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• SIXTEEN • The Meaning of Alpha
Last Updated:
2025-04-04 23:45:07
Lorea AsheTo be Alpha not only means power, but the power to bear the responsibility of the lives around you. Daniel takes on the responsibility for the humans around them as well. To be Alpha means the power of support, the ones who give, and the ones he gives to. To be Alpha means family, and never alone. I wanted to show the stark contrast of this, between Daniel’s staunch support and Samantha’s blatant lack of it.
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Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • SEVENTEEN • The Wolf Ascends
Daniel lifted his face to the full moon and let his wolf wash up through and over him. It wasn't a seamless transition, not even for an Alpha such as him. Being a werewolf was initially called a curse for a reason, but with his pack and full moon present, his shift came relatively easily and painlessly, and he accepted it for the blessing it had become.There, of course, was the pain as his bones broke and reshaped, but by now, it was one he was familiar with and barely gave it a thought. A lot of movies like to portray the lengthening of the jaw and snout as the transformation works its way down, but in reality, the change starts in the spine between the shoulders. The kinder way to describe it, without detail, would be to say it began at his shoulders and rippled out, like a rock tossed into a still pond.But it wasn't that simple or serene.The bones of Daniel's vertebrae from the last rib up, his thoracic spikes, began to lengthen, pushing out from the skin. As the skin peeled back
Last Updated : 2025-04-04Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • EIGHTEEN • Blood Moon Run
Donna hummed a wordless tune, which sounded like a well-practiced lullaby, as she kneeled over her grandson, and Henry's whimpers began to subside. Daniel gently fed his power into Henry this time, going at his pace to assist rather than insist. As Henry's little human body began to weaken in exhaustion, it allowed the wolf to come up smoothly until finally, a dark brown wolf, with lighter markings on its belly and inside legs, was now lying on its side, panting. It blinked a few times, then rolled up onto its feet and looked around in wonder.Henry's wolf wasn't a pup, but Daniel could identify it as a juvenile, a little smaller and lankier, with not as much muscle mass as the adult wolves. Daniel had never seen a werewolf so young, so he wasn't sure what to expect.Donna sat back in the dirt and put her face in her hands as she cried, not just for the rendering scene, but for the adrenaline that left her wrung out. Henry cautiously approached her and nuzzled her cheek with a small li
Last Updated : 2025-04-05Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • NINETEEN • Breaking the Pattern
Samantha received the box and looked at it as she shut the door. Richard Covington. She set it in his study while she cursed herself for not putting sunglasses on before she opened the door. The deliveryman's warning echoed in her ears.She knew he was right. She knew the pattern of abuse and how it escalated. At least when it happened to somebody else. Being in and living the situation makes it difficult to see. The chance for real change, from either party, was very slim once those patterns were established.She knew right now, she needed that change to keep from getting sucked into the vortex of misery. Her heart and body were bruised in ways she’d never felt before. If this wasn’t their breaking point, which it seemed to be with his continued absence and silence, then what would be? She pulled out her laptop and went back to the island in the kitchen. As she waited for it to boot up, she nervously chewed her bottom lip.Am I doing this? I know I should, I know I need to, but is thi
Last Updated : 2025-04-05Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • TWENTY • Traitor
Tuesday morning, Samantha could see some improvement around her eye. The swelling had been gone for a couple of days now, and she noticed a slight lightening in the bruised area. She still felt like a recluse holed up away from the world in her own home, and she was beginning to run low on a few items.She thought about her dilemma and then opened up the website for the grocery store. It felt odd doing the shopping online, but not as difficult as going in person and being stared at with judgmental, or worse, sympathetic looks. She always spurned the idea of having someone else shop for her, but today, she was grateful.She loaded up her virtual cart and paid for everything. The store sent her a notification stating it would be ready by eleven. That gave her a couple of hours, so she took her time getting ready, trying to find a way to style her hair to minimize the appearance of the bruise.She picked up her groceries and gave the young man who loaded her up a cash tip in appreciation,
Last Updated : 2025-04-06Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • TWENTY-ONE • Give an Inch, Lose a Mile
She knew she shouldn't give him an inch, but she also knew she couldn't legally, or physically, force him to leave. A small part of her was relieved at not having to fight it."I wanted to let you know I took a few days from work," he told her. "The new company, their guys came back yesterday, so they can do without me for a little while." Samantha nodded. This all started because she wanted him home. Now he was home, and she didn't know how to feel about it."There's going to be a few changes, Richard," she said sternly. "To begin with, I've moved all of your things down to the guest room." His face darkened as he began to protest, but he knew it was too soon, so he accepted the arrangement peacefully."Okay, if that's what you need," he assented. "Anything else?""I don't know, yet," she said testily. "I just need some space, okay?"Richard left the kitchen and took in the state of the guest room, now his room. The sight frustrated him, and he was irritated at being ‘moved’ down here
Last Updated : 2025-04-06Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • TWENTY-TWO • In the Wrong Bed
Samantha slowly woke to a peace and comfort she hadn’t felt in a long time and smiled slightly as she snuggled back into the warmth surrounding her. When she opened her eyes and realized she was looking at the guest room bedroom curtains, she tried to sit up in alarm, but felt that warmth behind her tighten, not allowing her to move.She pushed back and turned, seeing Richard lying in bed next to her with his bare chest and arm over the blanket. Her sudden movement roused him from his slumber, and he looked at her in confusion.“Are you okay?” he asked sincerely.Samanatha’s heart was pounding in her chest as she tried to recap what happened last night. The pizza and the movie came back to her, and she vaguely remembered rolling into his open arms. It was like her heart was breaking all over again as she felt his warmth and tenderness envelope her after having it withheld for so long. She slipped out of bed.“Babe, where are you going?” Richard asked again as he sat up. “Are you okay?
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • TWENTY-THREE • Beneath the Waterfall
Richard left Samantha in the car while he stepped into her favorite patisserie. She became excited because this place had the best donuts and bagels in town. He came back out with a cinnamon chai latte for her, a black coffee for him, and a small bag of chocolate-filled beignets. “Oh my gosh!” Samantha almost squealed in delight. “I’d forgotten it was beignet season!” The patisserie served a variety of cultural foods throughout the year, and in celebration of Mardi Gras and Lent, they served beignets.“Yeah, people at the office were talking about them a few weeks ago. I meant to get you some sooner, but it slipped my mind,” Richard said, watching her savor the aroma of fried dough, chocolate, and powdered sugar.Samantha’s eyes shone with excitement, anxious to get home and dig into the bag. But, instead of heading home, Richard took the car onto the highway and headed south.“Where are we going?” Samantha asked, a flicker of apprehension in her eyes. She hadn’t agreed to anything ot
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • • AUTHOR'S INTERMISSION • Self Care
Before we go further with the story, I just want to check in and reiterate the sensitive and triggering content in the book. We've seen the shocking moment of the physical and verbal abuse in Chapter One and we're exploring the effects of trauma and manipulation and Samantha's courage to try to heal while still staying true to her empathic nature. The story of Richard and Smantha, while fictional characters and settings, the themes are very real. Some of these chapters have been difficult, yet therapeutic, to write and I hope for those of you who have experienced situations that echo Samantha's can also move forward in healing. The shame and guilt is not your own and no matter the isolation you feel, you're never truly alone. Someone, whether strangers, friends or acquaintances, or like minded people on message boards, genuinely care.This story wasn't created to exploit the tragedy of these relationships, but to inform and empower, that it's okay to not get it right the first time, a
Last Updated : 2025-04-08
Latest chapter
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • AUTHOR'S INTERMISSION
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has been following along with the story! The journey so far has been filled with excitement, anxiety, partial loss of sanity, sleepless nights, and many, many pushes of the delete button 😂The story and characters are continuously developing, but please know that for right now, this is a first draft. I try to make it as perfect as I can to still post daily, but I know it is still full of mistakes.As the author, your feedback is extremely important to me. The good, the bad, and the ugly.I try to maintain continuity within the story and characters, which is quite a task considering I have elements spanning over almost twenty years, but if you catch anything that seems off (including other, basic mistakes), please let me know! My goal is to deliver a slow-burning, intriguing story with faster-paced action and subplots, hopefully, I'm able to do that! This is also my first published book, so thanks again as I navigate this learning curve!
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty-Five
By Tuesday morning, Samantha was able to cover up her eye with minimal effort. She received a text from Daniel yesterday morning, asking if they were still good to meet at 230 today.Absolutely! Let me send you the address of the coffee shop.She looked it up, then sent him the link. After he responded with ‘Looking forward to seeing you’, a knot settled in her stomach. That ball of feelings was complicated. She was excited. She kept telling herself it was because, even after their brief interaction, he was the first person who felt like a friend in a long time. She ignored the little voice that taunted her with how attractive and sexy she found him, because adding butterflies to the growing knot was a terrible mix. On the other hand, especially after her fight with Richard on Saturday night, she felt guilty.She was going behind his back, and she knew it. But he would never approve and never understand, even though this was a professional meeting in a casual setting. She was hiring
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty-Four
Long, polished, manicured fingernails tapped the granite counter in sequence, from pinky to forefinger. The clicking noise was grating on his nerves, but he knew better than to say anything to her.Her displeasure was already apparent, and Riordan knew better than to piss off a dragon.“You were careless,” she said contemptuously. Fucking dragons, thinking they were so much better than anyone else. But still, they were better than werewolves.Riordan felt his inner animal’s hate at the thought of those unnatural abominations here, in his city. The reason his grandmother raised him here was that there were no werewolves here. Pack-oriented shifters were condescending enough, but werewolves were the worst, and shouldn’t even exist. They were anathema. “I was only having a bit of fun in the park,” he explained. “I wasn’t going to hurt her.”“You’re a scavenging breed, gnoll,” she waved him off. “If the Clearfork Alpha hadn’t intervened, would you have just left it at the park? Your pref
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty-Three
Paige didn’t have long to wait before she saw the four Clearfork wolves come into view. First was Judd’s brindled colored wolf. He had a striking pattern of tightly woven coffee and caramel colored stripes. His wolf was big and stocky, heavy in the shoulders, much like his human form.And like his human form, he ran silently, but was intimidating with his serious focus. His eyes flicked up to her on the rock, and she crouched lower. She saw that he was aware of her presence and was glad he chose to ignore her.Daniel’s wolf was next. She was surprised his wolf wasn’t dark gray or black. He had the most traditional wolf coloring, with his grays blending from silver to a darker nickel and white markings. Just a few steps behind him was Thomas with his reddish coat.Bringing up the rear was her
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty-Two
Daniel was up early, feeling refreshed on Friday morning. He put on a pot of coffee for everyone, then slipped out and grabbed some bagels before they woke up.Thomas came out of his room while Daniel was setting the bagels out. “Alpha,” he greeted Daniel. Daniel nodded good morning while he bit into a bagel. Paige came out, looking half asleep still, and following her nose to the coffee.“Oh, good,” she crooned as she wrapped her hands around her mug and sipped the hot beverage before adding sugar and creamers to it. After a few more sips, she peeked up at Daniel with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Thanks, Mr. Covington. Did you sleep well last night?”“I slept very well, Paige,” he said carefully, wondering what she was up to. “And you?” It was almost like a switch had been flipped since yesterday. She seemed comfortable around him this morning.“Well, we were up late last night,” she told him. “But I think we narrowed it down to three for your approval.”“I trust the two of you,”
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty-One
The rest of the dinner and evening with Edward and Mauricio went smoothly, if not necessarily comfortably. Samantha saw Richard was noticing her now, but the looks he kept casting her way were dark and thoughtful. They were making her nervous, but she tried not to show it as she resumed her practiced smile and commented politely when it seemed appropriate.After what felt like forever, dessert was served and cleared. She helped Mauricio with a quick cleanup in the kitchen, then it was time for Samantha and Richard to leave. Mauricio kissed the air next to her cheek, just like when he greeted her, looking for a promise from her to come back and see the horses, and Edward squeezed her hand, letting her know he would be in touch with her soon.Richard opened the car door for Samantha, and she felt he slammed it with more force than necessary. He didn’t look at her
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Sixty
Samantha caught Edward’s comment about being here twice this week. She wondered when and why he was over here, but then realized she didn’t know anything about his whereabouts or motivations anymore.She was anxious to get out of the room and out from under Edward’s scrutiny, so after polite greetings, she retired to the kitchen. She found Mauricio putting some final touches on a charcuterie board. He looked up and smiled widely, holding his hands up in the air.“Ah! Sobrina hermosa!” He exclaimed as he came around the island. He held her shoulders and gave her dos besos, or two kisses, one in the air next to each cheek.“Mauricio,” Samantha greeted him warmly. Maricio always seemed a little more reserved around Richard, but around her, he blossomed like a flower. He claimed she reminded him of his nieces back home, and he was a breath of fresh air after her emotionally tense day.In his presence, she could forget Richard’s oppressive cloud that had been hanging over her. Mauricio was
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Fifty-Nine
Richard roused when he felt Mari slip away from him. She seemed off and quieter than usual, and he got dressed while she sorted through her thoughts. By the time they finished dressing, an awkward silence had descended upon them.“I’m checking out of the room,” he told her. “Join me for lunch downstairs?” He saw her contemplating his request before she nodded.They were seated at a table in the hotel restaurant when Richard’s phone rang. A quick look told him he needed to answer it.“Uncle Edward,” Richard answered the call matter-of-factly.“Richard,” Edward greeted back with slightly more gusto. “Mauricio is hoping to get together this weekend. He’s been wanting to cook paella, which would be the perfect time for you and Samantha to join us! Please have her call me so
Worthless No More • Alpha's Treasure • Chapter Fifty-Eight
Richard was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to pay much attention to Samantha’s quiet distance. He spent the majority of his day in his study, with no interest in focusing on anything he set out to do, which was catching up on his week away from work.He was on automatic pilot as he showered and was getting ready for Uncle Edward’s dinner tonight. He placed the wine Samantha had set aside in a chilled tote and put it in the car. He came back inside and called up to her. She came down the stairs in a peach dress and white cotton wrap, and even though she looked beautiful, the effect was mostly lost on him.On the ride to Uncle Eddie’s, his jaw tensed as he thought about yesterday. He didn’t go back to work; he’d gone back to his room in the hotel, intending to check out, but a knock on the door shortly after he arrived r
