Luna Aleksa's Escape
Luna Aleksa’s Escape Chapter 15

*Aleksa POV*

We have been here at the old log cabin in Falls River for about three weeks now. Mason has recently started working at a local club as a security guard. He works from Wednesday to Sunday, so that’s keeping him busy for now, and it means that we have some money coming in. Kaia had managed to get a job there also, which she seems to be enjoying. She works as a hostess, at the front entrance of the club. As luck would have it, they work the same shifts, so they are carpooling. They told the club they were siblings and everyone seems to have bought it so far.

I enrolled Liam and Layla at one of the local daycares and they seem to be enjoying themselves. I am planning to look for some work, so that I can contribute and pay for mine and the twins’ share of the bills and food. I was hoping to find some realtor work but I am starting to wonder if I should try something completely different, given that this is a fresh start for us. As much as I enjoyed my career in property, I am not the same person that I was a few months ago. So much has changed in my life since then.

I now feel so much stronger and more independent since leaving Evergreen and Lachlan. I want to leave as much of my old life behind as possible. I was always so serious and I put everyone before me, which was expected, as Luna and I didn’t mind, but things have changed now. I am not a Luna, and there are only two little people that are reliant on me now, so there is less pressure on me. As much as I didn’t realize back then, Lachlan controlled me and everything that I did. He knew my every step, and I was always wary of disappointing him or the pack. It took us leaving for me to realise the level of control he had over me.

I just want to do something a bit more carefree, something that doesn’t hold a lot of responsibility, because that was my life for the past few years and I need a break from it.

That’s it! I am going to do something well outside my comfort zone and apply at an inn or bar in town.

I didn’t have a CV but I wasn’t worried. I would just walk in, introduce myself and tell them I wanted to work there, and hopefully that would be enough.

I walked into the room that I shared with the twins and looked at my choices. Hmmn, not much to choose from, I thought to myself. Last week Kaia and I went to some thrift stores. We didn’t have much money to spend so we needed to stretch it as far as possible. We wanted to get some clothes since we had left everything behind in our packs. I had a few new outfits that I had yet to wear. I looked at them and considered my options.

I had decided I would wear a cute little black dress with spaghetti straps, with a small slimming denim jacket, and some tan knee-high boots I managed to find for $50. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, not bad, I said to myself. I would wear my hair down, it looked tidy enough. I suddenly felt a surge of confidence. I can do this! I repeated to myself.

I jumped into the jeep and started to drive towards the town. We were about a forty-five minute drive from the township. I still had a few hours before I had to pick up the twins, so I had decided that I would use this time to look for a job. I felt bad that we had been relying on Mason and Kaia. I had hoped that I would have been able to take some money that I had saved from the packhouse, but I didn’t anticipate being locked in the dungeon and having to escape, so I was very unprepared. We were just so grateful that our new friends, or more like family, had been there to help us.

There were actually a lot of bars in the local township, I thought as I drove down the main street. The nightlife must be popular here, I thought to myself.

I lived in a human town growing up. I was actually raised by humans. I was adopted by the people I knew as my parents. They have raised me since I was a baby. I had no idea who my actual birth parents were. According to my adopted parents, I was dropped off in a basket outside their church. They had told me this when I was in elementary school. They had wanted to be honest with me from the start, and I appreciated that.

I know this all sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. There was a note attached to me that said “I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you, we hope the person that finds you can do what we couldn’t and a small locket was placed on it.

I still wear the locket now. It’s an antique looking rose gold locket with what looks like rose vines decorating it front facing. There is no photo inside. There is a gem of some sort in the place where you will usually find a photo. It’s actually a velvety blue colour, almost like a sapphire, it actually reminds me of my eye colour strangely enough.

I don’t know why it means so much to me. But I guess I cling to it because it’s the only piece of my birth parents that I have.

I have never tried to look for them. I would not even know where to start. Apparently, my adoptive parents tried. They tried so that I could have some closure as I got older. But they had no luck. They hired a private investigator and everything, but he had no leads.

I’m okay with it though. I’m not even mad at them. I imagine that they had no choice, judging by the note they wrote. Plus, my adoptive parents were so loving and treated me like I was their own biological child. I have no regrets. I hope they (my birth parents) are okay wherever they are out there.

I felt comfortable living around humans, I guess because I was brought up to believe I was one for the majority of my life.

Most werewolves live in their packs and prefer to live away from humans. I get it. It’s to protect our secrets and to be able to live our best lives without having to worry about prying eyes.

I didn’t mind though. I was happy wherever I was.

When I met Lachlan and we mated, I moved straight away to the packhouse with him. It took a lot to get used to, learning the culture, the practices, the rules, their way of living. I had never even been to a pack house before, so I felt very intimidated by it initially.

I knew I was different growing up. I was always faster than most, I had heightened senses of smell, hearing and vision. I also had super fast healing abilities which both my parents and I both found strange, but they never questioned it. They just said I was blessed.

It wasn’t until I turned eighteen that I shifted for the first time under the full moon. It was very drawn out and painful. I thought I was dying at the time. I had no idea that I was a werewolf.

I was alone that night. I was on my way home from a friend’s house and I had cut through a forested area when my transition started.

After what felt like forever, I had shifted and I went for a run. I ended up stopping by a lake, the moonlight was reflecting on the water and it was then I saw my wolf form for the first time. I must have stared at myself for hours.

I almost had a full blown panic attack. After crying myself to sleep on the grass edge by the lake, I fell asleep. I had the strangest dream that night and I was visited by the most beautiful woman.

She had long golden blonde hair which flowed down past her h**s, crystal blue eyes, and she was absolutely gorgeous. She wore a long white satin dress. She explained to me that I was a werewolf and that my parents had to make the ultimate sacrifice to save me. She said that I would meet my mate, after explaining what a mate was, and she told me to have faith, even if things didn’t turn out as I had hoped. She didn’t elaborate on anything she was telling me, it all seemed very cryptic.

She told me her name was Selene. She had told me that when the time came, she would reveal herself to me again, and explain my purpose in life to me. She said I had so much more to learn. And to have faith that things will work out in the end. Then she just disappeared and I was blinded by a bright light.

I have always had strange dreams, but that one seemed to stick with me. I sometimes wonder if it was a dream or a premonition.

I snapped myself out of my thoughts and walked towards a bar that seemed to appeal to me. I took a deep breath as I walked to the door.

The security guard was very tall, tanned and very muscular. He was dressed in a smart black suit and wore an earpiece. He pulled the red rope across for me, smiled at me and let me pass.

I scanned my eyes across the room. Wow. I thought to myself. This place is a lot bigger and a lot fancier than I had imagined, based on how it looked from the outside.

From the outside, it almost resembles a ski cabin that you would find at a ski resort. Large timber logs notched at the ends and laid upon one another with the ends filled with plaster or mortar.

From the inside there was a deep rich red coloured carpet which almost resembled velvet. It had booths on the sides of the tavern, with circular tables forming the majority of the room. There were candlestick type chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Directly facing me as I walked in was the bar. It was a very long wooden bartop. It was littered with beer taps and glasses of all varieties, as well as jugs of lemon water and crates of ice. It had a warm and welcoming vibe about it. It looked immaculate, no beer stains on the carpet or markings on the tables like in other bars.

I walked straight up to the bar and asked to speak with the manager.

“You’re looking at her darling, what can I do for you?” the beautiful tall and lean girl with the long dark black hair and emerald green eyes said to me with a smirk on her face.

“Hi, my name is Aleksa, I am looking for a job, and wondered if you have any vacancies?” I said with a hopeful smile on my face.

“Hi Aleksa, I’m Sierra, well girl, you are in luck, one of my fulltime workers just resigned yesterday and I haven’t placed an ad yet. Can you start tonight, we are super short-staffed?” She asks, emphasising the super part.

“Ah, yes, that should be OK, but I just need to organize a sitter for my pu.. babies. Can I make a quick call? I asked hopefully.

“Sure hun, you can use the phone over there” Sierra says as she points to a phone on the wall near the cash register.

I called Kaia, who picked up straight away. “Is everything okay?” she asked worriedly.

“Hey Kaia, everything is fine, I think I have a job!” I said excitedly.

“That’s brilliant! Where?” Kaia asks.

“At a tavern, in town,” I said.

“That’s great Aleksa! We all have jobs now! I’m so excited for us!” Kaia says loudly.

“The thing is Kaia, they want me to start tonight, as someone has just left and they are super short-staffed” I say, not yet finished explaining myself before Kaia interrupts. “Of course, you don’t even have to ask. I will watch Liam and Layla. No problem! Hey, can you still pick us up from our day shift? Kaia asks.

“Of Course. I will be there shortly.” I said to Kaia.

I hung up the phone and made my way over to Sierra. “That’s fine. I’ve got a sitter sorted. I can start tonight. Ah, what time did you want me here? I ask Sierra.

“Seven o’clock hun. You will be working late with Accalia tonight. It will only be the two of you at the bar. The chef, Steve, will be out back making bar snacks, and Tony will be at the door. Unfortunately, tonight is one of our busier nights, and you girls will get slammed. Hey, I forgot to ask, have you ever worked at a bar before?” Sierra eyed me.

“Ah not technically, but how hard can it be right?” I said, flashing a big smile on my face. Hoping that Sierra doesn’t take her job offer back.

Sierra looks at me with a questionable look on her face, as if she is pondering her options. “Tell ya what. I’ll give you a trial run. I’ll stay on a bit later tonight to show you the basics. That should be enough to get you going. Most of it is talking to the punters and keeping them happy. A pretty thing like you should be able to manage that.” She says as she walks off.

“See you at seven -and Aleksa, don’t be late!” Sierra yells as she walks out to what I imagine is the kitchen.

I turned on my heels and exited the tavern. A surge of excitement goes through me. Oh my goddess. I did it. I got a job! I’m so optimistic as to what the future might hold.