Payment To the Alpha

Avery POV

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I stare at him as he is holding the pen and writing notes, his eyes moving as he reads through the history book and his tense jaw biting together as it does when he is focused.

The love of my life. The only man I have been with for the past 3 years, the only man I will ever want until the day I die. Liam Wass and I have gone through everything together, through hell and love and we are stronger than ever.

I know it sounds weird since I'm only eighteen and haven't experienced much but somehow, I just know that he's the one.

His blue eyes make me melt every time he looks at me and the feeling I get through my entire body when he touches me, a feeling of happiness and joy. I could never wish for more.

I tore my eyes from him, unwillingly and stared at the books in front of me, I did want to pass the exam that's coming up in a month, It was my dream education taking me towards my dream job.

Avery the engineer, did have a nice kling to it and I wouldn't stop until I had made it my reality. I went over to the fridge as the floorboards made a squeaking sound. Our house was quite old. The dark-colored wooden floors made sounds whenever it was stepped on, the walls had tapestry of the same color and the kitchen was big with a fridge and freezer beside each other. On one side we had the sink that was pitch black and on the other a big desk that went all the way to the window by the wall. Three cupboards over the desk that reach as far as the desk did, also made of wood. I guess my parents had a taste.

As I opened the fridge to pull out a soda I jumped in shock at the sound of a ringing phone. It was Liam's.

"Yes? I understand. I'll be home in ten."

Liam turned to me as if he was in distress and told me that it was his mom, he had to get home right away.

"Is everything okay?" I asked with a worried voice as I stepped towards him.

"Everything's fine, my mother just wants to talk, I'll call you later. I love you, babe."

He gave me a quick kiss as he rushed out leaving all his books and grabbing nothing but his bag.

"Love you too..." I said to the nothingness in front of me.

I couldn't help but worry if something was wrong. His family had become like my own and my family the same for him.

I shook all the negative thoughts out of my head, knowing he would call me later and explain. I gathered the books and placed them on the side table next to the door, I cleaned up in the kitchen where we had been studying and threw a quick glance at the clock. 7 pm.

I had time for a walk before my parents came home. They were both at work and didn't end until 9 pm.

I grabbed my beige trench coat hanging by the door and took my keys that were in a silver bowl on the table in the hall. We are all experts at losing keys in this family so it was put there so that if we lost our keys, it would be because we hadn't put them where they should be whenever we get home. I opened the door and looked over the pathway leading up to our house.

There were flowers planted along the path in all different colors, and on each side of the path, there was grass all around the house. I remember running barefoot there as a child and kicking a ball with my father, we also have a trampoline for my little sister. Jasmine is eight years old, a beautiful and strong little girl, her hair was as white as the snow just like our mothers, and her eyes blue like the ocean. She was strong for her age and always stood up for the weaker ones, I couldn't have been more proud.

Our relationship wasn't like other siblings though. We weren't very close. Neither was my relationship with my parents. I somehow always felt like an outsider looking in when being with my family.

I locked the door behind me as I preceded down to the fence. The fence went all around the house and when I was younger my mother told me it was there to keep evil out, now that I'm older I realize that if evil wanted to, evil could just jump over the fence, but nothing had ever happened so I'm guessing the belief that it protects us, did something.

I opened the fence and started walking on the road, down to the small little town square we have. We live in a small village with no more than a few hundred people, everyone knew each other and around the village, there were miles and miles of forest. All children are forbidden from going into the woods from a young age, as it is probably very easy to get lost and not find your way back.

Children from eighteen and up however were allowed to roam around wherever they pleased.

I had a road I always took when walking at night. It was alongside the small river and led almost all the way to the square.

I had been walking for twenty minutes when I reached the town square. As I walked around the alley of a few farmhouses I see two people going at it, the man lifts up the woman and pushes her against the wall, as he kisses her neck violently I could see I recognize the man. He took his hands and ran them over her body as she wraps her legs around his waist.

And then, he lifts his head and locks eyes with her and I see now why I recognized him.

It's Liam

My Liam.

The man I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with, is vigorously kissing and touching this other woman. As I see him take his hand and slip it under her shirt I break. I could physically feel my heart bursting into a million pieces only to be repeated. As if someone was yanking a hold of my heart and squeezing the life out of it.

I didn't know what to do, I freeze, unable to move.

I force my feet to lift off the ground and I start to run. I run and run and run. Never stopping. Not once.

I find myself running into the woods and I don't stop, not until I can no longer feel my legs and then I fall to the ground. I lean my back to a tree and start crying, more than I ever have in my entire life and I can't stop. I lay down on the ground and curl my legs up to my chest.

I felt the sun on my skin and my eyes were squinting as the beams were getting stronger.

"MOM close the drapes!" I moan as I turn to shield my face from the sun.

And then I feel it. The leaves under my hands, the sticks beside my head and I slam my foot against the trunk of the tree I had leaned against last night. I jump up in a panic as I realize I am still in the woods, I had fallen asleep here last night.

Averys POV

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I hastily pick up my phone and see that I have no missed calls or texts from my parents, how come? Did they not notice that I wasn't home all night? What's going on. Whenever my brother didn't call they would panic and freak out and he didn't even live at home. My brother has a job and a life of his own yet they would freak out if they didn't hear from him at least once a week.

The lack of contact from my parents confused me, but they probably had a good reason.

As I scroll down I see I have texts and calls from Lydia, my best friend. I could understand why she would be worried as we talked every day, but yesterday I hadn't called her and she had been at work until late that night. As I scroll even more I see that I have missed texts and calls from Liam. And like a slap to the face, all the events of last night come running back to me, the touching and kissing, the other woman and the running.

I get up on my feet and see what seems like a bright light coming from my left. So I walk towards it and as it turns out it was the way back to the village. As I reach out of the woods the light is gone. I wonder what it was? It was probably just the sun reflecting onto something.

I walked slowly with my arms just hanging there by my sides. As I reach my house, I realize my hair must look like a bird's nest because that's what it feels like when I touch my head. I'm just about to unlock the door when I realize it's already open, I slide the door open with a feeling of distress in my body. But there they were, sitting by the kitchen table drinking coffee, as I walk in they both turn to me, and shock is written all over their faces, not because of the way I looked or the fact that I hadn't been home, but because of the fact that I was home.

"Avery? What are you doing here?" My mother asked me with a shake in her voice.

"Seriously? I haven't been home all night and this is your reaction to seeing me?" I could feel my eyes tearing up and I forced myself to hold back the crying, but my voice had already given me away.

"I just thought-" My mother didn't finish the sentence as my father grabbed her arm in a warning.

They looked at each other and like something had clicked, both their faces altered. As if putting up a facade or a mask of sorts. They quickly rose from their seats and came running to me.

"We are so happy to see you, darling." My father said as they both hugged me.

I stood there in shock knowing there was something going on but without permission, my mouth took control

" Liam was with another woman." I could feel my face not making a single movement, my eyes blank as if I were dead.

They pulled back and looked at each other again, then back at me with little to no emotion in their eyes whatsoever.

"Sweetheart we are so sorry to hear that. Have you broken up with him?" My mother didn't look all too shocked but then again perhaps she saw something I didn't because I loved him.

Without answering her question I turned around and started taking slow steps towards the staircase.

As I made my way up the staircase I could hear my mom calling out for me but just barely, I had closed out her voice and didn't stop walking, as I made it upstairs I turned left and walked down the small hallway, I walked past my sisters' room, my parents' room and the bathroom as I finally got to my room.

I opened the door and went straight to my bed, crawled under the comforter, and just laid there.

For three days I just laid there. I dint eat. I didn't talk and didn't react to what anyone was doing or saying to me. I just laid there, under my blanket staring at the ceiling. I felt like everything was over like my life was ruined.

Then I smell how the scent of perfume fills my room, I knew that scent, I knew it because I was the one that had bought him the perfume.

It came from Liam.

He took a seat on my bed and took my hand. I automatically jerked my hand back to my chest as I sat up and looked at him

"Hey babe how--" I didn't let him finish, I cut him off because I didn't want any excuses and I will not pretend like I didn't see what I saw.

"Who is she, Liam?" I asked him with tears in my eyes. I hadn't cried since the day I saw them, and crying now, in front of him was the last thing I wanted, but apparently, I wasn't the one in charge.

"Who is who babe?"

Babe?

BABE?

He has no right to call me that anymore.

"Who was the girl you were making out with, in town the other day!?" I couldn't conceal my anger nor my pain.

"oh, you saw that did you" What? he wasn't gonna try to defend himself? to tell me I'm crazy? was he gonna deliver the truth on a fucking silver platter like it was NOTHING?

"Her name is Nadia, I've known her for a while, she works at the farm with her father..." His eyes went around the room before landing back at me. He scratched the back of his neck.

I just sat there and waited for him to continue.

"Avery...I love her..."

And there it goes. My heart. Breaking, all over again.

"Go..." I didn't want him here, I never wanted to see his face again, I never wanted to feel his touch, I wanted every memory of him erased from my mind.

He got up and walked to the door, but before exiting, he turns around and looks at me.

"I'm sorry Aves, about everything"

His last words before he left. He didn't put up a fight. It was as if he couldn't wait to get out of here, and back to her.

I laid in my bed the following week, eating nothing but soup.

Until one day she storms into my room, slamming the door shut behind her, and slams herself down on my bed. Ladies and gentlemen, leave it to Lydia to make an entrance.

"Get up, he is NOT worth you missing out on life! So get up, get dressed, I'll pick something out for you."

Her eyes glistened as if she had a devious plan in mind. Her red long curly hair flared across her back as she was digging in my closet.

She picks out a short, backless dress with a slit and a pair of high heel black pumps and throws the clothes onto the bed.

" Get. Dressed." She insisted. I looked at the clothes and then back at her with lifted brows. Her energy somehow got me up off the bed and put a smile on my face. I was lucky to have her in my life. I got dressed and Lydia did my hair and my makeup.

I couldn't remember the last time I looked this pretty.

We went downstairs and tell my parents that we were going out. They looked at me as if they were trying to remember how I looked. They scared me with pity in their eyes but what is that I see? happiness?

Upon seeing my reaction their faces, yet again, change. They look at me with a serious look at both of them.

"Have fun sweetheart and be careful." my mother said before swallowing hard like she was holding back something. My father looked at me and nodded at what my mother had just said. We then went out and jumped into Lydias' car and drove off.

"Where is this party?" We had been driving for one hour and I was getting worried we were lost, I also wanted to be able to make it home in case something were to happen.

"Don't worry, we're almost there." For some reason, Lydias' naturally happy nature could always calm me whenever I got too nervous.

As we drove in on a supported pathway through the woods I could begin to hear the music.

The house was was old yet beautiful and I knew the owners. They must be having a moving-in party, my parents were good friends with the couple that owned the house and they had just moved in. The facade was a rusty brown ash color and in the front of the door there were two big peelers, in between there were three steps of stone that lead to the two-door entrance.

Inside it was like walking into a castle, the hallway was big and magnificent and on the roof, precisely in the middle, there was a big chandelier. We presided to the bar and as we were walking I got a strange feeling that someone was following me.

I felt a chill run down my spine. But not in a bad way.

Averys POV

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What the hell?

Lydia tilted her head toward me and whispered into my ear

"Someones got their eyes on you."

I looked around the room to see what she was talking about and then I saw him, a big muscular man leaning towards the wall with a drink in his hand. He was quite far away so I couldn't see all that well but from what I did see, he looked like a god.

His arms were big and muscular, they made it look like the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing was about to rip open, his chest was out as if he was on his guard and I could see his hair flowing from the wind let in by the open doors. I gently looked away from him and walked with Lydia to the bar.

We each got a glass of red wine and then we stood there looking over the crowd.

The people were already wasted, dry humping each other on the dance floor to some 80's rock music. Down by the corner a few frat guys were doing a keg stand. In my opinion, it's really inappropriate considering this is quite a fancy party.

I was busy scanning and quietly judging the guests when suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, it spins me around and an unfamiliar face shows

"Hi there beautiful, can I have this dance?" He seemed like a nice man. He had brown eyes and a nice smile, thin lips with a small goat beard. But there was something eery about him. Something that made the hairs on my neck raise.

But I wasn't interested in dancing, I wanted to drink my pain away and wallow in my sorrow. Did that sound depressing?

"No, sorry I am not in the mood tonight." I kindly responded to his question. However, after hearing my response the nice man I thought him to be, suddenly disappears as his eyes got serious and his jaw tensed.

"I believe I can change your mind, and your mood, one dance sweetheart, that's all I'm asking for." I looked behind me in hopes that Lydia would save me from this man but I saw her out on the dance floor making out with someone, Lydia was never the shy type.

"I'm sorry but my ans--" I didn't get to finish my sentence as he steps closer and is now right in front of me and roughly pulled me closer to him with his hand still firmly on my shoulder. The shock of his action left me to drop my glass of wine onto the floor and the glass shattering into pieces. We were now in sun close proximity that I could smell his alcohol-covered breath fanning my cheek.

"Dance with me." He ordered whilst staring deep into my eyes.

I think it's safe to say that I was scared out of my mind. I had barely had two sips from that wine so I wasn't affected by the alcohol. Yet I just froze. Unable to think or speak. How do I get out of here?

It was like someone else was controlling my body making me immobile.

I suddenly felt his hand being ripped away from my shoulder and I saw it being bent as the man screams in pain.

"She. Said. No" it was him, his eyes were boring into the man who had his hand on me, looking like he was about to kill him, he clenched his other fist by his side as if he were ready to throw a punch.

"IM SORRY!" The man pleaded. This whole situation had me startled and scared. I laid my hand on the arm of the man who protected me and upon contact, I felt a jolt of electricity run through me.

But I shook it off as a result of what's happening.

"Please let him go." I felt my voice crack and he looked at me and I believe he saw the fear in my eyes as he let go of the man's hand. The man clasped his hand and stared petrified at my protector before he hurried out of the party.

He turns around and glares at me, I could see him clearly now as he is standing right in front of me. His eyes were a baby blue, not like Liams. No. These eyes are like a sea of diamonds glistening in the sun, and his hair was cut at the sides and the most beautiful dark blonde shade. His lips were a light pink and his entire persona was perfect to the point where I wanted to touch him once more, only this time to see if he was real. He didn't take his eyes off me, scanning me from top to bottom and lastly locking his eyes with mine once more.

Who is this man?

He then turned around and started to walk away.

" Wait! Wh-whats your name?" I yelled behind him, he had just saved my night and something about him truly intrigued me. He slowly turned around and straightened his back.

"James. James Knight" He said with a grin on his face as he turned around and continued walking.

I felt a chill go down my spine again, I turned back to the bar.

"Here you go miss, from the man over there." The bartender said and turned his eyes to James. In front of me was a new glass of red wine, but a much more expensive wine than I had originally ordered, I knew because the bartender held up the bottle that he poured it from.

I looked at the glass and felt myself smile at his gesture, I turned my head his way and nodded. I started sipping on my wine and I see Lydia coming up quickly beside me

"I must say, the crowd is looking good tonight." she winked as she bit her lip. We both started laughing as I took another sip.

"You see that guy in the black coat?" Lydia pointed to a tall, slim figure who was standing in the middle of the dance floor dining with another girl.

"He's amazing with his hands. In case you want to try." She said with a devious smile and shrugged. And again we started laughing.

I wasn't the one to go around with different guys like she was, I wasn't able to, never had been. It had always only been Liam. Not that I really gave myself to him, but I was going, eventually.

As we stood by the bar I could feel the dance floor moving and the sound of the music becoming weaker, the base got louder and the laughter was barely to my hearing. I had to hold on firmly to the bar so I was not to fall. I tried blinking several times to ease the fogginess that was replacing my vision.

White dots were forming in front of me and I could feel my legs folding, giving in, not being strong enough to hold me up anymore. I was feeling so tired. I could vaguely hear Lydia screaming in panic as I dropped to the floor and felt the back of my head hit the edge of the bar. But it didn't hurt. I scrunched my nose trying to make sense of everything.

But the darkness luring in the back of my mind seemed so welcoming, so relaxing. Maybe if I close my eyes for only a second. Yes, just a second.

I stared up at the ceiling as I felt my eyes roll back into my head. And just like that. The alluring darkness swallowed me whole and no voices or sounds could enter.