Chapter 5
1136 Words
Just as Hanna was about to pull down her top completely, someone burst into the room.
“STOP!”
Startled, Hanna quickly yanked her shirt back into place. Everyone in the room turned to look, and to her surprise, it was her mother.
“Mom?”
Sharon stood frozen, eyes wide with alarm and heart racing so loudly that everyone, except Hanna, could hear the frantic rhythm. It was as if she had just narrowly avoided disaster.
Without wasting a second, she bowed low before Alan and spoke in a panicked voice, “I deeply apologize for my daughter’s carelessness, Alpha King. Please, don’t take offense.” She then shot Hanna a sharp, warning glare.
Hanna’s eyes widened in fear. She quickly rose to her feet and bowed as well. “I’m very sorry for the trouble I caused.”
Alan gave a short nod, his brows subtly drawn together.
Then Sharon looked up at him and added, “I’m her mother. I’ll take it from here. There’s no need for someone of your status to bother with poor people like us. We mean nothing to you.”
Alan’s expression darkened slightly at her words. He turned his gaze away for a moment, then looked back at Hanna, studying her with a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
Without another word, he sighed quietly and walked out of the room.
As soon as Alan stepped out, Sharon straightened and delivered a stinging slap across Hanna’s face, hard enough that Hanna had to grab the bed for support, her hand flying to her cheek.
The doctor, still present, froze in shock.
Sharon shot him a cold glare. “Can you give us some privacy?”
Though clearly displeased, the doctor gave her a hard look, then turned and left the room.
Breathing shakily, Hanna tried to explain. “I… I was bringing your purse like you asked, but—”
“That’s your excuse for bumping into the Alpha King?!” Sharon snapped, her voice rising.
Hanna winced, still holding her aching arm. “N-no… he’s the one who bumped into me…”
Another sharp slap cracked across her other cheek, making her cry out as her head jerked to the side.
“You’ve got no shame, do you?” Sharon hissed, jabbing a finger against Hanna’s forehead and pushing her head back. “You’re this dramatic over a simple injury?!”
Without warning, Sharon grabbed Hanna’s injured arm and roughly popped the shoulder back into place with a loud crack.
“Ah!” Hanna screamed, collapsing to the floor beside the bed, tears spilling from her eyes as she clutched her throbbing arm, her face twisted in pain.
Sharon scoffed and looked down at her with disgust. “You’re so pathetic… so weak,” she sneered, then crouched beside her, grabbing a handful of Hanna’s hair and forcing her to look up.
“I warned you,” she whispered coldly, her eyes burning with fury.
Tears streamed down Hanna’s cheeks as she stared into her mother’s hateful eyes.
“I told you never to let anyone see that birthmark. So tell me, what exactly were you about to do just now?”
Hanna blinked, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “I… I’m sorry, I forgot. I didn’t realize it was such a big—”
Smack!
Sharon silenced her with a sharp backhand across the face, then yanked her head back again, making Hanna gasp in pain, her face twisting.
“Didn’t know? You forgot?!” Sharon roared, trembling with rage. “Unless you want the medical bill here paid out of your own empty pockets, get the hell out! And I swear, if I ever see you in this place again—”
She shoved Hanna’s head forward in disgust.
“You don’t belong here,” she spat before turning and storming out, leaving Hanna broken and silently sobbing on the floor.
⸻
Meanwhile, in his office, Alan sat behind his desk, unable to shake the image of the girl from his mind.
The door creaked open and in walked his beta, Zeke Norman, wearing a curious expression. “Alpha, you were supposed to oversee the training session today. I heard you showed up, but then vanished. What happened?”
Alan raised an eyebrow as he remembered. “Oh… yeah. I was… I got distracted,” he said with furrowed brows.
“By what?” Zeke asked.
“I don't… really know…” Alan trailed off, lowering his gaze. “I just… I felt drawn to something…” Then he looked up at Zeke. “Or someone.”
Zeke’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait, so the rumors are true? You were seen walking with a girl? That’s… wow. That’s hard to believe!”
Alan tilted his head, something else also occupying his mind. “I felt offended today by a woman. She said I don’t care about poor people. That they’re nothing to me. It was odd.”
And you didn’t have her punished?” Zeke asked, stunned. “Alpha, that’s direct disrespect. Saying something like that to the Alpha King is practically blasphemy.”
Alan bobbed his head, still thinking. “But that girl with the woman… she completely snatched all my attention.”
Zeke tilted his head, confused. “Huh? Wait… I don't get it. How many women did you meet today? A girl? A woman?”
“A girl and her mother, it seems,” Alan said, still looking deep in thought.
“Ah, got it,” Zeke said, understanding now. “Anyway, nine more she-wolves showed up today, claiming they have the birthmark you’re searching for.”
Alan’s brow furrowed. “Nine? That’s impossible. My mate is supposed to be one of a kind. How can nine women have the same birthmark?”
Zeke shrugged. “Well, you knew imposters would show up, Alpha. Looks like finding your real mate won’t be easy after all.”
Alan shook his head. “No. No games. Announce a death sentence for anyone pretending to have the mark.”
Zeke blinked, even though he wasn't surprised. This was the Alpha he certainly heard of, and grew to work with.
“Right away.” He activated the mind link and spoke to the gamma. ‘Jimmy, the Alpha says anyone caught faking the birthmark gets a death sentence.’
A beat passed. Then Jimmy responded, ‘They all just ran.’
Zeke closed the link and turned back to Alan. “They’re gone.”
Alan’s jaw tightened as he looked away. “Is my mate even in Moonville?”
Zeke sighed. “There’s still time, Alpha. Word hasn’t reached every corner yet.”
Alan leaned back in his chair, his eyes steely with determination. “She’s out there. And I will find her.”
- Writer
