Unveiling the Alpha's Curse: Alexander's Love

After Six Months

Anna, have you finished packing the package, sweetheart? As usual, Shelly's words floated into my ears with her thick British accent, "That conceited bloke might be here anytime soon." "Almost done, Shelly babe!" From across the large kitchen, where over 10 people were working hard at their tasks right now, I cried out. To be completely honest, I did not mind at all because the entire kitchen smelt amazing. The smell of freshly cooked pastries was coasting in the air and wafted into my nostrils. A tiny laugh escaped my lips as I saw my wolf roll her eyes, sinking back in my skull and letting me know how much she disliked Shelly's accent. My wolf had a variety of moods, and today was one of those that has always proven to be difficult to deal with. It amazed me how grumpy she could get at times and act like those horrible girls in high school. But since I had her, life has been so much simpler that I was content to endure her mood swings as she did mine. Even yet, the circumstances surrounding it frightened me and served as a continual reminder of my loss, from which I would never fully heal. How I wish we could undo the past and make the future right! The injuries were still recent. I still experienced the same sense of emptiness as when my life's final purpose was stolen. Although I would always be grieving, I had to face the agony that would stab me repeatedly, sting like a knife, and cause me to bleed. I laughed, severing the connection between my thoughts. "All right, give up! What issue do you have with her accent, I'm not sure. Before I finally wrapped everything up in a box, my hands worked to arrange the final piece of the various cakes in their proper places, being cautious not to sabotage Shelly's final artwork on each one. I carefully and gently placed the cake box inside the bag I selected from the pile of bright red bags after placing our bakery's sticker-Butternut Bakehouse-on top of the seal. "I don't really mind her; it's just that before her, that British accent didn't sound so awful."- It was what I took to be her hurried statement to me amid her quiet complaints. "We really haven't had a fair share of hearing different forms of the British accent." "Well, we have, and you were the one who wasn't paying attention, but I'm always alert and have all of my ears in. I am aware that Shelly has the worst form of accent ever. This time, she was a little more focused on winning this argument-which, upon closer inspection, turned out not to be an argument at all. She did, however, have a point. Shelly gave the impression that English was a completely separate language, which was awful. But none of us could deny that we really admired her, despite my mild prejudice and my wolf Elena's strong distaste for her accent. "But would you mind going into more detail about how having your ears fully aids me in baking? Not to mention that you seemed to detest the packaging process the most." This appeared to bother her, and I sensed her becoming embarrassed. The light beige fur around her cheeks appeared almost crimson to me as she struggled with her shame at that particular moment. "That was mean!" "Well...it's not only you who has the right to be mean," I chuckled as I made my way to Shelly, confident that my wolf would provide me peace of mind for the next several hours at the very least. "Here, it is done." I let out a sigh of relief as I gave Shelly the package. "Oh, thank god it is done!" With a collective applaud, she handed the package to Gloria, who would handle the remaining tasks. "I'm so sorry for the extra work today, sweetie," When Shelly had finished packing the cookies into a box, she turned to face me. We received a tonne of orders today, and as you can imagine, I can't pass up this opportunity to pay off my debt and the bank loan. I apologise for the additional work strain; I realise it must have been too much for you and everyone else.My father owns this bakery, and I just don't want it to disappear." Her eyes wrinkled slightly from the sides as her voice faltered a little, but she still gave me a quick smile. Shelly's father owned this bakery. Since she was a young child, Shelly has been managing things alone following his death. She eventually found life more difficult in this small town, and now she has massive loans to repay with even more interest, her business completely consumed, and she is deeply in debt. However, it was difficult for her to actually turn it into a successful business and keep it smooth when the price of the goods nearly doubled every month and rose higher and higher every day. Although this was one of the area's oldest bakeries, the large factories that were able to meet demand more quickly thanks to their sophisticated machinery and advanced technologies easily eclipsed the exquisite handcrafted baked goods produced by the bakery, even though none of the factory's creations could truly match the recipes Shelly's father gave her. I hold this woman in the highest regard. Despite everything that she had to endure, she refused to let the world steal the joy from her life, she never gave up, and she never allowed her generosity to fade. She was the kindest person I have ever met, and she helped me when I had nowhere to go and no one to support me. I will always be appreciative of everything she did for me, even though she was going through difficult times of her own. "Hey, it's okay, Shelly," "We all know how important this bakery is to you, and trust me, I'm more than happy to be able to help you through it," I said as I held her hands. Furthermore, it's not at all too much work-how could anyone possibly have complaints when we have such a caring owner? You are crazy for thinking that we are having a crisis over here just because the workload is a bit more than usual." "Gosh, you are such a sweetheart," She smiled and pulled me in a hug. "Thanks for the compliment, now listen to me very well my little oldie," I gave her a pat on the back and tried to console her, knowing that she was genuinely having a difficult time and that any small consolation would be greatly appreciated. "Stop worrying about anything. This isn't the end for the bakery, and we can overcome it." "I am not an oldie," "I am still very young and beautiful," she said, pinching my cheek and causing a tiny hiss to escape my throat. Oh, I realise now that I must have completely forgotten to mention Shelly's incurable illness-the belief that she will always be young. "Yeah yeah," I said, rolling my eyes, and she let out a gasp of surprise. "So you are denying that I am beautiful?!" "No," I couldn't stop my chuckle longer, "I am just trying to tell you that you are not young anymore my dear Shelly- Sixty-two isn't such a young age." "Anna...you," She began with her menacing voice, appearing irritated to be reminded of the fact that she was genuinely old. "I'm heading off to work," Supressing my snicker I headed to the other side of the kitchen. "Wait, come back right here I say!" "You called her old again?" Eliot asked with a throaty chuckle as he saw me sauntering back to my work spot. "Yeah, it's always the same amount of fun you know." "Anna, come right here!" Shelly's voice rang, she stood there, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at me which caused a few low snickers from the workers to echo throughout the room. Nothing could be more hilarious than seeing a late middle aged woman battling with all of her dedication just to make everyone believe she was still youthful. "Shelly, let me remind you I still have many more orders to pack and a few of them are actually for those arrogant customers you have mentioned just an hour ago," I laughed and walked to my work spot, sparing her only one glance before I began with packaging the rest of the parcels, sliding them to the counter next to mine--to Penelope, "So you chose whether you want to continue the argument or let me work in peace so that it gets done faster and save you from the yelling of those sweet-sweet customers." She didn't say anything for a full minute, which gave me ample time to predict her next move, and you know what happened? That was indeed a piece of excellent news for me. "That's sensible of you, young woman. But don't think you are spared, you'll have to face my wrath later." My lips dropped open in a chuckle I could not control. The definition of Shelly's wrath was-tasting her experimental baked goods first. To put it mildly, these baked goods were never so delicious that they could be viewed as a punishment, which was another reason I enjoyed getting in her face: getting to sample delicious baked goods wasn't all that bad, was it? "I love facing your wrath, Shelly!" And at last, I returned my focus to my work. Shelly's reaction and the other employees' whispers in the kitchen were muted. I slowly but completely lost myself in the realm within my thoughts, where I've put the unfinished puzzle-like pieces of my existence, hidden away and out of reach of discovery. So many nice things happening in life, however why I found myself attempting to investigate the memories of those nightmares again where all I could find was pain? Just pain...

Anna

One by one, the employees have started to head home after completing all orders and working through to the very end. Today was one of those days when we had the most work to do, but for some reason, by some unmistakable magic, we managed to have everything packed up in the shortest period of time. Maybe we were lucky, or maybe we just put in a little bit more work than was necessary. Therefore, it was somewhat true that some people do, in fact, flourish under pressure-and all of my coworkers could attest to that. I said farewell to Shelly and made sure she knew again about the knife and pepper spray she had put in my bag for my protection before leaving the bakery and making my way to my flat. Although it wasn't quite nighttime, Shelly was worried about my safety even though everyone around me was as harmless as pigeons-calm, quiet, and unobtrusive. I spent my first month in Shelly's guest room after moving to this little town without a place to stay for weeks. But ultimately, I was able to rent a place to live after landing a job in her bakery. It was small and not very fancy or decorated, but it had all the extra amenities that many would want, so all in all, it was a nice and comfortable place; at the very least, it provided me with a safe haven where I wouldn't have to worry about anyone bothering me or invading my privacy. For now, things were just right. I was content-I was okay-but the losses I'd suffered in the past had been so great that I couldn't truly say. Just ok. I didn't know if I really wanted to be happy or if I was really comfortable with keeping merely okay. But where could I go to find happiness, even if that's what I wanted? Would I ever locate it? Maybe not. Therefore, it would be silly of me to take off for a pointless quest, and I wasn't going to make the same error and let the merciless circle of life another chance to rob me of everything-including the final hope. I let out a quiet sigh, shaking my thoughts away. I was trying to keep my mind from wandering into the constant darkness that was someplace deep inside my head, so I was walking quickly on the concrete walkway and listening to the sound of my heels clicking. Not much of the road was deserted. There were lots of people around, and a lot of them were probably nice old couples enjoying an evening stroll while taking in the view of the sunset, which had formed itself into a canopy over the gorgeous sky that had become pink while everyone commented on how beautiful it was. I felt so alone in this crowd that didn't even surround me or ask me to stay submerged in it, but there were so many things to get involved in and forget the sorrow that lived somewhere, tying itself into knots I didn't have the power to undo but could consider invisible and move on in life. I started walking again, a little quicker than before. However, as soon as I got beyond the larger people, I noticed an odd feeling. I hear very faint footsteps behind me. I then realised that I knew who it was because it had been happening for about three months. He was literally following me everywhere, day or night, from the grocery store to the bakery, and he was not leaving a single area. Yes, it has become routine. He didn't follow me every day, of course, but he was there for the most part. And up until now, I hadn't made the decision to confront him as all I wanted was to avoid my horrible history; after all, he was a part of it, just like everyone else. However... I had no idea why I no longer wanted to appear as though I had forgotten about it. Maybe I got sick of him following me around every day and leaving me wondering the same thing over and over: What did he want? Like every previous time, I kept pretending not to see him when I woke up, but today I was holding out for the right opportunity to act. I caught a glimpse of his partially exposed face in the rearview mirror as I drove by, partially obscured by the black hat he had on over his long, black coat. Yes, he was moving slowly and with such composure that anyone would miss his movements if they weren't paying close enough attention. On the other hand, overconfidence was somewhat justified and caution was completely absent. Ironically, he did not seem to doubt his stalking abilities, as I could see from the corner of my eye that I was staring at his reflection. Again, I had to face him even though talking to him was the last thing I wanted to do. He had been doing the same thing repeatedly for the past three months. Furthermore, it was definitely not the greatest thing in the world to have someone observe every move you made. I didn't want diversions; I wanted peace. The moment I turned around, he quickly fled in the opposite direction, turning his back on me as soon as he could. I had gradually slowed down until I was standing motionless as I approached the quieter side of the road. "Wait!" I raised my voice loud enough for him to hear me, and based on how his legs abruptly screeched to a stop and he instantly froze, it was obvious that he did hear me. He did not respond, even though he appeared to be trapped at his spot and was only partially locked in. I resisted the urge to skip all of these and go straight home as I took a few steps in his direction, but it was necessary. I wanted to know why he was pursuing me and that it was to carry out an order from that one specific person that I hoped to never see again in this life-and possibly not even in the afterlife. For a momentary period yet profusely, I had thought that I'd be needing to ask him to turn around judging by the way he made no sign of movement and stood dead still like ice. The last thing I wanted was to wait for him to flee so that he could carry out his daily responsibilities the following day in silence and too cautiously for me to notice. If that had happened, all I would have been able to do was worry about it nonstop, which would have completely destroyed any mental stability I had managed to regain. It turned out that I didn't actually need to ask him for anything. Alone, he performed the honours, removing his hat and turning slowly to face me. His eyes were wary, I could catch the light rush in his breathing and see the barely noticeable tremble of his lips as he fought to say something. God knew what he wanted to say, but I didn't really wish to hear anything other than the answer to my question. Just like he had done me a favour by turning around by himself without having to ask for it, I did one on him too and that was by letting the next question roll off my tongue, saving him from suffering under my judgemental gaze and fighting the silence all alone. "What are you doing here, Aaron?"

Anna

"What are you doing here, Aaron?" He looked at me with a strange expression on his face that revealed his reluctance, which he tried to hide by trying to look confident even though he was under suspicion. It's possible that he had not expected to be discovered or that he had not expected this specific inquiry. I didn't give a damn either way. The fact that Alexander's Beta was pursuing me could only indicate that Alexander was giving him orders. It was risky for me because the man knew every aspect of my whereabouts if he could send his beta after me. I had finally had enough time to arrange the fragments of my existence into one location, and the last thing I wanted was to witness Alexander ruining this new beginning of mine. "Anna, I-I...." Aaron paused, as like he was drowning in the sorrow that his lack of words was pouring all over him. "You are following me because of Alexander's order, aren't you?" My stomach turned to mush at the thought of that man encroaching on my life once more. When I heard about my so-called mate's decision to continue with his demons at the cost of our lives-a life I had once....dreamed for us-my wolf went mute. His eyes widened and his brows raised, yet oddly, it all shouted incredulity. "Nah! I'm not under Alpha's orders to do this," he said more quickly than I had anticipated. I spit out, "Oh stop the nonsense, Aaron. You don't have to lie to make him look good. I am aware that you were sent by him." "It's not true, he has not sent me," With a measured approach, Aaron moved nearer to say, "In fact, he doesn't even know your location." "Oh my goodness? How can you tell me such weak, foolish falsehoods and expect me to believe them? I laughed, hatred oozing from my lips, "But, no, You thought you could fool me just like your boss. Judging from the fact that you are none other than the mighty Alexander's beta, I thought you'd at least be smart to present some reasonable false narration to prove your point." It's not what you think, Anna. You're confused about it. He tried to say something, but I interrupted, not giving him the opportunity to say something stupid. "I'm not making any mistakes. I am merely expressing what I observe here, and everything seems rather evident to me," I almost yelled, unable to maintain composure and act appropriately. "Aaron, please get this straight in your mind: I won't fall for your Alpha's tricks once more. Please just return and tell me to respect my decision and my life! I'm good where I am; I don't need any more devastation or unfulfilled dreams; I've long desired tranquillity, and I've finally found it. I would fucking kill him and forget I ever loved him if he attempts to ruin my existence once more." I turned around and started to leave after that. Alexander was not going to be allowed back into my life. I lost all that I had ever owned because of him. He destroyed our life together, and whether directly or indirectly, he was the cause of my loss of......No! I was not going to allow his shadow to come close to me. Any life that came in contact with him would be reduced to ashes since he was as deadly as venom. "I have seen it all, therefore I know exactly what you have gone through. Just for once, consider this: Don't you think that after all these months, if Alpha was the one to send me, he would have at least attempted to get in touch with you or have a conversation?" My feet stopped, and all of a sudden, I felt as cold and rigid as ice throughout my entire body. I didn't really look back, and I'm not sure why I was so reluctant at first, but the only conclusion I could think of without being completely blinded by the reality was that his remarks had been motivated by a lack of bravery. "My hands were tied, therefore I was powerless to assist you at that time. To put it another way, I was compelled to remain silent due to my obligations. Things weren't possible at the moment, so even though I wanted to help you, I couldn't." "I know saying all of these to you now may seem unreasonable to you, and it's obvious for you to doubt my intentions," he said as I heard his footsteps approach. I can see why you wouldn't believe me when I say this, but trust me.I just wanted to make sure you were safe because, as you and I both know, Alpha has changed, but that hasn't changed the past he had or the lives he destroyed. Even though some of his enemies have turned into friends, they still want to harm him and everyone who is close to him. My only goal was to make sure you were secure." My body finally gave me permission to turn around at this point. A glint came into his eyes and a thought crossed his face, but I could not interpret it because he was too quick to erase everything from his face, and he erased everything so perfectly that no one could have possibly noticed a trace of it. The basic minimum of how I felt would have been stated if I had said I was perplexed. I did know exactly what he wanted, and I also knew how I was supposed to respond to it. Take his advice and turn away? Alternatively, pose the queries that were arising in my mind with each statement he spoke. Maybe going with option number two was a smart move. When was the last time leaving a situation beneficial? "Why? Why do you wish to protect me? And what is the point of telling me all of this now, I questioned, forcing back the sigh that was about to escape my lips. I've hardly spoken to you at all. Actually, though, we have never really spoken. You were merely a bystander, and to be completely honest, I never anticipated anything from you-not even a favour or a small amount of assistance. As of right now, you owe me nothing and are under no obligation to assist me in any way or to take responsibility for my safety. Since our paths diverge, we hardly know one another other than as strangers. Then, why?" It was a problem to handle at a later time, but for now, the problem in front of me required more attention to be solved, and regrettably, I was unintentionally doing my very worst job at it. I had no idea why my palms were becoming all clammy and my respiration was racing. He went silent for a good few seconds, as if he was trying to understand the inquiries and assertions I was making from the bottom of my heart. It remained a mystery whether or not he found the puzzle difficult to solve, but he might know the answers that would fit in and finish it. Would he, however, decide to be truthful? Or perhaps he was at a loss for words? "I can't really explain it, Anna," He breathed a sigh of relief, briefly validating my second supposition, but that wasn't all. It's only that I don't want you to experience anything more severe because I have witnessed your suffering. I'm not a heartless man or a devoted servant who would wreck another person's life in order to win over his boss. I would be ecstatic to save even one person from someone's horrible intentions or the harsh ways of this world, even if it meant sacrificing my entire life. I don't want to see people suffer or lives being destroyed." "So, pity? Is that all there is to it? My mouth fell open to ask the question, resentment trying to escape. Do you really believe that I need your compassion to win this race? You believe that I wouldn't be able to defend myself without your presence and that it would be your assistance that would save me?" My abrupt outburst seems to have surprised him. His expression was all too telling; it was clear that he hadn't anticipated my response. Once more, you're reading things the incorrect way. Not all of these are motivated by sympathy. Speaking with considerably greater mastery over his tone and ability to maintain composure, "What I am trying to say is that....." He paused for a moment, and in that brief-less than a heartbeat-he opted to leave his sentence hanging. The contemplation and introspection had all taken place in his head, far beyond my comprehension, not that I wanted to understand any of it. He turned to face me as he made another attempt to read something that even I was unaware of. This entire exchange left me feeling conflicted; at the same time, I was attempting to navigate the restlessness that was bending like a huge curveball while also being astonished, perplexed, and mystified. But none of it felt heavier than the burden I carried around-the memories that have returned, enveloping me like a destructive wave at the shore that lived precisely there, beyond the walls I've built around myself, chaining my spine to the cold, only to prevent me from ever having the opportunity to walk there, alone, far into the storm. I remained silent for the entire time. The last thing I wanted was to gain any indication that he might be lying and that his only purpose in being here was to carry out the instructions of the man I had pushed out of my life. I wanted him to speak out, to explain his reasoning aloud, and to spare me from this confusion. Aaron was ready to speak when a number of individuals passed by, some of them avoiding the inconsiderate side glances that generally accompany curiosity and unwarranted conjecture between two strangers. However, there wasn't much room on the table to criticise their decision because, at the moment, neither of us appeared remotely normal. It was easy to see the dismay covering the man's face across a few feet from me, and the coldness casting a shadow over mine. "Listen, let's just go and talk somewhere else," When Aaron spoke, he took the initiative to go closer in an attempt to cover the awkward space between us. He looked around to see if anybody else was staring at us suspiciously, but when he saw nobody, he turned back to me and said, "Please." "No, I'm not going anywhere with you," I shook my head, dismissing his courteous request-which, if I could get over my misgivings, was half-harmless. "I don't need you to accompany me wherever. You've already visited the cafe by the river a few times; it's just that simple." "So you have followed me there as well?" My voice sounded accusing, as it should have. With a defeated sigh, he said, "Please, Anna. Attempt to comprehend. You have no enemy in me." "Nor are you my friend, Aaron." "I know, I realise that more clearly than you do. And I promise not to do anything that could endanger you. All I want to do is talk." As if he understood my thoughts, or perhaps I should say the suspicions running through my head, he said, "It's just a conversation and I promise to take not more than ten minutes of your time." It didn't appear as though he was lying. At least it appeared that he had good intentions. And before I knew it, my mouth made the graceful decision to open on its own without my consent, exactly like it always does, only causing me a great deal of trouble. "Okay, only ten minutes- Not even a second more than that." "You have my word."