Chapter 161

Oh, and Eva?

«Eva≫

The sounds of metal on metal has me sitting up in my little bed, I’ve been down here since Cas brought

me back. I don’t really know what happened, I woke up as Cas was driving down the highway, he told

me I had done well and I remember I beamed with pride at his praise.

“Let’s go, Eva.” James is standing at the entrance of my cell, the last time I saw him he was buck

naked. Now he’s wearing jeans, a plain black t-shirt and heavy boots.

“Where am I going?” I ask him without moving from my spot on the bed.

“Alpha Fraction wants to see you, can’t keep you down here forever.” I look at the wall remembering

the other woman down here.

“What about her?” I ask, nodding my head in the direction the voice came from.

“I’d be worried about you, pup.” I gulp loudly before standing from the bed, I’m still in the joggers and t-

shirt I wore in the forest. James scrunches up his nose when I walk past him, I guess I smell a little

ripe.

“I’m sorry you know,” I tell James as he closes my cell, “that day in the mating room. I was only doing

what I was told, I’m sorry I put you in that situation.” James just nods at me, he doesn’t walk ahead of

me, instead he waits for me to start walking before walking behind me.

Once we are in the basement my stomach starts to growl as the smell of

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Oh, and Eva?

roasted meat and various vegetables reach my nose. I guess it’s lunch time in the Pack house, James

gives me a little nudge on the shoulder so I keep walking up the stairs to the sound of voices. The

second the door to the basement opens the kitchen goes so silent that I can actually hear the water

bubbling in the pan on the stove. I keep my eyes on the floor as I quickly shuffle through the kitchen in

the direction of Fraction’s office.

“Ladies.” James says following behind me, I don’t hear anyone say anything in response so I guess

they are all just staring at me. I can feel their eyes on my back like daggers poking at my skin.

“They hate me.” I say rubbing at my face as I walk along the hall, I’m trying really hard not to cry. I

understand their anger but it doesn’t make it any easier, stopping at the office door I keep my eyes on

the floor.

“Eva, look at me.” I refuse to meet James’ eyes and instead stare at his heavily worn black boots, “fine.

You stole their Alpha and Luna’s pup, in the process Momma Beth was killed. They don’t hate you, they

are angry at you, those kinds of things don’t just get forgiven just because you’re a pup.” James

reaches around me and opens the door to the office, “now buck up.” I flick my eyes up to him and see a

small smile on his lips, it’s only now in the light of the hall that I notice the fresh bite mark on his neck. I

feel my eyebrows draw together as I walk into the office, is the Pack under attack again?

Fraction is busy looking through a stack of yellow papers when I get into the office. He looks better than

he did the last time I saw him but he has this sadness hanging around him that I can only associate

with death, it’s like a blanket he’s cloaking himself in. James closes the office door and Fraction doesn’t

even look up, too engrossed in what he’s reading. James nudges my shoulder and I go to take a seat

in one of the two available chairs, the room is silent except for the shuffling of papers and the off puff of

annoyance Fraction lets out.

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288 Nouchers

“This is for you.” Fraction holds out an envelope and once I realise he means me I lean over the desk

and take it from him with a shaky hand. When I don’t open it Fraction puts down the papers before

looking at me, “open it Eva.” I flick my eyes to the side and see James sitting in the other other chair

with a small smile on his lips while he looks at Fraction. I can’t stop my hand from shaking as I slowly

peel the envelope open, inside there is a small stack of papers, a little plastic card with some numbers

on it and a key.

“What is this Alpha?” I ask, my voice sounds so small even to me.

“That is paperwork for an apartment that has been rented in your name. The lease is paid for three

months, the key is to the apartment.” I can’t stop my eyes from widening, why would he get me an

apartment unless he planned on letting me go. It’s not a thought I have even entertained, “the card is

for the bank account I paid all of your babysitting money into. You amas sed a decent amount, not a lot

though. You will need to get a job as soon as you can.” I expect Fraction to say more but instead he

just picks up the yellow papers and starts flicking through them again.

“Thank you.” I say while standing from the chair, clearly I’ve been dismissed and I’m not going to

question getting out of here alive.

“Eva.” I stop moving and wait for the hammer to drop, “you will never be allowed back in Swiftmane.”

Fraction’s voice leaves goosebumps down my back, he sounds like every bit the Alpha that he is. “You

are effectively banished from this Pack, if another Pack takes you in you must disclose what you did. If

I find out you didn’t, then I will.” He’s not banishing me from all Packs but he’s making sure no one will

ever take me in, I feel my shoulders drop as the reality of my situation sets in. “As a female my advice

to you is to find yourself a nice little place to stay, get a job and live a normal apple pie life.” I don’t say

anything, I just keep my head down and walk out of the office.

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As soon as I am in the hall my tears start to stream down my face, I’ve been kept from my wolf my

whole life and now I can’t even explore my wolf.

“Come on, I’ll take you to the bus station.” James puts a hand on my shoulder and puts a small amount

of pressure on it so that I have no choice but to leave. I don’t pay attention to anyone as we leave the

Pack house, I just keep my head down until I am sitting in James’ car. “Here.” James passes me a

tissue and I use it to wipe at my face and nose, “you realise he only banished you from Swiftmane.

There are tons of other Packs out there.” James is talking to me like I’m a wounded animal.

“And who will want to take me in?” I ask after what feels like an age, James doesn’t answer me as he

tightens his hands on the steering wheel.

“You never know what life holds for you Eva. You’re young and have so much of your life ahead of

you.” We haven’t been driving long before James pulls into a parking lot, he turns the car off before

turning sideways to look at me. “You f ucked up but that doesn’t have to define who you are. I saw what

those,” he pauses like he’s searching for the right word. “Those monsters did in that place, I can only

imagine the things that happened to you. Were you punished for not getting me to mate with you?” I

rub at my shoulder feeling the scars along my back with my finger tips, “I assumed as much. Out here

in the real world, you don’t get punished for such little things. Stick to the human laws and ours and you

will be fine.”

“Do we have laws?” I ask him, I had no idea.

“Only the one big one,” James smiles before reaching over and opening my door for me. “Don’t ever

tell a human about us or what we are.”

“Thank you James.” I get out of the car and just before I close the door

Oh, and Eva?

I look James directly in the eye, “I really am sorry about everything. I never meant for anyone to get

hurt, especially not Beth.” James just looks at me for a minute before nodding his head.

“I know you didn’t.” It’s as close to forgiveness that I’m going to receive so I close the door and stand

there watching his car drive away leaving me alone in the bus station.