Alpha's New Girl

Chapter 1: The Slave Who Refused To Leave

NADINE

I tried to convince myself that the Moon Goddess never played favorites. That she was a kind-hearted Goddess who only wanted the best for her people. But when she let my parents die right before my eyes on my twelfth birthday, my perception of her changed in a blink of an eye.

"Wake up, Nads! You wouldn't want to get the Alpha hungry before training!" a familiar man shouted as he banged the wooden door of my room that's barely attached to the concrete wall.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips after I pulled the sheets down to my chest. My body was still sore and I was having a hard time healing lately due to the restrain anklet I was forced to wear. No matter how many times I tried to tell Alpha that I didn't start the fight against Kelsey, I was still the one punished. Now I had to wear this stupid silver anklet for another week.

I knew he sided with Kelsey because he hated me so much. My mother was his true mate, but mum lost the fight for the Luna position before. They had no choice but to marry someone else. Mum fell in love eventually with my Dad, who happened to be Alpha Lawrence's Beta... and his younger brother.

Alpha couldn't accept the fact that Mum and Dad had me out of love because he never moved on from my mother, so when my parents died, he gave me a choice. Either to leave the pack and get myself killed by hunters or stay as their slave.

So much for being his true love's daughter.

I promised Mum and Dad I would stay, so I chose the harder route in life. I guess I didn't really have the right to whine about all the abuse and unfair treatment I was getting. I had a choice, and I chose this life.

The last thing I would want right now is another beating and an anklet just because I was late for work, so I pulled myself up. The Delta banged my door once more, harder this time. Afraid it would finally break, I yelled. "I'm up!"

When I heard him leave, I groaned and stretched my arms. My bones cracked and, somehow, I felt relieved. My bare feet felt the cold floor before it searched for the comfort of my old flip flops. With my still sleepy eyes, I looked around my tiny room I had been calling home since I lost Mum and Dad.

Nothing changed. My clothes were still inside a cardboard box I stole in the kitchen. Some books from Mum's stuff were stacked next to my bed to be a night stand where I placed our family photo, my room key, mom's locket, and a small jar where I put some of the change I was getting whenever Alpha would send me to the downtown to get groceries. Funny as how it would sound, mother gave me her locket before she ran out of breath.

I didn't understand why, and there were days that I didn't want to wear it anymore, but I promised her that I would always have it. I was twelve that night. Maybe I just didn't get her right when she said, "keep it all the time and know that no matter how difficult life will be, you are a product of love."

I knew my parents loved me more than anything. What I didn't understand was why she gave me a locket that had her and Alpha Lawrence's photo. I knew they had history, but Mum made sure that I came into this world because my parents were in love.

I shook my head and got up to take a shower before I got emotional after seeing my late folks' picture. I'd been on my own for about nine years. I had already accepted the fact that I didn't belong to the golden list of Moon Goddess' favorite creations.

After I changed into a pair of faded jeans and a white shirt, I stormed out. My room was near the storage room. With a few more steps, I was already in front of the kitchen.

Because of my restraint, I failed to sense the man hiding behind the kitchen door. He snatched me by my arm and shut the door immediately before anyone could see us together.

"Luhence." I breathed out a sigh of relief.

My boyfriend, who happened to be the next Alpha of our pack, smiled at me before he wrapped his strong arms around my tiny body.

"I missed you, Nads. It's been a week." He leaned down to kiss me lightly, which I gladly answered. "I heard you got into a fight with Kelsey when I left with Dad's Beta."

I rolled my eyes and traced my fingertips on his jaw. "She started it. She hit me first."

Luhence's eyes turned soft. He raked a few strands of my sandy blonde hair towards the back of my ear before he heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you."

"Lu, even when you're here, you're not allowed to do that." My eyes fell on his chest as I felt my throat tighten. "We can't let them find out about us or they'll surely get rid of me before the selection night."

He pulled me closer and pecked gentle kisses on top of my hair. I inhaled his natural manly scent mixed with his perfume and let it intoxicate me. Despite all the bullshit I'd been enduring over the past years, I still wanted to call myself lucky for having him as my mate.

"I believe in you, Nads. I promise you, you'll have a better life after the selection."

A slight nod was my only answer before I hugged him back.

I could never afford to lose him in that match...

I need to win the fight for the Luna position. My relationship with Luhence wasn't enough to secure my spot in his life, because under the rules of Nirvana, only the strongest she-wolf in the pack was allowed to be the Luna. I have to prove myself worthy of being his mate, even if it would kill me.

"I have to go. Dad wants me to lead the training today." He gave me a kiss on my forehead. "Don't work yourself up too much."

As if I had a choice.

I was the slave of Zenios. I was never entitled to rest while chores weren't done yet.

When Luhence left, I immediately got rid of his scent all over me before I started on my long list of chores for today. When I finished cooking, I went to Alpha's office to clean it.

I was in the middle of scrubbing the floor when Alpha Lawrence came in. His expression immediately darkened the moment he laid eyes on me, probably because every time he sees me, he also sees the younger version of my mom. The best I could do for both of us was bow my head in resignation.

I shuddered when he sighed heavily. "How many times do I have to tell you to finish cleaning my office before I come here?" his voice thundered.

My heart began banging wildly inside my chest as fear thrummed in my body. I froze on my spot like the hopeless child he once beaten up to death just because I kept reminding him that my mother loved someone else.

He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me up. His grip was so tight that tears began to build up in my eyes even when I didn't want to cry.

"F--Forgive me, Alpha," I begged with a shaking voice.

He looked at me with darkened pools, but when he saw the locket I forgot to hide inside my shirt, his face turned red as fury consumed him. "How dare you wear Nimpha's necklace..." he said between gritted teeth before he dragged me outside his office.

I struggled to catch up with his big steps, and every time I would get left behind, he'd tighten his grip on my hair and harshly drag me.

Tears began to trail down my cheeks as I felt like my scalp was getting stripped off of my skull. When we reached the barracks, Alpha threw me towards the middle of the trainees. I spotted Luhence in front. When he tried to come near me, I immediately shook my head, telling him not to do anything.

His father must never find out about us or else he would kick me out so I wouldn't be able to join the selection. Luhence needs to be Alpha first. Once the position was already transferred to him, I would finally have the chance to join the fight.

"Dad, what's going on?" Luhence asked his father while trying to hide the anger brewing inside him.

Alpha went towards my side and grabbed me by my hair again before he looked around. "This pack isn't for the weaklings, the soft-hearted."

He let go of my hair and kicked me on my side. With my restrain anklet still on, I felt the immeasurable pain of what he had done. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut while I curled into a ball on the ground. My breathing hitched, but I knew Alpha was only getting started.

"You!" He pointed to one of the trainee warriors. "Come over here and show me your best kick."

"Dad! What the hell?! You're gonna get her killed!"

"Shut up, Luhence!" He glared at his son. Afraid that Luhence would come forward to help me, I tried to open my eyes and shook my head.

His face darkened when he understood my reasons, and as much as he wanted to protest, I showed him that my decision was final.

One by one, trainees punched me, kicked me, even threw me across the room while my mate was left frozen on his spot, unable to blink while watching me get tortured because of his own father.

I coughed blood, my eyes couldn't open anymore. My whole body was sore and my head was already bleeding, but they didn't stop. Every punch, every kick, every slap, I looked the Alpha straight in the eye, wondering if he was really that heartless or it was just his heart had died with my mother and that he couldn't feel remorse anymore.

Maybe he hated me because of my parents' love for each other, but he hated me more because he was blaming me for my mother's death.

If Mum didn't try to protect me from the hunters when we were attacked after they took me to the beach for my birthday, maybe the love of his life was still alive.

Another punch hit my back, but my eyes remained on the Alpha. When I fell on the ground and my locket opened, I saw how his eyes shifted from my bloody face to the photograph inside the locket.

It was... him and my mum, and he hated that I wore it just because it was my mother's.

He signaled the others to stop. I kept coughing blood when he walked towards me. He went on one knee and snatched the locket from my neck. When he saw the photo, pain crossed his face as if he was still grieving.

After all these years, it was still my mom...

I tried to lie on my back, my eyes remained looking at him as I tried to force a broken smile. My tears trailed down the sides of my face as I spoke. "I'm sorry... if... mum was not that... strong to win..."

My eyes drifted towards Luhence, who was looking at his father with so much fury. All his life, Luhence hated his dad for not loving him and his mother.

I can't let Luhence end up like his Dad someday.

I have to win that fight. I have to be his Luna...

Chapter 2: A Powerful Stranger

AFTER everyone left the barracks, Luhence sneaked back in to carry me to my room. I wanted to protest, afraid that his father would catch us. The last thing I would want for Luhence was to get in serious trouble because of me.

"Don't worry, baby. He left with the Deltas to check the west walls," Luhence assured in a low voice, as if he was having a hard time controlling his anger.

I couldn't open my eyes nor utter an answer. For the first time, I let myself feel fragile in the arms of my mate. I wanted to cry out of pity for myself, but I chose not to make Luhence feel more guilty. He might not say it out loud, but I could feel his fury for himself.

My head rested on Luhence's chest as he carried my tiny body to my room. When I was settled in my bed, Luhence sat on my side and held my shaking hand.

I forced my eyes to open, then regretted it the moment I saw Luhence's expression. His honey comb eyes were a shade darker, his jaw clenched so hard I worry he would break his set of pearl white teeth.

He took in some air then gently placed his other hand on my tummy. "I'll steal some meds and get you food. Stay here, babe."

I tightened my hold on his hand when he tried to stand up. When Luhence looked at me, I swallowed the rusty taste of blood in my mouth before I shook my head.

Luhence sighed. He leaned down to kiss my forehead before he rested my hand on his cheek. I had to hold my breath and purse my lips to keep myself from crying. It wasn't his fault. None of this was, but everytime I was getting some beating and he couldn't protect me, he would silently blame himself.

"Just a few more days, Nads. I swear, I'll make him pay for everything he did." He gently squeezed my hand before letting it go. "Let me at least nurse you while he is away."

"S--Someone might tell him."

He shook his head. "Mother called for pretty much everyone. She knew I couldn't just do nothing this time."A broken smile made its way to his thin lips. "She's on my side."

Luna was a compassionate woman destroyed by her husband. There was a reason why she won against my mother, but over time, even the older members of the pack noticed the gradual change in her.

She would often isolate herself. Alpha never let her decide for the pack nor speak her mind, even when her ideas make sense. One of the many things she was so jealous of about my mother.

When my mother was still alive, despite being with someone else and only the female Beta, her opinions were welcomed by the Alpha. Her thoughts were heard and she was valued by Alpha more than anyone in the pack. I knew it would be hard for her to accept me someday.

I watched Luhence leave. When he came back, he helped me clean myself before he attended to my wounds. He got rid of the anklet so I could heal faster. His presence helped, too, and when I started feeling better, he put my anklet back with a heavy heart.

"I'm sorry, Nads," he uttered with sadness in his eyes.

My lips twisted for a small smile as I raised my hand to touch his face. This man was far from his father. I knew once Luhence was already the Alpha, things would finally change for everyone.

What was scaring me though was his plans for his own Dad.

"Rest for now. Dad will be back by evening. I'll ask someone else to do your chores."

I shook my head. "They might get in trouble."

"No. I'll tell Dad you're too weak to work. Don't argue with me on this one, babe." He kissed me lightly on the lips before he stood up. "I need to go. Will you promise to stay here and rest?"

A simple nod was my only answer. When Luhence left, I did what he asked. I slept the whole day. Luckily, Alpha Lawrence didn't return until evening. He was badly hurt like the rest of his Deltas, even his Beta.

Everyone in the pack became busy attending to them, so I had the chance to steal some food in the kitchen before I sneaked out to go to the falls where I would usually train at night while everyone was asleep.

I placed my food and a bottle of water by the rocks before I removed all my clothes. My fingers burned when I removed my anklet. Even the part on my ankle was reddish already and I knew how much my wolf hated it.

Taking in some air, I went on all fours on the ground. My eyes shut as I let my wolf, Auror, come to the surface. I was smaller compared to the current Luna. Her fur was amber red with some brown like Luhence's, while mine was white with some black fur on my neck that stretched to my belly.

My tail wiggled and my nose began to sniff the wet vegetation on the ground. When my wolf and I finally felt balanced, I began to run. My heart felt free as I roamed through the woods, my soul at peace as I connected to nature.

When my wolf got tired of running around, I returned to the falls and shifted back. I put my clothes on but when I realized that my anklet was gone, fear thrummed in my heart and I immediately looked around.

My wolf growled inside me when I saw a pair of golden yellow eyes from a distance, looking at me in an intense way. I didn't know why, but I felt that whoever owned those eyes, didn't belong to my pack.

Its gaze alone shouted dominance and power I never felt, even from Alpha Lawrence. The stranger's presence brought me chills, and when its eyes narrowed at me, I felt my wolf backing down.

I blinked in surprise. Auror was a stubborn wolf. That's why I often got in trouble during my first years of having her on the surface. It took me a while to get along with her and to make her listen to me, but this stranger, it only took one sharp look to tame Auror.

My fists balled on my sides as I swallowed the lump I didn't notice forming in my throat. "W--Who's that?"

The stranger didn't answer. When the wind blew hard, a few strands of my hair covered my face. I immediately pushed it away and looked in the stranger's direction again, but it was already gone.

My forehead creased as I looked around, searching for whoever that was. Even my feet started moving. I went to the spot where I saw it before I let Auror onto the surface. My eyes turned gold as I went on one knee. My hand touched the tree and realized it was stained with blood.

Auror sniffed in the air, but the stranger's scent was something we had never smelled before.

"Could it be a rogue?" I asked Auror.

"I don't think so. Its blood smells powerful," she answered, which confused me.

Powerful? It couldn't be anyone from another pack, right? Nirvana follows a strict law set by the ancestors. Whatever happens in each pack, should only be handled by them. We were basically on our own, unlike what I heard about the District of Remorse. The five packs in their district work together, maybe that's why they remained the most powerful.

Auror alerted me when she felt someone approaching my direction. I immediately got up and was about to hide when I saw the Luna taking her steps towards my direction.

My eyes slightly widened. I bowed my head to pay my respect and Luna jerked her head slightly, showing me she appreciated it.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night, Nadine?" she asked with a gentle voice, but her face remained expressionless.

My heartbeat began to rise. I looked away and swallowed hard before I answered in a shaking voice. "Forgive me, Luna. I was just out here to train myself. The Alpha never allowed me to join the training, so I did this."

I prepared myself already in case she would lash out at me, but Luna didn't speak until she was already in front of me. "I smelled your scent on my son when he went home earlier." She held me by my chin and made me look into her cold eyes. "Tell me, child, is my son your mate? Is it why you're out here training yourself?"

My face lost its color as fear clawed my heart. "L--Luna..."

Surprisingly, the corners of her lips slightly twisted upward. She took in some breath and released it before she let go of my chin. "My son is very important to me, Nadine. I would never wish for him to have the same fate as his father's." Pain crossed her face. "Your mother lost the fight against me. I was naive to think my husband would move on from her, but even when she's already dead, his heart still belongs only to your mother."

My head bowed, unable to look longer at her eyes that screamed how much she was suffering. "I'm... sorry."

"Save it, child." She turned her back on me. "I will make sure you'll be sorry once you lose the match. There is no way I'll see my son feel the same pain that killed my husband."

Her words brought chills down my spine, and as I watched her disappear through the woods leading back to the village, my knees almost turned jelly. Great. Now I have more reasons to win the Luna title.

I sighed and began my combat training. I applied everything Luhence taught me, and when I was finally exhausted, I went to my last stop before heading back home.

I took the trail leading to the pack's cemetery, but when I saw the man lying on his back right on top of my mother's grave, I immediately hid behind the tree. When I realized he didn't notice my presence, I carefully peeked to see him.

Bottles of liquor were on his sides. Alpha looked drunk already, and when he pulled himself up, I gasped and covered my lips after seeing him hugging mother's gravestone.

"Forgive me, love. If only I broke the laws that night..." he said with tears trailing down his face.

My chest tightened as I watched him rest his head on mother's gravestone. This was the second time I'd seen Alpha cry this hard. The first time was when they retrieved my parents' bodies.

"I will never stop, Nimpha. I will do everything to make them pay."

My forehead creased. Make whom pay?

Chapter 3: The Selection Night

What I heard the night I saw Alpha on my mother's grave bothered me so much. It kept me up for a couple more hours, and when I finally drifted off to sleep, I dreamed of the night we were attacked by the hunters.

I was so scared. Father was trying to hold down the hunters who were chasing us but they were too many. Mum was crying while she was guiding me through the woods because she knew Dad was already in a bad shape when we left him. When we reached a place where she could hide me, she immediately returned to help my Dad.

I begged her to stay but she just smiled at me and promised that everything would be okay, but when she left and didn't return after half an hour, I swallowed my fear and went out to search for them.

With only the moonlight guiding my way, I trembled in fear but I kept going until I found my mother lying next to my Dad. I cried and fell on my knees as tears trailed down my cheeks. My mother held me by the side of my face and told me how much she loved me before she made me remove her locket.

She asked me to wear it and trusted that someday, everything would finally be alright. I cried so hard and begged her not to leave me, but right before the Alpha and his men came, mum shut her eyes and didn't open it again.

"No... No, no... Nimpha!" Alpha fell on his knees and held my mother in his arms, his hand rested on her bloody cheek as he tried to wake her up. I remained at my mother's side, crying for the family I had just lost.

"Wake up, Nimpha, you can't leave me again!" Alpha exclaimed, and for the first time in my life, I saw the ruthless leader of our pack cry his heart out. He hugged my mother so tight as if his heart died with her. No matter how much the others tried to tell him that mum was already gone, he didn't let go of my mother's dead body. He kept kissing mum's forehead and then he would beg her to come back.

"I'll be good. I'll do anything to make you happy again. I promise I'll change just..." he sobbed and hugged mum tighter. "Don't leave me, Nimpha..."

It was a painful memory I wished I could just forget, but the pain was already sketched in my heart like a tattoo I didn't want to have in the first place.

When Alpha Lawrence looked at me, his teary eyes turned cold as he clenched his jaw. "This is your fault..."

I woke up with tears trailing down the sides of my face. My eyes stared blankly at the white ceiling as I felt the familiar pain thrum in my heart. I knew it was my fault. I took away not only my own parents, but a very important part in Alpha's life.

With one deep breath, I shut my eyes and wiped my tears with the back of my hands. Once things were better around Zenios, I would go after the people responsible for my parents' death. Maybe if I could finally bring justice to mum and dad's death, Alpha would be okay, too. Maybe Luhence would finally have the father he'd been craving for all these years.

THE NIGHT we'd been waiting for finally came. I was thankful I healed faster than expected, so I was pretty confident I would stand a chance tonight.

While everyone was busy preparing on the arena, I remained in my room for a few more moments holding my mother's locket. My eyes felt hot when I thought about what the older members of the pack said. Mum gave all she got the night of the competition for the Luna competition, and when she lost the fight, she was really heartbroken.

I shut my eyes and kissed her locket. "This is for you, Mum. I'll win this one for you."

The door opened and Luhence went in. I immediately got up and met him halfway. I could feel his excitement but he failed to hide the worry in his eyes as he held my hands.

"You can do this, baby. I know you'll win this fight," he flashed an inward smile before he held the back of my head. My heart felt warm when Luhence pecked a kiss on my forehead while he was still holding my other hand.

"I will. I'll do whatever it takes to win," I answered before I fixed the collar of his black long-sleeves polo that was folded up to his elbows. His hair was still a little damp, as if he went to me as soon as he got out of the shower.

His hand rested on the side of my face, his thumb gently caressed my cheek. "I believe in you... but if things do not end up the way we wanted, I just... want you to know that I won't make the same mistakes my father did."

His words made me worried. I took in some air and cupped his face. "You won't have to break the laws. I promise you, I will win." I patted his chest. "Now go and get rid of my scent. I'll see you in the arena."

He gave my forehead one more gentle kiss before he headed out. When the door finally shut, I rubbed my chest and took a couple of deep breaths. I should win. No matter what happens, I should.

I watched Luhence walk towards his father. The passing of the Alpha position had already begun, and as I watched Luhence stand next to his parents while Alpha Lawrence was proclaiming him as the new leader, I smiled and bowed to him like the others.

After the ceremony, Luhence announced the opening of the competition. Every single unmated she-wolf who wanted to win the Luna position went inside the battle circle, but when Alpha Lawrence saw me, he suddenly stood up and yelled. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

I held my breath and balled my fists on my sides. "I'm going to fight tonight."

His eyes narrowed at me. "No, you're not--"

"As the new Alpha, I am allowing Nadine to join." Luhence clenched his jaw as he looked at his father in a sharp way. "She's officially a free wolf."

Alpha Lawrence's eyes turned gold, but the Luna held him by his arm and told him to calm down. Left with no choice, he returned to his seat and gazed at me again. "Fine. Go ahead and give me another nightmare." He glared at me before he clenched his fists.

I suddenly felt chills but I decided not to mind him. He was just probably having a hard time accepting the fact that I had the balls to still fight despite the lack of training.

Like the other she-wolves joining tonight's competition, I went on my spot and placed my hands on my back. The rules were clear. Nobody must shift. We would need to fight in our hybrid form; a human body with the ability of a wolf.

My heart hardly banged inside my chest as the countdown began. When the timer reached one, the bloody fight started. Two attacked me but I managed to knock one down. The other tried to lock her arm around my neck but I flipped her over before I threw her a hard punch that made her unconscious.

The fight continued. We were like wild animals fighting inside a cage until there was only three of us left. My cheek was bleeding, so as my lower lip but I just wiped the blood off my face with the back of my hand.

When I accidentally glanced at Alpha Lawrence's direction, I noticed the sadness written in his eyes as if he wasn't seeing me but my mother... maybe because I resembled mother so much, and the last time he saw her fighting, she was in my position.

I wouldn't lose like my mother. This fight was for her glory...

The two other girls looked at each other as if they were talking inside their heads. It gave me an off feeling, and when they both attacked me, I realized what they were planning.

I struggled when they took turns in kicking and punching me. One hit me pretty badly and it made me fall to my stomach. I groaned in pain when one of them strangled me. I gasped for air and my heartbeat began to slow down, but when I saw my mother's locket, I suddenly remembered why I should win this fight.

I growled and twisted my body. Alpha Lawrence went to his feet with eyes widely open as if he was having deja vu, and then I gave the other girl a hard kick on her stomach before I slammed the other on the ground. I saw him being left in awe like he didn't expect it to happen, but when I saw tears trailing down his cheeks, my heart felt immense pain for him.

I knew he remembered my mother. Again.

The former Beta went inside the ring and started checking the girls. My heart banged loudly inside my chest as I struggled to catch my breath. When the girls shook their heads, telling the former Beta that they couldn't fight anymore, he held me by my wrist and was about to proclaim me the winner when we suddenly felt something coming.

Everyone went silent. Luhence's eyes turned gold. He looked at his father with worry as he spoke.

"Hunters..."