Alpha’s Betrayal Luna’s Revenge (Samantha) novel Chapter 20

Sam’s POV

When Ellie walked out. I was left with Dastin. I sat in the reception area of the clinic and cried for him. He didn’t have to die, not like that. I was angry and upset. It brought back memories of Lily torturing me. That is what would have happened to me if Garth hadn’t saved me. Zola tried to comfort me, but it didn’t work. Although I told her what I went through, she wasn’t there. She didn’t know how scared and helpless I felt, knowing my best friend wanted me dead.

I was still upset when Ellie came bursting through the door. She must have noticed the state I was in. “Get home, get some stuff. We have to get you out of here.” She yelled at me. I didn’t understand her tone or her urgency. Not until she told me Jaxon was in South View, questioning if there had been any wolf sightings. Sheer terror stopped thinking of anything but my safety. I started to shake, fearing Jaxon would drag me back to the Shadow pack if he found me. Just as I was about to break down, Ellie grabbed my arms. “We’re getting you out of here.” She said before pulling me toward her. “Ellie will take care of you,” she said, gently stroking my hair. “Ellie will make sure you’re okay.” I know it was her gift that calmed me.

She always refers to herself in the third person when she uses it.

But I needed it. Ellie told me she was getting me out of South View and that it was not a time to panic. Which was easier said than done.

“I can’t leave Dastin like this, though. But as soon as I have finished saying him to rest, we need to leave.” She said as she tweaked the camera she held in her hand.

I raced to Ellie’s house, constantly looking around as if Jaxon was going to pop out any second. But Zola couldn’t smell any shifters nearby. I didn’t have many belongings at Ellie’s house: a few toiletries, and some underwear.

Other than that, everything else was Ellie’s. “Wait. Why am I packing and she isn’t?” I asked Zola. It suddenly dawned on me. Ellie wasn’t coming with me. I stopped what I was doing as I tried to process my future without her.

“Whatever she had planned. I am confident it will be to keep you safe,” Zola reassured me. I knew she was right.

Since the day I met Ellie, she has always acted in my best interest. I doubt that will change now.

I went to pack her a few things in case I was overthinking the situation. But Zola believed I was right, so I stopped. I felt broken that my old life was now affecting my new one. I liked this life. But I also know Ellie will take care of me. She told me so herself.

Bessie’s horn blasting made me aware that Ellie was outside. I ran to the truck. “Where is your stuff?” Ellie asked. I held up the small bag in my hand, causing Ellie to sigh. “Sam,” she said, giving me a disappointing look. “l wanted you to pack a bag with anything you wanted. I can replace anything in there.” She told me.

I felt so stupid. I knew Ellie would care about anything materialistic. I began to cry. For the first time in a long time, I felt happy; | felt loved; I felt safe. “Hey. Hey. Don’t you dare feel sorry for yourself, Sam? This is a short-term thing. Besides, if you see yourself as a victim, they win.” She grabbed my hand. “You’re a survivor. Never forget that.”

“It’s going to be hard without you. You saved me.” I said to see whether or not she was coming with me.

She turned on the ignition. “Your life is what you make of it, Sam. Now let’s get you somewhere where you have a (future.” Ellie said before pressing her foot on the gas pedal. Bessie roared to life and shot off down the road. For an old truck, she sure can move.

We drove for what felt like forever, but it was only six hours. We stopped only for fuel. Neither Ellie nor I wanted to take the chance that Jaxon was following us.

Eventually, Ellie drove us into a human city. It was huge, busy, and loud. Not that I knew where Ellie was going, but she got lost several times. She cursed every time she took a wrong turn. But eventually, she pulled over in front of a row of shops.

Even though it was 8 pm, the street was still pretty busy.

A homeless man dressed in a holey coat and smelling rancid approached me, asking me for money, but I didn’t have any. When I told him that, he then shouted at me for not helping him.

“Just ignore him,” Ellie told me. But it was hard to ignore a man who seemed so desperate. Ellie walked into a diner, and I followed her, hoping we were going to get something to eat, as I hadn’t eaten anything substantial for a while. She walked up to the counter, asking to speak to someone called Edgar. “He’s busy right now, love,” the server told her.

“When he’s free, tell him Ellie is here. In the meantime, we’ll have two stacks of them,” she said, pointing to a picture of pancakes and bacon. My eyes widened at the thought of eating.

While we waited for our food. I asked Ellie what we were doing here. “An old acquaintance of mine owes me a favor.

He owns this place and the apartments above. I hate calling in favors, but needs must.” She said, shrugging her shoulders, “I made a call and here we are.”

A middle-aged, round man with dark hair and glasses waddled to our table with our food in his hands. He took a seat next to me and summoned a waitress to bring some coffee to the table. I assumed he was Edgar. “How can I help you, Doc?” Edgar asked.

“I need a place for my sister. She has been through a lot and needs somewhere to stay. I want her to go where there is someone who will look out for her,” Ellie told him.

It wasn’t lost on me that she referred to me as her sister.

“Why not let her stay with you? You do have a pretty nice life up there in South View,” he asked.

Ellie may not be a people person, but to me, she is one of a kind. “You can always earn more money, Sam. But those we care for, money can’t replace.”

“Sister?” I said, responding to her earlier comment.

“Edgar would never question that, and we could be sisters,” Ellie said before taking a sip of coffee.

Zola was pleased with which way the conversation was going. She loves Kiki. “You look out for me like a sister.

Not that I have ever had one. But if I did, I would hope she was just like you,” I said, making Ellie smile.

“Come on, sis. Let’s see your new place,” Ellie told me giddily as she wrapped an arm around me.

Edgar showed us around a furnished one-bedroom apartment on the second floor. He explained that there were four apartments in total. He lived in one, and there were other tenants in the others. “Is a monthly transfer good enough?” Ellie asked him. I don’t think he would say no to Ellie. Not after hearing how she helped out his mom.

I feel so sad inside knowing she is going to be leaving me, that this is our last night together. “How about we go out for a night, check out the area?” Ellie says, winking and nudging me. I hung my head. “Hey, hey. None of that. I’ll be back. I promise. Once a month, I’ll come back. Check up on you and let our girls have a midnight run.”

“You can’t look after me and pay for me forever, Ellie,” I say. I knew she had a life before I turned up, and that I wouldn’t want to be a financial burden to her.

“I’m not paying a damn thing. You have your own money.

I’m just keeping hold of it for you.” She smiled at me and took my hand. “Sam, I chose to care for you because l wanted to. Just like my mom chose me. One day, who knows? You may choose someone to be in your life. But until that day comes, you need to move forward; you need to live.”

Zola reminded me of what Garth said about living a happy life. I have to do it. Otherwise, what was the point of making it out of that cell?