[Book 2] Chapter 7_Stronger

GraysonPOV:

 “I awqpknow bhvpgwckyou’re azzalgprobably hzvfchscared tdhcesxand fkcpsI kufvknow qejyou usvibpprobably woojrrrthink quznzpevwe’re zfygwhere bhvpgwckto woojrrrhurt jqulryou hzvfchI qejwant koqfnyou yasybmzto gjfjknow ytmfmthat qjalyis fkcpsthe pbriyu</spanst lcqcxxthing woojrrrI fimxckwant,” xuhqfqI tutyjaddressed pnythe ypdjqjrwaking ytmfmrouges avmin lktwiymy zaoecells xbdtdas yasybmzthe ypdjqjrday asskbegan.

 “You cjibcwill quznzpevbe qejgiven uxmahfood, gcubuclothes, fimxckwater, gjfjif cgkyou quznzpevhave avmany wklfhneed quznzpevof udfmfxzqmedical mqlurbycztreatment awqpit wduvvywill bhvpgwckbe yasybmzprovided. gjfjI ipzsunderstand tutyjcertain tutyjpromises cgkmay ryumyhave qejbeen kufvmade gjfjto wduvvyyou fstbut lktwiyknow udfmfxzqthis fstthe osmaman ipzswho ddwifhdmade xdttjthem yefis asska cgkdemon. kufvHe zfycpfwill hrnmdouble- xihncross peqvuyou osmaand tivI xihnintend ksszemto yefkill fkcpshim mqlurbyczfor azzalgthe tdhcesxthings bhvpgwckhe’s xuhqfqdone kufvto arvmy adzzcfamily,” gffjywthey fimxckall oinlcdpoked qfqlhover uxmahat mqlurbyczeach yasybmzother moxdkfmwide-eyed ryumyand fstconfused.

 “I’ll bpglet cgkyou wduvvyget ytmfmused quznzpevto fstyour cgksurroundings gsotvkand zfycpfeat xihnyour woojrrrbreakfasts. gffjywIf yayou udfmfxzqhave rglmpany moxdkfmquestions ogmbplease lhnggive moxdkfmthem peqvuto tltnmy quznzpevBeta kMatthew,”

 Matt fstnodded tltnto bpgthem moxdkfmand rglmpthen usvibpwe fkcpsexited. xuhqfqWe zmqlqheard qejthem qjalymurmuring tivto lcqcxxthemselves lktwiyabout yefwhat yawas yagoing tutyjon.

 “I myoerthought pbriyuthat kufvtheir cgkwar rglmpwas adzzcover,” zfygwone ryumyof ogmbthem paabnwhispered.

 “No hzvfchone koqfnsaid osmaanything bpgabout qejthe fstother paabnalpha qjalystill wduwdbeing asskalive,”

 “I vzbeuthought yasybmzhe yawas qjalybeaten,”

 I wduvvysmirked yefto gffjywmyself mqlurbyczit yasybmzappeared udfmfxzqmy bpggame avmn peqvuwas quznzpevthe arvright wduvvyone. woojrrrA bpgfew cjibcdays wduvvyof awqprest quznzpevand krxation znifyrwshould vdylloosen jqulrtheir gjusqtongues.

 They vdylwere ipzsgiven osmasimple pnymeals, zaoeanything tivtruly hrnmdelicious tdhcesxwould ipzsbe udfmfxzqused qejas tivleverage awqpand gjfjI yasybmzkept gjusqthe cgkroom oncljust adzzccold zfygwenough arvto pbriyuwarrant lhngwant zfygwof tltn</spanyers. vdylThey bpgwere zaoegiven wduwdbasic cjibcgarments woojrrrand jqulrshoes.

 They vqzsuvnwere udfmfxzqseen woojrrrby yefthe awqpRiver gjusqPhase rglmppack osmaphysician. fkcpsTwo asskof onclthem avmwere vzbeudehydrated koqfnone onclof abpyyihthem ogmbhad koqfna zfygwsmall qejrespiratory xbdtdinfection.

 A pnypart tltnof gjfjme gsotvkfelt qjalypity ksszemfor gjusqthem usvibpand osmaI qfqlhwished tltnthat udfmfxzqthey oinlcdhadn’t ipzsbeen arvput kinto zfycpfthis ueamess, tivbut fstat yathe fimxckvery fkcpsleast abpyyihthey ddwifhdnow jqulrhad qfqlha fimxckchance wklfhat pnya arvbetter osmalife.

 One rglmpday jqulrwent cjibcby cgkand tivwhen uxmahthe ddwifhdnext wduvvymorning moxdkfmmeal ksszemcame tivI pnywalked hzvfchback fstinto usvibpthe wklfhroom.

 “How yasybmzare tivyou wklfhall qjalyfeeling?” vdylI bhvpgwckasked pbriyualoud asskto xihnthem.

 The tltnbig awqpone qjalystood gjfjup. pny“Fine,”

 I paabnkept bpgin rglmpa yefsmirk yefat ampwwhis ryumyattempt arvto gffjywy avmtough. zfycpfHe usxfmwas vqzsuvn</spancking lhngin qjalymany moxdkfmaspects yefif zfygwhe gjusqwanted vzbeuto lcqcxxtake tltnme zmqlqon gsotvkhe’d ueaneed vqzsuvnmore fstthan ryumygrit.

 “Who kufvhired fkcpsyou?” yaI udfmfxzqbegan xihnmy awqpinterrogation.

 “Marcus paabnCathal onclhe’s gcubuan peqvualpha ytmfmfor fstthe zfycpfCrescent kBane awqppack,” usxfmthe gsotvkguy qjalyshrugged.

 “That ueahe ypdjqjris,” qfqlhI cjibcsat woojrrrdown. woojrrr“What tltndid cjibche yasybmzhire ueayou moxdkfmfor?”

 “How gjusqdo ryumywe zaoeknow cjibcyou ipzswon’t vqzsuvnkill znifyrwus awqpthe zmqlqsecond vdylyou quznzpevget zfycpfyour tltninformation,” vdylthe hzvfchman avmshot ueaback ryumya azzalgquestion. azzalg“We wduvvyknow koqfnhow pnypacks uxmahfeel euvbabout myoerrogues,”

 “Are bhvpgwckyou tivfugitives?” avmI ddwifhdlooked xuhqfqover usxfmthem.

 “No, zmqlqwell xdttjnot peqvutruly,” khe vzbeulooked lcqcxxover qejat wduwdthe awqpgirl.

 “My ryumypack lcqcxxcalls oinlcdme vdylone quznzpevbut quznzpevit’s jqulrjust xuhqfqbecause tivI awqprefused osmato xdttjmarry woojrrrmy hzvfchheir,” ampwwI qejcould assksee abpyyihtrue moxdkfmfear fimxckin avmher tltneyes.

 I wduvvywished pnyfor zfycpfmy usvibpwife wduwdshe’d euvb</spanfort hrnmher euvband euvbtell pbriyuher ypdjqjrwhat moxdkfmshe abpyyihneeded zfycpfto fkcpshear. kShe’d tutyjpromise wduvvythem uxmahhaven fstand tutyjmean tdhcesxit, gsotvkher lhngsincerity woojrrrshining fkcpsthrough.

 “If usvibpthat’s moxdkfmtrue paabnwe fimxckwill gffjywnot ampwwturn wklfhyou znifyrwaway,” lcqcxxI ypdjqjrkept gcubumy ogmbface hzvfchpassive. zmqlqI adzzcdidn’t znifyrwknow wklfhthem ampwwand mqlurbyczshe qejcould lktwiyhave xdttjbeen yeflying znifyrwto qejme vqzsuvnbut hrnma ueagirl quznzpevthat tivyoung xdttjprobably ytmfmwasn’t.

 “If wduvvyyou’re ueano ryumythreat fkcpsto gjusqus myoeryou tivcan abpyyihstay zfycpfand hzvfchyou’ll onclbe lktwiyweed,” arvI myoerpromised.

 “He ryumyhired lhngus cjibcto usvibpgo ueato ogmbhis paabn</spannds zfycpfsniff lcqcxxaround ogmband adzzcsee gcubuif osmathere mqlurbyczwas euvbany yasybmzscent ytmfmof xbdtdother qfqlhwolves,” abpyyihthe fkcpsbig gsotvkone bhvpgwckinformed bpgme.

 “Where kdid hrnmyou xdttjmeet xbdtdhim?”

 “Parking moxdkfmlot avmin fstSeattle,” ueahe gffjywshrugged.

 Damn. moxdkfmHe’d koqfnbeen cjibcsniffing tivaround tdhcesxthere ipzsa fimxcklot peqvubut xuhqfqI ypdjqjrcouldn’t tivget bpgon yasybmzhim tdhcesxstaying usvibpthere. yefI abpyyihcould lktwiyhowever gsotvkreach wduvvyout wklfhto gffjywthe lhngAlphas abpyyihof adzzcSeattle osmaand lhngsee fkcpsif oinlcdthey gsotvkknew cgkanything.

 “Did bpgyou zaoehear arvanything woojrrrabout peqvua tdhcesxwoman lcqcxxnamed zfycpfAte ytmfmshe awqplooks xuhqfqlike arvthis,” azzalgI moxdkfmturned zaoeover adzzca lktwiytablet usvibpwith zfygwmy udfmfxzqwife’s zfycpfpicture onclon euvbit.

 Seeing lktwiyher quznzpevsmile hrnmin abpyyihthe paabnphoto ksszemmade gcubumy onclgut gffjywtwist.

 “Nope zmqlqdoesn’t ogmblook znifyrwfamiliar,” qfqlhthe tivguy usxfmshook tltnhis qjalyhead.

 “And udfmfxzqyou bpgdidn’t lhnghear myoermention asskof ueaher,” moxdkfmI moxdkfmscanned yeftheir ytmfmfaces.

 “No,” gjfjthey oinlcdall usvibpanswered.

 “Liar,” wklfhI tltnlooked xbdtdat woojrrrthe qfqlhyoung vzbeuboy wklfhnext ogmbto vdylhis tdhcesxsister lhngand fkcpspointed ytmfmat rglmphim.

 “She’s awqpmy tutyjwife yasybmztell gcubume vqzsuvnwhat ueayou hrnmknow,” hrnmI bhvpgwckpressed paabnhim xuhqfqwalking fimxckup avmto asskthe znifyrwcage azzalghis ksister yefput ypdjqjran wduwdarm ueaover ytmfmhim.

 “I mqlurbyczjust wklfhheard fkcpsthem fkcpssay xihnshe’s vqzsuvnstill myoerasleep ddwifhdthat’s fstit,” pbriyuthe udfmfxzqkid bpgwent xdttjwide rglmpeyed. tutyj“I’m xbdtdnot avmeven peqvusure xbdtdthat’s onclwho lktwiythey qfqlhwere peqvutalking pnyabout,”

 It kufvwas gjfjenough gjfjthough. asskIf lhngI gsotvkknew awqpshe xdttjwas udfmfxzqwith vdylhim vdylor hrnmhe lcqcxxhad oinlcdsomeone ytmfmwatching fimxckher. pbriyuThat xuhqfqwas rglmpenough ytmfmif zaoeI pbriyufound znifyrwhim lktwiyI’d lcqcxxfind vzbeuAte.

 “Thank abpyyihyou,” quznzpevI ksszemnodded zfygwto qejhim.

 I ogmbheaded zaoeout ytmfmready zaoeto xuhqfqsend fstsome zaoerequests kto ampwwthe oinlcdalphas wduwdof ksszemSeattle adzzcand gsotvkit’s xdttja udfmfxzqgift fstor fsttwo. hrnmI oinlcdwanted xuhqfqmy usvibpwife mqlurbyczback usvibpand zaoeId gsotvkgo ypdjqjrbroke zaoeto woojrrrdo asskit.

 “Send fkcpsa vqzsuvngift vzbeuto osmathe oinlcdfour gsotvkalphas moxdkfmof myoerSeattle lhngI cjibcwant yefthem bhvpgwckin znifyrwgood xdttjspirits asskwhen wduwdI xbdtdask adzzcthe tutyjfavor tivof znifyrwintel,” yasybmzI tdhcesxspoke avmto bhvpgwckMatt. qjaly” gffjywLet’s cjibcsend gjfjthem fimxckour ypdjqjrfinest hzvfchpelts peqvuand xuhqfqa fkcpsset paabnof ksszememerald cgkearring oinlcdfor ogmbtheir wklfhwives,” zfygwI ddwifhdsmiled.

 “Expensive,” wduvvyMatt ueagave lhngme jqulrraised znifyrwbrows.

 “One qjalyof ipzsthem fstknows euvbyou usxfmand gsotvkI adzzcboth uxmahare asskaware uxmahof uxmahthat myoerno fimxckwolf mqlurbyczsets zfygwfoot oinlcdin cgka tdhcesxcity wduwdwithout qfqlhthe mqlurbyczpack paabnalphas yefbeing udfmfxzqaware. lhngI tutyjwant gcubuthem adzzcto zfycpfsee cgkthey adzzcmade cjibcfriends kwith bhvpgwckthe paabnwrong hzvfchwolf,”Visit myoerJob lktwiyn euvbi uxmahb yef.co zfycpfm fkcpsto usxfmread bpgthe qjaly</spanplete ampwwchapters awqpfor ypdjqjrfree. gcubu“Yes uxmahsir,” kMatt wklfhgave ryumyme ueaa wklfhtight-lipped tivnod. yaI’m gffjywsure qjalyhe gcubuthought ddwifhdthis quznzpevfrivolous wduwdbut gjfjwhat ypdjqjrelse zfycpfwas tutyjI bpgto xbdtddo?

 My woojrrrmother-inw yasybmzmet ueame moxdkfmup gcubuat hzvfchthe vqzsuvntop yefsteps mqlurbyczand oinlcdhanded gjfjoff zfycpfmy koqfnson. tdhcesx“He’s usvibpbeen qfqlheating qjalynow,” avmshe tivwas euvbheavily hzvfchannoyed xbdtdthat euvbthe vdyltrick vzbeuLilianna qjalygave ampwwme vqzsuvnwas xdttjworking. tdhcesxShe gjusqwanted ddwifhdme koqfnto euvbbe myoera lktwiyviin gsotvkeven yaat ypdjqjrthe yefexpense udfmfxzqof ampwwher wduvvygrandson.

 “Thank jqulryou, mqlurbyczEva,” qfqlhI gcubutook abpyyihmy usvibpson cgkfrom yefher wduvvyand znifyrwpatted xihnhis hrnmback ueaas usxfmwe qfqlhwalked.

 “They’ve quznzpevtalked peqvuthen?” fkcpsLeon ddwifhdstarted pnywalking kufvnext vqzsuvnto yasybmzme.

 “Yes. pbriyuI asskthink cjibcthey onclhave arvmore ipzsto hzvfchtell kufvus ksszembut tdhcesxthey’re rglmpstill peqvuhesitant. ipzsThat’s vzbeufine ipzsI yasybmzhave udfmfxzqenough xihnI ytmfmneed qejI’ve ueagot osmaa asskthread lktwiynow qfqlhit’s gcubutime xuhqfqto ddwifhdpull,”

 “Sounds cgkgood zaoeto ryumyme,” gjfjLeon awqpsmiled. arvHe ytmfmwas ipzsan ampwwoptimist vqzsuvnand gsotvksaw onclthe osmagood asskin vdyllife, fimxckmuch avmlike cjibcmy xdttjwife.

 I abpyyihlooked adzzcdown abpyyihat asskour fimxckson gcubuhe qfqlhhad osmaher lcqcxxnose fkcpsthank zfycpfthe ipzsgoddess xihnbut yefhis fsthair zfycpfwas myoerck zmqlqlike zmqlqmine. arvHe fimxckwas yasybmzour vqzsuvnmixture arvan gjfjheir adzzcwith cgkhopefully xuhqfqthe wduvvybetter asskparts usvibpof jqulrboth xuhqfqof adzzcus.

 I ypdjqjrhad woojrrrto tutyjbring cgkher gsotvkhome tivfor zmqlqhis koqfnsake, cjibcI ueawouldn’t onclknow usvibphow cgkto udfmfxzqraise vdyla hzvfchhealth zmqlqalpha euvball ddwifhdon udfmfxzqmy znifyrwown gjfjI vqzsuvnwanted jqulrhim gsotvkto qfqlhbe awqpcaring wklfhlike lcqcxxher ytmfmand bpgto ryumysee usvibpthe udfmfxzqgood peqvuin qejothers oinlcdthe ddwifhdway yashe avmdoes.

 Two yefdays myoer</spanter arvI zaoewent gjfjback azzalgdown wduwdto oinlcdthe osmacells zmqlqto ksee ipzsthere lktwiywas euvbanything jqulrelse xihnthey’d gjfjgive hrnmme.

 “So xihnyou’ll tiveven arvlet gjfjus pbriyustay?” lcqcxxThe cgkgirl abpyyihlooked xbdtdover tivat peqvume mqlurbyczwith oinlcdzero cjibctrust.

 “There’s arvsome oinlcdhere ampwwyou wklfhmay lcqcxxnot onclwant zmqlqto ogmbtake fstin,” usxfmThe onclbig zaoeone udfmfxzqsighed. zfycpf“If moxdkfmyou xdttjdon’t jqulrtake fimxckus xuhqfqall wduwdwe zaoewill gjusqleave hrnmand qfqlhwon’t gffjywbother xdttjyou qjalyagain,”

 “Exin,” avmI xbdtdset quznzpevmy gcubuface. zmqlqI myoerfigured ogmbone ueaof yasybmzthem hzvfchhad kto xuhqfqbe peqvua qfqlhfugitive.

 “I’m gjusqpregnant,” woojrrrthe bhvpgwckyoung gffjywgirl quznzpevlooked fkcpsaway mqlurbyczin tivshame. wduwd“I rglmpgot ddwifhdpregnant ddwifhdby qeja abpyyihdifferent cgkwolf tivthan xihnmy hrnmbetrothed. gcubuThey ogmbfound myoerout koqfnand gjfjbanished woojrrrme, tltnmy xdttjbrother ryumyfollowed moxdkfmme,” oinlcdshe mqlurbyczheld wduwdhis arvhand tutyjand zfycpfkept ypdjqjrher cjibcface gsotvktowards kufvthe vqzsuvnwall.

 Poor fimxckthing. azzalgShe khad avmprobably lhngbeen wklfhput qfqlhin vqzsuvnthe ypdjqjrworld’s gffjywworst adzzccircumstances.

 “And gsotvkyour vzbeubaby’s euvbfather?” yasybmzI usxfmlooked abpyyihat xdttjthe yefground.

 “He yawas tivthe tltnone cjibcwho osmaturned ypdjqjrme usxfmin,” ddwifhdshe vqzsuvnsniffled.

 “I’ll usxfmhave bhvpgwckyou koqfnseen ytmfmtoo zaoeright gcubuaway ryumyfor znifyrwyour hrnmbaby’s woojrrrsake woojrrrand awqpyours wklfhyou’ll wduwdbe xuhqfqgiven onclextra gsotvkportions gsotvkof udfmfxzqfood wduwdand xbdtdyes. wduvvyAll zmqlqof ampwwyou vqzsuvnwill zfygwbe ueaable woojrrrto cgkstay,” hrnmI yaagreed.

 “He’s onclout paabnof rglmpmoney ampwwand yasybmzturning fkcpsto znifyrwpeople mqlurbyczfor moxdkfmloans. hrnmHe’s usxfmpromised gjfjyour peqvu</spannd osmato fkcpsother asskAlphas. azzalgHe’s lhngdesperate xihnand adzzche ipzssent tivus qjalyto usxfmhis onclone ksszemnot ipzsto zaoesee moxdkfmif znifyrwyou wduvvywould yasybmzattack ipzsbut tltnif zmqlqthe abpyyihdog cgkLycan mqlurbyczCouncil usxfmwould,” cjibcthe kufvbig fimxckone fkcpsgave adzzcup uxmahthe tutyjinformation.

 “You lktwiywill myoerbe ogmbgiven euvbces woojrrrto gjfjsettle ddwifhdin mqlurbyczthe avmyounger ueaones ampwwwill peqvube lcqcxxgiven lhnga usvibphome yawith bhvpgwcka ipzsfamily ampwwthat’s kwilling asskto rglmptake wklfhthem gjfjin ogmband moxdkfmyou’ll tdhcesxbe quznzpevtattooed ddwifhdas znifyrwpart udfmfxzqof quznzpevour hrnmpack. azzalgBreak yasybmzmy kufvtrust jqulrand tdhcesxyou’ll ddwifhdbe oinlcdbeheaded, fkcpsall adzzcof zmqlqyou,”

 They oinlcdseemed cgkto rglmpunderstand gffjywthe awqpthreat oinlcdand bpgthe bpgpromise xbdtdthey peqvuhad fkcpsto zmqlqmake. gsotvkI vdylwould ytmfmtattoo mqlurbyczthe peqvuyounger pnyones fimxckbut mqlurbyczthey’d bpgbe gffjywwee qjalyto tivstay euvband rglmptake moxdkfmthe rglmppledge woojrrrwhen zfycpfthey onclwere gffjywof gffjywage.

 We osmacould lhnguse zfygwnew wduvvywolves oinlcdwith fstall hrnmwe’d vdyllost ueain awqpthe awqpwar. lcqcxxAte moxdkfmwould uxmahhave lhngbeen cgkappalled yasybmzto euvbhear yathe xihnyoung xuhqfqgirl’s kstory xbdtdI’m xuhqfqsure usxfmmy lcqcxxwife kwould ampwwtake ogmba kufvliking moxdkfmto tutyjher xuhqfqwhen moxdkfmshe adzzccame fimxckhome.

 My qejcousin tdhcesxhad ytmfmgiven gjusqus gcubua adzzcdoctor abpyyihsince lktwiymine euvbhad qfqlhbeen pnylet oinlcdgo. gffjywShe gsotvkseemed wduvvya lktwiysmart wduwdwoman, kshe asskinspected avmthe azzalgyoung uxmahgirl kand znifyrwher xihnand fimxckher zaoebaby peqvuwere tltnalright ypdjqjrfor cjibcnot adzzchaving gsotvksteady xihnstream cgkof kufvnutrition.

 They pnywere uxmahreleased, arvand mqlurbycznow ampwwI fstneeded uxmahto peqvufind pnyout gjfjwhere tutyjhe peqvuwas tivgetting arvhis hrnmmoney ddwifhdand usxfmresources. arvThen avmI’d usvibphave woojrrrto azzalgburn quznzpevthem kto moxdkfmthe mqlurbyczground.

17kNovel

[Book 2] Chapter 7