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Alpha Inmate PDF

217 Pages·2021·0.15 MB·english
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Liliana Carlisle Alpha Inmate Copyright © 2021 by Liliana Carlisle All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. First edition This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy Find out more at reedsy.com Contents PROLOGUE—ELLIE ELLIE ELLIE ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK ELLIE ERIK EPILOGUE—ELLIE About the Author Also by Liliana Carlisle PROLOGUE—ELLIE As soon as she hears the helicopters, Ellie knows she fucked up. They fly over her head, the sound of their blades piercing the night sky. Their lights shine down over the woods, searching for any sign of the escapee. But they’ll never find him, just like they’ll never find her. Her legs burn from running frantically in the dark. The tiny light that usually illuminates the cabin is suddenly missing, most likely from the tricks he pulled. But the search lights aid her in finding refuge. The dark outline of her temporary residence shines in the dark and she follows it, narrowly avoiding tripping over her own feet. Her shoes clack against the wooden steps of the porch and sweat drips down her neck as she tries not once, but twice, to shove the key into the lock. On the second try, she drops them. Fighting back tears, the key finally fits into the lock and she bursts through the door, maniacally flipping on every light switch in the front room. None of them work, and she screams in frustration. Of course, he cut the power. Slowly, the sounds of the helicopters fade away, and their searchlights dim. Rescue isn’t coming. She can barely see through her tears, her body shaking as she fumbles around in the darkness, feeling her way towards the small kitchen. She pulls a drawer open and finds a knife, gripping the handle like a lifeline. Pushing the end of the dining table, she drags it across the wooden floor, barricading the front door. She pushes every chair against it for good measure. He’s still coming in either way, but she doesn’t have to make it easy for him. Closing the curtains, blocking out any remaining source of light, she races down to the basement, flinging the door open. She shuts it behind her, breathing heavily into the darkness. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, every part of her aches. Including her heart. Her heart hurts the most and she grits her teeth, refusing to let out the anguish that gathers in her throat. She replays every stupid mistake she made in her mind, reliving every moment she had the chance to leave. She had ample opportunity to escape him. But instead, she played right into his hands. She can’t see an inch in front of her. The darkness suffocates her, draining her of all her strength. She presses herself against the basement wall, sliding down to the floor, her head in her hands. Her phone is dead; he made sure of it. Just like he killed her car battery. They should have known he wouldn’t stay confined in that prison for long. He was only there because he wanted to be there. And now, he has a reason to leave. She shivers in the dark, knife in hand, waiting for the inevitable. ELLIE 2 WEEKS EARLIER “No. Absolutely not.” She caught Lita in a foul mood. Her boss looks at her with disdain, as if the very idea of Ellie’s proposition is disgusting. Regardless, Ellie presses on. “They’ve needed someone for a year,” she insists, meeting Lita’s scornful eyes. “They have the funding, and I’m more than qualified to do it.” She’s proud of herself for not stumbling over more than qualified. “No, you’re not,” Lita snaps, her dark eyes exasperated. “You’ve worked with children and students, Ellie. This is an entirely different scenario. I cannot, I will not sign off on this.” Her attitude only frustrates Ellie. Her temper flares, but she forces her voice to stay even. “They will only have me working with Betas, Lita. And I’m not a psychologist—I won’t be doing any type of trauma work. I’m only going there to take notes, to listen—” “It’s. Not. Safe.” Lita’s eyes narrow, and Ellie knows the woman won’t budge. Still, she takes in a deep breath and appeals one last time. “I can do this,” she says quietly. “I know I can.” The older woman shakes her head. “So can I. It doesn’t mean I have to,” Lita insists, sitting down at her desk. She sighs, her dark brown eyes weary. “They already called me, and I told them I won’t sign off on the hours. It would be pointless for you to go.” Ellie remains silent, stunned at the betrayal. “No one is ever ready for Green Woods,” she says softly, a hint of pity on her face. “The chip on your shoulder isn’t big enough for this project. Going there won’t resolve anything.” Lita’s words catch her off guard and pull at something ugly in her chest. The absolute nerve. She’s not sure who she’s angrier at—Lita for calling her out, or herself for being so transparent. “I’ve agreed to a month with them,” Ellie snaps, gathering her bag and standing up. “When I get back, after you see my notes, maybe you’ll accept the hours.” Lita shakes her head. “I don’t doubt what you do with the prisoners will be phenomenal. I’m worried about you. It’s easy to become too emotionally involved or attached.” She scoffs at her words, frustrated that Lita could suggest that she would be less than professional. “I leave in a few days. I’ll see you in a month.” She hears her boss sigh as she shuts the door behind her. * * *

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Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.