My Virgin Alpha

~SLOAN'S POV~ When I was a child, I always wanted the chance to surpass my father. A chance to prove to the members of our pack that I too could be a renowned healer. A chance to show that I'm capable of calming the storms of whatever illness that plagues their thoughts and loosens the strings of their souls. A chance to show that I can bring them the happiness they have searched for. But now? I don't give a f**k about those bitches. I don't give a f**k about them because they never gave a f**k about me. They never held me in the same regard I held them. They never saw the hours of sleep I sacrificed while studying to be a healer. They never saw the accomplishments which were—shockingly—tucked away in the minds of those I saved. Because all they saw was the feminine knock–off of Dr. Aaron Deveraux. All they see is his stubborn daughter. I am second best. I will always be second best. And that's all I'm going to give them. If they want to be saved by me then I will happily save them and if they want to be touched by the magical, healing hands of daddy dearest then they are happy to die on the way to see him. So you can imagine my surprise when my father came into my room this morning with an envelope in his hand and the signature cold look in his eyes designed specifically for me. The envelope was adorned in hues of gold and blue and I was so lost in its beauty that I didn't know my father had spoken till he cleared his throat. “Huh?” Irritation laced my tone as I glared at my father for pulling my attention away from the masterpiece in his filthy hands but if he noticed, then he didn't say a word about it and instead spoke in a calm voice. “The envelope is a letter that came straight from the Vallum.” It took all the willpower I had not to widen my eyes in shock at my father's words as they fell back to the piece of art between his fingers. The Vallum is the one place every member of the pack wishes to be but are afraid to go. It is the house of power. The domain of wealth. The pride of the Exes pack. And the palace of the Alpha, getting an invite from the Vallum was seen as both a course to celebrate and to dread. I nodded my head at his words and gave him a blank look before I spoke in an uninterested voice. “That's cool. So when do you leave?” Silence. That was the only response I got. Seriously if this man can't even respond to the questions I ask then how was he ever going to stand in front of the Alpha without getting executed? Well, I don't care. He can shove his opinion up his ass. I rolled my eyes and was just about to tell him off and turn away when my father spoke. “I'm not going. You are.” The willpower resolved solely to hide my emotions fell to an untimely death as blood froze in my veins and my eyes widened to the size of saucers. “What did you say?” I whispered into the stale air, hoping that this was Aaron Deveraux's first attempt at humor. “I said I wouldn't be going to the Vallum. You would be the one to see the Alpha.” “Father, you can't be serious.” “Do I look like I'm joking, child?” he asked as he squared his shoulders and began to take slow, powerful steps in my direction till he stood before me with the biggest scowl on his lips. “But I know this is just a sick joke! Because how could you just stand there and tell me that I'm going to the Vallum when you—” “Because the invite was addressed to you.” Once again, my will to be strong fell back into the grave; it had slowly begun to crawl out of me as the weight of my father's words sat on my mind. He pushed the envelope into my hands and it was only then I noticed the name that swirled across the blue and gold in cursive handwriting. Sloan Deveraux. It's ironic how after spending years hoping to find favor in the eyes of the common men that worship my father but I've caught the attention of the Alpha. This is it. This is my chance to get the recognition I so desperately deserve. This is my chance to slap my knee and laugh at those who thought I would never make a name for myself. This is my chance. “I'm not accepting the offer,” I tossed the envelope onto my bed and moved to the vanity at the far edge of my cramped up room but after more than 20 years living under this roof, I know that walking 3 feet away from my father isn't enough to escape his wrath. “Sloan.” “Aaron,” I said as I sat on the stool and searched through my make–up cabinet when the sound of footsteps reached my ears and I felt my father's presence behind me. “Sloan…” “Don't even bother. I know what you're going to say and I already told you that I'm not going. If that is all you were going to say then please walk yourself out of my room.” I looked to the mirror and the blank stare of my blue eyes crashed against the glare of my father's stormy grey orbs. An invisible battle raged between us and after eternity–long seconds, my father caved in and stormed out of my room with steam coming out his ears. A sigh left my lips and I turned back to the cabinet and continued the search for my lip gloss when the envelope caught my eye. Its vibrant colours stood out in my bland room and I couldn't help but wonder if I should reconsider my decision. Another clash occurred between the logic of my mind and the sentiment of my heart as one spoke about the cons of being a subject to the Vallum while the other fed me with the pros of being in the Vallum. And a decision was made. Another exhausted sigh left my lips when I stood from the stool and walked towards the bed before picking the delicate paper deciding to give into the whims of my heart. But something tells me that even if my mind may have lost this battle, it wasn't prepared to lose the war.