Prologue+ Chapter 1

Prologue

Alicia POV

“Are you all fucking kidding me?” I asked angrily, glaring at the people surrounding me.

This was absurd. Who are these people anyway? They are so weird that I cannot even begin to understand them.

“You are a trespasser, so come with us, or we will kill you!” one of them warned.

I shot him a deadly glare in response.

“Oh, I did not know that someone owns this place and that it is prohibited to pass through here,” I replied sarcastically.

“Rogue! Stop arguing with us and just fucking come!” another one shouted loudly.

What the heck?

“Do not shout at me, you jerk!” I yelled back. Wait. Did he just call me a rogue?

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

“And wait, I am not a rogue. What are you even talking about?” I shouted.

A rogue?

I watched them glance at each other, silently communicating with their eyes. These people were weird. No, extremely weird. Suddenly, one of them grabbed my elbow.

“What the fuck? Let me go!” I hissed as I tried to jerk away, but his grip only tightened. Without thinking twice, I kicked him where the sun does not shine.

He cursed loudly while groaning in pain.

“You fucking lady!” he shouted.

“You deserve it, jerk!”

“Just come with us, Miss,” someone said calmly. I glanced at him, surprised by his tone.

“Why would I?” I challenged.

“Because if our alpha comes here himself, I am sure he will kill you,” he replied calmly, but the seriousness in his voice was unmistakable.

Oh, how scary, I thought sarcastically.

“And what the hell is an alpha? A murderer? A notorious criminal? Your leader? A mafia boss?” I asked in disbelief.

They all answered no at the same time.

“Then what?” I snapped. What is this place anyway? Oh my God. This place is full of insane people.

I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

I noticed that they suddenly went silent. What now?

“Hey, can I go already? All of you are wasting my precious time.”

Still, no one answered.

Great. Just great. What a complete waste of time.

I turned my back on them and started walking away, but unfortunately, I bumped into something solid.

“Alpha!” they all said in unison.

Alpha? That sounds like such a ridiculous title.

“Sorry. I really have to go,” I said irritably to the person standing in front of me. I tried to walk past him, but suddenly, he grabbed my elbow.

“No. You cannot leave. Not now. Never,” he said coldly, yet his voice sounded disturbingly possessive.

What?

“My mate.”

Double what the hell.

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Chapter 1

Alicia POV

“Alicia, my beautiful granddaughter, come here, sweetheart,” my grandmother called.

I looked at her innocently and walked toward her.

“Yes, Grandma?” I asked gently.

She smiled warmly and caressed my hair.

“When you grow up, what do you want to be?” she asked.

“Grandma, I want to be a doctor and a writer!” I answered cheerfully.

She smiled at my response.

“A doctor and a writer? Why, sweetheart?” she asked.

I smiled before answering her question.

“Because being a doctor is cool. They save lives. And I want to be a writer because I really love writing stories.”

She laughed softly and kissed my forehead.

“That is wonderful, sweetheart. You already have a plan for your future. I hope you will accomplish your goals in life.”

“I will pursue that dream, Grandma. I promise you that fifteen years from now, I will be a well known author and a brave doctor who will save millions of lives,” I said confidently.

She chuckled softly.

“Fifteen years from now? You will be twenty five years old by then,” she said.

“Yes, Grandma. I am still young, so I need to study first.”

She caressed my hair again, gently combing it with her fingers.

“Always be wise and brave, Alicia. Do not let anyone harm or hurt you,” she said.

I nodded repeatedly.

“Of course, Grandma. I will be strong and brave like you,” I said, flexing my tiny arms playfully.

She laughed and pulled me into a warm embrace.

“I love you, my granddaughter,” she said sweetly.

“I love you too, Grandma,” I replied, feeling her warmth and love.

But then…

That was the last time I saw her. The last time I hugged her. The last time I heard her voice.

That night, several armed men broke into our house and mercilessly shot my grandmother.

She was the last person I had, and I lost her.

She told me to escape. She wanted me to live. To run. To hide.

Hatred and pain were the emotions that consumed me that night, emotions that still linger even now.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself.

“Doc Alicia!”

That voice was annoying.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Minerva standing in front of me. I raised an eyebrow at her, silently questioning her presence.

“What?” I asked.

She smiled widely.

“Are you okay, Doc?” she asked.

Seriously? She ruined my peaceful nap just to ask that?

“Yes. I was, until you disturbed me,” I answered honestly.

She immediately looked apologetic.

“I am sorry, Doc,” she said.

I simply nodded.

“The patient in Room Thirteen, is she okay now?” I asked while fixing my hair.

“Yes, Doc. She is stable now. Her body is responding well to the medication, and I am sure she will wake up in a few days,” she replied.

I nodded. I only asked if the patient was okay, not a full report.

Still, it was good news.

I needed to go home and rest. The past few months had been exhausting. My schedule was insane, and I barely had time to update my stories. My readers were demanding, as always.

“Doc, are you going home?” Minerva asked.

I stopped walking and looked at her.

“Yes. Why?”

She gave me a meaningful and annoying smile.

“Can I go with you?” she asked hopefully.

“Do you not have your own car?” I asked, annoyed.

“My dear friend, my car broke down yesterday and needs repairs,” she reasoned.

“Tsk. Fine.”

“Yes! Thank you, Doc,” she said happily as she followed me.

I worked ten hours every day, sometimes twelve, depending on emergencies at the hospital.

As a doctor, every second mattered.

We reached the parking lot, where I saw Uriel standing beside his car.

“Going home already?” he asked.

“Yes, Doc Uriel,” Minerva answered enthusiastically.

Uriel smiled. He was my college classmate back at Harvard. Minerva, on the other hand, was my childhood friend and high school classmate.

“We have to go now, Rie,” I said.

He nodded.

“Take care,” he replied.

I nodded and got into my car.

“What was that, Doc? Is there something between you and Doc Uriel?” Minerva teased.

I shot her a glare.

“There is nothing between us,” I said seriously.

“Nothing? Okay, if you say so,” she replied, sitting properly.

I rolled my eyes and drove away.

I dropped Minerva off in front of her house.

“Thanks, Doc,” she said.

I nodded and drove home.

When I arrived, I honked, and someone opened the gate.

“Good evening, ma’am,” my maid greeted me.

“Is dinner ready?” I asked Milla.

“Yes, ma’am. We have been waiting for you,” she replied.

I went inside. Only me and my maids lived in this house.

My grandmother died fifteen years ago. As for my parents, I do not know where they are. I have never met them, never seen their photos, never known them.

I went straight to my room and looked at the framed photo of my deceased grandmother.

Grandma, I did it. I became a doctor and a writer.

I kissed her picture and smiled.

After taking a bath and changing my clothes, I went to the dining room. My three maids were already there.

“Sit and eat with me,” I said.

They looked surprised but smiled and obeyed.

“I will be leaving soon,” I informed them.

“Where are you going, ma’am?” Liz asked.

“I do not know yet,” I replied.

“You will still come back, right?” Yam asked.

“Yes,” I answered simply.

“You will take care of the house while I am gone,” I added.

They smiled gratefully.

As we ate, I thought deeply.

I wanted a vacation. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere surrounded by trees, with fresh air, a place where I could relax and write freely.

Peaceful. Beautiful. Quiet.

But where could I find a place like that?