ALAINA
Sign it? “Sign the papers, Alaina, and leave my house immediately after!” His harsh voice caught me off guard. “I have to move on. We had a good run.” “A good run?” I repeated, choking on the bile in my throat. “Is that what it was to you? A good run?! Really?” How was he so cruel!? Was this really him? The man I married…? I was breaking apart before him, getting smitten to death by the memories of the past few years. The laughter! The tears! But he remained unfazed. “How could you, Logan!?” Esmeralda continued to snicker, as she clung closer to his side, while my mother-in-law sat on the couch and gawked like my pain was a TV show. Logan sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Don't make this any more complicated! I do not love you so sign the papers and leave!” “BUT YOU MARRIED ME!” I screeched from the depth of my throat as I picked up the file and waved it in his face! “You married me!” “Because I could!” “What…?” Logan scoffed, his eyes darkening as he closed in on my personal space. “You thought it was love, Alaina? You…are so naive, aren't you? I married you because I could! You were young, convenient and so desperate to be loved so how could I not?” “So loving one person with full-heartedness is my fault…?” Logan shuffled closer and circled me, his eyes glued to mine and desperately, I still held his gaze and waited for his tightly pursed lips to break into a smile and tell me that this was one expensive joke. “I don't owe you an explanation, Alaina.” This room had gotten so small, and I was sinking inside of it. Tonight, I was alone again, no different from my past, when I was working in the pack house being ignored and bullied. I thought I found my love and happiness and everything should be different, but all were my illusion. “I wish you'd found out in a better way. I love Esmeralda and she's carrying my child. Sign the papers and leave!” “Where do you want me to go!? I h-have-” I couldn't stop choking on mere words. “I have no one! Y-you're-” “This is exactly why you disgust me so much! How are you so pathetic and unflattering at the same time!?” Logan barked at me and threw the papers to the floor where I was, eyes glued to the ground as my red, disheveled hair framed my face. “I'll get her things! Nothing of this child spends one more day in this house! Her ill fortune is enough to run a river dry!” My mother-in-law added as she headed into the house. I picked up the pen next to the files with quivering hands. I battled nerves and my hands barely functioned. Take a deep breath, Alaina! I should get this over with. Every drawl of the pen on that paper felt like chewing and swallowing shards of glass. Logan and Esmeralda watched me keenly as I input my signature in the places needed. “Good!” He immediately snatched the paper from my grip. By that time, my mother-in-law was back in the living room with a few of my bags that she now kicked and tossed in my direction. “Get out of my house, Alaina. You've served your time.” I spared him one last glance as I gathered what I could of my bags. “You're going to regret this, Logan! I swear, you will!” *** As I sat in the taxi with my head glued to the side, watching the buildings and other vehicles blur by, tears streamed down my face in torrents and every single derogatory word I'd heard today swarmed my thoughts, endlessly ringing in my head like morning bells. The weather was as gloomy as I was. Pastel blue skies, and partly cloudy with a chance of tears. I had nowhere to go, and nothing to do, because I'd dedicated my entire life to a man who turned out to be worthless and undeserving at the end of the day. A man who'd throw me away without a single thought! Esmeralda's face continued to flash in my mind. She had always been his true love, while I was just a stop on the way! Something to pass time with! I should have seen this coming! What did I do all those things for? The only place I could think of going was my best friend's house. I hadn't phoned her, nor had I informed her. All I clung onto was the strand of hope that Lorraine would let me stay for a while before I bounced back to my feet. If that would ever happen! “We're here…” The driver's voice yanked me out of my reverie and my eyes glazed over the surroundings. I paid him and stepped onto the wet pavement, pulling my tattered and damp bags out of the trunk and onto my feet to prevent them from getting wet any further. My dejected knock rattled on the door, and as if on cue, Lorraine pulled the door open. Her expression morphed into utter shock, and a gasp ripped through her as her eyes fell upon me. “Come in, come on in!” She quickly ushered me without any questions, helping me carry my bags, irrespective of how wet and dirty they were. I felt like a piece of dirt in her utterly tidy apartment, and I stepped in, clinging to a corner so as not to spread mold everywhere. I wanted to burst into tears but I found that I couldn't anymore. My eyes had grown dryer than a desert. “Allie, take a seat, please. I'll brew you a warm cup of tea, and then we'll talk.” Lorraine ran off to the kitchen immediately. *** “He did that!” She exclaimed, her eyes widened in awe. “And with that wench!? That sly son of a bitch, how dare he!? Has he no shame?” We were seated on the sofa, and I had a blanket coating me. Lorraine was nice enough to have given me a new pair of pajamas, and my luggage was sorted at its finest. Not only that, I'd been fed too. She forced me to, though it was no different than biting into cardboard. I was feeling eager to talk now, though I cried halfway through. I nodded slowly. “She gave him the one thing I never could, Lorrie. She's…pregnant. I mean, how could he choose that…over me?” My chest still hurt like hell, and I wanted to punch Logan in the gut at least once, before demons dragged him to hell. Lorraine continued to pat my shoulders softly. “None of this is your fault. You know that, right?” “I don't…know, Lorrie. I really don't.” “Why didn't you reach out to me? Why didn't you tell me all this? I'd have helped in any way that I can!” Truth was, I was ashamed to. Lorraine and I both worked at the packhouses, but rather than get married, she left to make a living for herself, while I, stupidly, chose to chase love instead. Look how well that worked out for me. “I didn't…know how to…” Lorraine shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around me again. Her embrace was like balm to my aching parts. “But it's all over now. The ill-treatment, the sadness! It's all over now, okay? This is a new beginning for you, Allie, and you're going to do just great!” “But that's the problem.” I rubbed my forehead tiredly. “There's…nothing I'm good at. I don't know where to start from or how to go about it.” “How about you take a break, then think about it?” I shook my head softly. “I've been taking breaks all my life. I c-can't continue being useless like this!” “Useless?!” Lorraine chuckled softly. “Really? You? Have you forgotten how much talent you've been blessed with? There's so much you can do!” “And what would those be?” “For starters, singing?” Lorraine started to count on her fingers. “You're an amazing cook, you write so well, you dance well, not to mention, educated-” Oh. “But none I seem interested in, Lorraine. And I have to make a living.” I groaned, falling ‘dying duck’ style to the other side of the sofa. “I don't know what to do!” She patted her chin for a while as she stared into space as though she was trying to think of something. Finally, Lorraine revealed her thoughts. “How about…becoming a steamer?” “A stripper!?” “Oh my god. No, Allie. A streamer. Streaming.” My expression contorted. “What difference does it make, and w-what does that entail?” I didn't want to seem narrow-minded, but I didn't want to do anything that jeopardized my dignity. “I'll explain it to you.” Lorraine leaned closely. “Do you remember where I work?” “With the media?” “Close, but not quite. A streaming agency, and we have a variety of streamers signed under us. It's a big platform, but I'd rather you do something of your own.” I nodded slowly to indicate I was listening. “It's basically content creating but..in a more realistic manner because you'll be giving interested viewers permission into your life, to get to know you and your day-to-day life activities. They just watch you do the things you love and reward you for it. It's…nothing indecent, Allie, and I just think it will be the perfect thing for you. You…do have a lot to show the world.” I had no idea where this was going, but Lorraine sounded convincing. “Say more.”ALAINA*ONE WEEK LATER*9:30 am.I woke up like a mummified corpse from a casket. Pretty sure I looked like one, too. My lids felt pretty heavy as I barely got any sleep. Today was my first ever live stream and the thought of it was etched in my head all night long! Even right now.With a swift movement, I was up steady on my feet. I tried to ignore the glimpse of my bird nest of hair in the mirror and pushed myself into Lorraine's room. Today was D-Day!The excitement pumped into my veins endlessly. I knocked once and let myself in. “Lorrie!” She was still coiled under her blanket like a fetus when I playfully yanked it off her. “Wake up, silly! It's timeee!”She stealthily stood up, yawning and stretching. “The day you become famous!” She screeched, though her voice was groggy and she instantly shuffled out of bed. I giggled because I didn't know whose hair looked worse. “It's a big day, my little celebrity.”That could be farfetched. I scrunched my nose. “All I'm trying to do is
*FLASHBACK* Alaina, Alpha Alexander wants you to clean up his room,” The head maid said to me as though she'd been dying to have the words drop and my heart leaped to my heart. I blinked repeatedly, my grip around the broom I was holding tightening as I looked up at her to ask, “Me?” “Do I need to tell you this in sign language?” She hissed. I knew any more defiance would cause a strike to my face so I retreated, skittering away from her and her fiery eyes as it replayed over and over again in my head that the Alpha wanted me to clean his room. Again! When does the torture end? I sighed, trying to embody the pain that gnawed my chest as I daintily made my way through the large, dark corridors, hoping I would bump into either him or Esmeralda. I wasn't even his personal maid so why was he being so cruel to me? Arriving at the door, I sucked my breath and lifted my hands to know. My knuckles rattled on the door, once but was met with silence. Today might be my lucky day. If
ALEXANDERThe laptop folded back into place after a gentle tap and the borders in my mind finally crashed down, resisting conformity. Now, I had to face it.I had to face my feelings. No one should think this way of a woman married to one's Beta and best friend, but I could help it, could I? Alaina. I tasted her name on my tongue and my mind relentlessly worked up vivid pictures of her.I see her in everything. “Oh shit!” This was exactly why I hadn't bothered to reach out, or even go to the wedding that second I witnessed Logan's proposal to her.That day was my hell, my personal unbecoming and I lost air, lost grasp of time when she jumped into his arms and accepted to be his bride. My confession might as well go to hell. Now, I'd see her again and those feelings, the ones I thought I'd successfully grown out of, were just buried.Her eyes were as vibrant as ever, the liveliest of greens with a kick of darkness in them, like she could pierce one's soul, and when she looked up at me
ALAINA “Do you think Mr Pigsty would be watching today?” Lorraine cooed from behind me and I averted my gaze from the mirror, sparing her a quick glance before carefully placing the mascara back on the ceramic table. “Way to conclude they're a man,” I rolled my eyes, patting her hair before absentmindedly running a brush through it again. It couldn't possibly be a man, right? Though it might be, it shouldn't mean anything but chivalry. They were just nice enough to have gifted me that. And it was no big deal. Right? The corner of Lorraine's lips pulled upward in a smile and mischief reflected in her eyes. “Isn't that much obvious? Would you rather it's a woman then? I fear there's no fun in that.” My eyes flicked to the ticking clock on the wall, right above the borders of the window. I had ten minutes to be live. I smacked my lips, squinting a little. “What do you mean would I rather it's a woman? It's not different to me. Whoever they are, I'm just grateful for them an
ALAINA What the hell? Gulping hard, I pulled closer to the laptop to see the digit and it stared right back at me. One zero. Then two zeros. Then three. Then- My eyes were heavy from being widened for too long and I tried to yell Lorraine's name, but the term, ‘cat got your tongue?’ had never been truer for me. Everything I wanted to say, or could say turned into dust in my headspace, and dollar notes might as well be ingrained in my pupils. “Pig…sty?” I called out absentmindedly though I was already off my channel. Was this…some kind of scheme? Was I going to get kidnapped soon? Trafficked!? I propped to my feet and yanked off the apron, spinning out of the room and in the direction of Lorraine's. She might have answers! That was a lot of money. TOO MUCH MONEY. Mr Anonymous had done it again and what the hell had I done to deserve eight fucking thousand bucks from someone who knew nothing about me? As much as I wanted to enjoy the moment, the terror had started to
The chill air surrounded me as I stepped into the lobby, my eyes scanned the area for Logan or Esmeralda. I'd left this division in his care a while ago, and because he'd already rejected Esmeralda, I didn't see a reason why their working together could be a problem.Until yesterday when I was informed that she was carrying his child! What madness was that? The receptionist leapt to her feet at the sight of me and her smile started to falter at the edges.“G-Good day, Alpha Alex-xander,” She stuttered, staring like she'd seen a ghost. Usually, the entirety of the staff was informed whenever I planned to visit.I'd never once made an impromptu appearance like this one, and if a secretary could react this way, I wonder what expressions I'd be reading off Logan. With a curt nod, I stepped into the elevator and found my way up to Logan's office.The hallway was quiet, unusually quiet for a manufacturing branch and one could almost hear a pin drop. I flicked my eyes to either side of the
ALAINA*TWELVE HOURS EARLIER*I looked like a completely homeless bum sitting before my computer with my feet endlessly tapping the edge of the table as I scanned through the website.My thumb was in my mouth and I'd nearly chewed off the entirety of my fingernail. The frustration was enough to turn my hair into spikes and I might just disappear into thin air at any moment.The realization glared at me in the eyes. I NEEDED TO FIND A JOB! “Why did you have to say that!?” I groaned, grabbing my face and patting little slaps to my lips since no one would do it for me.I ran my fingers through my hair as I remembered my conversation with the Pack's radio. It was nearly time for the Pack's monthly moonlight meeting, a feast for the elderlies, and undoubtedly, I'd be a trending topic!Ugh! That vain old woman. I was quite sure the moon goddess didn't want her quite yet, that was why she still roamed the corners of…. like a vengeful ghost!But that wasn't the point, was it?! I was the one
ALAINA“Do you…want to find out?”First I thought I was hearing things, but it dawned on me that it wasn't a figment of my imagination when I spun around only to find the bane of my existence leaning against the door frame with a sardonic smirk blessing his amused expression. My mouth fell open and gradually his scent filled the entire room. “A-Alph..”I hadn't heard the door make any sound and one question, what was he doing here? I staggered back as the shock shot through me and somehow landed back on the chair, slamming my ass against it and boy did it hurt?Alpha Alexander seemed to be enjoying every single second of watching me turn into water. Jeez! What had I done? He trudged in, tucking his arms in his pockets. There was no form of lividness in his demeanor and I didn't know what scared me more. The fact that he might have heard every derogatory remark directed at him, or that he'd managed to infiltrate the only company that I thought I'd never see him in. I braced the sides