Hunted by the Alpha Warlord

LIVIA'S POV I could feel his eyes on me before I saw him. I kept my chin down, focusing on the steaming pot of soup before me. ‘Don’t look, don’t look,’ I chided myself. But the urge was too overwhelming. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and tried to sneak a peek through my fingers at the same time. His eyes locked onto me instantly. f**k. A toothless grin greeted me as he ran over, holding his empty bowl. “Livia! Livia! I didn’t think you’d notice me! How do you like my new jacket?” I held back the groan threatening to escape and plastered a smile on my face as I looked at Eli’s new coat. “Wow, it really suits you.” The patched sleeves, the stains on the armpits…yeah, it definitely screamed Eli to me. Now, I know most people would frown on me judging someone in his position. And normally I would too. But Eli was not a nice guy. In public, he acted the part of a bumbling lonely guy. Somewhere in his mid-fifties, gray hair that stood at attention, what hair was left. And teeth…at least it was plural. Because the travesty that was his mouth was anything but a toothy grin, I cringed every time I saw his smile. How was Eli the scum of the Earth though? He had the frequent tendency before to follow me back to my quarters. Grab me and try to rough me up. Grabbing parts of me that I have never let another soul touch before. Not even my devilishly handsome boyfriend, Caleb. But did I do anything? Sure, I pulled a knife on him a few times. But I never reported him. What would that look like? Some “spoiled brat,” as they called me, running off and complaining about the less fortunate? No, it was better to grin and bear it because no one would believe me anyway. Especially not my own father. So Eli. Not the best of the best. And due to his completely disgusting personality, I had no qualms judging him. A hand waved in front of my face. “Earth to Livia,” Eli crooned. The smell that wafted from his hand alone was enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Jesus, what was this guy doing when he wasn’t harassing me? Rolling around in the trash sector? I shook my head and forced another grin his way. “Sorry, Eli, it’s that time of the month.” He pursed his lips, suddenly disinterested in having anything to do with me. If I knew one thing, it was that a good ol’ period was enough to scare Eli away for at least a week each month. I paused, counting the weeks; yeah, I was safe. If he happened to keep track, which I wouldn’t put past him, he wouldn’t be suspicious. I was maybe a week “early” for my cycle. I wasn’t even sure when I was supposed to have one at this point anyway. I hadn’t had one in ages. I guess not having proper nutrition, sunlight, or anything a young growing woman needs will do that to you. But I thought, looking around at the women and men around me, it could always be worse. My lips almost cracked at grinning so hard at Eli as I spoke through my teeth, “If you’re done eating, Eli, there are others I need to serve.” He opened his mouth to argue, but suddenly an arm wrapped around my shoulders, and I was drawn into the warm arms of someone I knew instantly was Caleb. I could smell him before he touched me. Like soil and sunlight, one of the few lucky enough to see the surface. It was my favorite smell and not just because a hunk followed behind it. I grinned up at him. “Hey, sweetie.” He planted a kiss on my forehead. “Hey there, Honey Bee.” I melted at his pet name for me. He’d seen one once and said it reminded him of me. How I was never still and always doing something. For the better of everyone else. Like a bee pollinates the earth. Glancing over at Eli, I saw a dark flash in his eyes and swallowed a lump in my throat. As much as it pleased me to let him know I was taken, it also scared me. I figured one day he wouldn’t care how sharp my knife was; he’d still come for me. On my cycle or not. Caleb leaned over the pot and wafted in the smell. “This smells pretty good, Eli. Are you going to have some more?” Eli looked down at his bowl, then back at Caleb, then at me. He sat his bowl down on the table and looked down, muttering. “I’m good. See you tomorrow, Livia.” With that, he shuffled away but not before shooting one more glare in Caleb’s direction. When he was out of earshot, Caleb leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Don’t go leaving me for ole Eli, Honey Bee.” I laughed and swatted at him so he’d step away, and I could get back to serving soup. “Oh, shush. You know I’d never.” He flashed a toothy grin at me, one with all of his teeth. And pearly white, contrasting well with his tan skin. Tan, something almost no one else was down here. Only the Sunrunners ever got to experience it. The sun that is. Because down here, there was no sunlight. No breezes, just artificial air circulating the same staleness over and over. Supposedly it’s linked to outside so we can breathe oxygen, because the greenery here was lacking. But you wouldn’t guess it based on the smell. The outside world wasn’t dangerous. Not in an environmental sense. The sun was still the sun, and the air was still the air. But it’s what lurked above that had forced all humans to retreat underground. Before I was born, they said the creatures were stuff of myths and fairy tales. But as long as I’ve been around, it’s been just the way of life. Werewolves. The word alone was enough to make me shudder. Large, beastly men that could morph into a giant wolf on command and then tear out your throat. Ever since the Great War started, humans have stopped trying to fight the impossible and instead retreated to the only safety they knew. Underground. It wasn’t ideal and left much to be desired, but at least we were alive—some of us. A twinge of pain in my stomach reminded me exactly of those of us who weren’t with us. I shook it out of mind. Now was not the time to hash on bad memories because today was special. Today was my anniversary with Caleb. And just so happened to be my 21st birthday. I met Caleb when I was 18, but we didn’t start dating until the exact day that I turned 20, the legal age to start going to the “clubs” around here. He said I was too young. Pfft, yeah right. But even now, Caleb holds me at arm’s length, saying 21 is when he can finally really kiss me. Isn’t that sweet? I wanted to turn around and fling my arms around him now and kiss the socks off him. Well, hopefully in a good way. I’d never been kissed before. I hope I was good at it. Maybe I was a natural. Or I was naturally horrible. I wasn’t sure, but I’m sure Caleb would appreciate it nonetheless. He wouldn’t stick around for a year just to be scared off by a few newbie kisses. I’m sure he’ll teach me. Caleb was staring down at me, a question on his face. “Livia?” Oh, I dazed out again. Oops. I needed to stop doing that. “What?” “Didn’t you hear Nelly?” My head turned to see the maid frantically wringing her hands. “Please, Miss Livia, it’s very important.” “What is?” “It’s your father. He wishes to speak to you. It’s of the utmost importance.” I cringed inside. I hated how Nelly talked. She was sweet and meant well, but she talked like she was straight out of some 1920s Harlequin Romance novel. Come on, it was 2051, not 1928. Also, I didn’t trust her. At her bare core, she was my father’s most loyal lackey. Never trust a lackey. Caleb looked down at me, offering me a half smile. “I’ll catch you later?” I grabbed a towel, wiping my hands before nodding at him and smiling back. “You bet your ass you will, Sunshine.” He planted a kiss on my cheek while grinning. “Go see what the old fart wants and come to mine afterward.” A thrill ran through my very core because Caleb had never invited me to his place before. Never. So this must mean something, I was sure. Nelly cleared her throat, causing me to roll my eyes. “I’m coming, Nelly.” Whatever my father had to speak to me about, I hoped it was cut short. I had plans tonight that I had no intention of missing.