Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
“The real problem is the prison mound,” Myka said. “From what you’ve said, it seems like it would need to be at least near the main city in Spring. Even without the introduction of crazy monsters, that place was heavily monitored. Can’t imagine your Dark Queen would leave her home base unprotected.”
“Yea…” Selene sighed.
In truth, she wanted to be able to take an entire team into Spring, but there was no one to spare. Even if there was, taking a team would only draw more attention to them.
“There are ways into Spring that even the Luna’s body snatcher doesn’t know about.”
Myka turned immediately to see Alice standing behind him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll lead the way,” she said with a grin.
“You’re coming?” Myka asked excitedly.
“Of course,” she replied.
“You are?” Selene asked, standing from her chair slowly. “Does my brother know about this?”
Alice tilted her head to look past Myka at Selene with a bright smile.
“He does. Disappointed?” She asked.
“I didn’t mean it like that….” Selene sighed. “I just meant… I know he worries about you.”
Alice nodded.
“He does,” she said. “But he also understands I can’t let Myka run off on a dangerous adventure without me.”
“Worried about me?” Myka grinned.
Alice looked back at him.
“I made a profound investment in extending your life,” she said. Myka felt a twinge of guilt, but she pushed his shoulder playfully to reassure him. “I’m just making sure you don’t waste it.”
They had traveled together for three days. It was decided early on that bringing a car had more risk than benefit to their mission.
Axel ensured they had a tracker and instructed them to use the emergency signal immediately if they ran into trouble or needed help getting back out of Spring.
Much of their time was spent traveling through dangerous mountain passes and open fields that made the need to be on guard constant. Leaving little time for chat or pleasantries.
They all had loved ones that wanted to know they were all right.
Axel and Alice whispered on the phone each night, while Myka was continuously reminded to keep his voice down as he chatted happily with Peter.
Unfortunately, Selene could not talk with Alexander much at all.
They had agreed to keep their connection guarded to avoid distractions. He was also making his way through dangerous terrain and out of reach. She spoke with him the morning she left Winter and the third afternoon. But their conversation was short, just enough time to reassure each other of their safety.
She knew he was safe; she could feel that much through their shared connection. But she wanted to hear his voice, feel the warmth of his soothing tone.
So, as she sat next to the fire pit, she couldn’t help but feel irritated by the laughter from Myka’s tent. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore it, but it just got louder.
On the third loud cackle, Selene stood from her place by the fire with a huff.
“Myka!” she growled. “You need to keep your voice down!”
“Sorry,” he called out, followed almost immediately by a giggle.
Selene felt another surge of annoyance and moved toward his tent, but suddenly she found herself standing directly before Alice.
Alice smiled and raised a hand to wave.
“Hello, fellow traveler,” she said brightly. “Is there something you need help with?”
Selene let out a frustrated sigh.
“Myka doesn’t seem to understand that the louder he laughs, the easier it will be for one of the fae or the hybrids to find us.”
“Isn’t the fire equally as likely to do that,” Alice replied, maintaining her smile. “But I will ask Myka to keep it down, just for you.”
The last was said with a sickly-sweet note of condescension.
Selene rolled her eyes at the mocking nature of Alice’s tone.
“It’s not just for me. It’s for all of us. I am just trying to keep us all safe.”
“Of course you are,” Alice replied with a tilt of her head. “It has nothing at all to do with the fact that you are worried about your hubby and upset that you haven’t been able to talk with him much since we left Winter.”
Selene growled.
Alice growled in return, her eyes shining with delight rather than power.
“You make it too easy, Selene,” she whispered.
“What?”
“To rile you up,” Alice replied.
Alice took a breath and then leaned down near the tent entrance.
“Myka, dearest, if you don’t keep it down, I will have to let Peter know that your loud voice could draw enemies directly to us,” she said in a sing-song voice. Just loud enough to be heard through the receiver.
“No, wait! She’s joking!” Myka cried out. “Peter!”
Alice stood up with a smile and looked at Selene.
“Happy?” she asked.
Selene rolled her eyes and turned away, returning to her place by the fire.
The flap of the tent flew open with force. Myka made his way out, huffing as he closed it up and looked at Alice with an angry pout.
“He hung up on me and won’t answer now,” he growled, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Guess you should have listened the first, second, or even third time you were asked to keep your voice down,” Alice shrugged.
“That’s mean!” Myka pouted. “I didn’t even get to say goodnight.”
“Then learn to adapt to your situation,” Alice said, moving to sit at one of the logs they had dragged over as seating around the fire. “Selene made us this nifty little fire hole. Two holes were dug into the ground, with a small tunnel connecting them, and the fire set inside the larger hole. Why?”
Myka took an annoyed breath and dropped his arms, moving to sit on another small log beside her.
“Placing the fire below ground level makes it much harder to spot from a distance. Giving us the fire we need to cook and stay warm but avoiding unwanted attention.”
“So, you do have basic survival skills,” Alice grinned.
Myka rolled his eyes and reached for his water bottle beside his log.
Selene furrowed her brows and looked up at Alice.
“You said the fire was likely to attract attention,” she commented. “But you already knew why I put it in the ground?”
Alice tilted her head and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Selene.
“The things I know compared to you… well, I don’t think there is a good comparison for just how large the gap is.”
Selene growled and turned her attention back to the pot of stew.
“Food will be ready in a few minutes,” she sighed, standing up. “I’ll get the bowls from my pack.”
Selene walked away, trying to shake off her growing irritation toward Alice. After taking a few deep breaths, she found the bowls in her bag before returning to the fire. As she approached from behind Myka’s tent, she caught pieces of a conversation she was unaware of.
“So…” Myka said. “What did the Winter princess do?”
“Has spending a few weeks in Winter already domesticated you, Myka? Did you forget how to make a fire?”
“Oh, shut up,” he chuckled. “You know that’s not what I mean. You seem to be coming at her stronger than your usual style.”
“Just playing my role,” Alice shrugged.
“Ah,” Myka said, “and which role is that?”
“The troublemaker, of course,” she said with a smile in her voice. “Sneaky and agitating, always looking for a way to drive Selene crazy.”
From a few feet away, Selene clenched her jaw.
“And why exactly would you want to play that role while we are trying to complete a mission that requires we work together?” Myka asked. “Seems a little risky.”
Alice let out a soft chuckle.
“What do you think poses the greatest risk to the success of this mission? Selene finds me irritating and as disagreeable as she has always assumed I am. Or you lose trust in Selene to keep you safe during the mission?”
Selene felt a tightness in her chest. Was Alice trying to make him doubt her?
“Wait, why would I lose trust in Selene?” Myka asked. “From everything you and Peter have said, she’s one of the best….”
“She is,” Alice agreed immediately.
Selene furrowed her brows, unsure of what was going on.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?