ALPHA KAEL: All I Want For Christmas Is You

Chapter 1

Ella Whitmore

MERRY CHRISTMAS, JASPER. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

My cheeks burned hot with excitement as I clutched the gift box tightly, reading the inscription on the back one more time before struggling to insert the key into the keyhole.

I had been planning this surprise for weeks. Christmas eve was finally here, and I just couldn't wait to see the look Jasper would have on his face when he realized that I actually got him the wristwatch he'd always admired.

But my legs still, the moment I stepped into the living room.

The first thing that caught my attention were the two wine glasses sitting on the center table.

My brows knitted together, confused. Jasper told me he was alone when we chatted earlier though I didn't tell him that I was coming over.

Sighs. Did he miss me so much that he went this far? Setting two empty wine glass? He must've drank alone, wishing that I was here with him.

A smile spread across my lips as I proceeded to his room upstairs, but my steps faltered the moment I stepped into the hallway.

I could swear I heard a strange sound.

I stood there quietly for at least three seconds. The sound didn't come again.

Just as I was about to proceed to his room, the sound came again. First like a muffle, and unclear where it was coming from, but as I moved closer, it became clearer.

It was the voice of a woman moaning in pleasure, and the sound was coming from Jasper's room.

Then a masculine groan followed... one that was unmistakably Jasper.

My body went numb. Knees buckling beneath me.

I stood there for a moment, scared of going close to the room, afraid that I would see what I was afraid of, but another part of me was ready to face it.

With my heart pulsing in my ears, my hands shaking, I reached for the doorknob.

"Fuck! Yeah... You're so sweet," Jasper's voice came on as I gently twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

My eyes first landed on the two tall empty wine glasses on the nightstand, then to Jasper. He knelt naked on the bed, Sophia, his supposed colleague, bent before him as he rammed into her from behind.

I couldn't breathe.

My hand dropped to my side, the gift box slipped out of my grip and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

It finally drew their attention.

"Holy shit! Ella..." With one hard thrust, Jasper quickly pulled out of her, spilling his cum on her back, and the bastard dared to moan as he did that.

Sophia quickly grabbed a shirt, covering herself with shaky hands.

"Ella... it's not what you think... shit!" He said, grabbing whatever fabric he could reach, to cover himself.

I scoffed. I fucking walked in on him fucking another woman, and it's not what I think?

"I swear I'm not cheating on you..."

Without another second, I turned on my heel and dashed out of the room, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest.

I stepped into the cold snowy New York street, my legs heavy and tired, eyes blurred with tears, but I didn't stop. I needed to get away from here.

My phone buzzed against my palm.

Jasper.

I gritted angrily. What the fuck does he want?

I watched the call ring and ended.

I switched off my phone.

My three-year old relationship... gone with Christmas eve.

What a way to celebrate Christmas.

I stumbled into the lonely and dark alley. I should feel scared. It was always dangerous out there at nights especially for women, but I didn't care.

I just wanted to get far away from Jasper.

My legs finally gave in as I collapsed into a bricked wall.

My chest tightened so hard, I couldn't breathe. I whispered, nails digging into the floor underneath me.

Was I not enough? I gave him everything. I trusted him, and was already hoping for forever together, and this is what I get?

A low growl cracked through the darkness amid my cries, and my sobs stopped abruptly, something snapping inside me.

I came back to my senses.

I lifted my phone to my face, the light flashing on my eyes.

It's 12am. I wasn't supposed to be outside by this time. I went to Jasper's house with the intention of spending the night with him.

The growl came again... this time from behind me, sharp and chilling... like that of a wild animal.

A strange coldness washed over me, my stomach twisting with fear.

I stiffened, my body tensed, and the back of my hair stood... It felt like something or someone was watching me from the shadow behind me.

I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe... and didn't even dare to look back...

Chapter 2

Ella

Slowly, I turned around, but was welcomed by just pitch darkness... No, it wasn't just darkness... Something even darker than the darkness caught my attention.

It stood there in a human-like structure, like it was watching me.

My breath caught in my throat.

I opened my mouth to talk, but no words came out.

What the fuck was I even thinking coming into this alley? I will never forgive Jasper if anything happens to me here.

Then the next second, the dark figure started moving... towards me.

I scrambled back, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, cold sweat forming on my forehead.

I paused as the figure finally stepped out of the darkness. A man.

I paused, my breath steadying. At least it was a human.

I stared at his black leather boot. They shone even in the dark. Then to his black trousers, and to his black shirt... I couldn't see his face clearly, but he was tall. Definitely over six feet.

I swallowed hard.

"Who are..." my voice faded into a soft fearful gasp as the growl came again. This time, louder and scarier.

I wasn't sure anymore if it was a wild animal, or if it was from something else.

I almost peed my panties.

The man seemed to be standing between me and whatever the growling animal was. He didn't flinch.

I was grateful for a second, but couldn't shake off the fact that he looked even scarier with the way he looked down at me.

"Who... are you?" My voice cracked shakily.

He stared silently without a word, as if he didn't hear me.

Then the indistinct chatter and footsteps behind me drew my attention.

I looked back. Three tattered looking men stood across the alley. They reeked of alcohol and cigarettes.

Their eyes swept over me, a creepy smile spreading across their faces. It felt as though they didn't notice the strange man.

"Hey, beautiful..." one of them said as they stepped forward.

"What are you doing here all alone, huh?" Another one said.

"Do you need a place to sleep tonight, hmm? We can celebrate Christmas together," The third one said as they approached me.

I instinctively pulled up to my feet, rushing to hide beside this strange man. I wasn't thinking straight. Though this man looked scary, he looked like he would protect me from them.

"Please save me," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He didn't say anything, just a glance back at me over his shoulder. His silence was already driving me nuts.

"Hey... who are you?" one of those three men asked, and their eyes shifted to the man.

The strange man still didn't speak.

"You look rich. You should go to the club and find another woman. This one is ours tonight," the first man said, reaching to grab me, but before his hand could meet me, the strange man grabbed and twisted it, and with just one push, the man was sent flying across the alley.

I stiffened. My jaw dropped.

"Who the fuck are you?" The second one asked, his voice almost shaky as they drew back.

But Mr stranger remained silent yet again. He quietly and gently shoved me behind him, and as my hand brushed his skin, his muscles pulsed under my touch, and I could swear I heard him grow.

Then his body went completely still as he faced the two men, and before I could blink, he moved.

Fast and almost unnoticeable.

The only thing I saw was him being back beside me in the next five seconds, and the two men lying on the floor, groaning in pain.

My breath hitched. Who is he? What the fuck did I run into? He couldn't be a human.

I stepped back, my back pressing into the wall, unable to process what just happened.

He suddenly turned to face me, his eyes flashing gold as they caught the street light for a split second.

My breath caught. What the fuck did I just see? That can't be a human's eye, right?

He closed the distance between us, and leaned in, his eyes piercing at me intensely, my skin prickled.

I pressed harder into the wall, swallowing the lump that formed in my throat.

He moved his hand to my face, but didn't touch me, and with a shaky and rough breath, he said only one word, his voice icy, "Mine,"

I stiffened, cold shivers ran down my spine.

Then he stepped back and walked away, fading into the pitch darkness... Not even a glance back at me.

'Mine?'

I crashed to the floor, heart pounding nervously as his voice echoed in my head...

Chapter 3

Ella Whitmore

My hands trembled as I locked every lock in my apartment, the image of the strange man and memories of everything that happened back there still clung to my head.

Cold goosebumps washed over me as I sat before my laptop at 3AM, the image of those golden eyes, and his impossible speed flooded my mind.

My fingers clicked over the keyboard as I made research, typing everything crazy that I could think of.

'Can humans have glowy golden eyes?'

'Can a human move like a flash?'

The results didn't make sense. They were pointing at supernatural beings... Something that doesn't exist.

It's not possible. They only exist in fiction and myths. It's not real. I told myself, trying to brush it off, but I was sure of what I saw. I couldn't deny it... not even to myself.

'Always trust your instinct, Ella'

My finger froze across the keyboard as my mom's last words echoed in my head, as if she was here with me.

She died fifteen years ago when I was just eight, and I've held on to that all these years, and right now, my instinct is screaming that the stranger was dangerous, and I should run from him, but a part of me wanted to see him again.

I wanted to satisfy this curiosity brewing inside me. I needed to confirm who he really was.

Time slipped by fast, and soon, it was morning.

I rolled out of the bed and into the bathroom the moment my alarm rang.

As I got ready for my part-time job, my phone chimed with a text.

Jasper;

'I'm sorry about last night. Let's meet. I'll explain everything that happened. Merry Christmas, baby'

I scoffed at the end of the text, my grip tightening on the phone.

Explain everything? He must be insane to think that I'll listen to his lies.

With a loud hiss and a deep sigh, I tossed my phone on the bed.

I was supposed to stay back home today being Christmas... I had taken days off from work to spend Christmas with Jasper, and since he decided to betray me, there was no point staying back home.

My hand stilled over my hair as I brushed it, a strange cold washing over me as memories of last night replayed in my head again.

Sighs. Don't think about it, Ella. You need to stay focused.

I told myself, sliding into my boot, wore my hand gloves, and grabbed my car keys from the nightstand.

Cold bit into my skin, the moment I stepped out of my apartment. My car was almost covered with snow, but thankfully, it wasn't much.

Just as I approached my car, a loud sound of car engine revving pulled my attention, and as I lifted my gaze, a familiar car pulled over in front of my gate.

Jasper stepped out of the car, cladded in gray pants and a white sweatshirt. A gray neck warmer tied round his neck.

My gaze dropped to his hand as he approached me. His fingers were clutching tightly around a bouquet of my favourite flowers... red roses.

My chest burned, fingers tightened at my sides. He dares show his face to me after what he did?

"Ella..." he said with a shaky voice as he stood before me, "I'm sorry about everything. Yeah, I messed up... I shouldn't have done that. I didn't know what came over me... I was just..."

His voice faded into a soft sigh.

Did he run out of lies?

I stared silently. Back then, I would be all excited having him around... my heart would pound hard, but looking at him now, I felt nothing... just emptiness and a numb heart.

"I won't ever hurt you..." The rest of his words faded as my eyes flicked past him to the person standing across the street, eyes on us... no, on me.

Something snapped inside me. A familiar cold washed over me. The same one I felt last night.

I didn't see his face... but I recognised him right away. His height and body sold him out.

The stranger from last night.

My heart stilled, fingers slowly curling into fists beside me as I took a step back. How did he know here? Did he stalk me?

Just the thought gave me chills... but strangely, I wasn't so scared like I was supposed to.

Then he started crossing the road.

My breath hitched.

Before I could react, Jasper's voice snapped me back as he grabbed my hand roughly, "are you even listening to me, Ella?"

His voice was full of rage.

"Yeah, I cheated... But at least I'm sorry about it. How could you ignore me like that?" His voice was full of rage.

"Let me go!" I cried out, but my voice stilled when I lifted my gaze and was welcomed by those pairs of golden eyes.

They were unmistakably the same eyes from last night.

The stranger was standing right behind Jasper now.

My breath caught in my throat, knees buckled beneath me.

My lips parted, but no words came out. My heart was pounding in my throat.

Before I could react, he grabbed Jasper's hand and pulled him back roughly, twisting his wrist.

I heard the cracking of Jasper's bone as he yelped in pain...