One Night with the Alpha

-- Ashina's POV --

At the beginning, it's all cliche and normal.

"So, you're Ashina Hartz?"

I nodded and smiled lightly. I applied as a waitress in a bar near our village. The salary is not that big, but that'll do for me, especially because I didn't want to depend on my step-mother and step-father's support for me.

"You're not yet legal. How am I supposed to hire you?" The red headed middle aged woman raised her brow.

I gasped yet was so ready for my answer. "I'm turning eighteen next year, and I promise my age will not be a hindrance for me to work in your business." I convinced her.

She seems hesitant about my reasoning, but I can also see that she's convinced by the way she protrudes her lips. She couldn't do anything. I may be seventeen, but my body looks mature and almost like a well-grown woman. She later glanced at me and suddenly her brows furrowed.

"What's wrong with your hair?" she asked.

"Uhm, they're alright." I stuttered a bit.

"Your roots are white, yet the ends are black. Did you dye it?" she asked curiously.

I get her. My roots started to grow white a few months ago. My stepmother explained to me that my mother used to have long silver-white hair, who I've known to be Luna. I didn't have time to explain everything to her, so I just changed the subject.

"Please hire me. I need this." I spoke.

She sighed. And that's how I get to work for my needs. See? It's all normal. Just a teenage lady who seeks experience and dreams of being an independent woman.

"Mom," I called my step-mother one morning.

"Ash, it's almost night. I told you that you don't need to work. Are we starving you for you to pursue that?" she asked wearily.

I just grinned and reached for the loaf of bread on the table.

"I need this experience, trust me." I convinced her confidently.

She sighed and shook her head. Obviously, she doesn't like the idea of me going to work everyday.

"We are so fine in this country, Ash. What experience are you still talking about?"

"Hmm, are you gonna send me away too like what my parents did?" I asked with a smile on my face.

Her face became serious.

"I'm joking." I laughed and came to her to kiss her on the cheeks. "Bye, I'll be home early."

She was about to say something but words didn't come out of her mouth. I sighed thinking about what we've talked about. I hope she'll not dwell on it that much.

It's true, my mother is Luna and my father is an Alpha, which makes them the leader of their clan. I don't know, somewhere far from here where I will not be able to see them.

I'm a human. And I have no doubt about it, since I've been living like one since then. No changes at all.. I don't smell pheromones just like what my step- parents used to tell me and convinced them that maybe it's the reason why my parents gave me away, because I'm not like them.

I'm fine here. I love my life and I don't have any hope of seeing them and living the life of being a werewolf. I desire to be normal. I don't look forward to being one of them.

Not until this one night happened.

"Ash, are you alright?" my co-hostess asked me.

Shivered traveled down my spine as I felt the unfamiliar sense of me. It's like some strong force is trying to be unleashed inside of me. My breathing started to get heavy and I smelled the strongest scent I've ever smelled all throughout the years of my existence.

"Y-yeah, can you bring this to table two?" I pleaded.

"Of course, you should rest. You look fidgety." she uttered, and left.

I sniffed more when she left. I rubbed my arms as I felt my hairs standing up. I concentrated as I'm still feeling the heat inside of me. It's like I need to do something to let this pressure inside of me lash out.

"I think I need to go home now." I spoke to myself.

I told my boss that I'll do under-time because I'm not feeling well. Gladly, she understood and let me go.

I was in a hurry as I walked into the dark parking area of the bar and as I got closer the scent became stronger and stronger. It sits into my nose and it seems to affect my senses more. I'm more alert and more like a predator looking for its prey.

I shook my head and walked, but soon my steps halted. My eyes went straight into the car and into the man that's inside it.

The smell of warm fur and a strong scent of mixed cedar wood and musk embraced my nose. It made me dizzy, and as I grew more of that scent, my teeth clenched and rubbed into each other.

I groaned inside and shook my head, almost waking up to the slightest sense that's following my inner persona. I turned my back three-sixty and walked my way home.

That went on for how many days, weeks, and soon became a month. I stared at myself in the mirror. My deep winter gray eyes are now wide open; my white strands of hair are now half the length of my hair.

And that's when I realize this is not normal anymore. I tried to conceal it all, but not all the time, can I do it.

The image of the lean and tall man appeared again one night at the bar. I stared at him with the same overwhelming feeling I'm having every time I'm seeing him. His lashes were long and it made his eyes even more enigmatic. His hair is the darkest shade of black, the same as his eyes.

I gulped. I wonder how it would feel if I ran my nose into his neck. His smell is out of this world. I clenched my teeth again while feeling the slow revolving of my world.

His dangerous eyes suddenly darted into me. My mind suddenly went back into the realm of reality, seeing his eyes curiously and madly looking at me. I turned my back again so that I would not see him, trying to act so normal.

"Ash, I'm sorry. I feel so sick today, can you please bring this to the mart and ask for a refund. It's broken." My step-mom handed me a box, I think some electrical wires.

"Of course, just rest mom." I suggested and walked my way to the nearest mart.

And again, with the accidental and unpredictable encounter. I bit my lip, confirming the reason why I'm suddenly feeling the unfamiliar itch under my skin while I'm nearing the mart.

As soon as I opened the glass door I saw him on the counter and I gulped nervously because his head turned in my direction right away. His cold eyes beamed as he raised an eyebrow at me.

There you go again. My heart beat is going wild, just like what it is whenever he's around. I couldn't take my eyes off him. My body was ogling deep inside, but I tried to remain calm. His scent is too strong and my face is heating as he continues to stare at me.

He walked into my direction and halted in front of me. I almost cursed when he stopped. What now? He should have gotten away before I could not even stop myself.

He cocked his head on the other side as he checked me out. I'm suddenly feeling conscious wearing my simple pair of clothes.

"Move aside, miss. You're blocking my way." Coldness dripped into his tone.

I gasped and immediately moved aside, realizing that I'm causing congestion at the door. I shut my eyes tight as his presence bids it's goodbye.

There, I'm sure that he's the one who's triggering this static inside of me. I need to know why I feel like that every time he's around.

--Ace's POV--

"Alpha Ace!" My subordinate called me.

I tried to just ignore him and walked towards the entrance of the high ceiling doors of the castle.

"Alpha!"

I groaned inside my head and finally turn my head into the voice's direction.

"What now, Lucas?"

He bowed a little and his lips went in a grim line as he saw my not so good expression.

"Ulva is on the phone," he uttered.

I coldly turn my back to him and walk the wide hallway of the castle's entrance. I felt him trailing me from behind.

"Tell her I'm out."

"She said she'll come here personally to greet you with a happy birthday."

My ears flared in annoyance and I harshly faced him again. I tried to tame the wolf inside me but it just felt like my wolf is the one who's taming me. Apollo halted and I saw his surrendering expression.

"Do as you told," I simply said and finally calmed myself down. He bowed his head defining his obedience.

My shoes clacked in the cold hallway of the castle again. It echoed at the hugeness of the whole. It sound empty as what my heart had been feeling for a long time now.

This day is my most hated day so far. I have a rule for this day. No greetings, no mentioning of what is to be celebrated today. From what I've been counting I'm supposed to be twenty today. It's been a couple of years since my parents, who's the leader of the pack, left me. They died in an accident, the same day as my eighteenth birthday. That's what I've known so far.

I've known too well that I'm destined to be the Alpha, but I never thought that it would be this soon. I questioned my capability in handling the clan, yet at a young age I still seem to seek my own will to handle what's ahead of me.

I don't want this day to pass. If only I could remove this day in the calendar, I'll gladly do so. But then, here's Lucas reminding me of my painful past. As well as Ulva who's my mate that was chosen and arranged by my parents.

She's just like the others. A desperate woman who chases the title of being a Luna. I was never in favor of the idea of her being my mate, but now that my parents have died I can do nothing about it. Breaking the arrangements will just cause some conflicts between clans and that's not what I want to happen.

So now, this is all I can do. Run from all of them while I still can.

I filled my lungs with the fresh breeze outside. Seeing the light almost blinded me, but this way I feel free. Apollo was left inside the castle while I'm out again.

My sight is nailed into the lady walking towards the entrance of the bar. The same girl I've been seeing for how many times now. She thinks I'm dumb to not know what's her real deal.

One sniff and I immediately smelled her scent that's so far from human. Even from afar, her scent is strong enough for me to not notice it. The way her eyes look at me like I'm sort of fine dining makes me disgusted.

At first I didn't care. I told Lucas to look after her background because she seems to be popping out just out of nowhere as long as I'm in there. I'm not an Alpha for no reason, I know her moves and I know her tactics.

"Born without a wolf." Lucas told me while eating my dinner alone at the long dining table of the castle.

"A human, you say?" I smirked.

"Yes."

I chuckled and continued eating my food. I knew it. Useless.

"She's living simply just like a human with her parents here in-"

"I'm not interested. That's all I need to know." I uttered coldly.

But after months of seeing her, I sensed something different. Not just her physical appearance that had changed but her pheromone, it's too strong as time goes by. I kept on ignoring it but when I lay in bed at night, her scent is committed into my memory.

And now, seeing her again looking so fidgety as she scanned the whole place. I know she knows. She's sensing me. And probably smelling me just like what I'm doing.

And then I saw her at the mart one day. Her hair is growing silver white, and her lashes are becoming more defined. I couldn't help but to sniff her when I went in her direction..

Her scent is new to me, meaning I have not encountered her pack yet. She smells like vanilla and has a strong scent of amber. Smells so sweet that I'm having a hard time if that's her pheromone or her shampoo's scent. But that's what I've been smelling even when she's afar.

"Move aside, miss. You're blocking my way."

Damn. I'm just probably curious. Her fragrance urges something in me that makes me want to lose control. I'm so disgusted thinking about the thought of desiring this petty human.

My patience hit the roof as I watched her from my car. I went outside and bang my car's door. I sensed that she had seen me now. I pretended to not notice her and walked through the entrance of the bar.

I hissed when she purposely blocked my way but deep inside I celebrated when she did that.

"What?" I raised a brow.

"U-uhm, y-you're here again." she stuttered.

"Why? Were you waiting for me every night?" I mocked. Bitterness dripped into my tone.

Her lips parted and nervousness appeared into her face.

"I-I'm Ashina." she offered her hand.

I glanced at her with bored eyes. I didn't even bother to offer my hand.

'Ashina' I uttered inside my head. I gritted my teeth feeling the strong urge inside of me. Looking at her gray eyes reminds me of something.

"Ace," I said and before she could even say anything I went inside the pub before I could even do something dumb.

She's a human Ace. Stop.

--Ace's POV--

"Alpha, I strongly suggest that you stay here until the break of dawn. The full moon will be up tonight, and it's not good for you to stay outside as the other wolves might-"

"And what? Stay here until Ulva comes?" I smirked at Lucas.

He once again was shut out of my words.

I fixed my casual clothing before wearing my trench coat. I stare at myself in the mirror and glance at the dusk outside the castle.

"But Alpha Ace-"

"Shut up!" I burst and growled at Lucas. He immediately bowed his head as a sign of surrender.

Lucas is older than me. He's the son of my father's apprentice. No wonder he knew the rights and the wrongs more than me. I'm hard-headed and I always like to do it in my own ways.

"I know what you're doing." I spoke with no emotion. He's silent and not looking into my eyes as his head is bowed down.

I breathed harshly as I turned my back to him again. My jaw protruded in a harsh way as I heard the howling as the sky slowly turned dark and the sun was soon replaced by the brightest and fullest moon tonight.

"Choosing my mate was the only decision that's left in me. The free will that's been way too long robbed from me. So just stop it, Lucas."

I uttered and left the castle.

--Ashina's POV--

I paced back and forth inside my room. A strong kind of heat is forcing it to come out inside of me. I need to go to work or else I'll be late. But my mood is so different today. I've been so extra sensitive today, not to mention the stray cat that I hissed a while ago. Like as if the cat has done anything bad to me.

I'm already dressed, but I still feel fidgety. I palmed my face. Damn it. This is not good. Should I not go to work tonight? I feel sick but not sick at the same time! Is that even possible?

I feel restless even though I didn't do anything the whole day.I feel hyper and active, yet I feel exhausted. This is so damn confusing to me! Mom and dad are out. I don't know where they go, but the point is I have no one to ask what the hell is happening to me.

With my patience hitting the roof, I stood and grabbed my bag and went out into the house so I could go to work and distract myself.

The streets are well lit by the full bright moon. I can't help but to think about the beliefs and norms of the werewolves. But I am a human, so I don't give much attention to it.

I walked onto the pavement as I still wondered what sickness could I possibly have with these symptoms. Should I go to the hospital tomorrow? Ugh!

Arriving at the bar- My workplace. I thought all would be alright. .But now, things have got so much worse.

"Damn, he's here?"

The familiar smell captured my nose again. And for months that I have been appearing around him, I am so sure that that scent is from him. I started to get more fidgety.

I sighed hard as I brought the drinks to table 4. I almost stumbled when I saw him eyeing me from the other table. He has this hard expression, like I just did something bad to him and I need to pay for it.

My knees shook as I turned my back to them. Catching my breath, I came to the counter. The bartender approached me right away.

"This is for table eight." He handed me that drink.

But instead of serving those drinks, I jug one glass in one shot. I felt the burning scratch that flowed into my throat. I shut my eyes tight.

"Fuck!" I groaned.

"Hey! That's for the customer." The bartender hissed at me.

I don't know what's gotten into me. Instead of settling things, I even jug the other small cup on the tray and another episode of burning pain happened.

"What the!?"

"I-I'm... sorry, just-" I was in the middle of looking for the right words when a cold voice cut to the current situation.

"Charge it on me."

I felt like being splashed by a cold bucket of water when I heard the voice. I turned my head, expecting to see his face, and I'm really not mistaken. It's really him; Ace.

"U-uh, no. I-I can pay for it." I stuttered.

My knees are weakening, smelling his intoxicating scent. Damn, how could he be this handsome? He looks so untouchable and unapproachable.

He just glanced at me with his cold eyes, then sat at the high chair. I was nailed into my position. I totally forgot my purpose here, just because I saw his face. Or is it because of the one shot of tequila?

I was about to turn my back when I lost my balance. I stumbled a bit but felt an arm snake on me right away. My breath hitched. Seems like a wildfire has spread inside of me being this close to him.

I stared at his eyes. He lifted me up and all I know is that I'm sitting in the high chair just beside him.

"I-I need to work." I said, still amused.

His brows furrowed timidly.

"You're tipsy with a single shot. I doubt you can work." he simply said.

He signaled to the bartender, something which I didn't understand. He reached for a shot and drank it without a pause. I watched his every single move. He's so manly and daring just by those simple moves.

He slid another cup onto the hardwood countertop and leaned into me. I almost stopped breathing. His face is so close. My heartbeat thumped so loudly that even with the loud music I could sense that he's gonna hear it.

"Who are you?" he said.

"H-huh?"

"Who are you? And what do you need?"

I swallowed the building pressure in my throat. An evil smile is showing on his face as he scans my face. Like he's reading the emotion that I'm hiding.

And so, without being sane, I pressed my lips to his quickly. It's so quick that I longed for it just after I did it. I gulped. He looked surprised and mad, but he didn't say any words.

Something is itching inside my skin. Like a strong aura burning wholly. I'm not yet content. The desire to feel his lips again played inside my mind for that short period of time.

I celebrated when he granted my wish. He brushed his lips into mine without any words. I lost control when he pinned his body into mine. His tongue played so well inside my mouth like he's looking for the right alley into my mouth.

I moan slightly, feeling the roughness of his palm caressing my face, guiding it with his own rhythm. The loud music muted inside my head and soon our moaning and grunting was all I could hear.

My body was throbbing while we slowly removed each other's clothes. I don't even know how the hell we traveled from the bar into this dark room I'm not aware of. He pinned me into the bed, giving me all his might to give me pleasure.

All I can picture that night is me gasping for breath begging for his kisses, and granting my wishes that one night.

--Ace's POV--

"Holy!"

I growled,seeing the sleeping lady beside me. I woke up with a light feeling only for me to see her. Ashina?

She opened her eyes, maybe because of my harsh movements beside her. I stood up immediately and wore every piece of mine that I could see. I glanced at the window and light was peeking through the curtains.

She looked stunned, seeing me. Her cheeks are pinkish and her hair is messy. I felt the growing rage inside of me. This couldn't be real, right? Am I drunk? Is this a dream?

"Damn!" I cursed. I clicked my neck and walked back and forth, looking for my shirt.

"W-what-"

"You did this on purpose!" I accused her.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about! Don't play dumb!" I cursed and finally saw my shirt.

"Ace I-I..." she couldn't find her words.

"You are so desperate! You are nothing but a useless human!" I shouted.

Tears formed into her eyes as she sat into the bed with the blanket covering her body. Something in me ached looking at her, but I chose not to dwell on it. All I can think of is the scene from last night. I just mated with her! A useless human born without any wolf!

"Stop with your ambitions! You will never be Luna!" I yelled at her leaving her so miserable.

Frustration and conscience didn't leave me. So without any explanations,I left the country hoping for that memory to be erased.