Page 21 of The Alpha's Heir

Danger

*** Salma ***

It's claustrophobic being locked in like this. I hate having my freedom taken away; however, I have never seen my Alejandro like this. I have never seen him so wound up and consumed by worry and anger.

He is convinced someone is going to try and kill me. The Mafia do not fuck around. I should know, after all, and if I was aware of such a threat, I would have shot the bastard right between the eyes by now. My father was no pushover and yet he was poisoned to death.

Who is my brother? My mother refuses to cooperate with us and so we had to use Raul’s contacts to find out which firm Dominga belongs to.

So far, we have found that she is part of the Serrano family. They are a very rich and powerful Mafia mob and we must tread carefully. I don’t want an all-out turf war; I just want justice for my papa.

The Serrano Family are a more dominant mob than us because of their geographical position. They own most of London and that gives them a lot of power and extreme wealth to cover anything they may be lacking. They are not to be underestimated. Even with the Morales and Suarez families combined, the Serranos are still more powerful, with better connections and resources beyond our capabilities.

I am biding my time until Raul arranges for us to meet to discuss Dominga and the small matter of my father's murder.

My period finally starts and on top of being holed up for two days, I have to face my failure once again. My frustration and anger are ten-fold. Even Ale gives me a wide berth and I just want Eva, or papa or even Mami to hug me.

“You’re stuck with me, Chula, so let me comfort you. Stop being so stubborn,” Ale shouts at me after I push him away, but the truth is I’m scared. What if I can’t give him a child? Will he begin to hate and resent me?

“Leave me alone, Ale, I’m sick of the sight of you.” As the hurt flares in his eyes, I instantly regret being so nasty and harsh with him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I don’t mean it. I’m sad, Ale, and I hate that you’re seeing me like this.”

I don’t resist when he pulls me to him. “If you just listen for a moment, I have brought you a present. Something I think will make you feel better, for a little while anyway. Salma, mi amor, don’t hide away from me. I love you, warts and all.”

“You cheeky bastard, I do not have warts! What did you buy me?” He’s more than likely bought me chocolate or, more specifically, chocolate ice cream.

However, he shakes his head at me. “I didn’t buy you anything. I caught it.”

What the fuck is he talking about now? I wonder to myself. “What, like a fish or a rat?”

The look of amusement in his eyes makes my heart heal a little. God above, this man takes my breath away.

“Yes, I suppose you could describe it as a rat, but why don’t you let me show you? Bring your bag, you’re going to need it.” He’s referring to my work bag, my bag of tricks, my bag full of instruments of pain and torture.

A thrill of excitement fills my tummy, and Ale knows it too, by the smile on his face.

“What did you catch for me?” I eagerly ask. What do I get to play with and take all my pent-up frustration and disappointment out on?

Ale leads me down to the basement. He covers my eyes for the last two steps with one hand and continues to guide me with the other.

When we reach the bottom of the stairs, he removes his hand from my eyes and whispers, “Surprise” at me. I blink several times to reclaim my sight. Then, I notice the middle-aged, plump and dowdy woman bound to a chair with a gag in her mouth.

Realisation floods over me. I have waited months to confront this bitch and now the time is here.

“Oh, Ale! Thank you, this is the best present ever.” I kiss him passionately, allowing him closer than I have for the past two days, and he practically growls in satisfaction. “I’m definitely cutting her eyelids off though, as a special present to myself.”

Ale chuckles a little. “Whatever makes mi bebe happy, you can do whatever you want with this piece of shit. She is all yours to torture before I chop her fucking head off.” Ale’s face darkens as he looks back over at his quarry. “Let me tell you a little bit about my best catch so far. She is implicated in the disappearance of at least seventeen children, all of them are little girls. They are thought to have been sex trafficked out of here. We got Summer back just in time because the same was probably planned for her too. Isn’t that right, Carole?”

Through her gag, Carole Berkley is trying to shout. Tears fall involuntarily from her eyes, and she shakes her head and body side to side as she tries fruitlessly to escape.

The new information about the extent of her kidnapping and the reason behind it fuels me. This will be a full Mafia torture to the death. Crimes against small children are completely off the table, they are punishable by the worst means imaginable. The people who commit those crimes are the lowest scum on this earth.

As I approach her, Carole continues to try and shout. “Were you never told not to talk when your mouth is full?” I ask her sweetly, and Carole’s eyes enlarge in realisation. She isn’t getting out of this intact or alive. Justice has just caught up with her.

*** Eva ***

I can’t contact Aiden and I’m worried about him. I ask my new Gamma Wolf, Max, to locate Preston so I can talk to him, but his guards come back empty-handed.

“He hasn’t been to training and he hasn’t been to the canteen. I’m just waiting for Gamma Guard Nyle to return from Preston's parents' place. Maybe he has gone there?” Uneasiness about it all nags my conscience, so I take the emergency key to Amber and Preston’s apartment and command Gamma Max to stay and guard Summer.

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