Prologue
Anna’s POV:
April 20th, 1999
“I have to go, it’s not safe for Emily and you if you stay with me. Too many people will find out what she is and they will kill her. You two must stay safe. I will arrange everything for you. You will stay in a small apartment complex with her in northwest Arkansas. You have to make sure that she doesn’t go out for sports or make herself known. She will excel too much in them and too many people will notice. I have started a savings account for you with $1,000,000 to start you off with. Will that be enough for you...?”
He stopped talking to look at me for a moment with tears streaming down my face. He stopped packing things and walked over to me. He engulfed me in a hug where all I smelled was freshly cut grass and spring rain.
I knew deep down it was for the best, but what was I going to do as a 21 year old with a newborn. I love him with all of me, but I know he has to go and do his alpha duties. Me being an omega, he couldn’t take me back to his pack. He was the alpha of the biggest pack in the world, the Moonlight Pack, and I was the daughter of the late Alpha of the Pioneer Pack, Hans Harmon. My pack was attached a few years back and few of us survived. I was only 16 when we were attacked, so I didn’t have my wolf yet. But I remember that day like no other. I fought hard, but in the end they captured my dad and ripped him apart in front of our whole pack, or those that had survived. So many of us kept fighting but I just fell to the ground.
No one knows I’m an alpha by blood, but because my father was killed before he could officially give me his alpha title, I’m considering an omega. An alpha with a mate that’s an omega is considered frowned upon. So, I rejected my mate. He has yet to accept it. We have been secretly dating for a little over a year now, and two weeks ago we had a beautiful baby girl named Emily. She keeps my last name so no one will have any idea who her father is. Our cover story is that we never got married, and he died in a car accident before Emily was born.
I clinch the photo of us in my hand as I squeeze a little tighter with my hug. “Can’t you just stay for a few more days?” I ask into his chest.
“Baby, you know I can’t do that. It’s too risky, and I’m scared they will come closer to finding her. If you want it, the bank information is in this envelope. It’s set up in her name, so technically it’s her money, but it is yours. I have set up the apartment in Arkansas for you. It’s not the best, but it will detour the council from her. You cannot shift at all or it will blow your cover.” My wolf Kathrine whimpered a little bit in my mind. “On her 18th birthday, give her this. It will help her to find me. That will also be the day that people will find her. You won’t be able to hide her anymore.”
“I don’t want to hide. I want to be with you. We can come out with who I am, and then I can be your Luna.” I say looking up at him while still holding onto him.
He sighs and puts his forehead on mine. We both close our eyes. “You know we can’t do that. Emily will be sought after for her blood. Two alpha being mated is very rare, and their first born is going to be the purest and most powerful alpha. Witches, vampires, and other supernatural creatures will be hunting her down.”
He told me all of this when I was pregnant, and it all made sense. Witches could have so many powerful spells with her blood, and vampires would drain her of her blood just for the taste. We had agreed then it was for the best. But I don’t know, something was telling me not to let him leave.
“Everything will be okay. I will have people watching over you at all times. And you’ll get to see me on TV. All the time!” He looks at me with a smile.
I try to force a smile and just look into his deep brown eyes. I could just get lost in his eyes if I let myself.
It is best that he leaves. Just suck it up, lots of people do this every day. You and Emily will be fine without him. He is, after all, an alpha of the biggest pack in the world. You wouldn’t have any time just the two of you.
I tell myself. Katherine agreed with me, and reminded me that we are both in this together.
Just then, Emily started to cry in her bassinet. I quickly let go of her father and walked over to her. I picked her up and put her pacifier in her mouth.
“Can I hold her for a few seconds?” He asks with watery eyes.
“Of course. She is your daughter, too.” I reply and hand her to him.
He looks down to her. She looks so tiny in his massive arms. He looks like he was sculpted out by the moon goddess herself. His eyes shut hard as tears fell onto Emily’s face. She shakes her head and opens her eyes. She makes a small noise, and he sniffs hard. Emily begins to cry, so I walk over and take her back.
“Shh shh shh it’s alright. Mommy’s here, baby girl. I’m not going anywhere.” Just as I said those words, the door closed and he was gone. Out of my life forever. “Mommy’s never going to leave you baby girl. It’s you and me against the world.”
I packed up what little I had and got Emily in her car seat. We are currently in Wyoming, and have an eight hour drive ahead of us, not including stopping for Emily to feed or get a diaper change. We got out to the car that her father bought for us, and I decided to instead take out the car seat holder and take the bus to get my own car. I didn’t want to be tied to him in any way. I had all the bank account information so I figured I could just get some cash from an atm for the car.
I got on the bus with my luggage and baby girl, rode for a few minutes, and got off at the car lot. I ended up buying a deep blue Volkswagen Beetle. After all the papers were signed, and I handed over the cash, Emily and I got in the car. I didn’t want to just leave town yet because I knew she was going to get hungry soon. We went through McDonalds to get myself something to eat and I got Emily out of her car seat. I covered myself all up so she could eat, and while she did I ate my food. I got her diaper all changed up and put her back in her car seat. She cried for a little bit but I put her blanket all around her and her pacifier back in her mouth. She went right to sleep. I was thinking I would stop somewhere in Kansas and stay the night there. It was already 4 in the afternoon, and I just needed to get some sort of rest during this trip.
I turned right onto Main Street and got onto the highway to start my journey as a single mother with a beautiful baby girl. Only looked back when I heard a big boom, but kept going.
Emily’s Fathers POV:
I listened as Anna took Emily from my arms telling her she would never leave Emily. She’s going to be such a good mother. I quickly grabbed my stuff and left without saying anything to them.
I love you Anna, this is for the best.
My wolf, Kane, howled in the back of my mind. He never got to see Katherine, his mate. I felt a pain in my heart as I continued to walk away from them. All of me wants to stay with them forever. But, for the safety of our baby girl, we can never be together. People don’t know who Anna is, and it’s best that way. Emily will eventually be sought after for her blood because she is a pure blood Alpha. When she gets her Wolf, she will be the most powerful Alpha. Few have been put in her position, but they have never lived to gain their wolves. Killed by witches, drained of their blood by vampires, or killed by their packs because they are supposed to be powerful.
I watched and watched to see when they left so I could ensure that they were safe. I waited for about 30 minutes when I got a call from my father, saying I needed to come home immediately. I had to make sure that Anna and Emily got to Arkansas safely. So I asked one of my guards to stay and watch them. My driver took me to the airport where my jet was waiting. As I got on the plane, I video called my dad.
“Son, where have you been? You need to come back now. They have come to seek protection and merge with our pack. The current Alpha is offering his daughter as your bride.”
“I’ve been working. You know my business is all over. Is she pretty?” I say with a smile across my face. “Maybe she could turn out to be my mate.”
Since Anna was my mate, and she rejected me, someone else would be my mate. So, technically this girl could be my second chance mate. But no one would know that. Not even my guards. They just know that I was out on a really important bodyguard job for a woman. My business is body guarding for big celebrities. Pay is always good and being a werewolf, I don’t have to worry about getting hurt too often. A lot of my pack works for me, so leaving them to guard is nothing new to them.
“Perhaps yes. But you need to accept the offer ASAP or they will look to another pack for protection.”
“Of course father. I will be there as soon as I land. Try and stall for me. I’ll be there in roughly three and a half hours.”
“I will do my best. Be safe.”
“Always am.”
The call ended. I decided to have my chef on board cook up some steak and potatoes for everyone. He is the best chef money can buy. My top beta is my best friend, Austin. Honestly surprised he came on this long trip with me. His wife had a baby boy a few months ago. Austin and I played some video games on our way back to pass the time. When we landed, I was met with my limousine, and we headed to the pack house. I have my own airport inside the pack boundaries so I can fly whenever I want to. When I arrive, I see this beautiful brunette woman standing just outside the front door to the office building.
Mate bro! She’s our second mate!
Dang she’s gorgeous. Nothing compared to Anna, but she’s beautiful. Are you sure she’s our second mate?
Of course I’m sure! She feels it too!
Sure enough, the brunette smiled big, and came running down the stairs to meet me. She smelled like hot chocolate and whipped cream. Sweet.
“I accept. I don’t know the terms, but I accept.” I saw without taking my eyes away from my new mate.
“Haha son, welcome home. Come, let’s talk terms before you accept everything.” My father says as he extends his hand to me and embraces me in a hug. The brunette's father comes out, Alpha Teagan Williams.
“Yes, let’s talk terms before you accept my daughter as your bride. Can we speak in your office?” Alpha Teagan asks, making way for me to enter the building.
“Of course, let me get my bags.”
“Nonsense Alpha, I will get everything.” Austin says, stopping me from going anywhere towards the car. Even though I haven’t yet taken over the pack, everyone has already started calling me Alpha. My ceremony is this coming week.
“Far enough. Let's talk terms then.” I wink at the brunette, who just smiles and hides behind her gorgeous straight hair. Just as everyone entered my office, I got a call from the guard back in Wyoming that I left in charge of Anna and Emily. “One moment. I have to make sure that the client I just finished with is fully safe. I’ll be right in... hello?”
“Alpha... the car has exploded. I’m sorry, the girl and the baby are dead. There was nothing we could have done. No one came to the car except her and the baby. I lost track of them for a little bit there, but there is one adult body and one infant body in the remains.”
My heart sank. My baby girl was gone, and so was my first mate. The pain in my heart was enough to give me a heart attack. I stumbled back and dropped my phone. Everyone ran out and my vision went black. My daughter and mate were dead, all because I was coming back for my next mate.
