Alpha Loren

Andrea came into the bedroom an hour or so later after the other men had left. He peeled off his shirt and collapsed next to me on the bed. He reeked of beer and tequila and a shiny sweat was visible on his skin as he fumbled around in his belt for his gun which he then threw carelessly onto the nightstand. 

"You'll feel like shit in the morning if you don't drink water now," I said after a few moments. "Even werewolves aren't immune to that amount of alcohol."

"Then get me water," he grumbled.

I got up and fetched him a large glass of water from the bathroom which he proceeded to drink the whole of. 

He then rolled onto his back and gestured to his feet, "Take my shoes off."

I knealt down by the side of the bed and untied his laces before pulling the first shoe off his foot. As I reached for the other, he put his hand on the back of my neck and pushed his fingers up through my hair.  

"I want you right now, Blanca," he replied. "But I'm too drunk."

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued to fumble with his shoe.

"You need to sleep," I said after finally getting his shoe off and putting it neatly by the other one at the end of the bed.

He beckoned for me to come closer to him with a hand gesture but his drunken clumsiness gave me the confidence to refuse. He glared for a few moments before lurching forward, grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

I held my breath as he held my face inches away from his and stared in silence. The anticipation of his next move drove me mad, but then he just let me go, rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.

"Good night, Blanca," he mumbled. 

I slowly stood up. He didn't stir. 

Keeping my eyes fixated on him, I crept forward and took his gun from the nightstand and then crept back towards the door which was only a couple of metres away and millimetre by millimetre silently turned the knob so that the door could be inched open.

Once I had slipped into the hallway with the bedroom door securely shut, I allowed myself to breathe and press my back against the wall, trying to pull myself together. I looked down at the gun; it was only a shotgun and relatively small but my hand still shook as I held it. 

What the hell am I doing? How did I get myself into this?

But there was no going back now so I took a deep breath, composed myself and whilst keeping my eye out for Andrea coming after me, ran on my tiptoes down the dark hall towards the spiral stairs that lead down to the foyer.

Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I felt something grab my arm and pull me around the corner.

"What are you doing, gringa?" a voice asked.

was deep but less harsh than Andrea's and with a thicker accent. Although his face was mostly shadowed by the night, I could tell it was Chico, still wearing the same

"I-"

pulling the gun

"No-I-," I stuttered.

boss would do if he found out about this, yes?" he questioned shaking my shoulders. "Why would you try this?"

know," I whispered. "I wasn't thinking."

glanced around the hall. 

to tell him?"

looked me in the eye briefly before pushing the gun back into my hands, "Take this

nodded frantically and let out a shaky thanks as

do anything stupid," he warned

Andrea's room and replaced the gun being sure not to wake him and then I just silently lay down on the other side of the bed, my heart beating fast. The thuds of

at the rising moon and twinkling stars. The jungle seemed still and the twittering birds had been replaced by the

own misery. The only comforting thought I could think was Cato now being safely at home, probably curled up in the warmth of Leo's arms as they both slept. I smiled to myself at the image

He hadn't

I woke to a prod in the back. I opened my eyes to be

choked gasp as I tried to shuffle away but

up, Blanca," he said. "We have shit

trying to banish my fear. It

up and rubbed my eyes. I could feel my hair sticking up in all directions and the bags under my

you hungry?" he questioned.

I said in

garden," he said pointing to the doors. "I'll be out in a few minutes and we have much

the patio, a clingy warmth instantly hitting me. Chico was walking on patrol around the perimeter of the lawn. He caught

the soft breeze ripple the water and slosh in against the ceramic edges. But despite its crystal blue

of the leafy tree, the temperature was comfortable and the air felt less thick and warm. I took

comes a condescending piece

me. He strode across the neat lawn until he reached a deckchair just beside the tree I was underneath. He leant

night, he did not look all that bad. His hair was unbrushed and he wasn't dressed in his usual smart attire but apart from that, there was little evidence of

not like the sun, Blanca?"

replied bluntly

heat soon enough," he said. "Anyway, we're going

"Where?" I asked.