do it. I hated him. I hated what he stood for. But I had no choice. Not if I wanted my kids back.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because,” he said, “Brad has broken many girls’ hearts. He’s used them and tossed them aside. Now I want you to make him see what he lost. Make him feel pain. When you’re done, your children come back to you.”

I looked down at my hands. Tears filled my eyes. I hated this. I hated Brad with . But I loved my kids more than anything.

“Fine,” I finally said. “I’ll do it.”

“You’ll sign the contract,” the voice said. “And you’ll do exactly as I say.”

I didn’t want to, but I knew I had to. I took a deep breath and picked up the paper that was dropped on the table not too far from where I was. I grabbed a pen and signed my name. My hands shook as I wrote it, but I did it.

“Good,” he said. “Brad’s Park needs a pharmacist. I have done my magic and drafted your name in. You leave for his pack by noon tomorrow. DO everything I say, or your children will suffer.”

The line went dead. I stared at the phone. I had just agreed to do something I hated—something cruel. But I had no choice. My children’s lives depended on it.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. I froze. Someone was coming.

A man appeared from the shadows. Tall, broad, and serious. His eyes were cold. He also had a face mask and a black cap with dark shades.

“You’re Jade,” he said softly.

I nodded, trying to stay calm. “Who… who are you?”

He stepped closer. “My name is Mr. N. I run things here.”

I looked at him. From his voice, I knew he was the one on the phone.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

He looked at me silently. Then he whispered, “Because I can.”

I swallowed hard. I knew I had to be brave. I mumbled, “What do I do first?”

He gave me a dark smile. “Here is your visitor’s pack permit. Get to the Pack, get familiar with Brad, and make him believe you love him. Then you reject him. That’s your task.”

I nodded, tears already falling from my eyes. I was scared, but I had to do it.

“Remember,” Mr. N said, “fail, and your kids will suffer.”

He turned and disappeared into the shadows.

I looked at the small picture of my kids in my pocket. Lila, Logan, and Luke. I loved them more than anything in this world.

I whispered to myself, “I’ll do whatever it takes. Just bring them back to me.”

But how was I going to face Brad after all these years?