In Reach?

Mira’s POV

We’re all sitting at the table for breakfast this morning, and I’m so happy that the guy’s have started to let up about Aubrey hanging with me. At least now she gets to sit with me and keep me company and entertained with her growing sense of humour.

One by one , people start getting up, and it’s getting emptier by the second. Aubrey and I went to the living room to watch some tv as we left Liam and Noah alone at the dining table. I wasn’t even focused nor bothered about what they could be talking about, until I heard them as clear as day speaking in the foyer right behind us.

“How is the list coming along?” That’s Liam’s voice.

“We got a couple of names. Girls from the southern sector. Seems like Max is the whistle-blower. Eli though is still tight-lipped. But it’s only a matter of time, before we find out just who all they harassed.”

Shit! This isn’t good. I look at Aubrey sitting next to me on the couch. Her eyes are as wide as saucers, and I’m pretty sure she’s not focused on the tv in front of her. The fidgeting of her fingers can confirm that.

The two of us have talked about this. But we couldn’t quite come up with something to get to them. There’s no way either of us can go to the dungeons without getting noticed. And even if we did, by some miracle, we wouldn’t even know what to do once we’re there. It’s not like we can threaten them to shut their mouths. They’re already being tortured to talk.

“Okay. Be sure to report to me later today.” Liam requests.

And then it’s silent.

After a while of still hearing nothing, I look behind me and see Noah, just as he’s closing the front door behind him, and Liam is going up stairs, probably to his office.

When I’m sure he is out of sight, I turn to Aubrey. “Did you hear that?”

She looks frightened. “Mira, what am I going to do? I-,….I-,…If this gets out, my life here will be over.”

“Aubrey, calm down. We just need to prepare for the worst now.” She looks like she’s about to cry. “But try to look at this from another perspective. There’s a list, which means, there are others. We don’t know how many girls, but that means that Noah and the guys can bring justice and perhaps even peace to those girls as well.”

“How?!” She’s stood and is pacing in front of me. “All they have to do is kill them, and we’ll all be better off. Why try to make a whole list? That’s like public humiliation. Nobody wants to be known as a victim, especially wolves. Yeah, I didn’t know there were others, but that just proves my point, they preferred to keep their mouths shut too. But those guys, they won’t get it. To them, it’s all about facts and evidence. This is just going to turn into a shit fest.”

She breaths heavily as she continues to pace the room. She has a point though. I’ve seen this more than enough, where rape victims end up getting the wrong kind of attention, the moment it gets out.

We’re both quiet. We know, there is nothing we can do to stop it. But there has to be a way for us to at least control the outcome.

“Wait.”

She stops pacing and looks at me. “What?”

“What if we make them understand?”

“What do you mean?”

I stand up and walk closer to her, so I can talk softer, just in case.

“It’s like you said. They’re men. They don’t understand it. They won’t look at this situation the way a woman would. So maybe all we have to do is explain it to them.”

She looks a bit hopeful, but still hesitant to show it. “But how are we going to do that? Noah won’t listen to me about it. He has practically forbidden me to mention it, and forbidden the rest to talk about it in front of me. And besides, I never get myself involved in their pack discussions. The rest of the guys won’t understand my sudden interest in this matter. To them, I’m just someone who doesn’t fully understand what is happening in this whole thing.”

We’re both quiet again. Even though we know what to do, we don’t know how to do it.

“Or, you can do it.” I look up at her, not sure I heard her right. “They will listen to you.”

“Are you out of your mind? I just got myself out of being labelled the main culprit for crap that happens in this pack. Now you want me to willingly dive back in?”

“You have gotten away way with far more than most people have even dared to try.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s not exactly helping your case.”

“But you’re still here. Because they know they don’t have anything solid against you and they accused you falsely the last time. You practically have immunity here.”

“Immunity?” She just sounds ridiculous now.

“Well, more like a ‘get out of jail free card’. But my point is, that you tell them how it is because you have nothing to lose, and no reason to lie. And even though they all might deny it, they actually listen to you.”

Really? It usually seems like my telling them my opinion on things just angers and irritates them.

I sigh. “But Aubrey. This is a pack matter. I have no place to interfere.”

“You don’t have to tell them to do anything. Just suggest, you know, just put it out there.”

“But Noah won’t even try to listen to me. To him it’s all about just following the ‘Alpha’s’ orders.” I use air quotes with the word ‘Alpha’.

Aubrey smiles. “Then go to him. Go to the Alpha.”

“Aubrey,”

“You know he will listen to you. You are ‘technically’ a victim of a crime committed by his pack members. If he is as 'just' as he makes everyone believe, then he will at least hear you out.”

I sigh. I know I should at least try. “Okay.”

She crashes me into her for a hug. “Oh thank you, thank you so much.”

I pull her back by the shoulders. “But this doesn’t promise anything, you know.”

“It doesn’t matter. As long as there is a chance.”

I’ve been standing outside his office door for almost a minute. I came straight up hear after my talk with Aubrey. But now that I’m here, I don’t know what I’m even going to say. I should leave, so I can first gather my words.

Just as I turn around to leave, the door opens. “Can I help you with something?”

I look back at Liam. Dammit. The light coming in from behind him, is giving his body an outline of a perfect silhouette. And those green eyes are staring directly at me. Oh crap, he’s waiting for a response.

“Uhm,…” I bite my lip not knowing what to say. “I-,….I wanted to talk to you about something.” Now I’m the one fidgeting with my fingers.

He raises his brow. “But if you’re busy, it’s fine, I can come back later.” I rush the words out, as I take a step back to leave.

But before I can turn my body, he grabs my arm and pulls me into his office, as he closes the door behind me.

“Have a seat.” He says over my shoulder. He must be close. I can feel his body heat radiating behind me.

I take a seat at the closest couch near me. It is probably a bit far from his desk, especially with the single chairs in front of his desk, probably meant for one-on-one talks like this. Dammit. He’ll make me move.

I look up at him, and see him make his way to the couch opposite me. Okay, maybe not.

“You look nervous.”

I didn’t realize I was still fidgeting with my fingers. I hold my hand, to stop myself.

He furrows his brows. “So what is it that you want to talk to me about?”

“I-,….” How am I supposed to go about this? I bite my lip. “What is the punishment for rape?”

He sits up. “It’s death, why?”

So Aubrey was right. “Why are you still torturing those,….those assholes then? I thought they confessed”

“We need to know just how much damage it is they have done, to carry out a proper death sentence.”

“Is that why you’re making a list?”

He raises a brow. “Eavesdropping now, are you?”

His suspicious tone is ticking that annoyance of mine, but it’s helping with the nerves as well. “It wasn’t intentional, I just happen to overhear.”

He sighs. “What of it?”

I lean forward, very interested to hear what he has to say to my question. “What do you plan to do with it?”

“That,…..doesn’t really have anything to do with you Mira.”

“I know, I know. It’s just,……..it’s just. Do you really need to know who the women are?”

“What?!”

“Crap. That came out wrong.” I raise my hands a bit, palms up, hoping to calm him a bit. “It’s just, it seems you only need to know how many women there were, not who they are. That’s why I’m asking what you want to do with the list.”

He looks more annoyed though, as he scoots to the edge of the couch. “Mira. What is it that you really want to say?”

I give a deep sigh. There really is no way to talk around this.

“I am just worried.” I hear him give a soft growl. I look up at him. “I’m not telling you how to run your pack. It’s just,…….making a list, is like making it real.” He tilts his head not understanding what I’m trying to say.

“if you look at things from a woman’s perspective, no woman that went through something like that would necessarily want others to know about it. Many would probably prefer to keep it that way, if they had a choice.” I remember the words Aubrey spoke. “So,…..” I look up at him again, and he’s listening quite intently, “putting their names on a list is like making their status as a victim real. I’m sure many of them would just want ‘those assholes’ to have a quick and meaningless death, and out of their lives.”

He’s quiet. He’s probably going to tell me off again. I better finish off as peacefully as I can.

“I don’t know what you plan to really do with the list, and I’m not telling you what to do, but I just wanted to give you my opinion on the matter,….not that it matters.” I smile slightly. Of course my opinion doesn’t matter to him, or to them.

I see his eyes glaze over. Is that his wolf? Is he angry? Or is he mind-linking someone?

“Why do you care?” He says in a steady voice.

“Huh? What?” What does he mean by ‘care’?

“You obviously thought about this quite thoroughly, and even came all the way to ‘me’, to just ‘share your opinion’. So why make all the effort, for people you don’t even know.”

That’s not the point. “Why shouldn’t I care? You don’t need to know a rape victim to care. You don’t have to be a woman to sympathize. It’s a disgusting and inhumane act that shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone.”

He seems surprised by my words, or it could be by my tone.

“I’m sorry for raising my voice. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. It’s just,…..I’m so used to seeing these sort of things.” I sigh deeply, hoping to calm my breathing, and my temper.

“What to do you mean?” I look up at him and he’s leaning even more forward, as he rests his elbows on his knees. “When you said you’re used to this?” He looks concerned.

I might as well tell him. “Well, these types of things happen often in the city, especially in the bad parts of town.” Where I’m from. I chuckle at my next thought. “It really is a jungle out there. Nobody really cares about what they should, instead, they focus on anything else to distract them of it. I’ve seen so many girls admit to having been raped, only for people to say that all they probably wanted ‘was’ and ‘is’ attention.”

Oh goodness. I’m blabbering. He probably has a lot of other work to get to, instead of listening to me. I’ve said what I had to say, I should leave now.

“Anyways, I think I should get going now.” I try to stand up.

I hear a soft low growl. “Who said you can leave?”

I stop half-squatting, with my ass hovering just above the chair. “Excuse me?” I sit back down. Not because I’m intimidated. It is just a weird stance to stay in.

“Mira, you need to understand that I am the Alpha here. You sit in my presence when I request it, or allow it. And you leave when I give you permission to do so.”

Really? Is this an ego thing? I’ve heard about how Alphas always want to have the upper hand in things.

“So, do all Alphas think that they are entitled to,…….respect?”

“It is a birth right. I was born as their Alpha, so I was born to get their respect.”

Do they brainwash these guys from birth?

“I disagree.”

He raises his brow, but when I stand up, he gives another low growl. I walk to his desk and lean against it, with my butt slightly sitting on it. I cross my arms, as I look at him, as I look down at him.

I smile seeing his eyes glow again. Someone clearly needs to stand up to this guy, so that he realizes it is a possibility, and may just become his reality.

He stands and walks to me. He stops right in front of me and says, “Oh Mira, I don’t like to warn people twice.” He takes my hair between his fingers and gently feels them. “And my wolf hates having to even do it.” His wolf makes a quick appearance as his eyes glow gold again.

He’s smiling, so he’s definitely enjoying this. And I bet it has something to do with the fact that his large frame is blocking me between him and the desk, and I have to practically tilt my head all the way up, just to look him in the eyes. This is the picture of a predator trapping his prey.

But this is actually amusing me. I don’t know how, but that deep, dark side of me, which I still choose to be in denial about, is creeping up and eating all this intimidation up as candy.

I can’t help but smirk. Ggggrrrhhh! He gives a deep growl with a serious look. And I know he may be mad right now, but I swear I felt that through my body. I feel like it was pulling me towards him.

I don’t like that he has this effect on me, but I love the way that it’s making me feel. Powerful.

My chest is constricting at his proximity and I bite my lip, when I hear my breath coming out almost like a purrrrr. What is that about?

“You should be careful with what things you start.”

I smile brightly now, making him frown. “I think you’re the one that should be careful.” I stand up straight, still maintaining eye contact. “That sounded like another warning. Sounds to me like your threats are just empty promises.” I pout as I slowly bat my lashes as innocently as I can.

He takes another step forward, that our chests are practically touching. But I don’t falter in my stance. I’m enjoying feeding off of him. This ‘power’ is tingling through me. I don’t get why people are afraid of this side of an Alpha.

A knock on the door sounds through the room, but we don’t break eye contact.

“Come in.” He says in my face.

I can hear the door open. “You wanted to see us Alpha.” Noah’s here, with who, I don’t know.

Liam’s body is covering mine. I can’t see who is at the door, and I‘m pretty sure they can’t see me either.

“You may leave now, Mira.” Liam says loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. But I see that smirk on his face. He’s trying to tease me, because he ‘gave me permission’ to leave. Oh please. I’m leaving because I want to, so I won’t stop smiling now.

I step aside from Liam and see who is in the office. It’s Noah and Theo.

I still have happy jitters running through me, so why not spread the ‘love’?

“Hi Noah.” I smile and give him a wave with my palm raised next to my face.

“Uhmm, hi Mira.” He looks suspicious at me, then at Liam.

As I continue to walk to the door, I near Theo and can’t help smile brighter, especially because he’s smiling too. He always seems to know when I’m in a good mood, and then shares that gorgeous smile with me. I love it.

“Hey Teddy.” I raise my hand again, but only because I’m waiting for his high-five, which he of course returns.

“Hey Mira.”

“Teddy?” Theo and I both look at Liam and his confused expression. “You call him Teddy?”

“Yeah, it’s my nickname to him.” I smile at Liam.

“What, is ‘Theo’ not short enough of a name?” Noah actually sounds like he’s trying to make a joke out of this.

I purse my lips and then look up at Theo. He looks back with a worried smile, and I know what he’s thinking.

I look back at the other two and say smiling, “It’s a secret.”

Both of them look between Theo and me all confused. But this was never a conversation to begin with, or to end.

“Anyways. I gotta go.” As I turn to walk out the door I say to Theo, “see you later,” and close the door behind me.