The New Alpha Stole My Heart

“Happy birthday, Aria!”

'Morning already?' I asked my uncle while moving lazily on top of my bed. He was holding a strawberry cake with a lighted candle on the top while grinning from ear to ear.

“It’s time to blow the candle and make a wish!” he uttered. He happily inched forward to the side of the bed. He handed the cake closer, still wearing his festive demeanor. I heaved a sigh before puffing the fire out.

Uncle Stan’s forehead formed some vertical lines in the middle. His smile disappeared from his lips. Instead, a mixture of confusion was written all over his face.

“Did you not make a wish, Aria?”

I gave him an impassive stare. “You know that I stopped making birthday wishes a long time ago.”

My uncle gaped at the notion but decided to shut his mouth. He bowed his head and got up. “I’ll be downstairs,” he whispered. Moments later, he was out of the room leaving me in my solitude.

Most people would say their happiest moments would be during their birthdays. There was no denying that the day a person was born would be the fondest memories they have during childhood. But not for me.

Because this day only brings unwanted memories that kept on haunting me until now.

Flashback to seven years ago.

It was my tenth birthday, the day I was looking forward to the whole year. But instead of a party or some gifts, I was celebrating in fear and anxiety.

“What did you do to my shirt, you bitch!”

My body shuddered in fear. As a result, the bowl I was holding fell on the floor. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead. My heart skipped a beat hearing his thunderous voice.

“I…I-I’m so-sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

Pak!

His rough hand sent me flying down the tiled floor. A buzzing sound ringed my ears as my cheek went numb to the pain. My tiny, ten-year-old body was used to this kind of treatment yet it still hurt like hell.

“Because of your clumsiness, my shirt was ruined! What can you do to save it? Tell me? Tell me?!”

“I’m sorry, daddy. I will just—”

Smack!

Another good, sharp smack welcomed me on the side of my face. Blood began oozing from my punctured lips. He grabbed a handful of my hair and violently pulled it backward. My scalp was almost torn from my head.

“I-It hurts, da-daddy. Please…”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you are not my seed? Your real daddy was a disgusting wolf whose only job in life was to screw women and ruin a family. Do you hear that? You are a child of a fucking home wrecker! You are not my child! You are not my child!”

My little physique was in extreme pain as daddy tanned my hide without remorse.

“P-pleeasee dad..I-it h-hur-ts..”” I whispered in agony. I could no longer take the blows but what could a child like me do in that situation? What could I possibly do other than cry and beg my tormentor to stop?

Tormentor, what a strong word to use by a ten-year-old girl like me. It was funny that my life wasn’t like this before. My daddy loved me and he treated me like a princess.

I remembered having a big, pink room upstairs. My bed could fit three people in it while my cabinet was full of glittery dresses and cute little shirts. My daddy and older brother showered me with their love and affection. A lot of people were saying that I was probably the luckiest girl in the world. But that luck started to wear off.

One day, my daddy found some hidden letters from my mom’s things. The love letters detailed my mom’s infidelity and the fact that I was fathered by another man. My daddy was devastated. My mom was banished from the pack while I was spared from the punishment sighting my innocence from the sin. So, my father was forced to keep me in his household. And the constant reminder of my mom’s betrayal whenever he looked at me made everything worst.

From a princess of his house, I became his maid. I was forced to move into a shabby shack at the back of the mansion. His love for me was gone, only bitterness and disgust were left.

Every night, I looked at the moon and pray for this nightmare to end. I begged and begged for her to give me back the loving father I grew up with. My birthday wish every year was to return to the good life I had before. But the moon goddess didn’t listen to my pleas.

A few minutes later and he stopped hitting me. My vision was blurry from the strikes yet my hearing was still clear. I could hear him catch his breath and even the moment when he gulped cold water from the glass sitting on top of the table. All I could do is cry. How long should I stay in this god-forsaken life? I am beyond exhausted. I don’t know how long I could still keep up with the constant abuse I was getting from him.

“I never thought I see the day but finally, I could completely take you out of my life. I was offered a beta position in Ridgewood pack and they were expecting me to move in as soon as possible. And guess what? I would only bring my true-born son David with me. While you? I no longer care what will happen to you. You’re free to do whatever you want. You’re on your own now.”

The fear of isolation crept over me. The threat of living by yourself was the worst nightmare for every child. With that, I slowly crawled toward him. I moved my little body forward until I reached his foot. With extreme pain, I wrapped my arms around his legs and looked up at him.

“Please, dad. Take me with you. I can’t live alone.” My face was damped with a mixture of blood, tears, and snot. My eyes were half-shut as they swelled from the beating earlier. “Please…I’m begging you…”

But instead of receiving a hug or words of affirmation, I was given a series of kicks. I could feel that strength was slowly taken out of my system. I tried to scream but my voice seemed to slowly disappear. My eyelids became heavy. I was devastated, with lacked strength and courage.

Perhaps, this was the end I was desperately waiting for.

“Brother! What the hell are you doing to the poor child!”

A glimmer of hope hit my senses as I heard the familiar voice of a man. It belonged to my Uncle Stan, daddy’s younger brother. I saw him rush to the scene and took me in his lap. I was cold and trembling in his sight but his arms and body gave me a reassuring warmth.

“Why are you hitting her?” he asked while looking at his brother. Daddy scoffed.

“This filth spilled soup on my shirt. I am just punishing her for it.”

“Punishment?” The veins on Uncle Stan’s neck bulged. “You called this a punishment? You almost beat your daughter to death!”

“She is not my fucking daughter!” my dad yelled. Hearing him disowning me straight to my face was adding pain to my already shattered heart. “And from now on, she was none of my fucking business. I and my real son David will move to Ridgewood soon while that girl could do whatever she wants to do in her life.”

“Are you kidding me? You are leaving her alone to fend for herself? She was just a kid for crying out loud!”

“I don’t give a damn and I don’t fucking care! Sell her, send her into the woods or leave her here, she was no longer my concern. I want her out of my life and that is what I will do!”

“You…You’re a monster!” my uncle whispered while tears are streaming in his eyes. He looked at me with compassion before turning his gaze to my dad once again.

“If that’s what you want, fine! Do whatever you please.” He got up, carrying me in his arms, “I will take Aria with me. From now on, I would be the dad you deprived her of.”

And that was the last time I saw my father. My uncle took me in and raised me as his own.

I immediately got up from my bed and fix myself. Afterward, I headed downstairs. I saw Uncle Stan looking at the picture of my cousin Maggie who went missing last year. I hugged him from behind and kiss his cheeks.

“Your birthday would have been great if only Maggie was here. I am pretty sure that she would decorate the whole house and throw you a party.”

My heart ached a little seeing how much Uncle Stan longed for Maggie. I sat in front of him while holding his hand offering him comfort. “Don’t lose hope, uncle. One day, we will find her and our family will be complete again.”

Uncle Stan nodded and caressed the side of my face. I smiled at him lovingly.

“Now, where’s that strawberry cake that you got for me? I’m starving!” I said while going to the kitchen countertop and preparing breakfast for the most important man in my life.