Chapter 80

Ava's POV

As I made my way through the bustling streets of the small town, I kept a close eye on the two guards William had assigned me. I made it my first task to lose them, and I knew that I had to be resourceful to do so. I looked around for a crowded street or a dark alleyway where I could slip away unnoticed.

"We need to keep a close eye on her," one of the guards said to the other.

"I know, but she's been trained by Master William himself. We'll have to keep our distance," the other guard replied.

I quickened my pace, trying to blend in with the crowd of people. I spotted a narrow alleyway up ahead and decided to take my chances. As I rounded the corner into the alleyway, I heard the sounds of footsteps behind me. I turned to see the two guards had followed me.

"She's making a run for it," one of the guards said to the other, as they tried to keep me in their sight.

I picked up my pace, sprinting towards the the end of the alleyway. I took a quick glance over my shoulder to see how close the guards were. They were gaining on me fast.

Just as I reached the end of the alleyway, I jumped up over a fence and dropped onto the other side. I landed like a breeze, but I knew I had lost them. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief. It was time to explore this new town on my own.

"I can't believe you lost the guards," Mia said, her eyes full of amusement. "William's guards, no less."

I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. "I know, right? They were so confident they would be able to follow me, but I lost them in no time flat."

"What was it, like a minute?" she asked, still chuckling.

"Less than that, actually," I said, feeling a sense of pride. "They didn't even have a chance."

We both burst into laughter, collapsing onto my bed. It felt good to have a moment of levity in such a tense time. We rolled around, laughing until our sides ached. It was like the world had been erased, and all that existed was the two of us, lost in a moment of pure amusement.

After a while, we finally calmed down enough to speak again. "We really need to be more careful," I said, my voice still edged with laughter.

"I know, I know," she agreed, nodding. "But sometimes it's just too tempting to break the rules."

I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. "And let's face it, those two didn't stand a chance against me."

Mia snorted, holding up a hand to stop me. "We shouldn't be getting too cocky," she warned.

I nodded, my smile vanishing. "You're right. We still have a job to do, and we can't afford to get carried away."

As we sat on the bed laughing, Mia eventually composed herself enough to ask, "What happened after you lost the guards?"

I took a deep breath, still chuckling at the memory. "Well, after I saw them disappearing into the crowd, I kept walking. I figured they would be able to find me again pretty easily, so I didn't want to make it too obvious that I was trying to shake them off."

Mia nodded, still grinning. "So what did you do? Go hide somewhere?"

I shook my head. "No, I just started walking in the opposite direction, trying to look like a normal pedestrian who had no idea the guards were following me."

Mia chuckled. "I can just imagine the two of them frantically searching for you, thinking you got away."

I grinned. "Exactly. It was a little bit of revenge for being assigned a babysitter, if I'm being honest."

Mia gasped, feigning surprise. "You did not!"

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a rebel at heart."

Mia leaned in closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. "I just wish you were not so good at losing people when you are being followed, it would have killed me if anything happened to you."

I smiled at her, feeling a sense of warmth wash over me at her genuine concern. "I appreciate that, Mia," I said, leaning in closer to her as well. "But I can take care of myself. I've been trained for this, remember?"

She nodded, her face serious now. "I know, but it's still scary. And you're not just anybody Mia. You are the Blue River Clan's Alpha's daughter, your death in the current situation will start a war that will destroy both the Shadow and Blue River clans."

I put a hand on her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know, Mia. And I'm not trying to take unnecessary risks. But sometimes...well, sometimes I just want to feel like a normal person, you know? Not like some kind of superhero who's constantly being spied on and monitored."

She nodded, understanding what I meant. "I know. And I'm not trying to be too overbearing or anything. I just really care about you, Ava. Think about me too."

I smiled at her, feeling grateful for her care and concern. "I am, Mia. And I appreciate it, I really do. But don't worry, I can handle myself. And I'll make sure to take care of myself, for you, the Shadow Clan and for Daddy."

"William and Daddy are both stubborn," Mia said with a sigh, her voice heavy with concern. "If anything should happen to you…I don't think either of them would back down from destroying each other."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "Have you mentioned this to William?"

Mia shook her head. "No, I have not. I didn't want to alarm him besides it is not my place to do that." She added as she held my gaze.

I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. "But I think it's important that we figure this out. If something were to happen to me, it could set off a chain reaction that could destroy everything we've worked for but I enjoy exploring new places alone, this idea of having to settle for guards always being with me on such trips is just so..."

"You're not the same Ava who grew up in a peaceful and beautiful town. You are the mate to the leader of a brutal and successful gang, one of the most powerful men in the criminal underworld." Mia said as she stared at me with a low but serious tone.

I felt a twinge of guilt at her words, as if I had somehow betrayed my past. I had never meant to become involved in a life of crime, but it was the world I was now a part of.

Mia continued, "And even though you may act like you're not William's mate, the world sees you as his mate. They know that they can get to him through you, and that makes you a target."

I felt a chill run down my spine at the thought of someone targeting me to get to William. I had never really thought about my safety before, but now it was a very real possibility.