The Alpha's Daughter: Whispers in the Wind [on hold]

Whispers in the Wind - Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Annie:

I knew he was out there. I could feel him. The curtains drawn back and my eyes wide, I searched the back garden, tearing at an already chapped and sore lip. He was coming. He was coming and he wasn’t going to be as kind this time. Who was going to be next? He’d already gone for Radleigh – ripped him to shreds because he’d seen him as the weakest. Who was next on his list?

Dad had put everyone under house arrest; no-one was allowed out and no-one was allowed in. The lads were beginning to complain that we were running out of food, and I don’t think that Ade appreciated Zane telling him it was good to go on a diet. But despite the jokes, we were definitely in trouble.

What was going to happen when Dante got bored of waiting? He wasn’t exactly known for having patience…

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Cal asked again, his voice quiet as he rocked Rosie to sleep. My reply came in the form of a curt nod, not taking my eyes from the trees. Part of me felt bad for brushing him off so easily; he was trying his best to keep calm. Can’t have been easy for him either…

I heard Cal sigh and pull himself to his feet, listening to his footfalls as he crossed the room and slipped out of the door, taking Rosie with him. A sigh of relief escaped my lips before I could stop it, the guilt burning at my stomach.

It had been two weeks since Radleigh had told me to buck up my ideas and, try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge Rosie as my wee girl. It was too difficult; she looked at me with the sort of indifference that she would a stranger. Radleigh didn’t understand the complexities of relationships; why would he? The only ones he truly had were with his books and the bloody spider in his bedroom.

D’you want something to eat, Annie? Zane asked from the kitchen.

No, thanks.

Food. Who the hell was calm enough to eat food?

A bush moved in the corner of my eye, and my head swivelled to meet it, staring at it as my heartbeat stopped suddenly. The leaves twitched innocently in the autumn breeze, a mixture of green and gold rattling against each other in the already dimming sunlight.

But the shadow of a wolf was nowhere to be seen.

Being paranoid wasn’t going to help anything; all it was going to was drive me and everyone around me to complete distraction. I knew that, and yet the fear that pooled inside me whenever I saw something move outside, or the crunch of the gravel in the drive made me flinch and press myself into the nearest wall.

It was with hardship that I pulled myself away from the window, forcing myself to go downstairs and interact with the others. I crept along the hallway, knocking on Radleigh’s door as I passed.

“Yeah?”

“D’you need anything from downstairs?” I asked, pushing the door open. He was lying on his bed, wearing his baggiest tracksuit bottoms and a bright yellow t-shirt, trying to shift gingerly towards the bedside cabinet for his drink.

“I’ll get it!” I exclaimed, darting forwards to pass it to him. He shouldn’t have been moving at all, really; his injuries still hadn’t healed. And it was apparent too; his face was still bruised and cut, and the tops of dressings and bandages crept out of the top of his t-shirt.

Radleigh sighed, taking the drink from me without thanks. I knew how he felt; it was horrible not being able to move from your bed, aching in places you didn’t even know existed. At the hands of Dante. It wasn’t an occurrence that I wished on anyone, really.