Neglected mate of an alpha

Chapter 1

The night was slightly humid. It has been drizzling on and off since 7pm but the rain was not heavy enough to Emaka and Nneka from leaving the house at midnight to drop a well wrapped box which contains three hours old baby in front of Children of Mercy motherless baby home located in Odakpu part of Onitsha in Anambra state, Nigeria

They parked their car a meter to the motherless baby home. it was a bungalow with an unguarded gate. Emeka put one hand through the gate peep hole and gently unlocked the gate. before they quietly walked towards the front door.

It was so dark and quiet except for small insects and frog sounds that formed a kind of music pattern accustomed to night in the suburbs. After they dropped the box, they headed back towards the gate but Nneka stopped and walked back to the box fishing out a pen and paper from her purse, she scribed something on the paper, she fix it into the baby dress, then gently cupped the cheeks of the sleeping baby with her fingers before walking back to where her elder brother was impatiently waiting for her.

After closing the gate, they both walked back to their car, each engrossed in their own thoughts.

"Nneka" Emeka called as he started the engine of the car. But Nneka remain silent, focussing on the road in front

"Why did you go back to the baby back there" Emeka continue

"I went to give a name to my child" she muttered.

"What name and why are you trying to make this more complicated for us." Emeka ask angrily.

"Precious" she paused before she continued. "That is Mark's Young sister's name. I want my child to have something from her father. Although Mark doesn't love me, but I truly loved him" she replied with tears in her eyes. "besides, my baby looks more like Mark's sister Precious" she added forcing a smile as she turned to face her brother. He reached out with his right hand to hold her hand while he holds the steering wheel with the left hand.

"Don't worry. let's treat this as one big nightmare and move on with our lives." Emeka spoke gently as he drive the car towards their house.

Nneka is his only sister and his only living family. He had sword to protect her ever since he was burdened with the responsibilities of caring for her. Nneka is sixteen years younger than he is. Their mom had found it difficult to convince again after she had Emeke but miraculously, after sixteen long years, she had another baby.

The birth of Nneka marked the beginning of nemesis in their family. Their father Ucheagu lost his life in a motor accident while he was on his way to the hospital to meet his wife and new baby. The incident was kept secret from the new mother till she returned home from hospital. Although she was worried that her husband did not come to see her at the hospital, but she was assured that he had an emergency travel to the village and will be back soon.

However, that did not stop the shocked that took her life when she finally heard the truth about her husband's death. she collapsed immediately. Be the time she was rushed to the hospital, the doctor confirmed her dead

Emeka and his baby sister, Nneka where made orphans by fate from that day. They were taken in by their father's elder brother who lives in Onitsha.

Life in Onitsha was not that easy because their uncle was not a rich man. He was barely able to feed his own family not to talk of additional two people. Emeka was sent out as an apprentice to wealthy trader at sixteen because his uncle could not afford his school fees. A friend of his uncle named Mr Albert, needed and apprentice to help with his shoes business at main market onitsha. Their uncle saw this as an avenue to build Emeka's skill by giving him a kind of education, even though it was informal.

Emeka was not happy to drop out of school but since fate had made it so, he knew that he has no choice. He went to Onitsha with the determination to make his uncle and himself proud.

Nneka was nursed by their uncle' wife. Since she had no child of her own, she loved and cared for Nneka and Emeka like her like her own children. Nneka grew up, knowing her uncle, Okey and his wife as her parents. She grew into a beautiful girl. When she was old enough, she was registered into school.

Fate struck again with it's evil when Nneka was in junior secondary School. by then Emeka had already opened his own shop where he sells male shoes. Everything was moving fine till one day in mid August when uncle Okey and his wife were traveling to the village in igboukwu for the annual August meeting.

On their way in a public transport, towards Awka-etiti, a trailer trying to over take another bus, bounced into a deep pot hole and bounced out with same speed. The two drivers could not control the brakes of their respective vehicles on time to stop the collision so they ran straight into each other, since they were already too close to seek an escape. The next few seconds was like a dream, before you could say jack, the bus was already under the trailer.

Their bus was destroyed beyond recognition with the whole fourteen passengers in the bus. By the time people got to the scene, all passengers, including the driver of the trailer were dead.

Since then, Emeka took full responsibility of caring for and training his younger sister Nneka. He financed her academics, food cloth and shelter. Even though he was not educated, he made sure his sister got to the university.

Nneka met her boyfriend Mark, while she was in her first year at University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was so in love with Mark and believed that the feeling was mutual.

At first, Emeka was against the relationship between her only sister and her fellow students, he was not in support of her having any relationship with an opposite gender till after graduation. He has sacrificed a lot to get her to this level, he even refused to get married in order to give her all necessary attention.

He showed his disapproval outwardly, starting from the first day Mark visited their home during a semester break in their second year. It was a Sunday afternoon. On hearing the knock on the door, Emeka, who was watching television in the parlor, went to open the door.

"Good afternoon" Emeka greeted the stranger.

"Good afternoon sir" Mark replied nervously on seeing Emeka who was much older than him. Although Nneka had told him a lot about her big brother, he never suspected that her brother will look almost like a father to her.

"please... please is Nneka in?" he managed to speak

"Yes she is. Who are you young man?" Emeka queried

"I am... My name is Mark Igwe, We are friends" Mark stuttered.

"What do you mean friends. What kind of friends?" Emeka was getting irritated.

"Bro. Emmy, he is my boyfriend from school, please let him in" Nneka said as she walked into the parlor from her room. She already heard the conversation from her room.

"Will you get back to your room, you fool!" Emeka commanded, pointing towards her since he could no longer contain his anger. Nneka got scared and ran back to her room to cry.

Then Emeka turned to face Mark

" And you, whatever you call yourself, Mark or Park, I don't care. Let this be the last day I will see you in this house or near my sister. the next time I find you around her, I will break your legs"

"But sir, I meant no harm, we both love each other" Mark replied apologetically stepping back nervously.

"Brother, I love him so much. please don't do this to me" Nneka screamed from her room with tears filled voice.

"Are you not happy the way I warned you or do you want me to get you arrested for trespassing" Emeka threatened, ignoring his sister's plea.

Mark left that day disappointed and angry but he later made up with Nneka when they got back to school.

Emeka tried all possible best to end their relationship but they treated him like the enemy and continued dating in secret. Their relationship blossomed in school. Every student on campus knew them as a couple

With time, Emeka got tired of fighting their relationship since it kept growing stronger. He decided to let them be.