The Ugly Alpha Wants Me

Chapter 9 : The Night Before the Storm

Two AM. Ayla stared at her bedroom ceiling, wide awake and restless. Every time she tried to close her eyes, all she could see were the faces of the Alphas who would arrive tomorrow—cold, judgmental eyes looking down at her like she was nothing.

God, what if I mess this up?

She'd spent the entire day cramming information into her brain. Kane had drilled her on protocols and clan politics until her head hurt. Lyra had taught her about ancient rituals that seemed way too complicated for someone like her. But no matter how much she studied, she still felt like a fraud.

These Alpha leaders had probably already decided she wasn't good enough before they'd even met her.

"Ugh, screw this." Ayla threw off her blankets and got out of bed. Her room felt suffocating now. She needed fresh air.

She crept through the castle hallways, trying not to wake anyone. The only light came from flickering torches that cast creepy shadows on the stone walls. Everything felt eerily quiet, like the whole place was holding its breath.

The back gardens called to her. Maybe some moonlight and cool air would help calm her nerves.

When she stepped outside, the full moon was so bright it turned everything silver. Beautiful, but also kind of haunting. She walked toward the massive oak tree in the center of the garden, planning to sit under it and maybe actually relax for once.

But someone was already there.

Zephan.

He sat with his back against the tree trunk, legs stretched out, staring up at the moon. Even in the dim light, she could see how tense he was—shoulders rigid, hands clenched into fists.

Ayla hesitated. Maybe he wanted to be alone. But something about the way he sat there, looking so isolated and burdened, made her heart ache.

She walked over slowly, leaves crunching under her feet. Zephan's head snapped toward her, those dark eyes meeting hers. For just a second, she saw surprise flash across his face before his usual Alpha mask slipped back into place.

"Can't sleep?" His voice was quiet, rougher than usual.

Ayla shook her head as she got closer. "Looks like we have the same problem."

He didn't say anything, just shifted over to make room for her beside him. She didn't hesitate—sitting down next to him felt natural somehow.

They sat in comfortable silence, moonlight playing across their faces. Ayla found herself studying Zephan's sharp features, the way the shadows emphasized the strong line of his jaw.

"Are you scared?" he asked suddenly, still looking up at the sky.

Ayla thought about lying, about pretending she was fine. But something in his tone—softer than she'd ever heard it—made her want to be honest.

"Terrified," she whispered. "I'm scared I won't be able to prove myself. That I'll let your clan down."

"Tell me," she said softly. "About the curse. I heard bits from Lyra, but I want to hear it from you."

Zephan was quiet for so long she thought he wouldn't answer. Then he started talking, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It started five years ago. The Crimson Fang clan attacked us without warning. They brought this dark sorcerer with them—an old guy with eyes like fire."

Ayla held her breath, not wanting to interrupt.

"In the final battle, I fought him directly. He was dying, blood everywhere, but he looked at me with so much hate." Zephan's voice shook slightly. "Right before he died, he said that since I'd killed without mercy, I'd feel endless pain."

"The curse hit me like fire burning from the inside out," he continued. "Every single day, every night, this pain eats away at me. Sometimes it's so bad I can't move, can't think straight. And the worst part... I'm slowly losing the ability to feel anything good. That's why people are afraid of me. They can sense the darkness growing inside me."

"But that was war," Ayla said, reaching out to touch his arm. "You were protecting your people. Any Alpha would have done the same thing."

Zephan looked at her with eyes full of pain and something else she couldn't quite name. "In war, yeah, people have to die. But I... I enjoyed it, Ayla. I liked having the power to take lives. That sorcerer saw something dark in me that I didn't even know was there."

"But you've changed," she said firmly. "I see how you protect everyone now, how much you care. Five years of suffering changed you. You're not the same person you were back then."

"How can you be so sure?"

The question made her pause. How could she explain this feeling she had? How could she tell him that when she looked into his eyes, she didn't see a monster—she saw a man who'd been hurt and was trying to do better?

"Because truly evil people don't feel guilty like you do," she finally said. "They wouldn't care about being cursed. But you've carried this pain for five years, and instead of becoming worse, you became better. That proves your heart was never really dark."

Zephan stared at her like he was searching for lies, but all he found was honesty and something deeper.

"What about you?" he asked gently. "What makes you so strong? What happened to your family?"

Now it was Ayla's turn to feel uncomfortable. She rarely talked about her past, especially the painful parts.

"My parents died when I was five," she said quietly. "I've lived with Uncle Marcus ever since."

"Did he love you?"

Ayla shook her head. "He took care of me because he had to, not because he wanted to. I learned to take care of myself pretty young. But the worst part wasn't being poor or anything like that. The worst part was being alone. No one really knew me. No one cared if I was okay or not."

Her voice broke at the end, and she felt tears sliding down her cheeks.

Suddenly, she felt warmth on her hand. Zephan had taken her fingers in his, his thumb gently brushing away her tears.

"You're not alone anymore," he whispered, and his voice was full of emotion. "I'm here. This clan is here. And I won't let anyone hurt you again."

The way he said it—so gentle but so determined—made her heart race. She looked into his dark eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

"Zephan..."

"I know this is selfish," he interrupted, his voice hoarse. "I know I can't give you a normal life. But I can't let you go, Ayla. You... you're the only thing that makes the pain stop."

"You think I want normal?" she asked softly. "Normal is boring. And I've been alone long enough to know what I really want. I don't want safety or comfort. I want someone who really sees me."

"And you think I do that?"

"I know you do."

They stared at each other, the air between them charged with emotion. The space between them seemed to shrink, and Ayla could feel his warm breath on her face.

"Ayla," he whispered her name like a prayer. "I..."

Suddenly, a fierce wind tore through the garden, sending leaves flying everywhere. But this wasn't normal wind—something unnatural rode with it, something that made every instinct in Ayla's body scream danger.

Zephan shot to his feet, his whole body going rigid like a predator sensing a threat. He sniffed the air, and his expression turned deadly.

"No," he growled with dangerous intensity. "They weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow."

"What?" Ayla asked, even though her gut already knew what was happening.

Zephan stood with sudden, violent movement, his eyes blazing in the darkness. "The Alphas. They're here."

As if to prove his point, a long, powerful howl echoed from the forest around the castle. This wasn't just any howl—it carried authority and threat.

One howl became two, then three, until the night air filled with a terrifying chorus of apex predators.

"They came early," Zephan said in a tone that made Ayla's blood turn cold. "And they're in war formation."

Ayla scrambled to her feet on shaking legs. "What does that mean?"

Zephan looked at her with eyes full of worry and rage. "It means they didn't come to negotiate, Ayla. They came to fight."

The next howl was closer, and this time Ayla could feel the supernatural power behind it. The pressure almost knocked her to her knees.

"Get ready," Zephan whispered, grabbing her hand. "The real fight is about to begin."

As they ran back toward the castle, Ayla couldn't shake the feeling that the moment they'd just shared might be their last peaceful one for a very long time.

The storm they'd been dreading had arrived, and it was going to be so much worse than anything they'd imagined.