EVE

|3|

I was still in a state of sedation when my eyes finally opened.

I was in an unfamiliar room and I could hardly breathe. It was almost like a pile of bricks were placed on my chest, suffocating me.

  "Eve!" I hear a voice and as I roll my head to the side, I notice a shadow beside me. I knew it was Gemma from her familiar voice but I had to blink several times before her figure became clear.

  "Gemma..." I whisper, my voice hoarse.

She grabs my hands tightly, threading my fingers through hers. We lock eyes and I could see the worry and fear plastered across her face.

  "Oh thank god you are ok. I was so worried." Gemma bursts into tears, sobbing hard as she clutches my hand in hers.

  "Where are we?" I ask as I try to sit up.

Gemma stopped me at first, encouraging me to lay down, but then noticing I wasn't listening adjusted the pillows and helped me to sit comfortably.

  "We are still in the Red Moon pack. The Alpha allowed us to use their medical room."

I looked around, only then recognizing the white walls and medical equipment.

  "Did you speak with my Dad?" I ask.

Gemma gulps, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. She looks away briefly and then turns back to me.

  "I tried Eve, but I can't get through. There's something stopping me from accessing the mind link. It's like a wall which I can't get through."

My head spins and I close my eyes. I can almost picture my mother, her face pale from worry, her eyes red from crying. Beside her my father paces. He contains himself however his mind is filled with doubt. He blames himself for letting me leave the sterile room.

I let out a sharp wheeze as I clutch my chest. My chest is tight and I'm really struggling to breathe now.

"Eve... eve..." Gemma' s eyes widen with panic and she places her arms around my shoulders and starts shaking me. "Eve, can you hear me?"

I push away her hands and let out a laboured sigh.

  "I'm fine Gemma. I'm ok."

  "No Eve, you are definitely not fine. You were turning purple just a second ago."

I stay silent, glancing around the room.

  "Where's the Alpha?" I ask.

  "I don't know, but I know that there are guards standing outside those doors," Gemma states, pointing to the metal doors.

  "Guards ?" I ask, bewildered. "I have already told them that we belong to the Crescent Moon pack."

Gemma smirks but it not in amusement.

  "They don't believe us. They think you are lying. I heard the Alpha telling the guards not to let us out of this room. He's made it clear that we are to be treated like we are bloody prisoners."

I sigh and grab my head in my hands.

A second goes by and then Gemma abruptly grabs my hand.

  "Fuck..." she whispers.

I glance down, following her gaze and notice that my fingers are turning blue. I quickly pull my hands away, tucking them underneath the blanket.

  "We need to get you home," Gemma states before getting up and searching the room for a way out.

Just as she stands up, the door flings open and speak of the devil, the Alpha walks in.

There's complete silence as he approaches us, however his eyes are only on me.

"You are awake," he states coldly with no expression on his face.

"I have told you already who we are. If you could just let us go-"

"You expect me to believe that you, a human, a very sick human at that," he spat out, "is the daughter of Alpha Kronex?"

A sharp jab shoots through my chest but I bite my tongue from screaming in pain. It's difficult to know whether the pain was from my body shutting down or from his words.

Gemma spoke up, "Sir, please just listen to us. My name is Gemma Relton and my father is Jhorn Relton the Beta in Command to the Crestent Moon Pack. It was my mistake and lack of judgement that led the both of us into your territory. If required I will gladly take the punishment for trespassing, however my friend here is sick - very sick and she will die if she doesn't get back to the pack. Please I beg you, let her go."

The whole time Gemma spoke, the Alpha remained with his stoic gaze on me, not even blinking.

"What is your name?" the Alpha asked but I was in too much pain to answer.

"Did you not hear what I asked?" he growled and I closed my eyes, trying to control the pain.

"My name is Eve," I forced out.

The Alpha continued to watch my every movement and just when I thought it was all going to be over I heard a scream.

"EVE!!!"

It was a voice that I could never forget. Sitting up, I tried to get off the bed.

"Mum!" I yelled, gathering my energy. But before my feet could even touch the floor I was lifted off the bed and into a familiar embrace.

"Daddy," I whispered in relief as my father held me tightly against his chest, so tight that any air left in my lungs were squeezed out. I felt someone else rush into the room and immediately I knew who.

"Evelyn Kronex you are in so much trouble." There was fear, worry and relief all mixed up in my mother's voice and as soon as she reached me I fell into her arms and she held me close, stroking my hair gently.

"I thought I lost you," she whispered into my ears and her tears wet my face.

"Alpha Stone, we are your debt. Thank you for finding my daughter and keeping her safe," my father said as he stepped away from me and instead shook the other Alpha's hand.

I glanced over my mother's shoulders and noticed the Alpha watching me with silent curiosity.

I thought he didn't believe me.

His eyes locked with mine and he said, "My pleasure, Alpha Kronex. If I had been aware you had a daughter I would have been quicker to let you know."

My father forced a smile and then turned to me and my mother. Noticing my weak state and fading health, my father turned back to the Alpha.

"Once again I thank you for your help, but I think it's time I took her back home."

Father walked over and held me, before lifting me up into his arms as if I were a piece of paper.

But before he could move, Alpha Stone stepped forward and held his hand up.

"Unfortunately I'm going to have to stop you there."

Both my father and mother glanced up in surprise. My father's eyes narrowed as he watched a few of Alpha Stone's men step into the room, blocking the exit.

"Despite my utmost respect to you and your pack, you must realise your daughter and her friend," the alpha turned his attention to Gemma who cowered behind my father, "have trespassed across my territory and that is still a crime which needs to be punished despite her status."

My mother gasped and she reached over, laying a protective hand over me.

My father's hands tightened around me.

"What are you trying to say?" my father asked, his tone harsh.

Alpha Stone didn't react, instead calmly retorted, "I am saying... Evelyn Kronex, is mine."