My Devil Alphas of Crimson Moon

Chapter Two

-Anya’s POV-

My whole body began to shake, and I slid to the floor, terrified and unsure of what to do. I didn’t want to be alone tonight but had no one to call. I didn’t feel comfortable asking Alex, considering he just started being friendly towards me. I sat there for a moment before deciding that I would just suck it up and try to get some sleep. I doubt he would come back after leaving me such a note.

I grabbed the T-shirt I wore at night and stripped out of my work uniform. I kept my panties on, put my shirt on, set my alarms for my next shift, and turned the light off. I tossed and turned for what seemed like an eternity before finally falling asleep. The nightmare I fell into made me regret shutting my eyes.

There I was again, standing on top of the podium, while the man rattled off words too fast for my ears to understand. While standing in front of a group of people, I decided to investigate the crowd. There were all kinds of ethnicities and ages in the crowd, but I didn’t expect to see a face that looked familiar. My vision started to blur, unable to determine who it was when I noticed the crowd became silent. I looked up and saw another creepy man, telling me it was time to go. I wanted to go home with my parents, not with this man. I started to look around for them, which seemed to upset the man in front of me. He grabbed my arm and began to pull me backstage while I started screaming for my parents. He quickly turned around, and I instantly felt his hand strike my cheek, making me fall to the ground.

“Your parents don’t want you, so you wound up here. Thankfully my boss saw the potential in an exotic beauty like you, so you’ll be coming with us now. Now behave before you upset me.” He said while glaring down at me.

Tears clouded my eyes, and I refused to get off the floor. The man growled at me and pulled out the black bag while walking towards me. I started to panic and let out an ear-piercing scream as he slammed the bag over my head, and I felt a pain in my neck before I was overcome with darkness.

My eyes sprung open, and I let out a soundless scream while the tears started falling from my eyes. I couldn’t believe the nightmares were becoming so frequent, and it was becoming extremely frustrating. Once I could calm myself down, I realized that there was more detail in the last nightmare I had than the one I had the night before. I sat there for a few moments trying to remember the new information that appeared this time. I racked my brain, trying to remember the face in the crowd that seemed familiar, but I had no luck trying to imagine his face.

I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, turned the faucet on, and grabbed a washcloth to clean my face of the sweat from the horrible memories. Once I was cooled down, I decided to eat something before my next shift, realizing I didn’t eat anything last night. I decided to make something light and grabbed the tortillas, turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, and bacon. I quickly made myself a wrap and made sure to drink enough water before tackling another long shift.

Usually, a Friday night is one of our busier nights, and I make the most money on weekends, but after dealing with the bullshit last night, I’m more anxious than anything because I don’t want to see that man again. I glanced over at his note and knew the chance of not seeing him was slim. After letting out a long sigh and getting the willpower to get ready for work, I put on my uniform, grabbed my wallet and phone, and turned off the lights. I locked my door and walked down the steps and into the street to start my walk to work.

As I walked up to the bar, I saw a man standing outside smoking a cigarette and ignored him like I usually did and went to open the door to go inside. Unexpectedly, his arm reached out and grabbed my waist, pulling me to him. I immediately cringed and tried to pull myself away from him when I looked up and saw who had a hold of me.

“I was starting to worry you wouldn’t show up.” He said while exhaling a cloud of smoke.

“I have to go inside to set up for my shift.” I pushed away from him, but his grip only tightened on me.

He looked down at me, making me realize he had to be at least six feet tall, and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be waiting for you tonight, so don’t even think about sneaking off with your boss again. Understood?”

I wanted to tell him to f**k off, but the way he was looking at me made me realize he was one hundred percent serious, so all I could do was nod. He let go of me, and I ran inside and locked the door, desperate to be away from him. As I walked up to the bar, Missy and Alex greeted me, and I saw a smile form on Alex’s face. Seeing him like this made me forget about the man waiting outside.

I went behind the bar, clocked in, and started getting everything ready for our upcoming shift that I knew would be exceptionally busy since it was Friday night. Alex headed towards the manager’s office, and when he passed me, I felt his fingertips glide across my skin, and I couldn’t help but grin while wrapping the silverware for the tables.

Once Missy and I had everything prepared, she went and unlocked the front door and the first person to come in was that man who had been waiting for me. He made his way to the bar, and thankfully Missy recognized him from last night, so she went to take his drink order. He frowned but ordered his jack and coke without a complaint. Thankfully more patrons started to fill the bar, and things quickly went underway. I had more than enough customers to help me keep my mind off the fact that he was just staring at me the entire time; I could feel his eyes trailing up and down my body when Alex asked me to come into the manager’s office when things calmed down a little bit.

I breathed a sigh of relief to the man’s displeasure and walked into the back. “What’s up, Alex?”

He stood up from the desk and looked me dead in the eyes, “Anya, is there something you want to tell me?”

I looked at him confused when he pointed to the bar at the man still watching me. I quickly shut the door and bit my lip. “Are you seeing that man?!” He shouted at me, his eyes laced with hurt and confusion.

I stood there stunned for a moment, not realizing the direction this conversation was going to go. “Alexander, I am not seeing that man. He was harassing me last night and wanted to revisit me tonight.”

His eyes softened when I used his full name, and he strolled to me and just hugged me. “I’m sorry, Anya.”

I hugged him back as the small amount of anger I had left my body. “Do you want me to ask him to leave?” He asked me while still holding onto me.

I shook my head, knowing that even if he were asked to leave, he would still find me, and this way, it’s in a public place. Not to mention, I don’t want to do anything that will piss him off and create a scene. That would be far worse than what’s happening now.

“Well, let me know if you need anything, and I’ll take care of it, okay?” He said while pulling back to look into my eyes.

I smiled and nodded my head, pulled away from his embrace, and went to open the door when Alex grabbed my wrist and pulled me against his body again. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips to mine and cradled my head in his hands. I froze like a deer in headlights, not expecting this sudden display of affection from Alex. I gently kissed him back, unsure of what this meant for us. His lips formed into a smile underneath mine, and it was nice to see this sweeter side of him.

After a few moments, he released my lips and kissed my forehead before gesturing to the door so that I could get back to my shift.

My cheeks were still red, but I opened the door to go back out to the bar when I saw the look on his face. It was confusion mixed with anger, but I couldn’t figure out why he would be upset until the realization hit me like a freight train. I had just gone back into my boss’s office, shut the door, and spent about 10 minutes without being in his line of sight. How could I be so stupid? 

I quickly walked back to my spot and started helping my patrons that had finished their drinks while I was gone. He motioned for another drink, and I tried to find Missy, but she was currently busy with three other customers.

I walked over to him. “Can I get you another drink, sir?”

He smirked at me, looking me up and down. “You can get me more than just a drink. But I suppose for now I’ll just have a Jameson on the rocks.”

I nodded and got his glass with ice and poured the Jameson for him. When I handed him his drink, he reached out to take it from me and his fingers brushed against mine. I couldn’t help but flinch away from the slight touch, not wanting anything of his to be touching me. His eyes narrowed when he saw my reaction, and I quickly went back to the other patrons waiting for me.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, and Missy was able to keep up with all her patrons as well as the man who kept staring at me. He ended up staying my whole shift and reluctantly left when it was time to close. Missy also went home a little bit early, so Alex and I were closing the bar. Once we had everything cleaned, put away, and sorted, we made our way to the front and locked the door.

“Would you like another ride home tonight? I noticed a few of the streetlights aren’t working properly and don’t want you walking

home in the dark.” Alex said to me while we walked through the parking lot.

I considered his offer but remembered what the note on my fridge had said. I wondered if he would show up at my apartment or if he got what he wanted by staying my whole shift. “No, that’s okay. Thank you, though.”

His face fell, but he didn’t argue with me. So, I hugged him goodbye and quickly left before I changed my mind. Thankfully, the walk home was about 10 minutes, so I made sure to use the flashlight on my phone when I approached the streetlights that weren’t working correctly. I didn’t feel anyone following me, which was a good sign, and I started to feel better once I saw my apartment building. I walked up the stairs, unlocked my door, and walked inside. I was shocked when I didn’t see a single light on, knowing that I always leave one on because it’s always so late when I get home.

Thankfully I had a lamp next to my front door and quickly turned it on. I looked over at my fridge and didn’t see another note. I breathed a sigh of relief, locked my door, and headed to my room to take a shower. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be possible because once I walked into my room, a gasp escaped my mouth when I saw the man sitting on my bed.

“So, it looks like you know how to listen and didn’t let your boss bring you home again.” He said, getting up and walking over to me.

I shrunk away from him. “How would you know? I didn’t feel you following me.”

He laughed at me like I made some hilarious joke. “You wouldn’t have noticed me even if you tried to.”

I looked at him like I was missing something when he spoke again. “Now, you’re either going to come with me willingly, or I’ll just take you by force, just like the last time.”

I immediately froze and backed away from him. “What do you mean the last time?!”

He smirked at me. “You’re saying you don’t remember me, Anya? That hurts; it really does. Considering I’m the one who bought you when you were six years old.” He said while moving towards me.

Tears started streaming down my face. “It’s not possible… How can that be possible?!” I screamed at him, my voice cracking in the process.

“As I said, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s your choice, but you will be coming with me. You’re lucky I didn’t take you last night after letting your boss put his filthy hands all over you.”

As he started to stalk towards me, I heard a knock at the front door and immediately ran to it. I heard the mystery man curse behind me, and when I looked back, I saw him jumping out of my window. I beelined straight for my front door and pulled it open, not even bothering to look and see who it was.

“Anya, are you okay?!” Alex rushed inside and hugged me tightly. I broke down in his arms, unable to control the tears flowing down my cheeks. “What happened?!” He took my face in his hands, wiping my tears away with his thumbs.

I hiccupped from crying and tried to find my voice. “The man... from the bar. He came here and tried to take me with him.”

Alex’s eyes went dark, and he pulled me closer to him. “It’s okay, Anya. I’m here now.” He rubbed my back soothingly and let me cry until there was nothing left.

He picked me up and carried me back to my room, laying me down in my bed. He went over and closed my window and locking it before turning back to me. “Do you want me to stay?”

I thought about his offer and nodded my head. I couldn’t be alone right now. Not after what just happened with that man. “Is it okay if you sleep on the couch? I’m not comfortable with anyone being in my bed.” His eyes seemed sad, but he nodded anyway.

“Thank you for staying, Alex.” He grinned and walked over to me, kissing me on my forehead, and walked out to the living room to get comfortable on the couch.

As I got comfortable in bed, I quickly realized how tired I was and fell asleep within minutes. Thankfully, I had no nightmares that night and didn’t wake up once. The light shined through the curtains, and I sat up, stretching my limbs, remembering the events that occurred last night. I hoped that the mystery man wouldn’t show up at work again because there was no way he would sit idly by after being interrupted the previous night.

I walked out into the living room and noticed that Alex was still fast asleep on the couch and couldn’t help but smile at him. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t shown up last night. I had the sudden realization that he never told me why he showed up in the first place. I figured I would make us breakfast and ask him while we ate.

I went to the fridge, grabbing the eggs, bacon, and seasonings I would need. I quickly sprayed a skillet with oil so the eggs wouldn’t stick and decided to make them over easy. After grabbing another skillet, I laid the bacon evenly to ensure faster cooking, grabbed some bread, and plopped it into the toaster.

In no time, my apartment began to smell of hearty breakfast food, and I felt Alex’s hands wrap around my waist. “I wondered what smelled so delicious.” He whispered into my ear.

I giggled and continued cooking, eventually ushering him to sit down while I grabbed him some orange juice and brought his plate over. I sat down next to him with my plate, and we began to eat. I was shocked to hear him let out a moan after taking a bite of the bacon with the egg and toast. I love sunny-side-up eggs because the yolk’s richness makes any dish better.

After taking a drink of my orange juice, I looked over at Alex. “So... I never got to ask you. But why did you show up here last night?”

He looked over at me and just smiled. “You forgot your tips at the bar, so I was coming to drop them off. Then I saw someone’s car parked out in front of your house and realized something must have been wrong.”

I took a deep breath. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

His hand caressed my cheek. “Do you know that man outside of the bar?” I froze, debating if I wanted to tell him about my past.

I quickly shook my head and continued eating the rest of my food. He gave me a weird look, but I avoided his gaze, and once we were done eating, I started cleaning up the dishes.

“I have to get going, Anya. Are you going to be okay by yourself?” Alex’s voice rang through the apartment.

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I have some errands to run anyways.” He walked over to me and kissed my forehead before walking out the front door.

Once the door was shut, I felt the tears start to stain my cheeks. I wish the crying would just stop already; crying like a child all the time makes me feel weak. I took a deep breath, focused on my breathing, and decided a hot shower might help. Once all the dishes were put away, and the kitchen was clean, I walked to my bedroom and stripped out of my clothes. I flipped the light switch on in the bathroom and turned on the hot water in the shower.

After waiting a few moments, the steam from the water began to fill the bathroom, and I stepped in, immediately feeling the tension leave my body as the hot water ran along my body, soothing my muscles and easing my worries. I grabbed my shampoo and began to work a lather into my long hair, using my nails to scrub my scalp, and started to feel so much cleaner. After washing that out, I let

my conditioner sit in my hair while I shaved and exfoliated.

Sometimes all a woman needs are a hot shower and self-care. This was one of those moments for me. I was still in shock that the mystery man broke into my apartment and debated contacting the authorities. That would probably end in a bust, though, because I didn’t even know his name. Not to mention, nothing looked out of place in the apartment.

I let out a long sigh, reminding myself that I need to stay strong because all I have is myself. I cannot count on anyone to keep me safe or listen to my problems. I had already learned that no one stuck around for me in past friendships, using me only for their benefit. I decided I had probably spent enough time in the shower, turned the water off, and grabbed my towel.

As I was drying off, I realized it was only nine in the morning, and my next shift didn’t start till noon. A typical shift in a bar would either be day shift, 11 am to 5 pm, or night shift, which could last from 5 pm to 2 am depending on if I was waitressing or bartending. However, lately, I have been working double shifts to try and get enough money saved away in the event of an emergency. I decided that reading would be the best way to pass the time and quickly changed into some shorts and a tank top. I grabbed a supernatural novel that I had been reading lately, and to say that I was obsessed would be an understatement. The story revolved around a young woman pursued by a werewolf and found herself in a love triangle.

I feel like I must constantly remind myself that these stories are just that, stories. I get so engrossed in these novels, and sometimes I wish that could be my life. I have thoughts like this every week, wondering if I was born into a fiction novel, that maybe my life could have been different, better even. I set the alarm on my phone for 11:30 am so I could be at work by noon. I opened the novel to the last page I read and quickly found myself lost in the story.