The Alpha's Eden

Hate me

Eden PoV

After we'd killed Gerard a wave an exhaustion hit me hard and my body felt heavier all of a sudden as the bruises and cuts re-emerged.

My first instinct had been to go and be at Blake's side because I knew how tough this entire day had been but he was busy with his siblings so I didn't want to intrude on their private moment.

I scanned the area for Jace as I wondered how he was doing but I couldn't see him anywhere and I wasn't sure he wanted me anywhere near him anyway, he'd made that quite obvious.

The Woodmoor pack members that we'd rescued were gathered about twenty metres into the woods and away from the mayhem. They deserved answers and with that in mind I made my way over to them.

"Hey guys. How are you all holding up?" They approached me as soon as they saw me and I cringed internally at the way my father had treated his own people. They hadn't done anything to warrant being treated like that. I was glad that none of them looked like they'd been beaten or worse.

They looked dirty, mainly from the smoke, hungry and tired but otherwise they seemed to be in fairly good shape, all things considered. But that didn't make things any better. These innocent people nearly died.

"We're alive. That's all that matters now. How will we thank you for that Eden? You saved us when we thought we were doomed to die in that fire" a man of a similar age to my dad held my hands in his and smiled full of gratitude for being alive. "We owe you and your friend everything" he added gesturing to the rest of the Woodmoor's.

"Clive is right , Eden. We've watched you grow up from just a tiny baby. Not in a million years would I have thought it would be you that would save all of us in a situation like that. I still think of you as a little girl knocking on my door to see if you could pick some of the flowers from my garden" an elderly lady named Anna-May explained.

I used to drive her crazy with her beautiful garden but I couldn't resist it. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Her flowers were always so gorgeous. "Anna-May. Clive. All of you in fact. You don't owe me a thing. I grew up a Woodmoor just like you. That's where my roots are and a true Woodmoor never abandons another one" The Woodmoor pack had been my home, my life for 19 years.

These people had been a part of my life for so long that they meant a lot to me. I'd give my life for theirs.

"Thank you Eden. From all of us. Please thank your friend too" Clive nodded at my statement and dropped my hands and rejoined the group.

"There is a lot to explain to you, you deserve that and I promise you that you will get that. But right now it's important to get you fed, washed and make sure you all have roofs over your heads until we can figure out your futures. My brothers are going to come and explain the plan for right now so if you could just sit tight for a few minutes whilst they finalise the details. I promise I'll speak to you soon!" My brothers had already made plans for the pack members that remained. We just didn't realise they'd been imprisoned instead of being moved somewhere.

We said our goodbyes and I started to head back towards the Woodmoor pack grounds when I heard my name being hollered repeatedly.

"EDEN.... EDEN..... EDEN!!" Jace roared my name so loud that it echoed through the forest.

His voice was full of malice which made it obvious I was the target of his disdain.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Of course I realised that we'd have to have that conversation eventually but I didn't feel strong enough to get through it in the state I was in at that point.

I hadn't been hiding from him. Not in the slightest, and I wasn't afraid of him either. But I doubted whether it was the best time to talk when it seemed like he was blinded by his emotions. Plus his short fused temper was completely frazzled.