Chapter 18
Felicity POV.
The next day, a meeting was taking place to which Elias had invited us.
Ava and I walked into the meeting with Elias, scanning the room nervously for the mysterious man from the protest. "Do you see him anywhere?" Ava whispered, her eyes darting around the room.
"No, I don't," I replied, feeling relieved yet still tense. We took our seats and greeted Elias' associates, but there was a strange energy in the room that we couldn't ignore.
As the meeting began, Elias started talking but he seemed to be skirting around the real topic of discussion. "So, we have some updates on the project," he said hesitantly.
Ava and I exchanged confused glances, wondering why Elias was acting so differently than usual. "Is everything okay, Elias?" I asked, trying to break the tension.
Elias forced a smile and nodded. "Yes, yes, everything is fine. Let me just continue with the updates." He continued to talk, but it was clear that he was avoiding certain details and topics.
Finally, towards the end of the meeting, Elias abruptly ended it and rushed out of the room, leaving us behind. Ava and I looked at each other, unsure of what had just happened. "Should we follow him?" Ava suggested.
We hesitated for a moment before getting up and going after him. We found Elias in the hallway, pacing and muttering to himself. "Elias, what's going on?" I asked, concerned.
He looked up at us, trying to put on a brave face. "Oh, it's just some personal issues, nothing to worry about. I'm fine," he said, his voice cracking slightly.
Ava put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to talk about it, you don't have to keep it to yourself," she said softly.
Elias took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby bench.
I felt my heart racing as Elias took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby bench. The look on his face was one of deep concern, and it made me uneasy.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked tentatively, hoping that he would tell me what was going on.
"What's going on?" Ava asked again, trying to be discreet.
He looked at me, fear in his eyes. "It's the alpha," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have heard that his soldiers have been eyeing you since you arrived. And it has accentuated even more since your interaction with them. We're afraid he'll try to take you as his breeder."
My blood ran cold. I never thought i would be a target. Again? Why me?
The thought of being used again in such a way was terrifying. "Are you sure?" I asked, hoping that Elias was mistaken.
He nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so. And it will be a nightmare for you."
I felt the panic rising within me. I had thought that coming here would be a new beginning for me, a chance to start all over again. But now, I was afraid for my life.
Would I ever be able to be free again? Would I be trapped again as a breeder for the rest of my life?
"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with fear. "What did I get myself into?" I thought.
"What can I do?" I asked trembling.
Ava put a hand on my shoulder trying to reassure me.
"Be reassured! Do not bother! I have I signs everywhere in the village, if you are in danger I will warn you, just show me where you are staying, your house." I looked at Elias, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst my fear. "Thank you!"
"What's his name?" Ava asked concerned.
"His name is alpha Zander!" Elias responded.
After, we explained to him where our house was.
On the way back, I walked slowly on the dirt path back to our small abode, Ava trailing a few steps behind me. I felt a knot form in my stomach.
My mind was in shambles after what Elias had told us. I couldn't believe it. The alpha having his sights set on me as his Breeder? Not that again! "Breeder". The word echoed in my mind like a death sentence.
Ava's hand on my shoulder startled me out of my thoughts. I turned to look at her, and her kind eyes searched my face. "Are you okay, Emily?"
I shook my head, tears threatening to spill over. "How can I be okay? I don't want to be a Breeder. I don't want to be anyone's property."
Ava's grip on my shoulder tightened, and she gave me a determined look. "I won't let that happen, Emily. I'll protect you."
I wanted to believe her, but fear gripped me. "What if we can't? What if the alpha is too strong?"
Ava's expression softened, and she put an arm around me. "We'll find a way. We'll stick together and fight for our freedom."
"Ava, what am I going to do? I don't want to be a Breeder. I want to have a life of my own," I said, tears welling up in my eyes.
Ava pulled me closer to her and hugged me tight, trying to comfort me. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure something out. We can talk to Elias, he'll know what to do."
Feeling a little better, I nodded. "You're right. Elias will know what to do. I trust him."
As we reached our small shack, Ava paused and looked at me, doubt written all over her face. "Are you sure we made the right choice showing Elias where we live? What if he's working with the alpha?"
I shook my head. "No, Elias wouldn't do that. He's been helping us this whole time. We need to trust him. And besides, he's the leader of the rebellion."
Ava nodded.
"I know how you feel. We'll have to be careful from now on, but for now, let's rest and think about our next steps."
Though I could tell she still had doubts. As we walked in relative silence, I couldn't help but feel scared and uncertain of my future. My only hope was that Elias could help me out of this dangerous situation.
As i I was walking through the market, passing the stalls and greeting a few vendors, I heard someone running behind me.
"I've found you," Maximus said as he turned me around with a victorious grin.
I felt a wave of fear and dread wash over me. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to hide my anxiety.
Maximus said grinning victoriously "I've found you here, at the market. You thought you could hide from me, didn't you?"
I was frightened"Maximus, please. I don't want any trouble."
Maximus eyes was flashing with anger "Too late for that. You should have thought about that before running off."
"I didn't run off. I just needed some time to think. Please, Maximus, I don't want to fight." I pleaded.
"It's too late for that now. You're coming with me." He said shaking his head.
"You've been hiding from me for too long," Maximus replied sharply. "It's time for you to face the consequences of what you've done."
"I haven't done anything wrong," I protested.
"That's not what I think," Maximus snapped back. "You've been on the run for too long. It's time to come back and face the music."
He lifted me with a bound.
I woke up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. It was just a dream, I reminded myself. But as I listened to the noises outside my window, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. Voices were echoing down the street, and one in particular caught my attention. "Yes, my alpha she is here," it said, and I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.
my senses was on high alert. I knew that voice. But I couldn't tell who it belonged to.
I woke up Ava who was sleeping on the bed above me, and whispered urgently, "We need to leave, now. Someone is outside looking for us."
Ava blinked sleepily, but the urgency in my voice seemed to register with her.
"What?" She exclaimed.
I quickly closed her mouth" speak less loudly!" I whispered to her.
I got out of bed slowly, careful not to make any noise. I crept towards the window and peered out, trying to see what was happening. A group of men had gathered outside the house, their faces obscured by the darkness. One of them was gesturing towards our door, and I could hear him saying, "Break it down."
I backed away from the window, my heart racing. What was we going to do? We couldn't fight off a whole group of men by ourselves. I turned towards the door, trying to figure out a plan, when I heard a knock.
I froze, my eyes flickering towards the door. Could it be Elias? Or was it one of Maximus's men? I held my breath as the knocking continued, each rap sending a shiver down my spine.