Page 1 of A Real Alpha (Lunar City)

Connor

Hands shaking, I reached for the doorknob.

I hadn't heard it lock. I was sure of it...

The second my palm touched the cold metal, I flinched as though I had been shocked. My heart slammed against my ribs as I realized that it was in my head. There was no electric current keeping me away from the front door. There were no magical locks and keys.

It was a normal door in a normal apartment where I had been kept locked up for three months now.

Yet I still couldn't bring myself to turn the knob. What if it was locked?

...what if it wasn't?

I had nowhere to go, and poor sweet Roscoe had no idea how badly we had it. All he knew was my warmth and love. He was too young to even understand the abuse and the fear. After all, he could barely even lift his head up yet.

But despite being a baby, I was sure he felt the tension running through me. Sometimes he got agitated for no reason. Sometimes I was afraid that his crying would be too much for Harry and that instead of taking it out on me, he would take it out on Roscoe. Soon Roscoe would see and understand.

I couldn't allow that.

So, with a trembling breath, I forced my hand to turn. The doorknob moved with me, and just like that, the front door slid open like it was nothing.

Stale apartment hallway air met my nose, and it was absolutely delicious.

Somehow, I was right. Harry hadn't locked the door.

He always locked the door, but there was no time to think of why today was different. There was no time to waste.

Heart racing, I turned on my heel, gaze raking the room.

Then, without even having to think, I grabbed one of the fabric shopping bags from the hook by the door and whipped around the room, grabbing Roscoe's blanket, the burp cloths, and the onesie laying on top of the laundry pile.

It was everything he owned, and it didn't even fill the bag, but I didn't care.

All I cared about was his safety and for that, he needed his Daddy alive and well.

I had to protect us both if it was the last thing I did.

He was asleep in the bedroom, flat on the bed, wrapped in a swaddle.

For a moment, I stilled, watching him.

He looked so peaceful, so sweet and innocent that I felt guilty for disturbing him, but I bent down and did my best to lift him into my arms without waking him.

His small, warm body against my chest was like a balm, and peace and strength washed through me.

We could do this. We would find somewhere safe. Maybe somewhere outside of the city. I didn't want to expose such a small baby to the streets of Lunar City, especially in the middle of winter.

Somehow, Roscoe didn't wake up immediately, so I held him steady and hurried back into the living room, eager to run through the door... where Harry now stood, a large, imposing alpha form blocking the door I'd left open.

My blood ran cold, but his blue eyes were even icier.

He slowly looked me over, taking in the bag and Roscoe, and then took a slow step into the room.

“I had to go talk to someone downstairs,” he said in his deep, raspy voice. “Imagine my surprise to come back and find the door open.”

I was shaking too hard, barely able to breathe. I couldn't say a word.

He took another step toward me and all I could think was that he was going to kill me.

“What were you doing, Connor?” he asked. “Where did you think you were going?”

I shook my head, still unable to speak until I forced the shaking words out.

“Harry,” I choked, “I wasn't?—”

I’d learned long ago to hold down my instincts, to suppress rising hackles and barring teeth, to keep my claws in. It only made him madder.

But I was holding Roscoe and as Harry took a step towards us, every protective bone in my body reared its head. I was still a wolf inside, it seemed.

It took everything in me to bite down on the rumbling growing in my chest.

“J—just let me put Roscoe down,” I begged.

He paused, a vicious smile marring his dark features.

“Why would I let you do anything?” he asked. “You’re clearly a disobedient little bitch. ”

He stepped toward me again, faster this time. I backed up, but hit the wall and that was it for my self-control. As he advanced on me, a loud growl burst from my throat, my teeth barred, fangs lowering.

Fury twisted through Harry’s face, and he leapt toward me.

I twisted out of the way, protecting my precious cargo by turning my back to him. His fist caught me right between the shoulder blades, smashing me into the wall with only my arms to block my baby.

“No!” I shouted and Roscoe—who had stayed asleep until now—took a shuddering breath and suddenly wailed bloody murder.

I spun around to face Harry again, just out of reach once more and the fury that he had shown me was nothing to how I felt as I stood there, glaring at him.

It was one thing to hurt me, but if my child was hurt by his hands too… No. I couldn’t accept it.

My heart was racing. Blood boiling, rage swelling within me. The fact that I couldn’t look away now, even to check my baby, only made me angrier.

“You little…”

He leapt toward me again, and maybe it was my anger and heightened senses, but Harry seemed slower than usual. I twisted out of reach, but I knew I couldn't fight him. I didn’t have the strength at the best of times, and most definitely not with Roscoe screaming and wiggling in my arms.

Harry growled, jaws snapping, a sure sign that he was moments from changing into his wolf form.

Without thinking, I ran.

I got to the open doorway. Somehow, I even got through it.

Then Harry caught me. He grabbed me by the back of the shirt and yanked me back into the apartment so hard that I stumbled and fell. I hit the floor flat, winded. Roscoe wailed, his screams intensifying.

I struggled, trying to sit up, but I couldn't. For a minute I floundered, my free arm reaching out wildly for something to grip. The only thing I found was a thin cord and I held it instinctively, just as Harry, in the form of his large, black wolf, now came over me, every tooth bared.

This was it.

He was really going to kill me. To kill us. But I would go down fighting, at least.

Instinctively, I yanked the cord in my hand—and to both of our surprise—the heavy floor lamp came crashing down, hitting Harry on the back of the head.

It wasn't enough to stop him, but it was enough to stun him.

He stumbled under its weight, giving me enough room to scramble to my feet. I didn't even pause to look back at him. I just ran as fast as I could, through the front door again, into the hallway and straight for the stairwell rather than wait for the elevator.

Roscoe's screams echoed, now the only thing that I could hear over my rapid heartbeat. Then, there was the back door, the one that led into the alley and just like that, I was through it, suddenly in the crisp, winter air.

I took a ragged breath, feeling the sting of the cold in my lungs, my feet stumbling as shock reverberated through me.

I was outside!

...I had to keep going.

Heading toward the street, I was shaking, moving fast, but slowed by the crunch of ice under my feet until suddenly, I emerged onto the sidewalk amongst the people of the city.

Just then, a shout tore through the air, loud and angry. Harry's voice, echoing through the alley.

“Shit,” I muttered and turned, considering running before I realized that it would work better if I just blended in.

Never had I been gladder that his apartment was in Downtown where there was always life.

For a while, I used to sit at the window, looking down at everyone, wondering what their lives were like.

Wondering if there were other alphas who had omegas locked inside their apartments. And now, I was suddenly among them.

I turned, keeping my head down, sticking too close to a group of guys who were walking at a brisk pace, talking about sports or something too irrelevant to matter right now. I couldn't even hear them. All of my focus was on Roscoe now, stroking his face, trying to calm him.

“Shh,” I whispered, “it's okay, my love.”

My reassuring voice soothed him a little bit straight away, but he continued to sniffle and fuss until I tucked him against my shoulder.

I needed to find somewhere I could sit, feed him, and soothe him even more, but our safety came first.

Despite myself, I glanced over my shoulder and nearly lost it at the sight of Harry behind me, searching through the crowd and all thepeople casually going about their day. Normal people who had jobs and friends and lives... it was surreal considering all I’d lost because of him.

Keeping my head down, trying my best to suppress the fear clawing up my throat, I dove through the nearest doorway.

A bell rang and the smell of warm baked goods and the sound of quiet music greeted me.

Glancing around, I realized I'd entered a lovely little cafe.

It was like stepping into a different world. There were dark walls, wooden tables and pretty desserts behind the glass display. The workers wore clean white aprons and the patrons read or worked on computers.

I didn't think I'd seen such a peaceful space in years.

Swallowing, I forced my legs to move, carrying myself as far back from the windows as possible to take a seat in the far corner where a high-backed booth felt like it shielded me a little bit. I could still see the front door—just in case.

Ignoring the couple of glances Roscoe's crying drew, I reached into the bag still slung over my shoulder and pulled out the blanket, using it to cover us as I unbuttoned my shirt and offered him my swollen nipple.

He latched eagerly and began sucking. That settled him at once, but I still couldn't relax, my gaze fixed on the front windows and the door.

Harry had been behind me.

If he'd seen me come in here?—

My breath caught in my throat as suddenly, his large frame passed in front of the window, a focused scowl on his face.

He still was looking for us, just as I'd thought. As far as Harry was concerned, we were his property. He probably considered this escape to be theft.

Heart pounding, breath caught in my lungs, I watched and waited. To my amazement, he continued on his hunt, soon moving out of sight.

Only once a full minute had passed could I finally breath again.

While I realized our freedom might be short-lived, knowing Harry was off searching elsewhere allowed me a tiny bit of relief. It was like all the energy in my entire body drained out at once, leaving me exhausted.

I sagged against the seat, eyelids suddenly drooping as I fought to stay awake.

My body was already starting to feel stiff and a bit sore from the fight but even so, as Roscoe began to fall asleep it was impossible to keep my eyes open.

I gave in, allowing them to close until the overwhelming scent of an alpha suddenly had them shooting open again.

My gaze flew up. For a moment I was sure that it was Harry.

Slowly, I realized that I was looking at someone else and the scent was all wrong.

It wasn't as raw and abrasive as Harry's was, and likewise, this alpha had a friendly smile on his face.

His hair was a soft, messy brown and his eyes were just as gentle. The apron helped, too.

“Can I get you anything?” he asked.

“Uh...”

I glanced at the front counter where people were clearly meant to order from. That meant he'd approached me to see what I was doing here, I guessed. Maybe only customers were allowed to sit and relax. But in my rush to escape, I'd completely forgotten about taking any money...

“Is it okay if I sit here for a bit?” I asked hesitantly.

His curious smile shifted a bit, something else flickering through his eyes that he hid seconds later.

“Of course,” he said gently. “There's no rush. Stay as long as you want.”

I nodded, relieved and watched him walk back to his spot behind the register, wondering if it was obvious that I was down on my luck. I sighed and allowed myself to relax again. And sleep.

A while later, when I opened my eyes, there was a glass of water in front of me and a chocolate chip cookie.

When I glanced toward the front counter, no one was paying any attention to me, but the kindness of the gesture spread warmth through me.

Strange to think an alpha could actually be nice... but I wasn't going to count my luck. Instead, I just reached for the cookie, hungrily devouring it.