Chasing Somnia

Chapter1 Running, just keep running! I look down for half a second to make sure the baby isn’t bouncing around too much without slowing down. I can’t believe that they are still chasing me this far. “ Don’t worry the snow is starting to cover our tracks Quite nicely.” I’ve only had Iris for a few hours now and I don’t think I’ll ever quite get used to having two spirits sharing my body, after all your only supposed to have one… then again it’s a bit unusual to be running from your former pack while four months pregnant with your newborn niece/ daughter tightly strapped to your front then again I was tired by the fourth step I took. But if I stop ,all three of us will die so that’s not an option! “ I love how introspective your thoughts are love, but we should revisit this a little while later. “ “ your right Snow. Thank you for keeping me on track once again!” “ oh sweet Nia you know I love listening to your thoughts dreams and all, but I simply meant that I really need to concentrate right now, and I can smell trees up ahead so if you don’t mind Iris love could you give me just a bit more of a boost.” ’ I think I have two or three ounces left in the tank, let’s find a nice thick tree and have rest for the night.” A few more minutes later and I saw the perfect climbing tree so I jumped as hard as my bloated little body would safely allow and climbed up until I was safely covered by branches and leaves. “ you do realize that this is gonna be bit of a problem when we run out of evergreens to climb.” . “ that’s a problem for tomorrow, but for now the noises coming from our lil bundle says she is hungry so as my momma used to say, if it’s crying… stick a titty in it!” “ oh my goddess Snow must everything that comes out of your mouth sound like it belongs on the wall of a bar!” “ Hey! You may be made of flower and wind , water fire and crap. I am quite simply put, a leopard , I’m crude by nature.” “ please, please don’t be this way when we get to meet our mate!!” ‘ you know what, just for that I’m gonna double down, be extra crude maybe even a little bit nasty!” I had to hold my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the argument between the two as I painfully get the baby, whom I really need to name, to latch on and feed, and watch the wolves sniff around in the snow for a long-gone trail. “Let’s go back; it’s cold out here.” “You gonna be the one to tell the Alpha we lost his concubine?” “We could say she died in the river.” “He just lost the twin in childbirth a few hours ago. What’s he supposed to do, mate the mom?” “Not our problem; that’s above our pay grade. I’m cold, hungry, and tired. I’m turning back.” Now that reminder was enough to end my giggles for the next year. I reached into the tattered backpack and pulled out two of the bungee cords that all the females are required to carry at all times in case we need to do heavy lifting—because why should the men work hard ever? That’s women’s work! I secured myself to the tree and silently cried myself to sleep. Chapter 2 Is it morning? Gosh, I feel worse than before I fell asleep. Sorry, Somnia, I wish there was more we could do. It’s okay, though. I don’t blame them. I’ve been in a constant state of panic for a straight week since we started running from my former pack. No one told me that when you hit your fourth month, you go from looking bloated to “Oh, look, Mom! That beach ball has googly eyes attached to it!” Add caring for a newborn whose name is now Amber on account of the Amber flecks in her purple eyes. I always did wonder why only my family had that eye color out of everyone in our pack. Is that why they hated us so much? Ah, what do I care! A bunch of douchebags anyway. Anyone who hates my family is completely insane. We never tried to hurt anyone; we stayed as far away as we could. If Sissy and I didn’t have chores or had to forage for food, we would’ve never seen the sun at all. “Good morning, my little princess. How are you this morning?” It came out as a raspy whisper. I haven’t ever used my actual voice before. You need to understand the hierarchy in our pack: Alpha’s mate, maid, concubine… that’s it. One mate, twenty maids, and all the rest of the pack are concubines. And before you say that makes no sense, what about mated couples? There are none, Alpha’s orders. Anyone that tried to fight that order ends up very publicly mateless anyway. So yeah. Alpha says concubines don’t need to be heard ever; the punishment for disturbing the peace is severe. But I’m free now, and seeing as I’ve never been allowed to hear my mother or my twin sisters’ natural voices, I want, no, I need Amber to know what I sound like. S = High alert! Something’s outside the cave! Something smells nice. Maybe we should take a look! Three mangy-looking rogues peek inside the cave, grinning like they just hit the jackpot. “It’s all right, baby. Let them step in. I set up a little trap for you while you were sleeping last night. Just stay back, let them all come in, and when I tell you to, touch the wall. Okay?” “ okay wispy you’ve had your turn now watch over the babies while I work!” I’m not allowed to shift because of the baby “ babies.” S ‘ Oh you have the worst timing! Don’t distract me!” she hardens and elongated my nails into claws and her feet into leopard paws. ‘ it’s time to get inside his personal space luv, preferably the injured armpit I shifted forward hooked my left claw into his arm so he couldn’t get away and reached as far into his armpit as I could closed my hand and yanked it back out as quickly as I could. unfortunately he got a good s***h on my upper back I gave a silent scream of pain as I fell backwards and caught myself on my elbow so I wouldn’t fall on my belly but he’s still angrily stumbling towards me so I did what any weakened pregnant girl with very sharp toenails would do I kicked my feet wildly until I caught a good portion of his inner thigh and privates and that seems to have done the trick because you could see blood pumping out with each weakened heartbeat , until he fell, and there were no more heartbeats to be heard. Okay on to more important things, throwing up from the smell of blood! I quickly crawl away and throw up everything I ate for days. Once I’ve collected Amber and made my way out of the cave I took a deep breath and said. “What do you mean babies! I didn’t even know about one baby till Mom was handing me Amber and telling me to run northeast and search for Dad! Oh goddess this is impossible! Even if I find father he’s not gonna want to care for a daughter with two souls and three kids from the same alpha!” s= Stop that! It’s not like you or your sister asked or wanted any of this!” “L = ‘Father will be understanding. He will protect us! Just like Mommy said!’” “He’s a man, they don’t care, they never care! He’ll just make us a concubine, or worse, send us back to Alpha! I mean, at least if that happens, I’ll be with Mom again. I can’t believe I just ran when she told me to, now I’m all alone, and she has no one to protect her anymore! Why would Father want me, much less a mate? What exactly is there to even want! I’m silent, scared, scarred from neck to toe. Hell, the only words I can read are the ones carved into my skin. I don’t even want me!” “S! No! I know this is your first time out into the world, but most Alphas I know are not like old alpha!” “How do you know?” Snow said. “You’re so young. This is your first lifetime, and you’ve been dealt a really crappy hand so far, but we swear to you by the Goddess’s blessings things will get better. All you need to do is set your feet northeast, and find father and let him prove that he loves us and will care for us… okay?!” “There is a river about one mile in that direction, so we have to go there anyway,” Somnia. “Alright.” I wipe the tears off my face and start walking. Chapter 2 Is it morning? Gosh, I feel worse than before I fell asleep. Sorry, Somnia, I wish there was more we could do. It’s okay, though. I don’t blame them. I’ve been in a constant state of panic for a straight week since we started running from my former pack. No one told me that when you hit your fourth month, you go from looking bloated to “Oh, look, Mom! That beach ball has googly eyes attached to it!” Add caring for a newborn whose name is now Amber on account of the Amber flecks in her purple eyes. I always did wonder why only my family had that eye color out of everyone in our pack. Is that why they hated us so much? Ah, what do I care! A bunch of douchebags anyway. Anyone who hates my family is completely insane. We never tried to hurt anyone; we stayed as far away as we could. If Sissy and I didn’t have chores or had to forage for food, we would’ve never seen the sun at all. “Good morning, my little princess. How are you this morning?” It came out as a raspy whisper. I haven’t ever used my actual voice before. You need to understand the hierarchy in our pack: Alpha’s mate, maid, concubine… that’s it. One mate, twenty maids, and all the rest of the pack are concubines. And before you say that makes no sense, what about mated couples? There are none, Alpha’s orders. Anyone that tried to fight that order ends up very publicly mateless anyway. So yeah. Alpha says concubines don’t need to be heard ever; the punishment for disturbing the peace is severe. But I’m free now, and seeing as I’ve never been allowed to hear my mother or my twin sisters’ natural voices, I want, no, I need Amber to know what I sound like. S = High alert! Something’s outside the cave! Something smells nice. Maybe we should take a look! Three mangy-looking rogues peek inside the cave, grinning like they just hit the jackpot. “It’s all right, baby. Let them step in. I set up a little trap for you while you were sleeping last night. Just stay back, let them all come in, and when I tell you to, touch the wall. Okay?” “ okay wispy you’ve had your turn now watch over the babies while I work!” I’m not allowed to shift because of the baby “ babies.” S ‘ Oh you have the worst timing! Don’t distract me!” she hardens and elongated my nails into claws and her feet into leopard paws. ‘ it’s time to get inside his personal space luv, preferably the injured armpit I shifted forward hooked my left claw into his arm so he couldn’t get away and reached as far into his armpit as I could closed my hand and yanked it back out as quickly as I could. unfortunately he got a good s***h on my upper back I gave a silent scream of pain as I fell backwards and caught myself on my elbow so I wouldn’t fall on my belly but he’s still angrily stumbling towards me so I did what any weakened pregnant girl with very sharp toenails would do I kicked my feet wildly until I caught a good portion of his inner thigh and privates and that seems to have done the trick because you could see blood pumping out with each weakened heartbeat , until he fell, and there were no more heartbeats to be heard. Okay on to more important things, throwing up from the smell of blood! I quickly crawl away and throw up everything I ate for days. Once I’ve collected Amber and made my way out of the cave I took a deep breath and said. “What do you mean babies! I didn’t even know about one baby till Mom was handing me Amber and telling me to run northeast and search for Dad! Oh goddess this is impossible! Even if I find father he’s not gonna want to care for a daughter with two souls and three kids from the same alpha!” s= Stop that! It’s not like you or your sister asked or wanted any of this!” “L = ‘Father will be understanding. He will protect us! Just like Mommy said!’” “He’s a man, they don’t care, they never care! He’ll just make us a concubine, or worse, send us back to Alpha! I mean, at least if that happens, I’ll be with Mom again. I can’t believe I just ran when she told me to, now I’m all alone, and she has no one to protect her anymore! Why would Father want me, much less a mate? What exactly is there to even want! I’m silent, scared, and scarred from neck to toe. Hell, the only words I can read are the ones carved into my skin. I don’t even want me!” “S! No! I know this is your first time out into the world, but most Alphas I know are not like old alpha!” “How do you know?” Snow said. “You’re so young. This is your first lifetime, and you’ve been dealt a really crappy hand so far, but we swear to you by the Goddess’s blessings things will get better. All you need to do is set your feet northeast, and find father and let him prove that he loves us and will care for us… okay?!” “There is a river about one mile in that direction, so we have to go there anyway,” Somnia. “Alright.” I wipe the tears off my face and start walking. Chapter 3 My name is Ivan, and I am the alpha of Alphas. Twenty-five years ago, I gained the title from my father through combat. You don’t just inherit the title; you fight for it. Two years later, I met my mate, my beloved Elena. She was a newly hired maid, the most beautiful woman I had ever set my eyes on. With chocolate skin and eyes the color of purple jewels, I had never seen anything like her in my life! I knew she wasn’t a leopard, but I simply didn’t care—she was mine! This I do swear. I will not step down until I have a chance to train my mates offspring to beat at me in combat and take there rightful place, if that’s what they want of course. But I will get my family back! I’ve called in my top enforcers to help me review the maps of my kingdom and lead the search for the millionth time, at least it feels that way to me. But I wouldn’t entrust the search for my family to anyone but my most loyal, and quite frankly, best and strongest men. II hear a knock on my door, and after telling them to come in, I see four sets of identical eyes on men built like the bears they are, enter my chambers. Ethan, the oldest of the four, speaks up, “Morning, Alpha. We have the reports from our spies in the southern border.” “Well, speak up.” II couldn’t find it in me to care for niceties, as the years have dragged on. The only thing keeping me sane at all has been my best friend, aka my beta, and the fact that I can still feel the tether to my mate. Have you heard anything worth investigating? Perhaps there is nothing tying them directly to our queen’s kidnapping, but there has been evidence of them owning several trafficking rings. And we have recently caught them attempting to place spies directly into our lands. “ I will not tolerate that type of filth anywhere near my kingdom! You find them, question whomever you need to find those poor children and bring them home, and then wipe those responsible off the face of the earth. As far as I’m concerned those bastards just lost their right to breathe air. Am I understood?” all four heads bow in respect and four nearly identical voices say ‘ with pleasure alpha! As we leave the room and close the door behind us we run into our father the beta. He’s carrying his signature smile a cup of coffee and a pastry of some sort as he stops to greet us and asks” good morning sons and how is the alpha doing this morning? It’s nice to see you still have all your fingers and eyes still intact! “We think he needs you this morning, Father. He seems off somehow.” “Really, you’ve noticed it too? Truth be told, it’s not just this morning, it’s been the past few mornings, and I hope it means he just needs me more as a friend than his beta.” “It may be a while before we get to meet up again. “Another mission?” “Yes.” “Then be safe, and for goodness’ sake, your mother wants to see you before you leave!” “Dad, we’re on a bit of a time crunch here,” the third-oldest said. “Hey, I may be the beta, but she’s the boss!” With that said, he turned around, opened the Alpha’s door, and slipped inside. Chapter 4 I’ve learned a few things about this world in the time I’ve been roaming around in it. This world is big! I mean, it seems endless. When Iris first mentioned running out of evergreens to climb, I thought she just meant the end of the forest. I had no idea that there were different types of forests, or that there were areas with no forests at all! And that’s another thing. Us three have had a bit more time to learn to communicate together. I’m not saying that we don’t argue anymore! That’d be a blatant lie, and quite frankly boring. No, what I’m saying is that we’ve decided that we love each other far more than we thought we did. I also had my first run with a genuine walking talking human! I wasn’t sure they were real! The meeting didn’t start out entirely pleasant , but we figured out how to get out of it without bloodshed. Aside from my mum and my sister that’s never happened before, for me. I had just stashed Amber low in a tree so I could find some nuts and berries maybe even a small squirrel to eat if I was lucky today. One thing I am thankful to my neglectful alpha for is forcing my family to forage for ourselves. Those other stupid pack mates weren’t allowed to talk to us, but I know a judgmental stare when I see one. They actually thought the alpha was providing separate food for my family. Sorry I’ve been alone too long. what was I talking about? Oh yeah! I ran into a bush with wild strawberries, this bush is bout to look naked as the day I was born ! Cue the footsteps. Is that a baby in that tree? “ Bump the strawberries, I’ll come back for the strawberries! I ran in, or rather waddled quickly, and pushed the lady down, taking a fighting stance. “Oh my God, is this your baby?” I sign “ My baby, my pack! I will end you, leave now! She looked like an older lady to me at least slightly older than my mother by a few years . But she also didn’t look feral, in fact she looked really well dressed, with a big heavy backpack, and she also looked really smart. Almost as smart as my mom. She squinted her eyes, put up both her hands, and said, “Okay, sweetie, I’m not gonna touch your baby, but you look like you need help! Are you lost? Are you out here all alone?” “Yes. Must find Dad.” “Oh my gosh! Please come ”With me, child! At least for the night. I have a cabin not too far from here. I can at least provide food and clothing for you and your child. I take my grandkids out camping with me every so often. Maybe we can figure out where your dad is. I swear I mean you no harm, child.” I don’t normally trust. Okay, I never trust. But Snow and Iris said she’s harmless, and quite frankly, her tone sounded so close to when Mom would speak to us. Then I thought of my little princess being able to sleep warm for one night, just one night. I couldn’t help myself I reached behind me and I touched her caramel almost reddish curls so much like Sasha’s, the opposite of my dark grape hair she looked at me with so much trust, then my twins kicked and my resolve crumbled. I took my baby out of the tree and nodded yes. The biggest smile came over the grannies face “ let’s get to my car and I’ll drive us to my cabin Dear!” I remember Alpha had a car just like hers, and he called it a Jeep. Except hers is blue like the sky, and his was an ugly green like the stuff that sits on top of a dead lake. My sister and I were forced to wash it so he could walk around and ogle and touch us while we were soapy and wet. But I’ve never been allowed inside.” My name’s Irene, sweetling. What’s yours?” I sign out my name Somnia. “Oh, my! How lovely. Did you know that word is Latin for dreams? Oh, your mother was a clever one. I can’t help myself. What’s your middle name?” ‘ Arceo.” She takes a sharp intake of breath. Oh my dear, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we met today. But we can speak of all this later. For now, relax, my love. Say, have you ever heard classical music before?” “No?” “Oh, you’re in for a treat! By the way, I used to be a professor in higher education. All of my questions are very intentional. At some point during our visit, remind me to tell you about my beloved husband. I always did wonder why he told me to pay close attention to my dreams.” She said with a wistful expression. Then she pressed a button, and a soft, soulful sound started running throughout the vehicle. Chapter 5 My name is Elana Kingsley. My name is Elana Kingsley. My name is Elana Kingsley. And I don’t care how long this pathetic excuse for an wanna be alpha keeps me chained to this wall . He can whip me choke me ,starve me . He’s been doing it to me and my cubs for years anyway. Nothing new, my cub and grandkids are finally out and on the way home. My only regret is not being able to get both cubs out. That was the plan. But all the beatings took a toll on my poor baby’s body and she went into early labor. So my Brilliant daughters did something even I didn’t know they could do! And Goddess help me, I knew telling Nia to run before she was even able to mourn the death of her other half was far too much to ask of her! But if she can’t reach her father or her mate before her cubs are born, she will die! Her cub will die, her sister’s cub will die! The entire supernatural world needs our bloodline to live. “Don’t you want your daughter to be Luna? Every good mom wants her daughter to be Luna.” That’s how he always starts; he tries being nice, but it doesn’t last. “See here you old b***h, you think you can keep my future mate from me mate from me! She will be mine. Each sentence was punctuated With a punch. This time I just need to plan a little better. This time. I’ll let her eat at least, once a week. See I can be a generous mate. Every woman’s dream!” He’s a sociopath. He was never meant to be an alpha, he’s just an omega with delusions of grandeur. He’s forced me and my cubs to remain silent for sixteen years and this pathetic little greasy haired punk thinks the first time I speak aloud will be to betray my child. See, that’s the difference between being a true alpha, or being a loud mouth bully that surrounds himself with yes men. Over time you tend to believe that everyone values the same thing as you, when in reality, you’re the only one. Even your so-called friends are only sticking around in the hopes of sharing or stealing the fake popularity you hold. So this mealy-mouthed man child can do his worst. My cubs were meant to rule over him, not beside or under him like he wants.. I may be the one chained to this wall. But you’re the one living on borrowed time and you know it! I looked into his mind once. He’s committed so many crimes, his poor wolf is a broken shell. Humanity needs him to stop breathing. He is a walking, talking cancer! Find our cub Ivan, help her! I’m so tired. So ready to come home, but for this, I can be patient. Goddess, keep me breathing a little bit longer. I understand the assignment, and I await your blessings for the good of us all! .