Alpha Rasmus

She sat in the corner of the darkroom on the cold tiled floor, hugging her knees to her chest as tears kept pouring out of her eyes. She didn't wipe them away. She was in agony. Her heart pained and she just couldn't stop this ache.

Somehow she knew the pain was related to him. It was all because of him.

Why does he have so much effect on her?

She wasn't this weak before.

"Catherine." His deep voice resonated in the coldness of the room causing the hair on her nape to stand up.

She hid her face in her arms and curled more into herself. She didn't want to see him. She didn't even want to hear his voice.

She heard his heavy footsteps approaching as he stopped right in front of her. Her knuckles and nails turned white with the pressure she was grasping her arms.

"Catherine." This time his voice appeared broken and sad. Why was he sounding as if he was in pain? He shouldn't act like that. He should be happy.

"I'm... I'm sorry." His words were a small whisper but she heard them loud and clear.

How ironic it was when you crush something into millions of tiny little pieces and then apologize. Would that heal and bring those broken pieces back? No, sorry won't do anything. It was just a bluff of ointment on your wounds that would only rot more over time.

She used to think she was so strong and calm but he proved her wrong. He made her feel how weak and pathetic she was.

She felt his hand on her arm and she flinched back badly. Her head snapped up and their eyes met.

Olive green against brown ones.

He takes in a sharp breath looking at her red teary puffy eyes. For the first time, he saw such raw pain behind her always joy-filled eyes and it painfully twisted his heart.

She watched him. He was on his knees right in front of her. His own eyes were misty. Why? Why did he look in pain? Why did he look so sad?

"I... I'm sorry." He said those meaningless words again. But did they mean anything? No.

"You cannot mend what is already broken." She whispered the same words he had said to her once.

Rasmus's shoulders slumped and his head lowered down as a tear fell on his cheek. His heart constricted painfully in his chest.

What has he done?

The loud blaring of the alarm made her groan in annoyance as she grabbed her phone and turned it off before pushing her head back into the comfort of her pillows. Barely a sigh of relief escaped her lips when there was a loud knocking on her door.

"Go away." She mumbled but she already knew what followed so she covered her face in the quilt when her door opened and light footsteps were heard, followed by the opening of the curtains, so evil rays of sunlight would destroy her peaceful slumber.

"Martha, stop!" Catherine complained groggily as the middle-aged woman started to pull her quilt making her clutch it even more tightly.

"Wake up young lady. You'll be late for University." Martha said as she abruptly yanked the quilt away from her causing Catherine to squeal when cold air caressed her skin.

God, she hates this.

"You are evil," Catherine complained as she sat up on her bed and rubbed her eyes while yawning and stretching.

"Of course. I know that honey. Now go take a shower and then wake up your brother, I'm going to make breakfast." Martha said and left the room with a small smile.

Catherine strutted to the restroom, getting rid of her nightgown, she did her business and took a relaxing shower. Coming out draped in her towel, she wore her clothes, a knee-length skirt, and a button-up shirt tucked in. She blow-dried her hair.

She walked out and went to Adriel's room and started being evil like Martha as she opened the curtains and started pulling his quilt.

"Honey bunny crunchy Monkey. Wake up." She said in a sing-a-song manner causing Adriel to groan. Like a sister, like a brother.

"Don't call me that." He groaned as he pulled at the quilt more tightly.

"Okay chipmunk." Catherine giggled when Adriel grumbled in annoyance.

"My name is Adriel." He complained while clutching the sheets oh so tightly.

"Of course, Sloth." Catherine laughed but it changed into a squeal and then she groaned in pain when Adriel let go of the quilt at once and as she was pulling it with all her might, she went flying on the ground landing safely on her big butt but it freaking hurts.

"You dumbhead!" She growled and before she could charge at him, he already dashed into the restroom closing the door behind her and locking it.

"You have five minutes. And don't you forget this. I'll get back to you on it, have my word. I'll settle the score between us." She grumbled while pounding at his door.

"Yeah blah blah sissy." Adriel the evil, sang from inside as she scrunched her nose up in annoyance and then shook her head with a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Five minutes." She yelled before going out and went downstairs into the hall and then into the large dining room which could accommodate at least twenty people.

Martha was already setting the breakfast for two. "Pancakes! Martha, I just love you." Catherine said while plopping down on the chair and ogling the food with wide eyes causing Martha to chuckle at the gleefulness of her miss.

"Love you too, sweetie." Martha mused.

Catherine smiled when Adriel walked in still looking sleepy. Catherine is 19 years old and her little brother Adriel is 10. They both live in this magnificent palace-like mansion alone with their father. Well not her father.

Amelia was a single mother, Catherine's father abandoned Amelia because he didn't have the balls to be a young father, so Amelia raised Catherine alone. Amelia was 18 years old when she had Catherine. Catherine was 8 when Amelia got the eyes of a wealthy man. Richard Hill, a 30-year-old bachelor. As Richard used to say, he instantly fell in love with Amelia at first sight. Amelia was 26 then with an 8-year-old daughter and Richard accepted them both with open arms. They got married and after a year Adriel was born. Their family was complete. They were so happy but on Catherine's 14th birthday...

Amelia met with an accident. She wasn't alone in the car, Catherine was there with her. But God saved her and took her mother away. Catherine never talked about the accident to anyone. Amelia's death shook their happy home.

But they cope with it. Things changed. Catherine started to take care of her brother and Richard started to drown more in work, distracting himself from the loss of Amelia.

The absence of Amelia became a constant in their lives and heart but they had found a way to live with it and Catherine found happiness in the smallest of things.

Martha has been working for them since Amelia came into this mansion as a bride. Martha was a second mother to them and they both love her so much.

"Why do you always make her favorite food, this is cheating Martha," Adriel complained and Catherine only let out an evil laugh causing Martha to smack her head playfully, making her pout.

"I'll make chicken steak for dinner." Martha mused, causing a big smile to appear on Adriel's face and Catherine smiled sheepishly looking at her brother.

They eat their food while Catherine banter how she and her squad pranked the university's Janitor by becoming ghosts, wearing a wig and costume. Adriel laughed while hearing his sister.

After breakfast, Martha handed a lunch box to Adriel who ran out of the mansion and left with the driver in his car for school.

Catherine kissed Martha on the cheek as she too went out. Her driver was waiting for her on the porch. Mr. Steve opened the door for her. "Good morning Mr. Steve." Catherine smiled as Mr. Steve replied with a genuine smile.

The girl was like the only source of light in the whole mansion, who spread smiles and positivity everywhere. Just by looking at her breathtaking smile people felt like smiling back.

She was a jolly person. The one who spreads kindness, love, and joy. She was full of fun and thrill. Just look at her and you feel like falling for her charms already.

Mr. Steve stopped the car at the main gate of the campus. Catherine said thank you and hopped out before Mr. Steve would come out and open the door for her. She swung her bag back on her shoulder and started to walk in.

The eyes came on her instantly. She was one of the famous ones here. She and her gang. It was her first year in university and already she has a gang of best friends they already gathered a lot of fame around here with their stupid pranks and fun all the time.

She barely stepped into the corridor when a shrill voice screamed. "CATHERINE!" And Avery jumped on her in a bone-crushing hug as Catherine laughed and hugged her back.

"You scream like-" Catherine was about to say when Avery moved back with wide eyes. "Don't even start," Avery warned as Catherine let out a small chortle.

Avery aka the melodramatic queen of their group. She's the typical long nails, high heels, red lips, and blonde. But she was just so sweet by heart.

"Aww such a pretty reunion. How many years have passed since you last met? Oh yeah, probably 18 hours or so." Samuel joked with an eye roll as he came to stand beside them.

Samuel was tall and handsome with tan skin and curly hair and his smile, you could say; his smile causes the heads to turn in his direction.

"Don't be jealous Sam." Catherine mused, causing him to grin at her.

"Am I missing some party?" Joseph came running wearing his number. Yeah, Joseph was the typical bad boy, Jock of their campus. Famous, absolutely, but his circle of friends involved Samuel, Avery, Catherine, and Quinn. These five were inseparable.

Some think they become friends in uni but none knows they were in the same college, they're family friends as well. Sam, Joseph, and Avery were diaper friends. Quinn and Catherine were the ones who became their friends in college and from then the biggest and fantastically psychotic and most fun-loving gang was created. It was not that it was fun all the time, they did study hard to get admission to Stanford University. And gladly they all got admission on merit but poor Quinn had to work hard on Joseph cause the bad boy was null in his studies.

"Where's Quinn?" Joseph asked as he deliberately ruffled Avery's hair causing her to growl at him. "She's the nerd of our circle. The class starts in two minutes, where do you expect her to be?" Avery asked with a cocked brow causing Joseph to chuckle.

"Alright, let's meet at the cafeteria in recess," Sam said and they all nodded heading to their first class.

Quinn, Catherine, and Joseph were majoring in business so almost all their classes were the same. Sam is doing law whereas Avery is totally and unapologetically lost in the deep love of history so yeah she was majoring in history.

They walked into the class and Joseph went to sit in the back not before pulling Quinn's ponytail in his way of greeting, she glared at him as he smirked and sat at the last seat.

Catherine too sat in the last seat beside Joseph's, whereas Quinn was sitting in the first seat. Catherine and her whole group were a backbencher except only the great Quinn. Though this doesn't mean they get bad grades. Nope, they all are blessed with good brains so they enjoy a lot and get good results too, viola.

Within a minute they heard footsteps approaching so everyone straightened up as the professor walked in. He greeted the class as everyone settled down in their seats.

"Class, there's a new student who joined." The professor said and everyone stared at each other confused. A new student! That too in the middle of the semester.

The footsteps that followed were heavy. All eyes were set at the door when a tall hunk walked in. Probably 6'2. His head down, the dark black hair finger-combed back as one of the rogue strands adorned his forehead. His skin was tan. She instantly noticed the trimmed beard on his sharp jaw, she could bet he was older than her. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed his pink lips sealed in a thin line. High cheekbones, straight nose, thick brows knitted together, was he angry? His lashes were thick. She lowered her eyes down, he was wearing a black T which was full sleeves and fitted, damn his body. Oh damn! She looked at Joseph who was to her left and he looked at her at the same time and she cocked her brow at Joseph, looks like someone would give Joseph a tough time because this dude was giving out pure bad boy vibes.

The dude was wearing black pants, black boots, and Oh la la. She checked him out thoroughly before looking up at his face again.

She took a sharp breath, her eyes widening slightly when she found his olive eyes staring straight back at her. They were cold. He looked mad and she didn't know why.

'Look away dude.'

She muttered in her head.

'I know I'm pretty. But stop gawking in front of the class. Jeez, where is your etiquette?' She thought while still matching his gaze.

Her jaw dropped when the handsome dude looked away and she saw him rolling his eyes.

'Wtf! What do you think of yourself huh? Stupid.' She thought with an eye roll.

Unfortunately, Joseph saw the whole scene and he was controlling his laughter. Great.

"This is Rasmus Colt." The professor introduced as everyone just gawked. "Take a seat, Rasmus," Professor said and unfortunately, there were only three seats left, two in the front row and one just beside Catherine.

The silent man walked back and hopped on the seat beside her.

Silence.

Catherine blinked and made eye contact with Joseph, he was still smirking at her. To prove him wrong and wipe that smirk off of his face. She turned towards the silent guy aka Rasmus.

His name was unique.

"Hey!" She smiled at him and the big guy didn't even spare her a glance.

'Did he just ignore my existence?'

She heard a snicker from Joseph and she turned to glare at him.

Idiot Joseph.

Stupid, arrogant Rasmus.