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Chapter 5
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Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 6
AMELIA "Can I get that bag of macaroni?" A woman's voice comes from behind me as I stack yet another shelf with inventory sitting in the foreground of the front office since yesterday. Heck, Larry and his annoying declaration that he would get the inventory done all by himself after work hours last night was far from the truth. I knew he wouldn't be able to finish the job. He's just all talk and no walk. "Is there another one available in the store that's made with something like whole grains? I have been looking all over the store for bran or gluten-free or multi-grain pasta, but I can't find it. My husband does the shopping often, so I'm quite lost." The woman's awkward chuckle after her statement makes me feel bad for her. "I have made the resolution this year to avoid gluten as much as possible, so I am trying to cut back on it." As I push another bag of cookies onto the shelf, I step back. "Let me help you." As I pivot on my feet, I come face to face with someone familiar. To
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 7
NEVILLE The pain stays in my heart. I don't care for the funeral much, even though the pastor wants me to commit to my dad's final services. As much as he knew my father, he always told him he wanted the last day of his life on earth to be a celebration. My father's idea of a wake was something that resembles a happy gathering: being surrounded by close family and friends and bade farewell to all that he did on this earth with good music. Whenever my dad would bring up something like passing away in his conversations--I would mostly mum him out. We would never willingly discuss how things would be like when he was gone. My dad thought he knew the happy wake was the best choice, and he confided in our pastor about how things should look like after he was gone. So now I'm dealing with this unknown man here in my house who is trying to realise my dad's last wishes. According to the pastor who won't leave me alone, my dad was a pure man at heart. The man that the pastor knew wanted us t
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 8
AMELIAI pace through the library door, pushing the newly borrowed book I was reading earlier into my bookbag. I know I have to walk home tonight since there's nothing much I can do. There's something wrong with the fuel tank in my car, and I can't get it fixed till they pay me by the end of this month.The car I drive right now is an old second-hand Chevy Cavalier, from the nineties, and it breaks down every other month. With all the bills racking up in my life, I have made my peace with it not working on some days, and I'm grateful for the days when it does decide to work.Otherwise, I'm okay with walking.It's obviously good for my health.Walking every day keeps the monsters at bay.Fine, I'll stop with the wisecracks.My run from the pharmacy after work to the hospital was a quick one. Some part of me thought if I paced to the library as if my life depended on it, there would be new stuff for me to read tonight. I badly need the escape that books bring into my life.Also, I had
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 9
NEVILLEAnother series of knocks at my door manifests itself, and I hide the envelope that my dad left me inside one of the old books in my bookcase. It's a safe space, and I know no one will look for it there. Part of me is dying to read what's inside, but part of me isn't ready to face what my dad wants to tell me. It has to be something important. I know it.I release my head from my hands as I get up from the edge of the bed and make my way to the door.Who wants to talk to me now?"Who is it?""Son, you can't hide in your room for the entire night." It's Jean's voice that I can hear as clear as day. "There are so many people downstairs who want to pay their respects to you and your family. And they can't do it if you are sitting scared inside the comfort of your room for the rest of the night." His voice is soft and mellow. "Some of them have driven hours just to see you because they aren't sure if they will be seeing you again.""I'm not going anywhere, Jean." My breath comes ou
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 10
NEVILLENot only the night is young, but I am also not even that sleepy. The people who came to this impromptu gathering have started thinning out. I didn't realise Jean could organise something like this so-called wake and turn it into a glamorous party that I'm sure will be whispered about in the days to come. I won't be surprised if a part of the night gets featured in the papers tomorrow. Nobody is more surprised at my ability to deal with so many people from such diverse backgrounds in life, successfully entertain them and send them home happily at the end of the evening.My eyes find that some people are saying their goodbyes in the front garden, so I gesture to Arnold to help them find their vehicles and lead them to their cars because two of the people in the group appear to be really drunk.Arnold moves to their aid, and I watch a woman get into a verbal fight with her husband or the man she came to attend the party along with earlier. I think he was her ex-fiance since Jean
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 11
AMELIAI wake up with a loud bang on my door. Feeling restless, I turn and shift into my bed to locate the source of the commotion as I pull the pillow over my head. I'm still heady, and I badly want to stay asleep.It took me a while to fall asleep last night, and it can't be morning just yet. I hope it is not, and everything falls quiet for a moment.The banging on the door returns, and I slowly lift my lids to see what time it is.My eyes fall on the bedside window, and I see that it's an hour before dawn. As I reposition my weight on my elbows to look at what's happening outside, wondering who wants to see me at this inappropriate time or thinking there might be a wild animal digging for food in my yard, I tip my head over my shoulder. The window looks over at the street. I don't see anyone as I wait and wait for someone to appear out of the bushes. When I gaze upwards into the dark night, I strain my eyes hard to see a giant explosion of green light illuminating the sky.Then the
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 12
NEVILLEThe man in front of me taps his pen on the table. I can't handle the noise it makes when it hits the edge of the hard surface. The shudder runs through the back of my skull, and I close my eyes. The man in front of me wants me to sign some papers that will help him pay for the funeral bills and apply for my father's death certificate.I didn't want to come to the funeral home, but I'm here against my will. The room is eerily silent, and pacing footsteps stepping against the hardwood floor is the only noise in the vicinity. It leaves me feeling anxious, and my stomach turns up into knots.The man in front of me speaks."Neville, first of all, I'm so sorry about your father." He offers me his hand, and I take it. "I'm so sorry about your loss. May he rest in peace."I nod."Thanks," I whisper under my breath. "My dad was a good man.""He sure was, young man." The man moves the papers towards me. "I want you to sign these papers, and this will officially release the body to the c
Claimed by the Alpha Chapter 13
AMELIA "Amelia, are you sure you can take over the store?" Larry looks at me with a solemn expression on his face. "I would be gone the entire afternoon, and you know afternoons are the busiest times of the day." I nod. "Oh, no worries!" I give him a soft smile. "You can trust me. I'll look after everything." I'm not sure how earnestly I've made it sound to him. He's not entirely wrong. The busiest time starts when the afternoon ends and the early evening rolls in, and also that his newly hired substitute would be filling in, then it should be child's play. I have plans to make him accomplish all the work. Why will I not? Larry has made me responsible for doing all of his work while he loves to sit on his ass, complaining and ordering me around. Why can't I do the same? Be as bad as he is when it comes to people I work with and handle? There is a niggling voice in my head that I would never be as bad as he is to me and the others who work here. Sure, I might ask the new pers
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