Page 6 of Bond To The Alpha (Fated Bond #1)

LIANA

"Another cup of Persimmon juice, please!”

I smile, already picking up a clean glass, "A cup of our persimmon special coming right up.”

Then I pick up a bottle to pour out some of my homemade juice which has become one of the most popular items on my menu, much to my surprise.

"Here you go," I say as I gently place the glass on the table, “Fresh from the batch."

The customer’s eyes light up after he takes a long swig.

"Ah, I swear this gets better every time. You sure you're not using some kind of magic on this stuff?"

"No magic, just some good trial and error. And maybe a secret ingredient or two,” I shrug proudly, my smile widening as some other men laugh agreeably from their seats.

When I think back to those days and weeks of aimless wandering six years ago, after I left my hometown and pack, I’m just grateful. It was fate, or maybe just dumb luck that led me to Moonlight Pack. I remember stumbling into town, exhausted and wary, expecting to be turned away like I had been so many times before. But Sam, the Alpha, surprised me. He took one look at the pregnant wolf with nothing but the clothes on her back and offered her sanctuary. The man’s kindness still amazes me to this day. He accepted me as an outsider and gave me a chance when no one else would. It's because of him that Lina and I have a place to call home.

Moonlight town is small and quiet. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else's business, but somehow, they've respected each other’s privacy. Only a handful of people here know my full story, but the people here mostly mind their own business. Not sure it can be called my long-awaited peaceful life, but so far, I’ve been able to build something here, something that's mine. This tavern, for instance, used to be an old, abandoned building on the edge of town. Sam helped me acquire it for a steal, and with a lot of elbow grease, I turned it into a cozy little watering hole.

Here, I'm not the girl with the shady family background or the subject of bets. I'm just Liana, the tavern owner with a knack for brewing and baking.

I'm heading back from the man’s table; next thing is the front door being kicked open with a bang and the temperature suddenly drops a few degrees as Jimmy waltzes in like he owns the place. Then there comes the quick scraping of chairs and people shifting and burying their noses deeper in their drinks or food.

"What, nobody can greet?" he sneers, looking around.

A few mumbled "hellos" and "evenings" float up from the tables, but they're about as enthusiastic as a wet blanket. Before Jimmy can swagger any further into my tavern, I step in front of him, arms crossed.

"What do you want this time, Jimmy?"

He looks down at me with a slight frown.

"Do I need to give explanations for wherever I step or go? This place, like every other in town, belongs to my father."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Okay, so is that why you're here?”

Jimmy doesn't answer me. He grabs a mug from a nearby table, downing its contents in one gulp. The innocent customer almost lunges from his seat but he holds back, obviously because he’s Sam’s son. I gently nod at the man to assure him he’ll get another cup.

Jimmy has been nothing but a thorn in my side over the past few years.

It started not long after I'd settled in Moonlight Pack. Jimmy took an interest in me— not the good kind. At first, it was just annoying. He'd show up at the tavern, trying to impress me with stories of his "future Alpha" status. When that didn't work, he switched to sending expensive gifts that I always returned. I made it crystal clear I wasn't interested, but Jimmy isn't exactly known for taking hints.

My rejection obviously didn't sit well with him and that’s when his true colors started to show. The charm (if one could even call it that) vanished to be replaced with threats and nastiness. He started coming to the tavern more frequently, not to woo me, but to cause trouble. There was the time he "accidentally" knocked over an entire tray of drinks and left me to clean up the mess. Another night he started a brawl that nearly destroyed half my furniture. Other times he’d remind me that when he becomes Alpha, he’ll drive me out of the pack.

It's an empty threat, or at least I hope it is, because one thing I’m certain of is that Sam is a responsible leader, and I can't imagine him handing over the pack to someone as volatile as Jimmy, son or not. Jimmy doesn't even have the first clue about what it really means to lead a pack.

I've seen how Sam agonizes over decisions and is always considering what's best for everyone, not just himself. Jimmy on the other hand can barely think beyond his next senseless whim. There's got to be more to pack succession than just bloodlines. At least, I hope there is.

The issue here now is how Jimmy's presence is affecting the other patrons. The tavern is usually a warm, welcoming place for pack members to relax and unwind, but the moment Jimmy steps through that door, the atmosphere changes. People tense up, conversations die down, and that feeling of comfort just evaporates like mist in the morning sun.

I step in front of Jimmy again. "Can you please stop this?" I say, trying to keep my voice level.

"You can't keep coming here and making everyone uncomfortable. Please," I add the last word reluctantly, more for Sam's sake than Jimmy's.

Jimmy spins around with a sneer on his face. "Am I making anyone uncomfortable?" he asks everyone loudly.

Before anyone can respond, someone else comes through the door and the atmosphere shifts instantly as everyone quickly stands, their heads bowing respectfully.

"Greetings, Alpha," a chorus of voices rings out.

I turn to see Sam standing in the doorway and I also incline my head slightly, as is the norm here.

"Dad..." Jimmy mumbles when he sees Sam, before remembering himself and bowing his head. "I mean, Alpha."

Sam smiles warmly and responds curtly to everyone as well, before his eyes land on Jimmy again, silently questioning.

Jimmy shuffles his feet, suddenly looking like some fulfilled saint.

"I was just leaving for where you sent me," he mutters, slinking towards the door.

Sam ignores him and says to me, “Can we have a moment?"

I nod respectfully. "Of course.”

Then I open the counter door and gesture towards the back, “This way, please.” And as I do this, I signal to my assistant to take over.

"You didn't have to come all the way here. You could have sent for me."

Sam waves his hand dismissively.

"It's alright, Liana. I enjoy the walk anyway.”

We enter one of the back rooms, and I offer Sam a chair.

"Is there anything I can get you?”

Sam shakes his head, his expression turning a bit grave as he settles into the chair.

"No, thank you, Liana.” Then he takes a deep breath and looks up at me. "I'm sure you're aware of the recent disturbances in our town."

I nod slowly, now taking my seat.

The peaceful quiet of Moonlight Town has been shattered in recent weeks, and almost everyone, if not all, are now on edge. It all began as rumors, with some people often mentioning hearing strange noises, seeing strange things, and whatnot. Nothing was taken very seriously until the brutal, nightly attacks came to shake everyone up. And although the victims and witnesses’ stories varied, they all had something in common—claiming to have seen a monster.

"It's been quite disturbing. Everyone is on edge, even here at the tavern, although they’re trying not to act like it,” I agree.

"The situation is troubling, to say the least." He pauses, his gaze turning distant for a moment before refocusing on me with an intensity that makes me sit up straighter.

"I've given this a great deal of thought. And I've come to suspect that we're dealing with rogue werewolves."

“Rogues?”

Sam nods grimly, and I have to fight back a shudder. Rogues are like the stuff of everyone’s nightmares because of how unpredictably and uncontrollably destructive they can be if they’re not caught on time.

"I wish I could say our pack was equipped to handle this threat, but I fear that's not the case. We haven't had to face a serious threat in generations, so our fighters lack the best experience needed to confront rogues." There's no blustering or false bravado in Sam’s voice.

He continues, "We've reached out to neighboring packs for assistance. But our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. They're either unwilling or unable to offer aid. Which leaves us in a rather precarious position."

I watch as Sam's fingers drum against his leg. It’s a rare outward sign of the worry he must be feeling. There is obviously a lot of burden on him, and for the first time since I've known him, I see uncertainty in his eyes.

"We're running out of options, Liana. There's just one pack left on our list. It’s our last hope."

This is when my heart starts to race, it’s pounding picking up pace until the thrums echo so hard in my ears that I think I’m going to go deaf from it. My fingers instinctively bend into curls where they’re resting on my skirt.

Oh god, that’s why he specifically came to me.

Our eyes meet, and in those seconds of silent communication, I see the desperation in his eyes. On the one hand, there’s the gaze of a father who knows the enormity of what he is about to ask of me, who is like a daughter to him, and what it means. He’s one of the few who know of my past; although he might not exactly know about me and Kane, my little girl is testimony of what more I must have left behind.

On the other hand, is the resolve of a leader who must do what's necessary for his people.

"We need your help, Liana.”

I look down at my hands, twisting them in my lap as the words I've been dreading finally fall softly between us:

"Blood Moon Pack is our last resort."

I close my eyes to the memories that begin flooding back to me. Six years of safety and belonging. This pack took me in when I had nothing. They gave me a home and a future for my daughter.

If I've been looking for a chance to repay that kindness, it's now.

But the thought of going back there makes my chest tighten and brings old pain flaring to life. I never imagined Blood Moon would come back into my life like this and that I’ll end up being faced with returning, after everything.

I take a deep breath, looking at Sam again.

"What do you need me to do?"

A bit of relief seems to glint in his eyes as I say this, and he simply replies, "Help us seek aid from your hometown.”

I nod slowly, convincing myself that Moonlight Pack is just like my new hometown now. I should do my best to protect it.

Sam gets off this chair and comes to me, clasping my shoulder gently.

"Thank you, Liana.”