THE AFTERMATH
1495 Words
EPISODE 12:
*4:45AM. HQ. Kade’s ROOM*
I woke up first.
Kade’s arm was still around me. Heavy. Safe.
His cut had dried.
The room smelled like him. Gun oil, soap, and something warm.
I didn’t move.
Didn’t want to break it.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
Kade groaned. “If it’s Thomas I’m firing him.”
“It’s 5AM.”
“Exactly.”
He reached over me. Grabbed it.
His whole body went still.
“What?” I asked.
“Adrian’s talking.”
---
*5:10AM. HOLDING CELLS. LEVEL B*
The air down here was cold. Concrete. Metal.
Two guards at Adrian’s door.
Thomas stood outside with a tablet.
“He asked for you,” Thomas said to Kade. “Specifically. Said he won’t talk to anyone else.”
“Of course he did,” Kade muttered.
He looked at me. “You stay out here.”
“No.”
“Ava.”
“I’m not a kid you hide from the bad stuff, Kade.”
He sighed. “Fine. But behind me. Always.”
Inside, Adrian sat at a steel table.
Hands cuffed.
Smiling like he’d just won something.
“Alpha,” he said. “And the Luna. Cute.”
“Talk,” Kade said. No chair. He stood.
“Polite,” Adrian clicked his tongue. “I was hired.”
“By who?”
“Someone who hates you more than I do. Which is impressive.”
He looked at me.
“You’re the problem, you know. The pups. The mate bond. It makes him weak.”
“Adrian—”
“Don’t ‘Adrian’ me, little girl. Selena told me everything. About the rejection. About the marriage. About how you ruined him.”
Kade stepped forward. “Last chance. Who hired you?”
Adrian leaned back. “Darius.”
The room went silent.
Thomas cursed under his breath.
“Darius is missing,” I said.
“Missing,” Adrian laughed. “Or hiding. He paid me 200k to make a scene. To draw you out. To prove you can’t protect your own.”
“Where is he?”
“No idea. He’s smart. Smarter than Marcus.”
“And the text? The photo of Elena’s house?”
“That was me. Wanted to see if you’d break protocol.”
Kade’s jaw ticked. “You shot a man.”
“His cousin volunteered. He’s fine. Mostly.”
Thomas: “We’re tracing the payment now.”
Adrian looked at me again. “You really think you get a happy ending? With the pack? With the Council? They’ll never accept a rejected mate as Luna.”
I met his eyes. “Watch me.”
Kade put a hand on my back. “Take him back to his cell.”
As they dragged Adrian out, he called: “Darius is coming for the kids, Alpha. Not you.”
The door slammed.
---
*6:30AM. WAR ROOM*
Whiteboard updated.
New name circled in red: *DARIUS*
Under it: _Payment sent. Location unknown. Last seen: City bus station._
Beta Thomas: “We’ve locked down Elena’s house. Added 4 more guards. Drones 24/7.”
“Not enough,” Kade said. “He wants the twins.”
Then why not take them last night?” I asked.
“Because last night was a test,” Kade said quietly. “He wanted to see our response time.”
I felt sick.
Kade turned to me. “You and the kids are moving to the inner bunker. Today.”
“No.”
“Ava.”
“I’m not hiding in a hole while you hunt him.”
“You’re not—”
“I’m the Luna,” I cut in. “And I’m not leaving you to do this alone. Again.”
He stared at me.
Then nodded once. “Fine. But you follow every order. No arguments.”
“Deal.”
Thomas cleared his throat. “There’s one more thing. The Council called. Emergency meeting. 9AM. They heard about the shooting.”
Kade closed his eyes. “Of course they did.”
---
*9:00AM. COUNCIL CHAMBERS*
12 elders.
12 faces that hadn’t changed in 20 years.
12 people who rejected me 5 years ago.
Elder Maris spoke first. “Alpha Mooncrest. Explain the incident at the border.”
“Assassination attempt. Contained. Suspect in custody.”
“And the casualties?”
“One. Adrian’s cousin. He’ll live.”
“And the involvement of your... mate?”
The word landed like a slap.
Kade stepped forward. “Luna Ava was present. As is her right.”
“She is not Luna,” Elder Varn said. “Not officially. Not while Darius is missing and the pack is unstable.”
“She’s my mate,” Kade said, voice low. Dangerous. “That makes her Luna.”
“Tradition—”
“Tradition didn’t stop a bullet last night,” I said.
All heads turned to me.
“I was at the border. I helped identify the threat. I sat with the injured guard’s family this morning. So don’t tell me about tradition.”
Silence.
Then Maris: “You will attend the meeting with the twins. We need to see them. Assess the situation.”
Kade: “No.”
“It’s not a request, Alpha.”
Kade looked at me.
I nodded.
“Fine,” he said. “But my guards. My rules.”
---
*11:30AM. ELENA’S HOUSE*
We packed fast.
Diaper bags. Toys. The photo album.
Lila didn’t understand. “Why are we going on a trip, Mommy?”
“Just for a little bit, baby. To keep you safe.”
Leo just clutched my shirt.
Elena hugged me tight. “I’m sorry. I should’ve—”
“You did everything right,” I whispered. “Thank you.”
6 SUVs.
Drones overhead.
We moved like a military convoy to the inner bunker.
It was under HQ.
3 levels down.
Reinforced. No windows.
But warm. Safe.
The twins had a room.
I had a room next to Kade’s.
We weren’t sleeping separately anymore.
---
*3:00PM. BUNKER. KITCHEN*
I was making grilled cheese.
Because normal.
Because the twins needed normal.
Kade came in. Tired. Shirt wrinkled.
He leaned on the counter. Watched me flip the sandwiches.
“You didn’t have to talk to them today.”
“I did. For you. For us.”
“I know.”
He reached out. Tucked hair behind my ear.
“You were incredible.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Be nice to me right now. I might cry.”
He pulled me in. Kissed my forehead.
“I never stopped,” he whispered again. “Saying it. Meaning it.”
I melted.
The sandwich burned.
We ate burnt grilled cheese on the floor with the twins anyway.
And for 20 minutes, it felt like peace.
---
*7:00PM. SECURITY FOOTAGE*
Thomas called us to the monitor room.
“CCTV from the city bus station. 2 hours ago.”
Footage played.
Darius.
Hood up.
Buying a ticket.
Destination: *North Territory.*
Alone.
“He’s running,” Thomas said.
“Or regrouping,” Kade said.
“Why North Territory?” I asked.
“Because that’s where his family is,” Kade said. “And because that’s where the Council has the least control.”
He looked at me.
“We hunt him. Now.”
“What about the meeting?”
“f**k the meeting.”
---
*9:00PM. HQ. ROOFTOP*
Wind. Cold.
Kade and I stood at the edge.
Looking at the city lights.
“We’re close,” he said.
“I know.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you. Again.”
I took his hand. “You won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you promised promise.”
He laughed. Soft.
Then kissed me.
Not desperate this time.
Certain.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered. Put it on speaker.
A voice. Distorted.
“Alpha. You have something of mine. I have something of yours.”
“Who is this?”
“You’ll find out. Tomorrow. Midnight. Old Mooncrest mill. Come alone. Bring the girl.”
The call cut.
Kade looked at me.
Fear.
Rage.
Resolve.
“Friday’s over,” he said.
“I know.”
“Tomorrow we end this.”
I nodded.
Because there was no other choice.
---
*11:59PM. BUNKER*
The twins asleep.
Elena on watch.
Guards everywhere.
Kade lay next to me.
Not touching.
Just close.
“Hey,” I whispered.
“Hmm?”
“If tomorrow goes bad—”
“Don’t.”
“I need to say it.”
“Then say it fast.”
I turned to him.
“I love you. I did 5 years ago. I do now. And I’m not letting anyone take that from us.”
He pulled me in. Held me tight.
“I love you too, Ava. I always have.”
We fell asleep like that.
No sirens.
No threats.
Just us.
For now.
- Writer
