Her

Chapter 4

ERIC’S POV

My eyes widened and my breath caught on seeing her crumpled on the floor. From the moment our eyes met, I knew it was her—the girl I’d been searching for over a year. Even before I was employed as Nolan’s guard, I looked for her like a lost treasure to no avail. I looked for her at the same spot she came running to me for help but didn’t find her either. I asked those staying around that area which was close to the market but none seemed to be familiar with the descriptions I gave them. All those years I almost gave up only to see her here, in this psychotic Alpha King’s castle- naked, broken, afraid and crumpled on the floor with tears streaming down her face like she'd been through hell. I couldn't help but remember how I met her.

***Flashback to about a year ago***

It was early in the evening. I was a local fighter and was just returning home from a successful fight that landed me a lot of money. My small one-bedroom apartment was located close to the market. The marketplace was noisy as usual, the air thick with the scent of street food and the sound of haggling.

I was just passing through, humming happily over my latest victory, about to take a turn to the street that led to my apartment when somebody suddenly bumped into me, a face cap falling off.

“Are you blind?” I scolded harshly as I picked and dusted my fallen bag which contained the cash I had won from my fight. “Can’t you see where you’re going? You reckless kids, always running around in busy places like this, causing…”

However, my words cut off and I froze to give her a full look. She was a young girl, a little above teenage age but dressed in oversized shabby boy clothes. Her long messy black-brown hair fell carelessly over her shoulder and her large doe-like eyes glittered with fear. Her chest was heaving heavily, obviously because she was running and a small crossover bag slung across her shoulders. Tightly curled around her hands was a loaf of bread which I was sure she’d stolen judging from how scared she was as she kept glancing over her shoulder nervously as though someone was after her.

My brows creased as I stared at her in confusion. Just how could a pretty, young and innocent-looking girl like her be involved in something like stealing?

“Thief! Stop her!” I heard an approaching voice say loudly.

“Please help me…” the girl whimpered as she rose and cowered behind me, taking me by surprise. “Don’t let them hurt me…please.”

Within moments, an angry mob settled in front of us. They were hollering in rage, ready to make an example of her. Some were carrying sticks, a few had cans of petrol and car tyres and also lighters.

My pulse thundered on realizing they wanted to burn her. I’d seen this play out before – where they set whosoever stole any item from the market ablaze and left them to roast and burn to ashes. Even though I didn’t know this girl or whatever reason that pushed her to steal, I couldn’t let that happen. I had to help her.

“Hand her over big guy,” the one in front who seemed to be leading the crowd said, glaring menacingly at her from the side of my body. He was holding a lighter, ready to snap it at any moment.

“Back off,” I clenched my fist, keeping a tough look.

The crowd hesitated, thrown off by my boldness and sudden protectiveness towards the girl. Some of them looked at me like I was crazy. But I didn’t care. There was no way I was going to let them lay a finger on her.

“She’s a fucking thief!” he snarled in frustration. “Hand her over or we burn you along with her.”

The crowd behind him cheered in support, welcoming his idea.

“She’s just a hungry kid who stole nothing but a loaf of bread,” I shot back at them, scanning their angry faces. “Let me deal with it.”

“She’s no child!” Someone yelled from the back. “A girl like her has reached the age for marriage. Do you know how much a loaf of bread costs now? She’s fully aware of her actions and the consequences that come with it so there is no use defending her. She is a thief. This is your last chance to hand her over!”

I didn’t know what else to say to them as I guarded the terrified girl behind me. The angry mob started advancing toward us, with the ones holding cans of petrol already unscrewing the caps, ready to start pouring it on us.

Quickly, I unzipped my bag and brought out a wad of cash. I tossed it over to their leader and he caught it unawares but with ease.

“Take it and leave her alone,” I said, unsure if they’ll accept it and let us go. “That’s more than enough to cover for the bread.”

Their leader looked at the cash and smiled at me, his eyes flashing with greed. He gave the order and grudgingly the mob dispersed as quickly as they appeared.

I breathed out in relief. Thank goodness I had money on me otherwise this girl and I would have been burnt to ashes.

I turned to her with a scold. “What were you thinking stealing from a market?”

She glanced away nervously, embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, her doe-eyes wide with guilt and something I couldn’t quite decipher. “I was just hungry. I haven't eaten since yesterday.”

I let out a sigh. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She only stole because she was hungry. She was only trying to survive.

“I’m Eric.” I knew my voice and physique could be very intimidating so I kept my tone as light as possible so as not to frighten or make her feel bad further. “What is your name?”

“I’m Adrianna,” she said with a tiny frightened voice. “Thanks for helping me. I would have been a burnt corpse by now if not for you. No one has stood up for me like that."

I couldn’t help but let out a smile. She was really pretty and had a very innocent look. It wasn’t just her beauty that drew me in. Staring deeply into her eyes, I realized they were smothered with pain and a burden too heavy for someone her age to carry. She seemed like one who had endured more than her share of hardship and needed someone to care for, protect, and help her. It struck me to know that I wanted to be that person. As I looked at her, I saw echoes of my past in her. I should be like a decade older than her.

I never knew my biological parents. I grew up in an orphanage and have been in and out of different foster homes because of my behavioural issues. I got into trouble a lot and had a vicious temper. At some point, I was considered a ticking time bomb among people around me. No one wanted to associate with me or bring me into their homes after going through my history. Even anger management did little to help.

At the age of 18, I was left to fend for myself. I learnt to survive on my own the hard way. Due to my imposing physique and vicious temper, a man who was now my fighting coach advised me to enrol into a local fighting tournament and I surprisingly turned out the winner. That was how I got into the fighting business. Though the profession came with a lot of risks - deadly age-long grudges from the losing parties, injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones to torn muscles, the reward by far outweighed the risk. I was among the best in the kingdom and earned more than enough with each fight I won to cater for all my needs.

“You might not get lucky next time,” I smiled dryly at Adrianna. I reached for my bag to bring out a wad of cash and extended my hand to give it to her. “Here, have it. Stop stealing. It doesn’t suit a pretty girl like you. Find something worth doing. You can go learn fashion designing or makeup…you know stuff girls like. Just not stealing.”

Her eyes widened like she hadn’t seen such an amount before and she gasped a little in surprise. Hesitantly, she collected it.

“Thank you,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled in response.

“You said you were hungry?” I asked in concern. She nodded slowly. “My apartment is just a few blocks away. Perhaps you can come over and I can make you something to eat.”

She glanced away for a moment as if contemplating her response. Then she looked back at me and whispered awkwardly. “No…thank you.”

But a part of me knew she wanted to say yes. I knew it was unwise for me to invite her to my place the first time we were meeting since she didn’t know me. But I meant no harm. I just wanted to care for her. To help her. Give her a serious talk about staying away from stealing because of the dangers involved. She might be taken advantage of or worse killed like it almost happened today.

I wanted to suggest we go to a more public place to eat since she might be uncomfortable coming over to my place but she quickly picked up her cap, putting it on and saying. “It’s getting late. My father is waiting for me. I have to go take care of him. Thank you again..."

I tried to stop her but before I could say anything else, she zoomed off, disappearing into the crowd.

She had a father? I thought she was homeless and an orphan. What kind of parent leaves their child to go stealing in such a public place knowing the dangers involved?...

***

"Knockout! Knockout!!" I heard Alpha King Nolan's impatient voice echo in my head, snapping me out of my thoughts and back to reality.

That was my nickname back when I was a champion fighter but everyone I knew still called me that.

"I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you these days because you seem to be forgetting your duties as a bodyguard!" he scolded with a furious look on his face.

"I'm sorry boss..." I apologized quickly with a head bow, realizing my mistake.

"I don't need your apology," he brought his hand forward to stop me. "Just do what you're supposed to do and I won't complain. Cover that slut's head and take her to the car," he said while looking at Adrianna with a sinister smirk on his face. "She's my new pet and I can't wait to show her how I train my pets."

My breath hitched on realizing the true meaning of his words. I have seen this play out a lot of times. He had bought over a dozen sex slaves from Alpha Hermes and they all ended up dead trying to keep up with his outrageous sexual demands or beheaded and dismembered after being caught trying to escape. I can't let Adrianna suffer that fate. I must do everything in my power to save her even if it meant killing this devilish, cold-blooded Alpha brute that was my boss.