The Stripper Alpha

The humiliation still clung to me like a stubborn shadow, impossible to shake. No matter how many drinks I downed, the memory of being left standing at the altar alone, humiliated, and exposed before countless witnesses was a weight I couldn't lift.

I tilted the glass in my hand, swallowing the last bitter drop without remorse. Tonight, there were no rules, no obligations, no expectations.

Tonight, I wasn't the perfect daughter, the obedient bride-to-be, or the polished princess. Who follows every role and nod yes to everything that was said to her.

Tonight I am someone different, someone else entirely.

The busy bar was far away from home, chosen precisely for its anonymity. No one here knew me, and that was the point.

"Do you mind some company?" someone asked from beside without even looking at him I knew he had a smile on his face.

I groaned inwardly, the voice cutting through my thoughts. I turned slowly, plastering on a sweet smile for the man hovering beside me. "I'm sorry, but I'd rather be alone."

Not waiting for his response, I waved for another refill, hoping he'd take the hint, because I don't want to see a single person in my face right now.

"I just thought you might want a company since you are alone and....."

I turned again, this time glaring at him with enough heat to scar him off.. He froze under my gaze, his confidence disappearing as he mumbled an apology and slipped away as cowardly as he had come.

Good, he should shudder away just as he came.

With a new drink in hand, I let my mind wander back to the past week. I relived every excruciating detail of that day the whispers, the stares, the pity in everyone's eyes. My grip tightened on the glass as I shoved the thoughts away.

No more. I was done playing the role everyone expected of me. I was done trying to be a good person and at the end my heart is destroyed without a single pity.

I stood abruptly, leaving my drink behind as I approached the woman with bright pink hair standing near the patio. "I need a session," I said firmly.

She looked me over, her expression unreadable, before nodding. "Follow me."

We moved through a dimly lit corridor, the noise of the bar fading behind us. My pulse quickened as we entered a secluded room bathed in soft blue light. The atmosphere was warm, almost hypnotic, and I felt a chill swell down my spine. This was new to me but I'm taking it all the way.

"Take a seat and put this on," she said, handing me a silk mask. "Close your eyes and enjoy the experience."

I hesitated for only a moment before settling onto the plush lounge chair. The mask slid over my face, plunging me into comforting darkness.

For a while, there was only silence. My breaths slowed, counting each inhale and exhale, until I heard the door open.

He had a presence.

That was my first thought as a shiver ran through me. I couldn't see him, but the air seemed to shift, thickening with something electric.

"Are you ready for your session, ma'am?"

His voice was deep, rich, and smooth like dark honey. It resonated in my chest, stirring something I hadn't felt in a long time. It was a feeling that was foreign to me so I embraced it.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure he could see it.

Soft music filled the room, the melody a gentle pulse that matched the rhythm of my heartbeat. His hands found my back, warm and deliberate as they grazed over me. The lightest touch sent waves of sensation rippling through my skin.

I clenched the edge of the chair, trying to stay grounded. But his hands moved with such skill, his presence so magnetic, that I felt myself slipping.

Who is this man?

His touch grew bolder, his movements fluid as he leaned in, his chest brushing against my back. I could feel the heat of his body, the strength in his frame as he guided me into the music's rhythm.

Every brush of his fingers sent sparks racing through my veins. When his hands skimmed my shoulders and his breath ghosted over my neck, I couldn't help the sharp inhale that escaped me.

He stilled.

For a moment, the world seemed to suddenly become quiet. I could feel his eyes on me, even through the mask, as though he could see past every barrier I'd ever put up.

I couldn't stop myself. The feeling was too much for only me to bare.

My trembling fingers reached for him, finding the sharp line of his jaw. His breath hitched, and my touch lingered, tracing the curve of his lips.

Before I could think better of it, I pulled him down, crashing my lips to his.

The first kiss was slow, exploratory. His lips were soft yet firm, moving against mine with an intensity that left me breathless. I melted into him, the world outside fading into nothingness.

When his hands slid to my waist, pulling me closer, I felt my heart race, desire mixing with a faint sense of danger.

I broke the kiss, gasping as reality crashed back in. My fingers moved to the mask, pulling it away.

I needed to see him. I needed to see this person that ignited this much feeling inside of me.

As the mask fell, I opened my eyes, and the room lit up just as he turned on the light beside him.

Bright blue eyes stared back at me, shock and recognition mirroring my own. This can't be.

"You...what are you doing here?"

I stumbled back, my hand clutching my chest as his gaze bore into mine.

This wasn't just any man. The person I am staring at right now can't be him. But of course it was.

This was him. The Alpha of the Moonbright Pack.

My fiancé's brother.

Alpha Ashvin.

I scrambled to my feet, shoving him off me as I staggered backward. My heart pounded, disbelief and confusion washing over me.

What the hell is he doing here? No, what is Alpha Ashvin doing working as a stripper?

He is one of the most powerful Alphas in the four realms, feared and held in awe to in high regard by all. And yet, here he is, in the human side of all places, doing... this.

I blinked, rubbing my eyes as if the action might erase the impossible sight before me. Maybe it was a trick of my imagination there was no way Alpha Ashvin Harvey Matarys would degrade himself like this.

"Alpha Ashvin?" I called his name hesitantly, my voice trembling with disbelief.

He didn't answer, but his sharp, assessing gaze bore into me. His silence was confirmation enough, and a chill ran down my spine. This was no mistake. This was him.

"What are you doing here, Zahra-Rose?" His voice was low, laced with irritation.

I took another step back, his tone sparking a defensive flare in me. He's annoyed? I'm the one who's supposed to be angered! How could someone like him be found here, in a place so beneath his status?

"You..." I stammered, trying to form words while my mind reeled. "You're a stripper? Why?"

He folded his arms, his expression hardening. "That's none of your concern."

Of course, it wasn't. He was Alpha Ashvin, ruler of one of the four great realms, feared by all. His father had only recently relinquished power to him, making him the youngest Alpha to rule an entire realm. His reputation preceded him-cold, ruthless, and terrifying. My ex-fiancé, his brother, had made sure I knew exactly how terrifying he could be. And yet...

Yet here he was, caught in a moment so completely at odds with the image the world had painted of him.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice low and firm. "This place is dangerous, especially for you."

I wanted to retort, but my mind betrayed me. Instead of anger, flashes of what had just happened flickered in my thoughts, his lips on mine, the heat of the moment that had left me wanton and needy.

My cheeks burned, and I instinctively took another step back, desperate to distance myself from him and from my own shameful weakness. What had I done? Kissing my ex-fiancé's brother was unforgivable, no matter the circumstances.

"I... I shouldn't have..." I started, but the words faltered.

He stared at me, his eyes narrowing with disbelief. "That's all you have to say?"

His accusation stung, and I found myself stepping forward despite my better judgment. "You and I both know I had a valid reason to be here," I snapped, referring to what had happened last weekend.

His jaw tightened. He understood, but that didn't make it easier. "I still don't like it. Come, I'll take you home."

He motioned for me to follow him, but I shook my head. "No. I came here alone, and I'll leave alone."

The thought of being seen stepping out of his car made my stomach churn. What would people say? What would they think? And despite the kiss still lingering in my mind, fear of him lingered too.

"It wasn't nice seeing you," I said coldly, brushing past him.

I could feel his eyes boring into my back, but I didn't stop. My feet carried me out of the bar and away from him, each step faster than the last. My best friend had once told me to do something I'd regret just to feel alive. Well, kissing Alpha Ashvin was a regret I would carry for a lifetime.

By the time I reached home, something felt off.

My father, Enzo Drystan, Alpha of the Moonshine pack, had built a life of peace and prosperity despite our pack being the smallest in the four realms. But now, as I stepped into our lands, an eerie silence hung in the air. The usual hum of activity was replaced by the sound of crickets.

The driver glanced at me, his eyes mirroring the unease I felt. Something was wrong. I could feel it so much inside of me and can't shake it off.

When we arrived at the grand mahogany mansion my father had built, I stepped out of the car before the driver could even open the door. The silence pressed against me as I approached the house.

I pushed the door open, and the sight before me stole the breath from my lungs.

"Alpha..." the driver's voice quivered as he rushed past me towards my father.

My father's lifeless body lay on the floor, surrounded by the bodies of his guards. My knees buckled, and I sank to the floor beside him, the tears falling before I could stop them.

"Father!" I cried, clutching his body. "Please, tell me this is a joke. Tell me you're still here."

But he was gone. I shook with grief, unable to stop the tears as the reality of the scene settled over me. My father, the man who had led us with strength and wisdom, was dead.

"Mother..."

The thought of her and my siblings spurred me into motion. Laying my father's body down gently, I ran through the house, calling for them. Room after room turned up empty. They were gone.

When I returned, the driver's pale face confirmed what I already knew. "We need help," he whispered, his voice trembling. "The Alpha and his Beta are gone. The others... they are nowhere in sight."

Falling to my knees, I let out a cry of anguish. My mind raced, the pain twisting into fury. This wasn't an accident. This was an assassination. Someone has killed my father and has taken my family away from me.

Wiping my tears, I steadied myself, Ineed to be strong, I need my family.

There was only one place I could turn to for help. The Moonbright Pack.

And Alpha Ashvin.

It had been two days. Two days since my father was laid to rest. Two days of endless, frantic searching for my mother and sisters. And yet, no matter how hard we tried, we hadn't found a single trace of them, it was like they had vanished into thin air.

I kept telling myself this had to be some cruel dream-a test from the Moon Goddess. Maybe this was her way of pushing me, of telling me that at 23, it was finally time for me to transform and become the wolf I was destined to be.

Everyone else had it easy. By the time they turned 18, they'd already met their wolves, welcomed the transformation, and embraced the life of a werewolf. But not me.

I'd done everything to make it happen. Pushed myself beyond exhaustion. My father, determined not to let me live without my true self, tried everything he could. Rituals, prayers, training nothing worked. I couldn't feel my wolf. I couldn't sense my pack the way everyone else could.

If I'd had that connection, I might have known something was wrong at home. Instead of being at that club, caught up in forbidden moments, I could have sensed the danger. Maybe I could have saved them.

The guilt hit me like a wave, and the tears I'd been holding back spilled freely. I hated this. Hated breaking down over and over again.

"We'll do everything we can to find them," said Luna Verena, her voice soft but firm.

Since I'd come to stay with her pack, she had been my rock, her kindness the one thing keeping me from falling apart completely. Her words gave me hope, enough to keep me moving forward. I believed her when she said we'd find my family, though the uncertainty eluded me.

The dining table was filled with food, but my appetite had long abandoned me. How could I eat when I had no idea what was happening to my mother and sisters?

"My dear Zahra, you must eat something," Luna Verena said gently. "How will you find the strength to find your family? The strength to welcome them back if you get sick before they are here??"

Her kind eyes met mine, filled with concern. She was one of the few people who never judged me for my inability to transform. Even when I was engaged to her son Asael, she had always treated me with understanding and warmth.

Not wanting to take her help for granted, I picked up my spoon and forced myself to take a bite.

But before the food could reach my mouth, he entered the room.

Ashvin.

The last time I'd seen him was yesterday, standing rigidly beside his father as he gave orders. I hadn't dared to meet his eyes then, but now, here he was, pulling out a chair and sitting down as though he didn't see me.

"Vin..." Luna Verena's voice was tinged with exasperation as she addressed him. "It's about time you set work aside and ate something."

He scoffed lightly, picking at the scrambled eggs on his plate. "Everything I do is out of necessity," he replied, his tone clipped.

I froze the moment his gaze turned toward me. My heart stuttered, and I looked away, pretending to focus on my food. I still didn't know how to act around him not after what I'd discovered, and certainly not after what had happened between us.

"You know how he is," Asael said as he entered the room, his voice light. "Always working too hard."

He greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek before turning to me. "Hello, Zahra-Rose."

His smile was warm, but there was something unfamiliar about it now, something distant. I nodded politely and lowered my head, blocking out the conversation that followed. Instead, I focused on eating, willing myself to gather the strength I needed for what lay ahead.

But when I finally glanced up, I found Ashvin staring at me.

His gaze held that same intensity as the night at the club, the memory of his lips on mine rushing back unbidden. I remembered the way he'd pressed against me, the heat of his body, and the way I'd wanted more, despite everything.

My face burned, and I shot to my feet with a burst of energy I hadn't known I possessed.

"Thank you for breakfast," I said quickly to Luna Verena, forcing a smile before hurrying out of the room.

Her voice called after me, but I didn't stop. My mind was racing, my heart pounding with the memory of that kiss.

God, how could I be so distracted when my family was out there, in danger? I needed to find a way to erase the memory of that moment with Ashvin and focus on what truly mattered.

Outside, I stood beneath the old oak tree, staring out into the distance as my thoughts swirled. I wanted so desperately to wake up and find that this nightmare wasn't real.

I sighed and turned back toward the house, only to stumble over a foot.

A strong hand gripped my waist, steadying me, and I looked up into those same piercing blue eyes that had haunted me since the club.

Ashvin.

He stood there talk and regal as he always looks, there was no mistaking the harsh line that crosses his cheeks.

"Can I have a word with you?" he asked, his voice low and unreadable. His lips tightened as his hands fell from the place they had gripped me, and I shuddered at the sun cold that hit me.

My heart thudded in my chest, but I forced myself to remember the truth. This wasn't a romance. He was an Alpha, someone I needed for help and nothing more.

Someone I knew that could find my family, that was who he is to me.

Swallowing hard, I nodded, bracing myself for whatever he had to say because I knew his words are unkind and I waited for that.