Claimed By The Alpha: Hazel's Retribution

~Hazel~

My eyes squinted slightly as I typed away on the computer. I was damn exhausted from working too much lately. I even skipped lunch hours just to finish up with the task I was assigned.

I could feel my heart pace faster as I thought about the deadline, which was tomorrow. "There is no way I'm going to finish up and submit these documents to my boss before tomorrow."

Sighing exasperatedly, I took my hands off the keyboard and stretched.

As soon as I resumed typing, my phone started ringing.

It was my mother. I've been expecting her call since this morning. My birthday is tomorrow, and we were supposed to be making preparations to celebrate at home.

I answered the call and dropped the phone on the desk while typing away on the keyboard. "Hi, Mom!" I said.

"Hello Hazel, how are you?" She responded through the phone.

"I'm fine mom, I'm just busy with work," I said and sighed.

"I can tell you are so stressed out right now. I'd advise you to take it easy on yourself." Her voice was coated with concern.

"I can't, Mom, I have a deadline to meet. I'm even thinking of working till dawn."

"This is the only way I can ever meet up with the deadline."

"Sleep at the office? Again? You promised not to–"

"I know Mom, I promised–but this would be the last time I would work overnight." I cut in, not convinced by my own words.

My mother worries too much about me, which isn't good for her health. She has been thinking too much lately, and I fear her pressure might rise again.

"All right, just this–" My mother's statement was cut short by a scream.

A sudden, jarring sound shattered the tranquility.

My heart leaped into my throat, and a chill ran down my spine as if warning me of impending doom.

Panic gripped me. My mind racing with terrifying possibilities.

With trembling hands, I held onto the phone. Fearing the news that would follow, I prayed it shouldn't be as bad as I dared to imagine.

"Mom! Mom?" I screamed through the phone, alerting the attention of my colleagues.

"Hazel, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Susan, one of my colleagues asked, while the others stared at me with a quizzical look.

"My mom, I think she got involved in an accident." I panicked.

I can't afford to lose my mother. She's the only parent figure I have left.

Tears began to stream down my cheeks as Susan tried to calm me down.

"Hello Ms, please come to Diamond General Hospital. Your mother was just hit by a car." A male voice spoke from my mother's phone.

Without hesitation, I stormed out of the office, totally forgetting about my task and the deadline altogether.

Fortunately, the hospital wasn't far from my place of work. It didn't take up to ten minutes before I arrived there.

I watched with dread as the ambulance screeched to a halt outside.

As the doors swung open, my eyes locked onto the stretcher being hurriedly wheeled in.

There, lying pale and fragile, was my mother. Her face twisted in pain and covered in blood.

As they whisked her away to the emergency room, I followed closely behind.

Three hours later, the doctor finally came out. "Doctor, how is my mother?" I asked, rushing towards him.

"I'm sorry to say this, but your mother is in a bad state right now." He started. "She is paralyzed from her neck downwards, and if operated immediately, she has an eighty percent chance of a full recovery."

"As the days go by, her chances will decrease." He added.

The doctor's words felt like a physical blow, knocking the breath from my lungs. I could feel the color drain from my face as the gravity of his words sank in.

"How much is the treatment?" I asked.

"Do you have insurance?" He asked.

"No, I wish we did."

"It would cost you $50,000 without insurance."

My heart shattered at his words. Where am I supposed to get such an amount of money?

"Is there any way you can treat her so I can pay in installments?" I begged.

"I'm sorry Ms, we don't accept installments," He said politely.

"Can I see her then?"

"She is in a coma right now, but you can go ahead and see her." He said, and I rushed into the emergency room.

I looked at my mother, her face pale and weak. "Mom!" I called, tears trickling down my cheek.

There was no response, just her unconscious body lying completely still on the hospital bed.

I grabbed her hand, pressing her palm against my cheek. "Please don't do this to me, please wake up Mom," I said, sobbing subconsciously.

Staying here won't solve anything. I need to find a way to pay for her treatment.

As I exited the hospital, the only person that came to my mind was my boss.

I prayed desperately that he would agree to help me.

I wish my brother Brandon wasn't so sickly. I wish he was just a normal kid. It wouldn't have been so hard for me to get that money for my mother's treatment.

I wish I had a father. I wish he didn't die before I was born. He would have been of great help.

I ran into the company building, hoping to meet my boss inside.

"Good afternoon, sir!" I greeted him as soon as I entered his office.

"Hazel, where have you been?" His voice sounded harsh.

"I'm sorry, sir. My mother was knocked down by a car, that's why I left. The doctor said if I don't–"

"That is none of my business." He yelled. "How dare you leave the document behind? Aren't you aware the client will be coming tomorrow morning?"

"I'm sorry, sir but I had to leave, my mother is–"

"You are fired!" He yelled.

"What!"

"Sir please, I have no one to turn to." I pleaded with him, tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes.

"Leave my office this instant." He stated, "Before I call the security guards to drag you out."

How am I supposed to go about this? I have no one else–Wait! My boyfriend.

Aiden can help me. Yes, he can, he is my boyfriend.

I ran out of the office immediately. My vision was blurred by the tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. My mother's health was deteriorating rapidly, and I needed his help.

With desperation gnawing at my insides, I hurried towards his apartment.

My mind was consumed with worry for my mother and the hope that he would offer some support in our time of need.

But as I reached his building and pushed open the door, the sight before me stole the air from my lungs.

Shock and disbelief washed over me in waves as I stood frozen in the doorway. Unable to tear my eyes away from the scene before me.

There he was, tangled in an embrace with another woman. Their lips locked in a betrayal that shattered my world into a million irreparable pieces.

Every ounce of trust I had placed in him crumbled to dust in an instant. Replaced by a searing pain that threatened to consume me whole.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut: not only had he been unfaithful, but he had also shattered my hopes of finding solace in my time of need.

"Aiden!" I yelled his name.

I stared at his face, hoping to catch a glimpse of remorse in his eyes. But he wasn't; he continued with what he was doing.

This was a low blow for me. I've hit rock bottom.

I wanted to leave, but I couldn't. My mother's health was dwindling by the minute.

"I need your help. My mother is in a coma," I said, my fist clenching by my side.

"What do you expect me to do? Give you my money?" He started. "Why is your family always sick? Don't you think they are cursed?"

How dare he say something like this to me? Each word he said felt like a dagger piercing through my heart.

"Aiden, please–"

"Get out!" He cut me off.

Anger surged through me, and the urge to punch his face grew stronger.

I wish I had a father. Things wouldn't have been hard like this.

How dare he shatter my heart like this? Why didn't I see him as the condescending bastard he was?

My boyfriend and boss have refused to help. Who should I run to?

Without saying a word, I turned my back on him and left.

Arriving at the emergency room, I sat next to my mother, who was still unconscious. It hurt me so much to see her this way. While I was lost in my thoughts, I didn't realize I had fallen asleep.

"Hazel," I heard my mother's weak voice call.

As I woke up to the sound of her voice, I realized it was midnight already. I saw my mother's eyes staring back at mine as I woke up.

"Mom," I called, hugging her gently.

As if she was about to say something important, she said, "Listen."

"I can't take it to my grave," sighing exasperatedly.

What is she saying? Why is she sounding like this? My body began to tremble, fearing that this might be her last word.

"Y-You have a father."

~Hazel's~

"H-His name is George Davis."

"Yes, he is still alive, but he has another family," she began. "I know he would not help us."

What? I have a father? So where is he? Why wouldn't he help us? I felt the urge to ask my mother, but I couldn't. She had just woken up from a coma. I didn't want to overwhelm her with my questions.

"But I don't expect you to ask him for help either," she continued, her voice no different from a whisper.

"How can I reach him?" I asked, but she ignored my question.

It was clear that she didn't want me to find him.

"There is an heirloom that belongs to my family," she began. "I've entrusted it to a friend."

"Mom?" Tears welled up in my eyes. "I need to pay for your treatment, please tell me how to reach my father."

He was my only hope and option now. She ignored my questions and told me the location of the heirloom.

She assured me that in case I find her people or her people find me, they'd recognize me with the heirloom.

It sounded crazy, but I felt assured that I had a family somewhere. Her words weren't detailed enough, but I didn't care either. All I needed now was the money and not some heirloom.

"Don't worry, Mom, get some rest," I said, helping her lay back on the bed.

My father is still alive? So why did he abandon us? Why didn't he come looking for us? I began to think as I exited the hospital.

There must be something that belonged to my father in my mother's room. Anything that would help me locate him.

Finally, I arrived at my apartment building. Unlocking the door, I made my way to my mother's room. I started searching the whole place for a clue.

There must be something, anything at all.

While searching, I accidentally stumbled upon my mother's old address book beneath the small desk. Its pages were worn and faded with time. Taking a deep breath, I opened it to the page marked "George Davis".

I traced my finger along the phone number listed beside his name. There it was. His phone number.

With trembling hands, I picked up the phone and dialed the number.

God, please let him answer his phone.

The phone rang once, twice, before a voice answered on the other end.

It was deep and rich, with a hint of familiarity that sent shivers down my spine. "Hello?" the voice said, a note of curiosity lacing his words.

For a moment, I was speechless. My mind raced as I struggled to find the right words.

But then, with a surge of courage, I spoke, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. "Is this... is this Mr. George Davis?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

There was a pause on the other end. A moment of silence that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

And then, finally, came the response I had been waiting for. "Yes, this is him. Who am I speaking to?" the voice replied.

A rush of emotion flooded through me as I realized the truth.

This man, this billionaire whose name had graced the headlines of newspapers and magazines, was none other than my father.

"Hello?" He repeated.

"Hi, D-Dad," I stuttered. "It's me, Hazel, your daughter." Tears streamed down my eyes as I said those words.

"My daughter?" His baritone voice was coated with doubt. "I only have one child, I think you are mistaken," He said.

What? He doesn't know about me? Should I tell him my mother's name?

"My mother's name is Amber," I said, and I heard him gasp.

That must have rung a bell in his head.

"What? Amber? She had a child for me?" He asked, but there was no ounce of surprise in his tone.

I could tell he knew all along. He was just feigning ignorance.

"Dad, I need your help," I began. "My mother's life is at stake, she needs immediate treatment."

"What do you want me to do about it? Why should I help your mother?" He asked, his voice sounding harsh.

"Please Dad, I have no one else to turn to," I said, crying.

"All right, I will help you, but you have to come down to New York. To be sure you are not lying," He said.

He is right for him to doubt.

Anyway, that's not a problem. All that matters is that I will be back with the money.

Without hesitation, I decided to do what he said. I didn't inform my mother about it because I knew she wouldn't agree.

A few hours later, I was already in New York. Standing in front of the mansion he had described. My heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

I had rehearsed this moment countless times in my mind. But nothing could prepare me for the flood of emotions as I raised my hand to knock.

After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open, revealing a man whose features bore a striking resemblance to Brandon and me.

His eyes, though weary, held a glimmer of recognition as he looked upon me.

"Father," I whispered.

The word felt foreign on my tongue after years of absence.

He nodded, his expression guarded yet tinged with a hint of regret. "Come in."

Stepping over the threshold, I saw two women sitting in the living room. They might be my stepmother and stepsister.

They smiled at me, but their hatred for me was written all over their faces. The air felt suffocating. I can't wait to get my ass off this place.

I exchanged pleasantries with them before turning to my father.

Our conversation was strained and awkward until finally, he broached the reason for my visit.

"I'll help with your mother's treatment," he said, his voice gruff yet tinged with a hint of something I couldn't quite decipher. "But there's a condition."

My heart sank as I braced myself for what was to come. I had hoped for reconciliation, for a chance to mend the fractured bond between them.

But instead, he laid out his ultimatum with a coldness that cut me to the core.

"Agree to marry the man I choose for you, and then your mother will be saved." His words caught me by surprise.

"Right now," He added.

~Hazel~

"What? Right now?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Yes, it's either you do it or your mother dies," He said, his tone grave.

I stood there, my mind reeling as they all stared at me expectantly

"I'm not begging you to do it, but if you don't_" He started, his tone getting colder.

"I will," I cut in, steeling myself for what lay ahead.

"But you have to promise me that you will pay for my mother's treatment," I added, tears threatening to escape my eyes.

"I will. Now, come with me," He said, gesturing towards the door.

We got into his car and started driving our way to the man he had chosen for me.

I care not about the marriage; all I could think about was my mother. She meant more than anything to me.

As soon as we arrived in front of the mansion, the door flung open and I was immediately dragged inside.

I turned back and looked at my father, who stood outside, a small smirk playing at the side of his lips.

What is happening?

I thought I was getting married. Why are these men dragging me so roughly? I couldn't decipher what was going on.

"Mr. Harrington, I guess our deal is over, right?" My father asked the man, who was sitting on a couch opposite me.

The man took a drag on the cigarette he was holding and said "I guess so," his eyebrows furrowed. But if you ever think of double crossing me, be aware that I won't spare your daughter's life."

With that, my father started walking away. I watched the door close behind him, and at that moment I realized I was being sold off.

"Let go of me!" I screamed at the men holding me.

The man who was seated on the couch stood up and walked towards me.

One of the men holding said, "Don, what should we do with her?"

My eyes widened at his words, oh my God! he is a mafia Don.

Panic surged through me, my heart pounded against my chest.

He looked down at me and said, "Strip"

What? Is he crazy? How can he expect me to strip in front of all these men?

"No! I am supposed to be your wife. We haven't gotten married so why should I strip in front of you" I protested, gritting my teeth. My voice trembled with defiance.

He landed a slap on my face and said "Don't make me repeat myself"

The sound of the slap echoed in the room. And tears welled up in my eyes as the sting of the slap reverberated through my cheek.

My hand instinctively flew to my tender skin, now flushed with pain and indignation.

"I said strip!" He commanded. "Since you don't know what's going on, you are being sold to me, because of your mistake." He started, his hand grabbing my chin.

Wait, what? My mistakes? I haven't met this man in my life before.

"You are my property and not my wife. I hope you know the difference now?" He said, his eyes burning with malice.

His words cut deep in my heart. I'm not an object to be sold and bought by anyone. He doesn't own me.

I hesitated, my heart racing as I stood before the Mafia Don and his men. His cold gaze pierces through me, leaving me exposed and vulnerable.

With trembling hands, I started to unbutton my blouse, each movement feeling like a betrayal of my dignity.

The room feels suffocatingly silent, broken only by the rustling of my fabric as it falls to the ground.

Their eyes followed every inch of my skin, stripping away every sense of privacy.

Unexpectedly he grabbed me, and before I knew it, I was already in his arms. I tried to break free from his grasp as he carried me upstairs. I knew what he was about to do to me.

I couldn't control myself anymore, tears rolled uncontrollably down my cheeks as he threw me onto the bed.

* * * *

It was already a week and things still hadn't changed. I hadn't heard from my mother or my brother, since he seized my phone and locked me away.

During the past few days, I was constantly thinking about my mother's condition.

And I prayed desperately for someone to save me from this mad man. I was also plotting my escape.

"Get up" A voice invaded my thoughts.

I looked up and saw his angry eyes glaring at me.

"Come with me" He demanded, his tone commanding.

"No, get the fuck away from me" I yelled. "You're a demon"

His eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed, looking down at me.

To my surprise, he didn't do anything to me, instead he walked out of the room.

To think that he would walk away without hitting me, I became scared.

He is not the type to treat me kindly, he usually yell at me or order me around anytime I disobey him.

A few minutes later two of his men walked in and started dragging me out of the room.

"Where are you taking me?" I screamed, my fear palpable.

"Shut up!" One of them yelled at me.

As soon as we arrived outside the building, they threw me into the car and closed the door behind me. The impact of hitting my head against something in the car knocked me unconscious.

While driving one of them said "I heard Don say she is as good in bed as she looks"

"Yeah, I think she would be a good slave for Mr. Verick," The other replied, a sense of amusement in his voice.

What? I was being sold off again? Who is Verick? I began to think, A wave of fear and anguish washed over me.

Soon, the car arrived on a quiet street that led into a forest. I was so scared at this point.

Where are they taking me? I asked myself again.

Unaware that I was awake, they continued chatting and laughing. I took a deep breath and summoned all the courage I could find inside me.

Abruptly, I opened the door and jumped out of the moving car.

Blam! My body collides against the tarred road.

I felt a sharp sting beside my left thigh as the road peeled my skin.

The car stopped immediately when they noticed my absence. Alighting the car, they started to chase after me.

I ran as fast as I could, while my body sustained several injuries as I collided with obstacles along the way.

My feet were hurting badly, my thigh was bleeding too. I looked back and saw them still chasing after me.

I stumbled and fell to the ground, I felt a sharp pain in my ankle. I looked at my leg which was trapped in a hole, ignoring all the pain I was feeling. I pulled my leg out of the hole and continued running for my life.

Suddenly I heard the sound of a bullet fired behind me. One of the bullets penetrated my thigh.

Screaming and crying, I fell to the ground, surrendering to my wounds. I can't run anymore, it's over. They were going to kill me.

As they surrounded me, one of them took his phone and called their boss.

"Kill her" I heard his voice through the phone.

My vision began to blur slowly, I was losing consciousness at this point.

"Why don't we have a taste before we end her? It would be such a waste to let her go without experiencing her skills firsthand. No?" One of them leered, already pulling down his trousers.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

My head turned in the direction of the voice and I saw a muscular man, standing behind the men.

"Who the fuck are you?" one of them asked while the other shot a bullet towards him.

He moved swiftly, dodging the bullet. As I lay on the floor fighting for my life. I watched with a mixture of awe and trepidation as the man before me underwent a startling transformation.

His features contorted, his body elongated, and fur sprouted from his skin until he stood before me. Not as a man, but as a magnificent golden wolf.

My heart raced, but I remained rooted to the spot, captivated by the raw power unfolding before my eyes.

With a primal instinct, I sensed the danger emanating from this creature. Yet there was something strangely beautiful about his metamorphosis.

His emerald eyes shone brightly and he growled loudly at them.

In an instant, fear seized them, their bravado shattered by an unseen force they could not comprehend.

With a deafening roar, he launched towards the men. His claws slashed through the air with lethal precision.

They attempted to shoot, but he grabbed the gun, bending the fine metal into a curl.

Their eyes widened in surprise. Without hesitation, he grabbed one of them by the neck.

With his hand wrapped around his neck. His claws dug into the flesh with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

With a swift retreat, the other fled into the night, leaving me alone with the enigmatic creature before me.

With unusual strength, he ripped the man apart and let out a roar. Blood dripped down his claws.

I watched him transform back into a human form and start walking towards me.

"I finally found you, mate"