Running with the Alpha's Pup

Found

Three years later

I sat in front of a mirror, staring at my reflection and reminiscing about the past until I felt a pair of tiny hands grab onto my cloth.

“Mommy!” She called, giggling and hiding behind me as her nanny emerged from the corner, making silly faces at her and trying to catch her. I used my body to shield her from her nanny, helping her escape successfully.

I watched her little legs run up into a corner to hide, and couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. Three years ago, I thought I had lost her. Even the doctor confirmed it, but like a miracle, she was able to survive, and there was no explanation for it, which was strange. One moment, she had absolutely no pulse and no heartbeat, and the next moment, she was breathing again. Even the doctors here were in awe. I was taken special care of until I gave birth to her.

Thankfully, Angelica had helped me escape, and I had stayed hidden from the crowd. The people from the Crimson Vale pack were unable to find me, even though I was told they had tried all they could.

I knew they would after I had tried to kill their Alpha, and the good thing was that I didn’t regret it. He almost killed our baby, and I was glad I got to give him a taste of what death actually felt like. Sad thing he survived it.

“Liah.” I called out to my daughter, wherever she was hiding. “Get ready, let’s go see your Uncle Dane.”

“Uncle Dane!” She jumped out of her hiding place in seconds, her eyes wide in both surprise and excitement as her two short legs ran towards me. “Are we really seeing Uncle Dane?”

“Yes.” I smiled at her, and she clapped her little hands before running away to find her nanny and asking to be dressed up.

“Make me look beautiful, Nanny Chloe. I want to be as beautiful as Mama.”

“Oh, you sweet thing.” Chloe pinched her cheeks. “Your Mama is a legendary beauty. I’m not sure you can match up to her.”

I shook my head at that, heading on to my room to put on makeup. Dane was my business partner in the entertainment world and because of his good looks, Liah had always idolized him. They don’t get to meet often but those two click so well they were almost like father and daughter.

I was supposed to have a meeting with him at the restaurant in a couple of hours. It wouldn’t hurt to bring her along and make her happy. I’d do anything for her.

“Liah has grown so much.” My wolf, Rae, told me, and I nodded in agreement, putting mascara on my lashes and brushing off the excess powder from my face.

Liah happily met me downstairs when we were done. She skipped her way over and whined her way into my arms.

Jeez! I knew she was my kid, but she had to be the cutest thing I’d ever seen.

“Let’s go.” I said to her before entering the Maybach.

In an hour, we were at the restaurant. Dane waved at us the moment he spotted us, and Liah giggled in my arms, excited to meet him. I sighed and approached the table, quickly transferring the naughty girl into his arms.

“Uncle Dane!”

“Oh, baby Liah…” He pinched her nose playfully. “I have missed you so much.”

“Me too.” Liah hugged him tightly, nestling comfortably in his arms.

I released another breath, watching this scene. Somehow, I was jealous of Dane being so close to her. They were like inseparable paddies.

“What is it, dear manager?”

“Don’t call me that.” I looked away, taking the menu from the waiter and ordering our food.

In no time, they had served us, and Liah had fallen asleep in his arms yet he refused to let her go. We could only discuss business with her in his arms.

“I heard Amy is arriving in the country in two days.” I started.

“Wouldn’t that be a good thing for you?”

“I’m not going to manage her. Not after everything she did.”

Two years ago, I had secured a job at an entertainment industry, slowly climbing the ranks and now I had become a legendary manager who only worked from the shadows. My alias was known throughout the industry but no one has seen my face except for Dane. I always pass messages to the artists under me through him. All of them who have achieved success under my control. Amy was the first artist I managed, and after a year of success, she decided to switch sides to another company with the promise of more pay and exposure, but in the end, she was tricked by them.

I heard she messed up her shoot abroad and was returning home. Judging by Dane’s look, I could tell she’d already contacted him to take her back. But I was doing no such thing.

“You see, Liv. She might’ve changed.”

“No.” I quickly stopped him. “Once a traitor, always a traitor. I’m not going to do that again.”

Dane sighed, fishing out some papers from his bag before handing them to me. “The businesses you invested in this year are thriving quite well. The interest rate has increased by 20 percent over the last three months. If this keeps going.”

My lips curled up, staring at the paper, the profits made in just a couple of months. “This is good.”

I was still engrossed with the papers when my ears picked up the distinctive sound of a woman’s clicking heels. The whole restaurant had become quiet for a minute, followed by their hushed whispers, which I could hear thanks to my wolf senses.

“Isn’t that Amy?”

“It’s really her!”

“What is she doing here. I thought she was shooting a show abroad.”

“Quick, let’s take pictures.”

“Is she here to meet a lover?”

“You think she’d do something so stupid in a public space? Is she not afraid of ruining her career?”

“Her career has already been ruined.”

“Look, she’s going to that table. Take a close-up picture.”

I tried to hide my face from the sudden camera lights that rained down on us.

Shit. I can’t let anyone capture my face. I needed to run, hide, or do anything.

“Manager Dane.” The clicking heels finally stopped next to me, addressing Dane, who was sitting opposite me.

“What are you doing here?” Dane said through gritted teeth, his eyes livid.

“I knew talking with you wouldn’t help so I have come here to beg her myself.” She said and finally turned to look at me. “It’s her right? She is Manager Vee.”

“Manager Vee?” I heard the crowd erupt in talk.

“The legendary manager who managed to produce multiple stars in one year?”

“Oh my goodness, if it’s really her, we need to take a picture.”

Before anyone could get close to me, I reached into my bag and pulled out a mask and face cap before standing up to address her.

And that was when it hit me. Her scent. She was a werewolf. She seemed to have realized this too as her eyes widened a bit. Despite managing her for a year, this was the first time we were meeting physically.

“You did that intentionally, didn’t you?” I asked her, taking a step closer to her, acting as though, I didn’t just make a discovery. “You think I’d take you back if you threatened me with the media like this?”

“Won’t you? This restaurant is owned by me, and they have footage of your real face. I can expose that to the media if you insist.”

Hah. I scoffed, my lips curling into a crooked grin under my mask. “You can do that if you insist. As long as you’re faster than I am.”

Her brows furrowed at that, and I didn’t wait to exchange more words with her before taking my jacket.

“Dane, bring Liah.” I said to him, and he hurried to follow behind me, shielding Liah’s face from the camera as they went off on us.

I exited the restaurant, to the parking lot where the car was packed when I noticed a white limousine pulling up in front of the restaurant. A lady was escorted out. For some reasons, I couldn’t help stopping to look at her. She was dressed elegantly in white, her hair tied into a beautiful bun adorned with ornaments.

She initially had her back to me, but later, she turned to her side, and I staggered back once I saw her face, shock filling my eyes.

“What is wrong, Liv?” Dane asked me but I could no longer see him. My eyes focused on the other side of the limousine where a man in suit had just stepped out from.

I could already recognize his scent from here. His fierce aura, his cold temperament. I could already feel all of it even before he turned around, and our eyes met.

Alpha Brian.

And with him was his Alpha sweetheart.

Shit! s**t! s**t!

“Dane, quick, get Liah in the car.”

I hurried to the driver’s seat just as Dane entered the car with Liah. I reversed with speed, bumping into the other cars and causing a commotion. I could see the shock registered on Brian’s face when I passed him, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. I hoped he would never come after me, but of course, that could not happen—not after years of looking for me.

I saw him run back into his car, the driver’s seat this time. He was going to chase me himself and that, was what scared me the most.

I sped into the road, ignoring traffic and going over my speed limit. It wouldn’t take long before the cops would be onto me. Brian was no different. He was catching up to me quickly.

“Liv, what’s going on? Who’s that man?”

“I can’t explain to you right now. Just know that my baby and I are in danger!”

The white limousine was hot on our tail, and I knew I would never be able to outrun it. Brian has always been a skilled driver. I needed to do something. Cause a distraction. Anything. I just could not let him find me, or that would mean death for me, or maybe even worse.

Today just had to be one hell of an unlucky day for me.

The sharp honk of Brian’s car behind me only made me panic. He was right next to me!

I stepped on the accelerator, and when I spotted a sharp turn ahead, my eyes only narrowed. I pushed forward quickly and like I predicted, he was going to try to outrun me so he could block my front.

Just before he could do that, I took the turn. Something he didn’t expect.

My lips curled up when I watched him speed ahead, too late for him to stop. It was too early for me to be relaxed though. I only took in a breath of relief when I was sure I had lost him and we had arrived home.

I looked at Dane and noticed how pale his face had gone. He let Liah down on the seat and stepped out to empty out his gullet.

I packed my baby in my arms and headed inside. Her nanny instantly came to get her, just as Dane also walked in. He pinned me with a look, waiting for me to explain myself.

I took a sigh and sat down on the couch.

“Who was that man?”

“No one.” I answered immediately, clenching my teeth as an unsettling feeling formed in my heart.

“Liv, I know you do not like talking about your past, but if that man poses a threat to you and Liah, then we have to do something about it.” Dane watched me closely before he asked. “Is he… Liah’s father?”

“I said he is no one!” I repeated, my voice raised a bit, out of my control as anger filled my chest.

I had stayed hidden. I had done everything to avoid the public. It was all so that he never finds me. And now, suddenly, I bumped into him just like that. Hah! Fate must be playing a cruel joke on me.

Knowing Brian, he wouldn’t stop now. Now that he knew that I am here, he was going to make sure he exerted his forces to find me which meant I needed to be smarter. I needed to figure out a way to avoid his radar.

I looked up at Dane and realized I had been a little bit harsh on him. I quickly apologized.

“I understand.” He said, eyes watching me carefully. “Do you want me to stay with you for a couple of days?”

“No. There would be no need for that.” I answered, “I made sure to lose him earlier, so for now I should be safe.”

“If you say so.” Dane nodded, getting ready to leave, and I saw him off.

Chloe came out a moment later with an awake Liah in her arms.

“Is he gone?” She asked curiously, and I nodded my head. “You know, he has always looked out for you and—”

“Not today Chloe—” I shook my head, walking past her inside and avoiding the topic she was trying to bring up.

Now, I really just have to focus on how to remain hidden. If I fall into Brian’s hands, there’s no telling what he's going to do to me.

And I knew one thing for sure: he was going to enjoy torturing me.