Alpha Queen [1]

xvi

My old life was coming back to me.

"Tasha!" I shouted happily.

I ran up to my best friend and engulfed her in the biggest hug I could muster. I missed her so much.

"Ohmygod, you're okay!" Tasha hugged me back so hard that she nearly cut off my air supply. "I was so fucking worried."

"Of course I am!" My vision became blurry and I wiped away some tears. "How did you get here? How did you find me?"

Her arms went limp and she let me go.

"Your parents sent me."

"Why didn't they come themselves?" I asked then did a double-take. "Wait. Are you telling me you knew where I was this whole time?"

"Well," She stalled and twirled a piece of her hair around her finger, "They aren't really friendly with some of the. . . people here."

"Huh?"

"I'm guessing you know. . . about them." Tasha looked uncomfortably at one of the guards at the door. I recalled what happened when Ares captured me. She wasn't surprised. Of course she knew about them.

But I bit my lip to keep from yelling at her because I didn't want to waste my time by fighting.

"I know." I managed in my calmest voice. I wanted to ask her so many questions, I wanted to say so many things.

"Okay, well, your parents are- maybe we should go to a more private area." Tasha cleared her throat at the guards lurking at the front door. Their ears twitched.

"No, tell me," I commanded but I lost Tasha's attention. Her brown eyes were big and I turned around, wondering what she was staring at.

Ares was heading towards us with a cold expression on his face.

"Is that—?" She stopped talking as soon as he came within earshot.

"My name is Alpha Ares. You must be Natasha Gage." He introduced.

"It's Tasha." She cringed dramatically. "And you're the guy that choked me to death." She stepped away from him and her body language was guarded.

"I'm sorry." Although he didn't sound sorry.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and I wondered what was up with her. "I need to talk to Alex in private."

"Anything you need to say to Alex, you can say to me." Ares crossed his arms and tried to intimidate her. It didn't work.

"Who made you King of the-"