Chapter 31

Sophia Hope

As the hot water pours over my head, I rinse the shampoo out of my hair, deep in thought. I passed out pretty quickly after talking to Alex last night. I was extremely tired and groggy. I'm starting to wonder whether Mathew laced my drink with something. After I took that shot with him in his office, my whole body felt weird.

"You just don't learn, do you, Sophia? Stop taking drinks from people!"

Cursing my own stupidity, I step out of the shower and turn off the water. Wrapping the towel around myself, I leave the bathroom. Alex is nowhere in sight, but he must've brought me here last night. Since he's gone now, I have a chance to sit down on the bed and think over our conversation.

I don't understand.

I should be happy. I am happy. But there is also a growing fear within me. And then, his reasoning…It sounded more like his people gave him permission to be with me than anything else. But he did say that he had decided to step down from the Alpha position.

Why would he do that for me?

I twist my fingers together, looking down at the floor.

Why am I constantly questioning myself? This is what I wanted, isn't it? For somebody to choose me for me. That is what Alex has done.

So, why do I feel so uncertain, so unsure of myself?

Because it doesn't feel real. It doesn't feel like any of this is actually happening. What if he's deceiving me?

I wish I weren't this paranoid and suspicious. It would be so easy if I could just believe what he says and go with it, but experience has taught me that things come at a price. And Alex's desire to be with me, it's not going to be simple, is it? What if he's just saying the things he thinks I need to hear, just to make me happy? Maybe he really does want something from me.

Or maybe, if he truly has decided to be with me, it's only because his people finally relented. After all, who would give up the Alpha position for me? It's foolish. I'm not special.

I try to shake off these negative thoughts, but I can't.

I hear a buzzing sound, and I look around. There's a small, gray cell phone lying on the bedside table. It's not mine; it must be Alex's. The name on the caller ID is Saul.

Did Alex forget his phone here? Where is he?

I answer the call. "Hi Saul. It's Sophia. Alex isn't—"

"Oh, how're you feeling, Sophia?" Saul asks cheerfully. "When you passed out on us last night in the woods, you scared the crap out of me."

"I'm sorry. I think I was slipped a drug of some sort." I feel even stupider now. "But I'm fine today."

"A drug?" All the good humor fades from Saul's voice. "What do you mean? Who gave it to you?"

"It was probably Mathew." I pick up a brush and run it through my wet hair. "Anyway, Alex isn't here. He must've left his phone here last night when you guys dropped me off."

"He was still there this morning," Saul reassures me. "He couldn't bear to leave you by yourself."

I pause. "Saul, are you guys…Does Alex really want to be with me?"

"What do you mean?" Saul sounds confused. "Of course he does. He's your mate."

"It seems more like you gave him permission…"

Saul lets out a laugh. "As if he needs permission to do anything. You're misunderstanding things, Sophia. He loves you. Deeply."

There's a small sigh from the other end of the phone. "I think he just reached his breaking point. All his life, everything he's done has been for us. And what you said the other day to Nathan was right. It was a wakeup call for us. Karina destroyed our entire pack, but Alex brought us back to our feet. He gave us purpose. He rebuilt all the businesses we had been forced to give up. He filled our empty treasury. And through all of it, he kept getting abused and humiliated by Karina."

There's anger in Saul's voice—and shame. "And he had to bear it all, because if he'd said even one word to her, all of us would have suffered. We just became used to it. And, I guess, so did he. Being with you is the first thing he has ever desired for himself. You mean the world to him, but he couldn't acknowledge that. He wanted you, but he had to do his duty for his pack. He was being torn in two. It was breaking him."

My eyes feel wet, and I rub them, just listening as Saul breathes tiredly before continuing. "And I think, after hearing what you said, we all realized that while we were able to stand on our own feet, Alex never was. Emotionally, that is. He needs you. We didn't give him permission for anything. We apologized to him. He did reach his breaking point. He told Patrick that he could no longer do this. After rescuing the pups, he planned to come back for you. Even if that meant walking away from the pack. And that was the second wakeup call we needed."

He takes a long pause, as if gathering his wits. "Even if Alex is the Alpha, that doesn't mean he's without a heart. None of us have been fair to him. Or to you. To be honest, Sophia, it doesn't really matter to us now whether your wolf is latent or not. You fought for Alex, and you were willing to sacrifice your happiness for our pack. We saw that. You have the qualities of a strong Alpha Female. We want you for our pack. So, no, nobody gave Alex permission. He made the decision. And I'm glad he did. We will be very lucky to have you as Alpha Female. And we'll be honored."

"And what about the Silver Wolf?" My voice is thick as I try to battle tears. "Nathan said you will find another way, but it's not as simple as that, is it?"

"No, it's not," Saul replies steadily. "Once we locate the Silver Wolf, we'll offer her anything she wants. But that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our Alpha."

His words are uplifting. Alex really did fight for me.

The warmth blooming in my chest is strange. I rub the spot on top of my heart with the heel of my hand.

"Thanks, Saul. I'll let Alex know you called."

"Sure."

I end the call and throw myself back on the bed, closing my eyes.

It's so easy to get lost in this sea of insecurities. Maybe I should just give trusting Alex a shot. Otherwise, if I let myself sink into this negativity, there may be no coming out of it.

There's a knock on my door, and I sit straight up, realizing I'm wearing nothing but a towel. Quickly pulling on a pair of pajamas, I call out, "I'm coming!"

My hair is still wet, and I rub it with the towel while walking toward the door. When I open it, I see Noah standing there.

"Noah." I feel instant guilt when I see him. I need to talk to him, but this is not how I planned it out.

"Did I wake you?" he asks, his voice odd.

"No, I just got out of the shower. Come on in."

He walks inside, and I see him looking around.

"Did you have company?"

I shake my head. "No. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." He smiles at me, that strange tilt to his lips once again. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" I try not to show it, but I'm beginning to feel nervous now.

"Last night, I don't know if you heard, but there was a cage fighting ring discovered in the local boxing gym. While that is normally human police business, one of the fighters was a shifter, and she killed her opponent, who was a human."

Noah is studying my expressions very carefully, and I pretend to look shocked. "This happened yesterday?"

"Early this morning," Noah responds. "The pack security team had already been warned about a shifter taking part in the fights, and they were waiting outside. But when the shifter did come out, she was defended by three black wolves."

"Black wolves?" I repeat, trying my best to look horrified. "You mean Northern wolves?"

"Yes. Up till this point, I thought we just had one Northern wolf in our town. It turns out there's at least three. We are beginning the process of elimination. There are some visitors in Oakrest staying at the motel. Can you tell me anything about them?"

My voice turns stiff as I say, "There are a lot of people at the motel, Noah. You're going to have to be more specific."

"There's a group of six men staying there, and they've been seen talking to you once or twice on the streets. They're the ones I'm asking about."

"Oh, you mean Alex and his friends?" I blink, trying very hard not to show my anxiety. "They've been to the Dancing Bear a couple times. And I met one of them at the farmers' market; I told him about the human-owned farm at the edge of town where you can pick your own strawberries. That's pretty much it."

"Are you sure?"

I look at Noah. "Why would I lie about it? They know me because I work at the bar, so sure, maybe they've stopped me on the street to say hi. But aside from light chitchat, I've never really tried to get to know them."

"Do you know what their business is in this town?"

"I don't," I reply slowly. "I never really asked."

"I see."

I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Why would Noah come to me specifically and ask about Alex and the others unless he knows something? Even if someone spotted us out in the street, I've never spent more than a handful of seconds conversing with them in public. I have a feeling this is not all there is to this situation.

"There's something else I want to talk to you about," Noah begins. "It's about our relationship."

My cell phone begins to ring from the other room, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Give me a minute."

My phone is not in the bedroom but the kitchen. I must have forgotten it there before I left for work yesterday. The battery is very low, and before I can answer the call, it dies.

I plug the cell phone into the charger, and as I bend down to plug the charger into the outlet, I see a small plastic bag lying in a corner. For a moment, I stare at it, confused, and then it hits me. That's the bag I picked up in Rita's study. From the wastebasket she had pointed at as she was dying.

I glance out into the living room where Noah is waiting for me. He is sitting with his back to me, so I quickly empty the contents of the plastic bag onto my table and sift through them. Aside from a few flimsy wrappers and an empty ink bottle, there's not much to see.

Hold on.

There's a piece of paper, all balled up.

I straighten it out and then read the contents.

Sophia,

I wanted to tell you this on the phone, but there are bugs planted in my house. I believe they are recent, and I don't want to put you in any more danger than you already are. Noah is going to kill me tonight. He will kill me because I will not tell him what he wants to know. I'll keep your secrets, Sophia. I'll protect you from him. I won't be alive when you get this.

I'm sorry about everything. I know you trusted me, and I betrayed that trust in a horrible way. Consider this letter and my actions a last attempt to fix my wrongs toward you, my sweet girl. I was sent here to keep an eye on you. And my other purpose was to feed you a specific potion. It was supposed to make you amenable to the person I work for. It was in the coffee I gave you. I wish I could apologize to you in person, but it's too late. By mistake, I told Noah about your night with your fated mate. It was a slip of the tongue. Please forgive me. I never told him who it was. I knew, but I didn't tell him.

I thought he would leave you alone after hearing that, but he has other plans for you. I was not the one who gave you the aphrodisiac. It was Noah. He didn't have to put it in the drink himself; he has other people to do his dirty work. He's the one who sent me here, and he's been holding a secret from my past over my head. I was selfish. I'm sorry.

But you are very dear to me. Know that, please.

I'll be dead when you read this letter, but there are things you need to know. Nothing is as it seems. The people around you are not who you believe them to be. You cannot let Noah give you his mating mark. You cannot trust him, Sophia.

The Silver Wolf is closer to you than you know. She is…

The ink tapers off there, as if the writer was interrupted. Rita must have crumpled up and thrown away the paper at that point.

Noah.

My heart is pounding in sick fear as my eyes swivel to the man sitting on my couch. It was him!

But it makes sense. When I think about it, the pumpkin latte was overly sweet, probably to cover up the taste of the aphrodisiac. And when he brought me to his apartment, the men in the hall weren't there until after I'd entered. Their purpose must have been to stop me from leaving.

Plus, the pack security team does what Noah tells them to do. He had people watching my apartment building. He sent Wyatt and George to my door the night Rita was murdered.

He killed Rita. He killed her, and he wanted to frame me for it.

Noah was asking her about the identity of my fated mate. Rita died to protect me.

Terror fills every inch of me. What could I possibly have that Noah wants so badly?

Suddenly, I find myself analyzing every interaction with him, every word he ever spoke to me. Why did I believe so easily that he had changed? I haven't forgotten the fear I felt when I was a child. Yet I still began to trust him so quickly. One apology: that's all it took.

Elsa warned me. So many people warned me.

Why didn't I listen?

"My other purpose was to feed you a specific potion. It was supposed to make you amenable to the person I work for."

That's why!

I have never failed to heed Elsa's warning about somebody. But I became aggressive and argumentative when she tried to persuade me to stay away from Noah. My behavior was oddly out of character for me. Now that I think about it, it was never love but rather a sense of compliancy when I was around him. Despite the repeated doses of the potion in Rita's coffee, though, there were never any romantic feelings within me for Noah. Was that because I'd already met my fated mate?

Would I have developed feelings for Noah had Alex and I not crossed paths first?

The mere thought of it makes me shudder.

Hearing footsteps, I quickly stuff the letter into the vase on the table before picking up my phone. My heart is thundering. I can't let him figure out that I know. I have to get Noah out of here. I have to run.

Elsa was right all along.

"Everything okay?" Noah asks as he enters the kitchen. "I didn't hear any talking."

"Yeah, my phone died." I try to smile, but it's really hard to express any positive emotion when faced with him. "I was trying to plug the charger into the outlet and got a shock. These old buildings don't have the best electrical systems."

He studies me for a moment before waving his hand around. "Surely you can find a better apartment than this."

"This one's cheap." I try to keep the conversation flowing steadily. "But I should probably look into getting a new place."

"You could always move in with me," Noah says.

My blood runs cold as I realize this is not a suggestion, but an order. And now that I know what I know, I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't comply.

I suddenly recall the last time Noah came to my apartment, right after he killed Wyatt. He made me tea. I've not forgotten his reaction when I broke the mug and the tea spilled. He was desperate to remove all traces of the tea, but he left the mug in pieces on the floor.

It can't be.

Had he been trying to give me an aphrodisiac then, as well?

At that point, Noah knew I had slept with Alex. According to Rita's letter, he knew even before he gave me the first aphrodisiac.

He must have noticed the lack of a mating mark on me and decided to lure me into bed, using the drug, and give me his own mark. I don't know what he's up to or why he's so desperate to get his claws in me, but it cannot be a good thing.

I can't let him know that I'm on to him. I also can't let him have complete access to me.

"That's an idea," I say, turning around to open the fridge as if rummaging for some food. If I busy myself with normal tasks, he won't notice that I'm acting a little off, right? "But isn't that a big step, considering we've only gone on a couple of dates?"

"Is it?" There's a hint of anger in Noah's voice as I bring out a package of bread and begin undoing the twist tie on the top.

Shit.

He must be thinking about how I slept with somebody without ever going on a date with him, even if that somebody was my fated mate.

I look over my shoulder and wink at Noah. "I'm going to be a horrible roommate. But I don't mind giving it a shot."

I'm willing to say anything to get him out of here.

As I predicted, his tense shoulders relax. "You've seen my apartment. Unfortunately, as you know, it's kind of a bachelor pad. I had somebody from here decorate it for me before I arrived. But we can go pick out furnishings that you like."

My heart is beating so fast that I'm terrified he might be able to hear it. "And what if I decide to make it a frilly, pink apartment?"

Act normal , I instruct myself. Act like you're looking forward to this.

It's a little hard to do that when my hands are damp with sweat, but I pop two slices of bread into the toaster and turn around to smile at Noah.

"I'm pretty sure you wouldn't do that," Noah laughs, relaxed now. "But if that's what you want, it's fine with me. We can go into the city to look at some shops. In fact, why don't we go tonight? We can stay for a couple of days."

"Tonight?" The startled look I shoot him is real. "Aren't you busy looking for the Northern shifters?"

His expression darkens. "That's right. They killed the three men on duty outside the arena last night. But I'm sure the pack security team has a handle on the situation. I would rather spend some time with you. If I keep working like I have been, you and I will never spend any time together."

"A trip into the city?" I pretend to think about it. "How about if we leave tomorrow night? I'd like to get some nice things to wear."

"We can buy you clothes there." His tone is getting insistent now, and I'm freaking out.

"You sure seem to be in a hurry." I keep my tone light and casual, but my eyes are sharp. Why does he want to get me away from this town so quickly? Is he trying to keep me away from Alex? Or somebody else?

"I'm just looking forward to living with you." Noah beams at me. "And you've been through a lot. Maybe a change of scenery will be nice for you."

It seems I have no choice. He's not going to take no for an answer.

I press the button to pop out the toast. "Alright, then. I'll meet you at your apartment tonight. What time?"

"How about ten?" Noah suggests. "Or I can pick you up."

"No need," I say hastily. "I'll come to you. It's not like I'm bringing anything with me aside from my phone. So, we'll be driving there at night? Is that safe?"

"You'll be with me," Noah tries to reassure me. "That's as safe as it gets. And nighttime drives are the best kind. You'll love it."

I'm just relieved he didn't want to leave right away.

"Okay." My fingers press into the pieces of toast as I take them out, boring holes in them. "I'll see you tonight, then. Right now, I have to have breakfast, then go pick up Tim to babysit him."

Noah steps toward me, and I freeze. His arms come around my waist, and he presses his lips to my cheek. The man is handsome, without a doubt, but his touch makes me want to shudder in revulsion.

I give him an empty smile.

Fortunately, he decides to leave. When I hear the door close behind him, all the strength leaves my legs. Clutching the kitchen table with one hand, I put down my plate of toast with the other and lower myself into the chair. "Oh, Goddess. I am well and truly fucked. I have to—"

Instinct says to call Alex, but he is still looking for the Silver Wolf. He cannot leave without talking to her. He might jeopardize everything if he tries to hurry things along. But I do need to tell him about Noah watching the group of them.

A couple of hours is not going to be enough time for Alex to find the Silver Wolf. I'm going to have to leave Oakrest by myself. But first, I need to talk to Elsa. I need her help. I don't even know where to go. I have some money, but I will need more. I need a place to go. Some guidance. I've never traveled anywhere. And I'm now on the verge of becoming a fugitive.

I stumble to the living room and grab the landline. Dialing the number for the bar, I wait for Elsa to pick up. She does so after a couple of rings.

"I need to see you right away, Elsa," I say urgently, my words tripping over one another. "Right now. At my apartment. Please."

There's a slight pause. "I'm on my way."

I feel a sharp relief at her words and put the receiver back. My mouth is dry as I stare at the phone, trying to figure out an escape plan. I don't even need to know what Noah has planned for me to know that I'm in danger.

I'll have to trust Elsa. I need to trust somebody, and she's the only person I've ever come close to trusting. From day one, she's been there for me.

I'll have to tell her about the Silver Wolf, about Rita, about everything. I'll have to tell her that Rita's death was my fault. That she died to save me.

Sinking to the ground, I bury my face in my hands.

What have I gotten myself into?

*** **

By the time Elsa arrives, I've taken out the box of money I've kept hidden, and I'm counting my stash. It's quite a lot of cash, but it's not enough to buy my freedom from the Alliance. Not that it matters. I need this money to escape.

Maybe a human city. Nobody will look for me there. As long as I keep taking scent blockers, I should be fine. The more crowded the city, the better. It's very rare for shifter packs to live in large cities. They prefer smaller towns where their numbers are more concentrated. That can work in my favor.

The sound of knocking has me nearly jumping out of my skin. I stare at the door for a moment, frozen in place.

Elsa's voice comes from the other side. "It's me. Are you opening up or not?"

I practically race to the door. Unlocking it, I throw it open. "What took you so long?"

She frowns at me. "I came as soon as you called."

"You don't understand." I close the door behind her, locking it securely. "Every second is precious right now."

"What is going on, Sophia?" Elsa asks me in that no-nonsense way of hers. "Something has happened."

I stare at her, not knowing where to begin. "I—I have to leave this town. I have to leave as soon as I can, and I need your help."

"Leave? Why?"

"Because—" I turn on my heel and head into the kitchen. Without even bothering to struggle with the vase to take out the letter inside, I simply smash the vase against the table and retrieve the paper.

"What are you doing?!" Elsa's voice is sharp as she hurries to my side. After seeing me standing by the remnants of a piece of pottery with a crumpled piece of paper in my hand, she looks at me, astounded. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Not anymore. You were right. You were right all along, and I wasn't listening to you. And this is why." I hand over the letter to her, feeling like I'm in some sort of strange fog.

"What is this?"

"A letter that Rita was writing to me the night she was killed," I tell Elsa, wondering why I sound so calm right now. "Right after she called me and asked me to come to her cottage. There's been a lot going on, Elsa, and I haven't been completely honest with you. But you need to know the truth because I need your help."

Elsa reads the incomplete letter, and I watch her expression turn thunderous.

When she looks at me, her voice is flat. "Talk. I'm listening."

We sit down, and I begin telling her everything, from meeting Alex to working for Mathew in the cage fighting ring and all about the night at Rita's cottage. Elsa already knew I had been there that night, but I never shared the particulars. The more she hears, the paler her face gets. When I get to my conversation with Noah this morning, all the blood leeches from her face.

She closes her eyes for a moment before gazing at me sadly. "All this time…Why didn't you tell me?"

"I—I didn't want to bother you with my problems." I feel ashamed, like I let her down. "And I knew you would disagree with my choices. I didn't think the Silver Wolf was real till I broke into the archives room at the library. And because I asked Rita about it, I started this whole—" I lower my head in my hands. "I don't know what to do. I don't know what Noah wants from me. I need to leave. I'm scared of him."

Elsa puts her hand on my shoulder.

"I'll help you. I have some friends you can stay with."

"I can't tell Alex—"

"You have to tell Alex," Elsa says firmly. "And more importantly, you need to let him give you his mating mark."

My head shoots up. "What?"

"Usually mating marks are given during intercourse," Elsa muses, no longer listening to me. "But you don't have time for that right now. You also don't have a choice. You need his mark if you want to survive. You cannot be with Noah."

"Why does Noah want me?" I ask her desperately. "What is so special about me that I don't know about?"

Elsa doesn't seem to have an answer for that. "Does it even matter? Who knows what's going on in his head? You need to get away from him."

"I can't let Alex come with me, Elsa." I get to my feet and start pacing. "He needs to find the Silver Wolf to save his pack. You don't understand. I cannot get in the way of that. Lives are at stake—"

"So is your life!" Elsa bursts out. "Your life is also at stake, Sophia. And it matters just as much as anyone else's."

My life? Is my life really that important compared to the lives of innocent children?

I must've uttered the words aloud because Elsa stands up, seizes my shoulders, and gives me a shake. "You may think I'm a monster for saying this, but yes. Your life is as important as theirs. You are important. You matter. You matter to me, and you matter to Alex. And I will not have you carelessly throwing your life away. Alex needs to know about this. You need to trust him. Out of everyone, even me, he is the one person you can put your entire trust in."

Her words rattle me. What does that mean? Is Elsa saying I can't trust her?

But before I can follow that train of thought, she adds, "He's your mate. He would never betray you. And right now, only Alex can keep you safe. Once you have the mating mark, Noah may leave you alone, but he will want his revenge. So, you and Alex both need to disappear. Stop looking for the Silver Wolf. Once Alex has you, trust me, all his problems will be solved."

"If you know who the wolf is—"

"Enough!" Elsa gives me an angry look. "The Silver Wolf isn't some fairy with a magic wand. She can't do anything for Alex. If he thinks by simply finding her, he can save his people, he's wrong. It's not going to work that way. The Silver Wolf has magic, but she's untrained. She's going to need a mentor to teach her how to use that magic. Without a guide to show her how to control her abilities, she will be a ticking time bomb. Instead of helping Alex, she could do even more damage. He hasn't thought things through. He's grasping at straws. And both of you need to leave here, now, before Alpha Black arrives and stops this ridiculous search!"

My breath gets stuck in my throat. "What?"

"Yes," Elsa says heavily. "Tonight, Alpha Black is arriving. And it would be in your best interest to disappear before he shows up."

I stare at her, trying to connect the dots. "Why do you want me to avoid him?"

A terrible look crosses Elsa's face. She takes a deep breath and says, "All these years, you've made one bad decision after another, Sophia. You're reckless with yourself. If only you had reached out to me, I would've guided you. I could've helped you. For once, I need you to do what I'm telling you to do. Leave Oakrest immediately. And take Alex with you. Tell no one where you're going. Not even me. Just get out of here!"

My heart thumps madly in my chest as I look at her.

What does she know that I don't? Why is Elsa so scared of me crossing paths with the Alpha?