THE ALPHA'S TEACHER

THE PRICE FOR ONE NIGHT!

MIA’S POV

The engine hummed softly as I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, but my mind was anything but quiet. My emotions were tangled, a storm of frustration, loss, and something else—something I didn’t want to name.

Losing my job had been a gut punch. The sting of it still clung to me, a constant reminder of how unpredictable life could be. But even as that weighed on me, I couldn't deny the other feeling gnawing at my heart. Anticipation.

I wanted to see him again.

The stranger.

I swallowed hard at the thought, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. The way he looked at me, touched me, made me feel—God, it had been different. Unlike anything I had ever experienced.

And now?

I exhaled sharply and pushed the car door open, stepping into the cool morning air. My apartment building loomed ahead, a dull contrast to the whirlwind inside me. As I climbed the short steps to my door, something odd caught my eye.

The doorknob.

I stopped, my fingers hovering just over it. The old, rusted one was gone. In its place was a brand new one—sleek, sturdy, untouched.

I let out a shaky breath. It had to be him.

Aiden, my stranger!

A faint smile ghosted my lips, my chest tightening in a way I didn’t understand. Why would he do this? Why replace my lock? It wasn’t just a meaningless act—it was… something else. Something that felt like care.

I pushed the door open, stepping inside, my heart beating faster than I wanted to admit. A part of me expected to see him waiting for me, standing in the dim light of my small sitting room.

But the space was empty.

Silent.

I frowned, shutting the door behind me. My eyes flickered to the kitchen. Maybe he was there? I took a few careful steps forward, peeking inside. But there was no sign of him—no lingering presence, no trace of him at all.

Still, I refused to believe it.

With hesitant steps, I moved toward the bedroom, my fingers trailing along the wall as if touching the space would somehow make him appear. But when I pushed the door open, my stomach twisted.

Empty.

The bed was untouched. No sign of him. No lingering scent of his warmth.

He was gone.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my feet feeling heavier as I walked back to the living room. A hollow feeling settled in my chest, an ache I hadn’t been prepared for.

I sank onto the couch, pressing my hands against my lap. The weight of his absence settled around me like a thick fog, suffocating and cold.

I hated how foolish I felt.

What did you expect, Mia?

I clenched my jaw, trying to push back the sting in my chest. What we had meant nothing to him.

I laughed bitterly at the thought, though it sounded hollow even to my own ears. How could it have? He was a stranger. A man I had met in the most unexpected way, shared something intimate with, and then… nothing.

Everything in this room reminded me of him—the air, the silence, even the way my own skin felt as if it still remembered his touch.

I leaned back, my fingers curling into the fabric of the couch, but then—

A crinkling sound.

Frowning, I reached behind me, my fingers brushing against something tucked between the cushions. I pulled it out, my breath hitching as I unfolded the small envelope.

My heart pounded.

Inside was a wad of cash. And a note.

One single word.

"Thanks."

I stared at it, my vision blurring as my mind tried to make sense of what I was seeing. The weight of the money in my hands felt heavier than it should have.

For a long moment, I just sat there. Silent. Stunned.

Then, it hit me.

So that’s it?

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. He paid me off? For what? Sleeping with him?

Pain knotted in my chest, sharp and unforgiving. My throat tightened as the tears welled up, and this time, I couldn’t stop them from falling.

I squeezed the note in my hand, my fingers trembling.

"Come on, Mia," I whispered to myself, my voice unsteady. "What did you expect? You knew he wasn’t your type. He was a stranger."

But even as I said it, I knew it was a lie.

It hadn’t felt meaningless.

Not to me.

I wasn’t stupid—I knew he hadn’t made any promises. I knew this was never supposed to be more than one night. But still, he had treated me like I mattered. And that—that was the part that hurt the most.

I had given him my virginity.

And this was how it ended?

I wiped angrily at my tears, forcing myself to breathe. I wouldn’t fall apart over this.

Not over him.

My grip tightened on the envelope. I didn’t even bother to count the money.

But one thing was clear.

I would keep it.

Not because I wanted it, but because one day, I’d find him again. And when I did, I would throw it in his face.

I would remind him that I wasn’t some cheap prostitute he could just pay off and forget about.

Aiden might have walked away without looking back, but this wasn’t over.

I just hoped I’d be alive to see that day come.