Saved by MY ALPHA

'No, Alpha, I've been in the kitchen since 4:56 am.' Adelaide smiles and tells me she hasn't seen her. I dash out the front door and catch her scent. I tear my clothes off, transform into my wolf, let out a loud, mournful howl, and sprint in the direction of Aurora's scent. An hour later, I'm deep in the woods when her scent disappears. I run about in different directions, becoming more and more desperate. Aurora, why would you leave me? Where would you go? I think of where she would have gone. The diner would be the only place Aurora would go.

There is no possibility that she would have gone back to her uncle. I run to the diner and change back into my human form, not caring that I am completely naked.

'!Jasper!' I yell. Jasper! The customers all stop in shock at my nakedness. A fat man catches his wife smiling. He puts his hands over her eyes and looks at me unimpressed.

'!Kai! For crying out loud. Put some clothes on! We're filled with customers!' Jasper shouts.

'Aurora! Have you seen her?' I ask urgently.

'No, I have not seen her since she went out with you,' he replies.

'Shit! She's gone. Her bag's gone. I have no clue why she'd leave,' I panic.

'I'll call you if I see her. But in the meantime, you need to go. My female clients are looking, and their husbands want to blacken your eye!' Jasper says.

Frustrated, I leave the diner and shift back into my wolf and search the woods, attempting to pick up her scent and finding nothing, no trace of her anywhere. I mind-link Sage and Kieran and tell them to organize search parties. I don't return home for 24 hours until I'm forced to rest.

Then I continue my search for her.

In bed, my chest is stroked by a hand.

'Aurora!' I awaken to Vivian asleep in my bed next to me. I let out a loud growl, which wakes her up.

'Kai, don't growl at me! It would be best if you moved on from her. Aurora left because she doesn't love you. Aurora doesn't want you or the title of being Luna,' Vivian says to me.

'Get out of my bed and out of my room now, Vivian!' I yell.

'Fine! But sooner or later, you're going to have to accept me as your mate, whether you like it or not! You know the elders don't want a weak runaway as Luna!' She says, getting out of my bed.

Springing out of bed, I have Vivian against the wall with my hand grasping her throat.

'Don't you ever call my mate weak again! Do you hear me?' I yell.

Kai, you're hurting me,' she says. I release her, and she falls to the floor. She clutches her neck and gazes up at me, her eyes tearing.

'Get out now and never come back to the Packhouse!' I shout. She gets up and dashes out of the room.

I go downstairs and find Sage.

'Alpha Kai, we sent five search parties to find her while you slept. We still couldn't find any sign of her. We will continue searching until we do find her, Alpha,' I nod and sit at the dining table.

'Sage, order Adelaide to speed up the food. I need to continue searching for Aurora,' I command. Sage nods and retreats to the kitchen.

Seconds later, Adelaide arrives with a plate of food and places it in front of me on the table.

'Alpha Kai! I'm very disappointed in your behavior towards my daughter. She hasn't done anything wrong. Why can't you accept her as your selected mate? At least she won't flee!' Adelaide snaps.

I scowl at Adelaide and answer with a warning growl.

'Adelaide, I suggest you go back to the kitchen because my wolf today is not in the mood to tolerate you or your daughter! I suggest you understand Vivian will never be my mate!' I snap back. Adelaide glares at me and walks back to the kitchen. I finish my food and exit the door, resolved I'll locate Aurora.

'Alpha Kai!' I see one of my best warriors, Leon, sprinting towards me.

'Leon,' I greet him.

'Alpha Kai, we have good news and bad news. Good news first, we picked up Aurora's scent in the city. It's faint, but it's hers.'.

Afraid we haven't found her, but this lead should yield some results that will get your friend back home soon,' he replies. So what's Aurora doing in the city? She doesn't know anyone in the place.

'Good, Leon. I am going into the city with you. I want you to take me to where you tracked her scent.'.

'I'll get Sage to drive us. It would be quicker in wolf form, but we cannot go looking for her naked,' Leon reminds me. I nod and mind-link Sage to bring the vehicle. On the drive, I'm hopeful we'll find her. I should be cradling her in my arms today. I need to inhale her scent, feel the sparks between us, and kiss her lips.

We split up once we get to the city. It's her scent but so faint that we can't follow it. So I think we'll just spend the day in the city looking for her.

Mind-linking Leon and Sage, I say: Maybe she is working in a shop? It would be worth trying the shops for her. I enter hundreds of shops.

. There is no sign of her, and I can't catch her scent anywhere else. Dusk draws near when Sage mind-links me and says he'll stay in the city overnight and keep looking. Leon takes me home to eat and rest, promising to be back in the morning when we'll take over from Sage.

It's an exhausting ride home. I was so sure we would find Aurora today. Arriving back, Adelaide opens the front door.

'Alpha Kai, I must apologize for this morning. I'm afraid I was out of line. I hope you will forgive me,' she says. I lack the energy to fight with her. Forgiveness is easier.

'I forgive you, Adelaide, if you accept Aurora as your Luna,' Adelaide pauses for a moment and nods.

'Of course, Alpha,' she says with a reluctant smile.

'I have prepared your favorite meal tonight, Alpha,' she says to me.

She was indicating the meal that I saw on the table. I sat down and ate alone. Everyone else ate and departed prior to my return home. I feel excessively tired after having eaten.

'Alpha, you look tired.

Want to sleep for the evening?' Adelaide asks. I nod and head to my room. My room starts spinning. I grab onto the armchair and fall into it. I remove my shoes and wait until the spinning stops. My door creaks open.

'Is someone there?' I ask, squinting at the figure I can barely make out.

'It's me!' She says.

'Aurora? Is that you?' I speak and try to rise, but my equilibrium is disrupted. I feel a hand firmly press against my chest.

'Sit down, Kai. I'm here now. I'll take care of you,' she whispers. She sits on my lap astride.

'Aurora, you came back.'

'Of course, I did,' she whispers as she unbuttons my shirt.

'Why did you leave? Where did you go?' I ask.

'All that matters is I'm here with you.'

One of her hands caresses my bare chest as the other undoes my belt. Her lips brush against mine.

'Kai,' she whimpers, taking my hands and placing them on either side of her thighs.

'Aurora,' I breathe.

'I want you to mark me, Kai,' she whispers.

THREE WEEKS AGO-

Tears streamed down my cheek, burning and relentless, as Uncle Luke's hold increased, holding me to the icy bedroom wall. His fist, hard and unforgiving, fists itself in my hair, yanking on my head until my neck screamed in protest. A cracking sensation, and burning pain, as his knuckles connected with my jaw, splitting my lip, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. My eyes blinded, a whirlwind of agony, as he placed his other hand over my other eye, bruising the soft flesh, forcing until stars explode behind closed eyelids.

I fell to the floor, a shattered rag doll, every gasp a torn sob. "Please, Uncle! Stop this, stop hurting me!" The words tore from my throat, a desperate, futile cry.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THAT BEFORE YOU MURDERED HER!" He bellowed, the voice a raw yell, pregnant with venom that sent shivers down my spine.

"Oh, Uncle! You know it was accidental! I did not mean for them to have died!" I began, my voice barely above a whisper, my frame trembling unmercifully. But the word "her" echoed, a discordant note in my terror. Her? My scream dried on my lips, to be substituted by a spasm of chilling fear. We stared at each other with cold concern, the atmosphere thick with a choking silence.

His sickly-hating eyes twisted into a ghastly leer. Trembling with naked terror, a premonition of something worse than the threat of bodily pain, something to sully every recollection, I was frozen.

"Oh Aurora, you're no niece of mine! You never were!" He spat, his voice sinking to a low and ugly growl, slipping into my ears like a snake. "Your mother informed me your real father passed away when she was carrying you. I loved your mother so much I was happy to be your Uncle. She was my Aurora, before she was ever yours. We had an existence, a clandestine one, as she played house with your 'father.'" The words were a toxic bitter pill, a betrayal from the beyond, and my stomach knotted up with a new, nauseating type of sickness. The vision of my mother, the woman I loved, embracing him, this monster standing before me, was a brutal, gut-wrenching blow. This was not only about the loss of my parents; it was a more vile, evil pain, a poisoned bitterness that my own mother had kept such a hideous secret, sleeping with the man standing over me, a predator.

"No! That's not true! Mum would never have kept something like that from me!" I wept, the pain of betrayal a fresh wound layered over a thousand others, my body convulsing with sobs.

"Your mother did not want you to find out the truth until you were eighteen. She wanted you to have an ordinary life. She said to me that once you are eighteen years old you will find out your true identity. I did not realize she actually meant; I guess she was planning to tell you about your biological father then. You will never find out who he was now!" He cackled maniacally, the sound which grated on my raw nerves, as his foot connected with my ribs, a sickening crunch echoing in the small room. A jagged, blinding pain exploded forth, stealing my breath, and I doubled up, clutching at my side, a soundless shriek trapped within me.

And the world swayed. His shadow covered me, a cold, suffocating darkness. Air was heavy with a fear that stole my breath, my thinking, my fight. All urges cried out, but my body refused, a puppet whose strings were cut. The pain in my side, the thudding in my jaw, faded to a dull buzz at the far end of my mind as a new, hollow violation moved in. His hand was violation, a searing brand that took the last shred of childhood and left me with a wintry, shattering emptiness. I closed my eyes, wishing I could just disappear, be anywhere except here, as the world exploded around me into a blur of pain, fear, and an anguish of being utterly, irretrievably shattered.

The door slammed shut behind him, its click echoing like a gunshot through the shockingly still, explosive silence. He was gone, and I was left standing in the wreckage of my own bedroom, a void of what I had been moments prior to that.

I stayed there for what was an eternity, the cold hard ground a bitter comfort against my raped flesh. Each labored breath was a struggle, each movement a fresh wave of agony. My trembling right hand strayed under my clothing, the contours of my broken ribs traced on my flesh, but the body's pain was swallowed up by the far greater, far more searing grief of the soul. Tears, once a flood but now a slow, silent trickle, blotted my vision until darkness took over and brought me into a troubled, haunted sleep.

The next morning, the world was strange. I lurched like a specter, each muscle wailing in pain as I struggled to pull on my work attire. The house was vacant, Luke most likely passed out in some boozy stupor. I pulled my hoodie up over my head, a poor shield from the world, and slid out the front door, shuffling toward work, burdened by a lost innocence that could never be restored.

I was going to school until I was caught with bruises on my arms and my teachers called Uncle Luke in to the principal's office for interrogation. I begged my teachers not to call Uncle Luke. My teachers did not believe me when I told them that I am clumsy and fell down the stairs. I have not been allowed to return to school since then; I was forced to become a waitress and kitchenhand at a diner about a thirty-minute walk from home.

On my way to the job, a black Mercedes tracks me uncomfortably. I have noticed this same vehicle following me for many months. The driver is always looking at me. I have a tendency to drive off the track in the direction away from the road when it approaches, following the longer path to work, through the woods. I enjoy my job and my coworkers. My boss Jasper is really sweet; he always senses that something is amiss but he never requires me to talk about it. His willingness to help is always there, in an unspoken, supportive and documented manner.

I go straight to the kitchen and wash my hands in readiness to prepare the salads and the rest of the food. Extremely hot, I make a beeline towards where I had left my bag on a stool, spilling my hoodie onto it and opening my jumper to cool me down. It is twenty minutes since Jasper shows up to start preparing the first orders of food for the day. A growl is released low; he sounds otherworldly like a wild animal. I look up to find Jasper who's rather upset.

You know you can call on me for help, Aurora, don't you? You don't have to go back home if you don't feel safe. I've got some friends in a nearby town who could provide for you," he says.

"Thanks, I'm fine. I slipped down the stairs. I'll be okay," I say, giving him a small smile.

"You said the same thing last time Aurora..." he says.

"What can I say? My house is old; the stairs are rotting," I tell him, sobbing, and beating my fists on the prep table. Jasper moves over to me, wraps me in his chest and has his arms around me as I weep.

"Let me help you, Aurora," he says. I move back and shake my head.

"You don't understand, I can't accept your help."

"Why not?" he asks.

"Uncle Luke won't let me off easy. He wishes I were dead and would kill anybody who attempts to rescue me. And even so, I deserve it," I explain to him, my tears wiping from my cheeks.

"No person deserves to be beaten and abused," he replies.

I'm the one who murdered my parents. It's my fault that they're dead. And this is what I deserve for a punishment. If it's disturbing you to have a couple of bruises, perhaps I should work elsewhere," I yell and move back to the prep table where I take the knife and start slicing the lettuce.

"I apologize, I didn't want to make you angry. I simply don't like seeing humans treating our people like that; even an outlaw such as yourself," he scowls.

I halt, frowning, and study him.

"Human beings? A villain? I do not know what planet you are from or what kind of human you think me to be, but we are all simply human," I tell him, and continue chopping up some carrots on a blue chopping board.

Jasper just stands there saying nothing; I look at him and ask him what his issue is this time. He just stands there looking very white with his mouth hanging open, stiffly immobile.

"Jasper? Are you okay? What's wrong? Are you having a heart attack?" I ask, striding over to him in concern.

He blinks and attempts to place his hand on my shoulder, before I step back and away from him. I know Jasper would never hurt me; I just don't want people to touch me. He frowns.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you," he says.

"I know you won't hurt me; I'm just not used to the niceness," I confess. Jasper smiles wistfully.

"Do you not know what you are?" He asks, poised on the edge of telling me something I think I already should know.

"What I am? I don't understand what you're getting at. I am what we all are. Human," I shoot back, staring at him in confusion.

"Can't smell the difference, can you?" He says to me. I laugh.

"The only thing I can smell in this place is food burning in the frying pan," I shoot back, laughing.

"S**t!" He dashes to the stove to turn it off and removes the smoke-filled frying pan.

We are silent in the kitchen for a while after that, and focus on getting orders ready and cooking them.

"For what it's worth, Aurora, whatever became of your parents, I'm sure they wouldn't wish for you to blame yourself for killing them. I'm sure they'd not wish your Uncle Luke to be bullying you all these years because of it too."

"My uncle," I correct him.

"Your uncle? I thought–" he says, but I stop him.

Yes, I didn't find out until last night that he was my mother's secret partner. My real father died when my mother was pregnant with me," I explain.

"I'm sorry." He sounds sad.

"I was sorry too at first, but I don't know anymore. Maybe it would be better for me that he is not my real father," I say. Jasper smiles and nods.

"Do you think that you could stay late tonight? I have some guests from the town next door for a very important meeting. It would be great if I could actually be in attendance at the meeting for a change, instead of having to feed them," he says to her.

"I'll have to phone Uncle Luke, and ask, but if it's extra beer money for him, I am certain that he will oblige."

My Uncle Luke says I can do the extra few hours. All of what I earn at work always gets deposited into his account anyway. I never get to see any of it, but I'd rather be at work if it means that I won't be here with him.

"It's okay. He says that I can do the few extra hours," I report to him. He winks at me and smiles.

"Good," he breathes in relief.

A few hours later I'm serving the food to the customers who have come to the diner to have their meeting.

"Do I need to know what about this meeting?" I ask Jasper.

"We're having some, uh, problems in Moonlit Pack," he says.

"Oh, in Moonlit Pack? I've never had the chance to visit there before; I've heard that there are just lots of rude individuals who act like they're wild animals all the time." Jasper laughs.

"It's not that terrible, and I actually do live there. Am I hostile? Do I run around like a crazy animal?" He inquires.

"Fair point; you are not exactly hostile. And, no, you do not run around like a crazy animal. Not that I am aware of anyway," I chuckle. Jasper laughs.

"If only you knew, Aurora," he laughs.

They'll be here any moment. Just take everyone's drink order, serve them and bring out the platter of food when you're ready."

"Sure thing, boss," I say with a smile. "Oh, and Jasper, I hope you don't mind if I wear my hood up? I'd rather not be stared at or questioned about the umm, bruises." Jasper nods.

"Of course, that's fine.

Soon I hear several cars pull up and park in a group; several car doors close; the doorbell on the diner door clangs loudly with each arrival. I stand on my tiptoes to look over the kitchen counter into the dining room. There are maybe eighteen men sitting around the room. Not your everyday-looking men, either. All these men are large-sized, large-framed, extremely muscular, and shredded; all of them have suits on and are extremely handsome.

When a particular guy walks in, all the other guys move out of his way as if he's some sort of VIP. He is just so handsome with dark hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes. He has a well-built body, and his lips when he smiles – do not even get me started on his lips – all I can do is sit and wonder what they would feel like to kiss.

The handsome man sniffs a scent of something in the air and scrunches up his face.

"Jasper, what's that smell?" He questions, turning in my direction. "It smells like cookies and vanilla," he continues, still turning in my direction. I duck down instinctively and proceed to complete the platter for these handsome beings.

If you all would follow me over to the kitchen counter, Aurora will take your order. Please, no one panic – especially you, Alpha Kai, when I tell you, Aurora is a rogue; that's the strange smell," Jasper explains.

"WHAT?" Alpha Kai shouts, slamming his fist down onto the table.

"Alpha Kai. Relax! She is just a young girl who needs a job. She has been working with me for almost one year now and is one of my finest workers. We're also not on your territory so she does not trespass. She has done nothing wrong herself. So if you want that milkshake with the cookies soaked in vanilla, I suggest you sit down and act nice!" Jasper interrupts, scolding her.

"Are you threatening me Jasper?" Alpha Kai asks.

"Far from it, Alpha. I'm just reminding you. Much as you and everyone else here hate rogues, she's committed no crime and is to stay out of all this. Alpha Kai growls.".

I get the platter ready quietly and hear a loud thump; somebody is angry. I'm glad I'm in here and not out there with all that commotion. I put my hood up over my bruised eye. I can't cover my broken lip so figure I'll just bite over my lip to cover it when I need to.

I walk up to the counter after I approach it; I ask the first guy for his order, not looking at him and looking down for all of the orders. All of these guys sound really grumpy and annoyed. Jasper comes up to me.

"Alpha, I mean Kai, over there, would like a vanilla milkshake with cookies." I nod, writing down the order; I have ordered everyone but Kai.

I carry a big plate of dips and biscuits, grimacing under the weight in one hand; my cracked rib is straining. Kai is watching me.

Holding my breath for a moment, I breathe deeply and hold my breath again, to psyche myself up for the pain, reach for the platter again and set it on the table where most of the men are sitting. In the kitchen, I exhale while still clenching my fist over my ribs. Shit! Kai's order. Rushing towards him to deliver his order, he stares directly at me and squints; wondering what or who is under my hood.

All the other men are shouting over each other about some guy called Zephyr, and a town called Ravenwood Pack, and something about rogues, which is strange because Jasper just called me a rogue before. A map is spread out on the table in front of Kai; the men are drawing circles and wavy lines on various parts of it and talking about placing posts here and there.

I'm suddenly really nervous, as the diner falls silent and all eyes are on me; I could feel them on me. I nervously place the milkshake and plate of cookies on the table next to the map.

"Milk and cookies sir," I say, softly.

"Wait," Kai says, before I can leave his table. "What is wrong with your ribs?" Kai asks.

"Nothing sir," I reply, wondering how he knew I was in pain.

"You winced to hold onto the platter; it hurts," he observes. "Why do you smell so much like vanilla and cookies?" He asks.

"It might be the vanilla milk and cookies," I reply, walking towards the kitchen.

"Remove your hood rogue!" He commands. I stiffen; I look at Jasper for help.

Aurora, go and take your break love. Kai, I told you to keep her out of all this." I hurry to the kitchen and out the back door.

"She should smell like a rogue if she is a rogue. She smells like cookies and vanilla," Alpha Kai says.

"She just literally served you a milkshake and cookies," Jasper explains. Alpha Kai growls and gives Jasper a glare.

I could smell her before she waited on me. My wolf is extremely disturbed right now. I'm finding it difficult to keep him at bay," Kai explains, holding his chest.

The entire diner grinds to a halt, look at each other and back at Alpha Kai.

"What?" Alpha Kai yells. Alpha Kai's Beta wolf, Sage, gets to his feet.

"Alpha, you don't actually think she could be your mate, do you?" Sage asks. Alpha Kai laughs.

"I would never be matched with a rogue. I'm an Alpha. It's impossible. The Moon Goddess matching an Alpha and a rogue? Don't be ridiculous," Alpha Kai replies.

My breathing returns to normal finally. My watch reads 8:45 PM. In fifteen minutes, I can leave. Hopefully Uncle Luke will be drunk and passed out. I go inside and wash all of the cups, mugs, and plates. The guys leave the diner, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I hear all of their car doors close. My body relaxes knowing they've gone. Thinking Jasper is behind me, I'm about to say I'm going too, but it's not Jasper behind me. It's Alpha Kai.

I do not dare look him in the eye; I know my hood can drop off at any moment, revealing to him the abuse that I experience on a daily basis. His breathing is rather noticeable.

"I'm sorry, sir. My shift is over. If you want anything else, talk to Jasper," I say, quietly. His arm suddenly blocks the path between me and my exit, as he puts his hand on the wall. I flinch in surprise.

"Remove your hood," he commands. I shake my head.

"No. Jasper! Jasper!" I cry out, as I try to move back. I'm backed against the wall with nowhere else to move. I'm trapped between his body and the brick wall in a single swift movement. He towers over me before placing both of his hands on either side of my face.

Jasper is occupied wishing his pack members farewell in the front. He believes that I've already departed," Kai whispers, spinning my extended brown hair around his fingers. He takes in my aroma.

"You scent so fine; even my wolf is having a hard time remaining calm," he admits.

"You, you, own a pet wolf?" I'm weeping and terrified. Kai chuckles at my inquiry.

"Are you afraid of me Aurora?" He inquires. I nod.

Well, if you are what my senses are telling me you are, and a rogue, then you should be scared. I don't know if I could mate a rogue and my pack might not want one as their Luna," he explains.

"I'm sorry sir. I don't know what you mean. Rogues, Lunas and Mates. I swear I will be no trouble to you if you will only let me go home; we will never see each other again," I cry.

"In a moment, Aurora," he whispers, looking down at my face, my hair, and my figure, clumsily clad in my work clothes.

"Please. I just want to go home. Please let me go." I beg.

"I will let you go if you are not my mate," he tells me.

"I don't know what a mate is. You're an arrogant, vain, obnoxious human being. Please just let me go," I beg.

With an angry growl, he punches the wall at the back of my head. I cringe to the ground in terror.

"Do not insult me in that way again. How dare you refer to me as an arrogant, vain, obnoxious human being," he reprimands. I wrap my arms around my knees and cry.

"Please just let me go home..." I sob.

He takes a step back and stops, staring at me. He is thinking deeply; curiosity, and a contemplative expression conquer his handsome, chiseled features.

"Alpha Kai! What's happening? Aurora, are you okay? Why do I have a hole in my wall?" Jasper screams, before he pulls me off the floor; the pressure of his hand on my broken ribs has me shrieking in pain.

"Aurora, you're hurt. Your ribs. Tell me they're not broken," Jasper exclaims, worried.