Mated to an Alpha

The night air was extremely cold, enveloping Kaliyah's body as she walked slowly down the dimly lit street.

The moon was crescent and it cast a pale glow on the sidewalks.

Her breath came out in soft puffs. She wrapped her arms tight around her body to fight off the chill.

She didn’t know why she was out so late, just that she needed to get away, to escape the house, the silence, the lies that clung to the walls like dirt.

And to top it all, that feeling was here again. Her body felt hot, somewhat painful. For the past year she's dealt with this strange feeling.

Every now and then, her body would hurt and burn and she didn't know why. She would soak herself in water to deal with the pain.

Kate never even allowed her go to the hospital, she just kept giving her some medicine, which had never made her feel better.

She felt so lost, so confused, like she didn't even know who she was. Kate, her foster mom, made her life miserable.

Kate had a son, Don. The two of them were devils. With Don always trying to force himself on her, Kaliyah lost the will to live sometimes.

One time, Kate put chili in Kaliyah's face wash just because she complained about Don's behavior.

And now, this feeling was here again. This time it felt worse. It spread through her body like piercing needles laced with acid. It felt like her skin was going to explode.

She had rushed out of the house. Maybe a walk in the cool breeze would make her feel better.

Being alone on the streets at night wasn’t smart, but right now, it was better than being home.

And she wasn't entirely wrong. She did feel a bit relieved. She thought to walk for a while, then take a turn back home.

But before she could turn back, she found herself standing in front of a small, old flower shop.

It was long abandoned with wooden boards nailed over shattered windows, the sign above faded and chipped, read: Fauna's Blooms.

Kaliyah used to sneak all the way here as a kid because Kate would never allow her.

She remembered the lady who used to give her free petals to press into her notebooks.

She stepped closer, her fingers brushing over the dusty glass. Inside, shadows and spiderwebs clung to the shelves.

For a moment, it felt like the town itself was grieving and mourning a version of her that never got to grow.

Her body ached again, a fresh surge of heat racing down her spine. She stumbled back from the window, gripping a lamppost for support.

That was when she heard a noise.

Shouting.

Growling.

Her steps slowed as her ears caught the loud panic in the voices up ahead.

The further she walked, the louder the noise became... screams, gasps, the dull thud of something heavy hitting the ground. She turned a corner, and that’s