Chapter 11

The underground was a scary place. Scary and dangerous, for non-werewolves and for werewolves that were not from the Moon fang pack.

It was located deep in the city, like many of Gabriel's other establishment were. Gabriel liked to drop in once a week, mostly unannounced, just to check up on what the werewolves were doing.

The Underground used to be a former meeting ground, but then it had become too small and it was used as a training ground. One of the many training grounds the pack had in the city.

To a normal human from the outside world, it looked like a fight club, a place where people came to box, fight and where people bet to see people fight.

Draco had brought the werewolves who claimed to be part of his pack there, because that was the one of the places they couldn't escape. It was entirely surrounded by werewolves from his pack.

And he wanted to be sure they were part of his pack before he provided them with whatever they needed.

When Gabriel became Alpha, he would never forget the number of people who defected from his pack. At least a hundred of them who refused to swear allegiance to him, just because they thought him young and inexperienced.

Many of them had left, some of them became omegas while others joined other packs, ultimately, many of them regretted the decision but he never gave them a pardon.

Gabriel was very sure the men who came to visit him were omegas, they had lost everything and now they were crawling back after remembering they had an alpha.

The underground was below the Celine State building, a housing complex that he had purchased a few years ago. He has refurbished it, safely put the underground below the building.

Many of the staff who worked in the building were also werewolves, it kept the underground safer and off limits too.

He got into the elevator with Draco and another werewolf of his named Rick.

Rick was more or less his bodyguard in the non official way and in most cases, Rick accompanied him on special occasions. He had other men like Rick, but he liked Rick beside him. Rick was reserved and loyal.

Inside the elevator, his mind went back to the events of the morning and his face felt hot.

Given the fact that he had a busy schedule, he had woken up early to check on Emilia. He was a bit drowsy, so he had barged in and he didn't knock. Lori was already in and that wasn't even the weird part.

She was breastfeeding Emilia.

He had muttered a string of apologies before quickly closing the door and hurriedly rushing back to his room. But his mind still kept replaying the scene. How could he forget?

Lori was sitting on the couch, she was wearing black shorts and a pale blue tank top. She had lifted the tank top to breastfeed Emilia. And his daughter had latched on to her breast, sucking ravenously. He had closed the door as quickly as he opened it, Lori also looked equally shocked, but he didn't wait long enough to see her reaction.


The elevator door opened and the first thing that was visible was the large boxing ring in the middle of the room. There were five men in the ring, two in their werewolf form while the other three were in their human form. Werewolf fights were common in the underground.

Dangerous but very common. Gabriel had tried to outlaw them, but he had failed, the fights were more than a sport for many of them, it gave them purpose.

They all stopped when he walked in, in that way that only an alpha could make them stop. They bowed in reverence, even the ones in their wolf form. The keeper of the underground walked towards him after he stood in front of the ring.

"Alpha."

The man simply said as he bowed again. Ben. His name was Ben. Ben Oslo.

"Have they arrived?"

He asked and the man nodded.

"We kept them in the backroom. They're about twelve of them."

Gabriel nodded.

"And did you check their tattoos? Is it ours."

Ben sighed and nodded.

"Yes. It is ours. I had the tattoo checked out by one of the elders who draws the tattoos. He claims to remember giving them the tattoo about twenty years ago."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows.

Twenty. They were definitely around during his father's reign. Whether or not they were defectors was what he would find out. He was almost sure they were.




Lori was embarrassed. Rightfully so. When Mr Gabriel had walked in on her breastfeeding Emilia, she had thought the ground would open up and swallow her.

He didn't say a word though, he just apologised and left the room, she had tried to look for him afterwards to explain things but he had already left for work.

She hoped he didn't find it weird.

Her day was going pretty slowly, Grace was sick with the flu, so she wasn't coming to work. Mr Gregory the butler on the other hand was very nice and polite to her.

They had breakfast together, Lori had to practically beg him to join her since she was alone at the table. He dutifully obliged her.

She talked to him and learned more about him. Mr Gregory loved to talk about his son Tobias who was in med school. He was very proud of him. Lori listened to him all through as he talked about stories from his childhood during breakfast.


After feeding, bathing and changing Emilia, she had strapped her with the new baby wrap that Grace had taught her to use the day before and went downstairs to watch TV.

There was really nothing much for her to watch, she wasn't a TV person. She never owned a TV and growing up, Mrs Wyatt never let them watch TV. She claimed it was filled with propaganda and it brainwashed their brains and made them sheep.

Lori remembered her and Timothy staring longingly at the TV for hours imagining the wonders we would see if it just came on. Mrs Wyatt was the only one who was allowed to watch TV. She would sit in front of the TV late at night to watch soap operas and Timothy and Lori would sneak out to watch.

The day Jared caught them, he told on them and they had gone to bed with their bellies empty for three nights and got a beating.

The one thing she could do was read books, when she was in Lawton, Oklahoma she used to borrow books from the local library to read. She hadn't done that in a long time, but maybe she could, maybe one day.

Sylvia walked past her at that moment and she decided to ask her a question. She had not seen all of the mansion and she was certain there were many other rooms that held different things, but maybe, maybe if there was a library in the house somewhere.

"Sylvia, are there books here?"

She asked and Sylvia turned to look at her. One hand was on her waist and the other held a dusting feather.

Sylvia nodded.


"Yes. There are books in the study. Why do you ask?"

She said and Lori shrugged.

"I'm just bored. Can I see the study?"

She asked and Sylvia shook her head.

"I'm sorry. It's off limits, but I'm sure if you speak to Mr Gabriel he might allow you."

She said and Lori nodded.

Lori sighed as she stood up from the couch, Emilia was fit so snugly in the baby wrap that she had already fallen asleep.

Lori was beginning to get tired of being indoors. Sure, she took walks around the house but it was gradually becoming very tiring. She took another walk around the house, spending more time in the garden and taking time to smell every flower.


Finally, her curiosity took her to the pool area, where the beach house was. Whenever she was in her room, she would look out her window hoping to see someone, or something but she found nothing.

She had even convinced herself that the person living there had left, until she saw Jenny taking out a tray of food the other night.

Mr Gabriel also didn't seem to acknowledge the fact that someone was staying there.

She stood at a respectful distance from the beach house, thoroughly convinced that whoever lived there could see her and knew that she was watching him.

Well, she was right, because barely two minutes of standing outside, the lock clicked open and Elliot came outside. Shirtless.

Lori looked away, briefly. Elliot didn't.

He had the same intense stare that Mr Gabriel possessed, but there was a difference. While Mr Gabriel's stare looked domineering and demanded attention from whoever it was directed at, Elliot's looked malicious, almost taunting.


"We haven't formally met."

He said as he stretched out his palm.

"Elliot Caine."

Lori nodded.

"I'm Lori. Lori Wyatt."

"The nanny."

Elliot added and Lori nodded. Yes, that was her. The nanny.

"How long have you been working here?"

He asked and she shrugged.

"Almost a week."

Elliot nodded.

"Ah. I see. That's why we haven't met. Do you like your job?"

Lori smiled as she looked at Emilia's sleeping face.

"I do."

"I can tell."

Elliot replied.

The two of them were engulfed in a brief uncomfortable silence, before Elliot pointed to her window.

"I've seen you. Staring from that window. That must be your room."

He said and Lori nodded, the tiny hairs on her back stood up. She was mildly nervous.

How? How did he see her? There was no way he would have, unless he was outside, or in the woods like the last time.

"I promise I'm not spying."

She said and he nodded.

"I know. You're just curious."

"Am I right?"

He added and Lori nervously nodded.

"Yes. A bit."

"You know, curiosity killed the cat."

Lori scratched her arm uncomfortably as she slowly took a step back.

"I've heard."

Elliot looked at her again. Up and down, his eyes were practically raking all over her. Taking her in, slowly, delectably.

"Do you like watching the stars at night?"

Elliot asked and she shrugged.

Not really, but at the moment she would say anything to get him off her back.

"Yes."

Elliot nodded.

"Oh me too. You should know there's a full moon in three days."

"Elliot!"

A voice called out from behind them and Elliot seemed to freeze.

Lori turned and found Mr Gabriel standing a few paces behind them. He had his hand in his pocket and his piercing blue eyes narrowed at Elliot.

How did he get there?

She didn't see him coming and with the look on Elliot's face, he didn't either.

"I was just talking to her getting to know her."

Elliot said.

"Lori would you please excuse us?"

Mr Gabriel said as he dismissed her with a glance.

She nodded and walked away.

What was all that about.