Page 75 of The Alpha's Heir

“Yes, mate,” she spits out at me between her teeth, trying once again to rile and defy me. I grab her by her long hair.

“Don’t ‘yes, mate’ me. If Dominga hears you saying that, she’ll know. Is that what you want? We need her to get away from the council and the Mafia. Do you realise how much shit we are in? We’ll lose our throats, Nikki.”

Nikki laughs manically at me. “Take a look around. She’s not here. Don’t you get it? She’s probably gone abroad to safety without you, and you are running around like a little puppy trying to find her. What is it going to take for you to get the hint?” My palm stings from slapping her soundly across her face, it shocks me as much as it shocks her.

“She won’t have left. You need to calm down. You’re the one who said this was a business arrangement. So, stop being jealous and bratty and fucking find her.”

I push her away from me, but the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Is that Nikki’s doing?

It’s not me, I feel it too. She mindlinks me and I nod to show I understand as I look around.

I search the area and find no one and nothing out of the ordinary, but obviously quarrelling with Nikki attracted attention. “I’m sorry. I won’t fuck her, but we do need her, Nikki. How else am I going to get you and our pup out of here?” Brute force isn’t working. I think Nikki actually likes it, but appealing to her maternal side seems to work.

“I’m sorry, Junior. I can’t find her. She must be dead.” Before I know what is happening, she leans in and kisses me. My wolf growls in appreciation, but I still have enough sense to know this is dangerous. My mind and thoughts are everywhere. She can't be dead. We are meant to be in this together. How am I going to get to safety now?

“Nikki! Stop it. Don’t say shit like that, concentrate on finding her.” I push her against the wall and my hand wraps around her neck. She is not the mate I want. She isn’t even fated for me. I want Dominga. And this little whore is going to prevent that and tortures me by telling me that my true love is dead? I press against her neck. “I gave you a chance, Nikki. I gave you a chance to be my mate and carry my pups, but you are completely insane. I don’t want you. I want Dominga. Are you going to cooperate?” She nods at me with tears in her eyes.

I loosen my grip. I do want and need my heir and I am pretty certain she will be carrying a pup by now. In my moment of distraction, she manages to claw down my face with her dirty talons.

“I’d love to cooperate, but I can’t feel her or sense her. She’s not here, Junior. We are wasting our time. So, we go rogue on our own or you challenge your father for the Moon Stone. Stop being a big wuss and make a decision.”

“SHE IS NOT DEAD!” She can't be. We had so many plans, and I need her to bail me out of the shit. I finally snap. “I’ll tell you who is dead though: you. You and the fucking pup inside you because I don’t want you. You’re a useless whore and I don’t want your tainted pup. Goodbye, Nikki”.

This time I have made up my mind. I am not dragging this crazy, dumb-ass woman along with me. Pup or no pup, I cannot bear another moment in her presence. I choke the life out of her and, although she resists me, I am too strong for her.

“Get your stinking hands off her, mutt.” Before I can turn around, something hits me across the head. I have no option but to let go of Nikki’s throat as I fall unconscious on the floor.

*** Salma ***

At long last, I have my father's murderer in my sights. The red mist doesn’t descend on me. I have never been clearer about what I want and how I intend on doing it. When I see him assaulting who I now know to be his mate, I smile internally. I have absolutely no remorse, no qualms, and no hesitation about killing Junior Woodward. He is a disease.

“Get your stinking hands off her, mutt,” Amber shouts at him and I lift my Glock and whack him full force across the head.

As he falls to the ground at an odd angle, he mutters, “Oh, fuck!” to himself.

“Are you okay? Let me take a look at your neck?” Amber picks the woman up off the floor, but the woman doesn’t appear happy with the situation.

“Get off me. I don’t need your help,” she shouts abrasively at Amber.

“She’s just saved your life, don’t speak to her like that.” I stand between Amber and the beaten rag of a woman who screeches and flails at my friend.

“I wouldn’t even be here with that big idiot if it wasn’t for her. I would be at home with my mate and his pup inside me instead of the pup of a man who disgusts me. You took away my future. You took away my life.” She crumples in my arms and sobs and my eyes fill with tears of compassion.

“I am so sorry for what I did, Nikki,” Amber says. “I am sorry that my actions destroyed your future. I cannot tell you how sorry I am that my actions resulted in you losing everything. I was trying to rescue my brother. Junior had already attacked him once and then Aiden was taken again, and I panicked. I regret killing your mate and if I could turn back time, I would.”

I watch in shock as Amber Goldrick pours her heart out and apologises for her action. However, the biggest revelation is Nikki’s reaction to Amber’s apology.

As her shoulders slump in defeat, Nikki ages in front of my eyes. “I’m so tired of hating you, and of pining for my mate and what should have been our family. It was everything I ever wanted in life, and I was burning with hatred for you for taking that away. But now you’re here in front of me and I can see you’re not a monster. I can see you are just a werewolf who made a mistake. I’ve made enough of them myself.”

The silent tears that stain her face never cease and her eyes burn with sincerity as Nikki pleads for her life and for that of her unborn child.

“Please don’t kill me… I think I am carrying Junior’s pup. It's really early but I want this child so much. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I promise I’ll behave, I’ll be on my best behaviour. Please, I am begging you: don’t kill me or my baby.”

“You have to reverse your curse, Nikki. You have cursed all the pups that will be born in my pack. If you don’t agree to reverse the curse, they will kill you. I will stand and fight for you and your baby if you promise to reverse the curse.” Nikki nods her agreement to Amber but adds that if she is pregnant, she would only be able to do the reversal once her baby is born.

Outwardly, I roll my eyes as Amber holds her hand out to Nikki, clearly offering her an olive branch, but deep down, I am happy that they both manage to find a positive resolution despite the ugliness of the whole situation.

There will be no such resolution for Junior. I call my back-up and send Amber back with her prisoner.

“Sal, are you sure you’ll be okay here? I can come straight back.” However, I know all about Amber’s suspended sentence and now that she has settled things with Nikki, I want her as far away from here as possible.

“I’ll be fine. I am finally going to get vengeance for my papa. Check in on Ale for me please.” As we embrace, Amber discreetly passes me a sheathed double-ended dagger I had been admiring earlier.

“Just in case,” she whispers to me. Yes, just in case.

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