Alpha Magnus

Chapter 1: Stop talking!

Mira Ashford POV

"What’s wrong, Mira? I’m talking to you and you’re staring straight ahead, ignoring me!"

Max shouted, his voice piercing through the wall of my chaotic thoughts. I jolted in the car seat, the streets rushing past me without meaning. "Oh God," I thought. "I was here one second, and then I wasn’t."

My tongue felt like it weighed a ton as I answered in a broken, almost whispering voice, "I’m really tired."

The sun was already setting. I went out with him, ran to the beach… because the house suffocated me. The whole house fought the idea that I deserved rest. "They hate me," I thought. "All of them." That thought crushed my soul, made me want to throw up. I couldn’t even think about why they hated me without my eyes filling with tears.

I sighed deeply, gripping my hands under the seat. "I’m really sorry, Max. My thoughts just… got away from me. What were you saying?"

Max’s voice was calm, trying to reassure me. "That’s okay. I was just asking, what do you think about going out for lunch tomorrow?"

I gave him a faint smile, trying to hide my exhaustion and gloom, and answered in a light, hesitant tone, "Sounds great. I’ll see and let you know."

Max said warmly, "I’m always here… you know that, right?"

The problem was about my curse on Jessica. She angered me by talking about Max, insulting him with ugly words. My insult came out before I could stop it, but as usual, she blew things up and ran to Carlos. "God, he gets angry fast and hates me intensely," I thought.

When I told him I cursed her because she talked about Max, he screamed in my face, his voice filling the room, insulting me and Max in front of my father, who sat motionless, and in front of Jessica, who was smiling, enjoying every second.

I swallowed hard as the car stopped in front of the house. I walked inside, swallowing as I saw them gathered in the living room. I took a deep breath.

Jessica, sharp and commanding, her gaze like poison: "Where have you been until now?"

I answered coldly, trying to hide my tension, my voice slightly shaking, "None of your business."

She sneered, full of superiority, "What are you saying, b***h?! Speak properly, or the next word you say, you’ll be holding the door handle and leaving!"

I spoke with a cold voice, but a lump stuck in my throat, "I’m not here for you, Jessica. Leave me alone. I don’t have time for you."

Her harshness increased, "Speak properly, you worthless…"

I ground my teeth hard, forcing myself to control my voice, and yelled in broken tones as if my voice was strangled, "Stop!"

I turned to her, my eyes glistening with unstoppable tears. I saw the bastards… my siblings, sitting silently.

I spoke in a trembling, broken voice, trying to hold back tears, "Don’t you dare speak this nonsense!"

My words came out shaky, cutting through my breath, my hands trembling violently. I looked at her with tearful eyes, trying to hold back the flood, but it was useless. My voice was a whisper, broken between one sob and the next.

Jessica, sarcastic and loud, "Why? Aren’t you the same?"

Her tone was sharp, like she wanted to pierce my soul with her words. Her face shining with that smile that only meant pain for me.

Not only my family, but my entire pack hated me. They hated my existence. My mother died because of me. The Luna of this pack and my mother’s mother, my father’s wife, she blamed me for her death.

Even though the Night Pack was one of the strongest, the Luna’s death made it weak. My father withdrew, lost himself, leaving the pack and the family wandering, hating only my existence.

I screamed at her, my hands gripping the edges of my clothes as if trying to control myself, "Enough! Stop talking!"

She froze for a moment, then I raised my hand without thinking and slapped her cheek hard. My ears rang from the sound, and I heard her shriek. She turned aside, while my tears continued to pour.

I had often thought about ending it all. But I was cowardly enough not to… I couldn’t hurt myself. I knew suicide wasn’t the answer, no matter the suffering, but I couldn’t deny the thought had been my companion many times.

I swallowed hard, feeling a shiver run through my body as I saw Carlos stand upright, then come to my side. He raised his hand and slapped me hard. Pain shot through my body, making me shiver. I looked at him, tears streaming down my cheeks. He roared, gripping my shoulder as if trying to break the bone.

His eyes pierced me, focusing on my face as if they wanted to get inside me. His voice deep, full of anger, "How dare you slap your sister, you little b***h?"

I shouted back, trying to control myself despite the panic crushing me, "Because she doesn’t know how to measure her words! I didn’t choose my mother’s death, do you understand?"

I rushed upstairs, heading to my room. I closed the door behind me and burst into tears. My sobs choked me. I went to my closet and grabbed my small bag. I opened it, placing my things inside.

I closed the bag and looked at the door. Lucas opened it gently, closing it behind him. He stared at me, focusing between my tear-streaked face and the bag in my hands.

Lucas, shocked, "Where are you going?"

My throat tightened, my voice trembling and strangled, barely audible, "This is none of your business… I’m leaving and I won’t come back…"

My lips trembled, and I looked at him with tear-filled eyes. I gasped violently, struggling to breathe. He stepped toward me quickly, and I was shocked when his arms wrapped around me tightly.

He hugged me.

I was stunned. I had never seen him like this before. Always calm, distant, never close. But I needed this hug…

I needed someone to hold me… to lift some of the weight suffocating my chest. I didn’t think twice. The bag fell from my hands, and I raised my arms, holding him tightly.

I gasped violently, my crying growing as if I was emptying the deep pain inside. I clung to him more, breathing loudly, almost choking, but I didn’t want to let go. It was as if I was telling him everything inside me without words.

Lucas, low and worried, rubbing my back gently, "It’s okay… calm down… it’s over… you’ll suffocate in your tears, stop…"

I gasped again and again, burying my head against his chest.

His hand moved slowly along my back, up and down, trying to soothe me gently in a way I had never felt from him.

Finally, I started to realize my surroundings… and stepped back a little, standing in front of him.

Lucas, calm as ever, with a touch of coldness, "I have nothing to do with what they do to you…

You know I haven’t spoken to you before… or done anything to you…"

I stared at him, blinking slowly, looking him in the eye.

"I know… I know that well."

"Do you really think leaving through this door will solve anything?" Lucas asked.