ALPHA'S HUMAN MATE

The door creaked open, as the boards holding the door shut were ripped off, causing the nails to fall onto the concrete floor of the basement, which had been my prison for the past few months, ever since a group of hooded men and woman broke into my grandmother's home and killed her, before holding me hostage. Light streamed in from the upper level, and I cringed into a ball. Every time I felt this light on my face, they'd come in and inject me with something that burned all through my body, before they'd leave me again, until the next day. Only this time, things were different. ''Oh my god!'' A woman's voice gasped. ''We have a girl down here. Get the medic!'' I watched her from the corner of the room where I was cowering in a ball. Is she here to save me? Or was this just another game? The plump brunette stepped into the room, while a man followed her. They descended the stairs, the wood creaking under their weight, while I watched wearily. ''POLICE!'' He shouted, and held a gun out in front of himself ''IS THERE ANYONE IN HERE?!'' I watched the woman patting the wall, and then heard the familiar click of the light switch, and the room was filled with light. I cringed and scrunched up my eyes to block it, as it burned my eyes. ''It's alright sweetheart,'' She told me. ''We're going to get you out of here. You're safe now. Are there any other girls here?'' Safe? No.. I'm not safe. I'll never be safe. These fools didn't realize that they were already dead. They just didn't know it yet. The people that held me weren't normal. They could do things. Unnatural things. Things that no one would ever believe if I told them, but luckily for me, I wasn't talking. ''My name's Reeta, and this is officer Luke Tolmen'' She told me, and took a cautious step closer, and I saw a strange tattoo on her throat, ''What's your name?'' I didn't answer. My voice wouldn't respond anymore. I'd been screaming and begging for weeks for mercy, but none came, and I just stopped talking. ''That's alright, you don't have to talk,'' The woman continued, ''Do you want to get out of here?'' I nodded slowly, wanting to believe it, but I couldn't let myself hope. ''Can you walk?'' Reeta asked, and I slowly sat up, cringing in pain from the last time I was whipped. Reeta reached for me, but I cringed back in fear, and slipped, hitting my head, and everything went black. When I woke up again, I was lying in a bed, with a strange woman in a nurse's uniform checking an IV, and my heart monitor began to race. ''Easy, honey, you're safe!'' She said quickly, holding up her hands, ''The police are right outside, and they're looking for the monsters who hurt you.'' They'll never find them. ''Are you in any pain?'' I shook my head, as I looked at the IV in my arm, and frowned. ''You were dihydrated,'' She answered, my unspoken question, ''I'll let the police know you're awake, they want to talk to you. If you're in any pain, press this button,'' She pointed to the one beside me. I laid back, looking around. The walls were bright white and clean, the sheets were woolen and light blue, even the ceiling was clean. I wasn't used to this, even the clean smell felt foreign to me. ''I SAID MOVE!'' A man shouted, and I jumped in fear, and seconds later. ''Beta, Alaric please, this isn't your pack, you can't just.'' ''Both of you shut up!'' A woman snapped and I frowned. Pack? Beta? What were they talking about? Everything went silent for a long time, and then the door opened, and Reeta stepped in. I exhaled in relief. She'd proven that she will keep me safe. ''It's good to see you awake, Elayana.'' She said, and I frowned. How did she know my name? ''We took a DNA sample and found out who you are. I'm very sorry, sweetheart, but your grandmother has died.'' I know, I was there when those monsters ripped her to pieces. ''Her body... It looked like wild animals got into your home,'' She told me as she sat down beside me, ''Her body is being claimed on your behalf by your father.'' My frown deepened. What father? I've never had a father. It was my mother and grandmother, but I lost my mother a few years ago. Where did this father come from? Was this a trick from those people? My heart monitor began to race again, and Reeta held her hands up. ''Calm down, sweetheart, your father seemed like a good man,'' She continued, ''I spoke to him on the phone, he's was very shocked to discover he had a daughter, and he's sent his Be... brother to come fetch you. Please don't be afraid.'' The door opened and a very pretty woman with curly brown hair and warm brown eyes came in. ''Oh wow, you look just like your mother,'' She said and smiled at me, ''I'm Arinana, or Ari, if you prefer, I'm your aunty. You'll be coming home with me and your uncle, he's waiting outside. Can he come in?'' I didn't invite you in. Why would I invite some strange man claiming familial ties? I didn't answer, and Reeta looked at her, ''She doesn't talk.'' ''She can't or won't?'' Ari asked as she came closer. ''Won't, I'm guessing,'' Reeta said, and looked at me, ''Am I right?'' I shrugged. It was a combination of both. ''I see,'' Ari frowned sadly at me, ''Well, you've been through a lot. The doctor gave us your medical information, as we're now your guardians. Your captors hurt you, but I promise, they will be found, and they'll never hurt you again, and whenever you're ready to talk again, we'll listen. Just do things on your own time. So, I'm sure her statement can wait? Right?'' ''Write the statement when you're ready and your aunt and uncle will give it to me,'' Reeta said, and I nodded. What would I even write in that statement? A whole bunch of crazy people abducted me and tortured me, and made things move with their minds. No one would ever believe me. The door opened a little and a man's voice came through, ''Can I come in now?'' ''So impatient,'' Ari sighed and pulled the door open. A man with a shaved head and tattoo's walked in, and there was a matching tattoo on his throat, like Ari's. What was that about? I'd seen that on some strangers over the years, but never like this. Everyone I'd seen since I was rescued had a tattoo on their throat. I stared at the tanned man with several scars over his face and arms, and I couldn't see any signs of familiar genetics. Our noses were different. Our face shapes didn't match. Even his brown eyes didn't match my blue ones. If we were related, I took after my mother's side and not my father's. ''Hello Elaya. I'm Alaric. I'm sorry your father couldn't be here, but he's busy.'' Busy? He just found out he had a daughter, and he was too busy to be here? Were they all lying to me? ''The doctor said we can take you home tomorrow, after your grandmother's funeral,'' He went on, ''And I've already gotten your belongings packed up to bring home. You'll be living with me. Your father, he... has a lot of work and doesn't have the time to take care of you.'' So. He doesn't want me. Why even acknowledge me then? I turned to Reeta, and grabbed her wrist, before mimicking a pencil, so she quickly pulled out a pen and pad. ''Do I have to go with them?'' I wrote, ''I don't want to. I am nearly eighteen and have a job. I can take care of myself.'' I gave the pad to Reeta, who frowned and looked at me with pity, ''I'm sorry sweetheart, but you're underage. If you don't go with them, you'll have to go into the system, and that might not end well for you.'' I frowned angrily. ''You don't want to come with us?'' Ari said, sounding upset, as she looked at her husband, who sat down beside me. ''I want to speak to her alone, please leave.'' The woman rose and left us, and I cringed away from him. Was he going to hit me? ''Elayana, I know this is all so sudden,'' He told me, ''One second you're living with your mother and grandmother, and the next you've gone through hell, and now you've discovered a whole other family, but I swear to you, we'll keep you safe, and I swear, if you turn eighteen and want to leave, we'll let you go. But you need family right now.'' DNA doesn't make you family. But if he wasn't with those people, maybe he could keep me safe, and hopefully they didn't know where I was moving to. I nodded, and he smiled. ''Thank you,'' He said as he reached to touch my arm, but I cringed back in fear and the monitory started to go crazy again, and he quickly pulled his hand back, ''I'm sorry, I won't touch you.'' He said quickly, ''Why don't you get some rest, and we'll come get you tomorrow.'' I nodded again and pulled the blanket up as he stood up and left. I looked around, making sure there was no one hiding anywhere, before I closed my eyes, and tried to sleep. DREAM The damp concrete floor of the basement bit into my knees, but the physical chill was nothing compared to the ice in my veins. I was crouched down under the stairs, digging through the concrete, though even after months, I'd only made a small dent. Footsteps echoed heavily on the wooden stairs above, slow, deliberate, terrifying, and I quickly hid the hole with the boxes and rushed back to the other side of the room, my chains clanking behidn me. The door opened and a man in a mask came down to the basement, and I cringed away from him, pressing my back flat against the cold wall. He didn't hesitate. He lunged, grabbing my arm with a grip like a vise, and pinned me to the floor with his heavy knee planted firmly in my chest, crushing the air from my lungs. I cried out, thrashing wildly, twisting my wrists and bucking my hips to get free. Every instinct screamed for survival, but my body was already starved and weak, and he was too strong. With a harsh grunt of annoyance, he yanked a thick glass syringe from his leather belt. "Stop fighting, little mutt," He muttered, though there was no humor in it. ''You should know by now it's not good.'' The needle drove deep into the crook of my elbow, and I gasped as the cold, burning serum flooded my veins, racing toward my heart. Almost instantly, a thick, suffocating fog rolled over my mind, and I thought I could hear a girl's voice telling me everything was going to be okay, before it faded. My limbs grew impossibly heavy, the struggling fading from frantic thrashing to pathetic, trembling twitches. Through the haze, I watched, helpless and horrified, as he inserted another needle into my arm, and pulled back the plunger. The barrel filled with my blood. "You'd better hope it works this time, mutt. Master is getting impatient," He shouted, his voice echoing in the narrow space. ''He's thinking of just impregnating you and using the baby.'' WHAT! Before the darkness fully claimed me, his open palm cracked hard across my face. The violent impact sent a shock wave of white-hot pain through my jaw, making my ears ring with a deafening, ringing. My head slumped sideways against the filthy floor. As consciousness slipped away, the taste of copper filled my mouth. END OF DREAM I woke up screaming in fear, as the memory faded, and strong hands held me down. ''It's alright, Elayana,'' Ari hushed me, ''You're safe, you're safe.'' Her words filled my head and I started crying, and she quickly pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back, and promising that I was safe. When I was in control of myself again, she gently laid me down, and brushed my hair from my face, making me feel a mother love, which confused me. I didn't even know this woman. When I woke up the next morning, to the dim light coming in from the window, and Ari was talking to a man in a white coat. ''And you're sure she's human?'' Human? The man saw that I was awake and looked over at me, ''Good morning, Elayana. I'm doctor Ronald. I'm going to give you an examination before your discharge. Are you in any pain?'' He asked as he pulled on some gloves. I shook my head, and he stared at me. ''You're still not talking?'' He asked me, but I didn't answer. ''She will again, when she feels safe again,'' Ari smiled at me and gave me a pad and pencil, ''Just talk with this for now.'' I looked down at the notepad and wrote a single word, ''Ela.'' Ari looked at it, and nodded, ''Ela it is.'' She assured me and sat down. ''Ela,'' The doctor said as he moved closer to me, ''I need to pull the back of the robe down to check on the whip marks, try to stay still for me, this will hurt.'' Ari reached over and took my hands while he pulled down the robe, and I didn't pull away. It felt nice to have her hands holding mine. Why was I so comfortable with this woman? After enduring the intrusive examination, Ari helped me to the bathroom, so I could shower, but once the door shut, I froze. This would be my first shower in months. I looked at my pale reflection in the mirror, and started to cry, my face was skeletal from starvation and my skin was handing off me. I don't know how Ari heard me crying, but she knocked on the door, before it opened again, ''Ela, can I help you?'' I rushed to the door, and pushed it shut, before I fell down and pulled my knees up, hugging them, and pressing my face into them as I wept. Why did they do this to me? What did they want? Why did they keep taking my blood? What did they keep injecting into me? When I could breathe normally again, I shakily stood up, stripped and stepped into the warm shower, letting the water cascade down my slim form, and frowned when the water turned black from all the dirt off my body. I washed my hair, enjoying the apple scent, and covered my entire scent over my body, before I stepped out, and wrapped the towel around my body, and brushed my teeth. I couldn't look at my face anymore, I looked like a stranger, and rushed through brushing my teeth, before I pulled on a black dress, Ari brought me. It wasn't my taste, but I was grateful for the clothes, especially as I'd be wearing it to the funeral. I brushed my tattered, ruined hair, and pulled it into a pigtail and walked out of the bathroom to find Ari talking to her mate, but they both looked at me. ''Everything's ready, Ela,'' My uncle told me, ''We'll go now, and then head straight to the pa... town. Your father's already enrolled you in school there, but luckily for you, it's still summer break so you'll have time to recover first.'' I didn't care about school. I'd never been an A student. I just wanted to paint. ''Ladies,'' He added and gestured for the road. ''Darling, the doctor said your eyes will still need to adjust to the light, so wear these for now,'' Ari said, as she handed me a pair of dark glasses. I smiled and took them, and quickly put them on, as we left the room. When we left the hospital, we were surrounded by reporters, all interested in the latest scoop. ''Miss, miss, can you tell us what you went through in that basement?'' ''Do you know why you were targeted?'' Another asked. ''Young lady, will you give a report?'' ''MOVE!'' My uncle shouted, and strangely, everyone with a tattoo on their necks moved away, while the others continued to ask questions, but my uncle ushered me into the car. I looked at my uncle as the car started to move. Were they part of a cult or something? I was still wondering about those strange tattoos when we pulled up at the graveyard, and slipped out. Suddenly my feet felt like lead, but I kept walking towards the priest. Before us lay the fresh earth of my grandmother's grave, freshly turned. Just inches away was the older, moss-reclaimed marker of my mother, who had died two years prior in a mugging gone wrong. Now, the two women who held the fragile threads of my lineage were tangled together beneath the roots and dirt. Leaving me all alone. I stood there, tears carving silent tracks down my cold cheeks. I didn't dare sob aloud, the atmosphere of this place demanded a solemn, suffocating reverence. Ari squeezed my hand, her grip tightening until it bordered on painful. I watched as the priest spoke, and as the coffin was lowered, before I walked over and lifted a handful of dirt and dropped it down. I love you. I said inside my head. Take care of each other. "We should go, darling," Ari murmured, after I stood there for over ten minutes, as Alaric checked his watch, a heavy platinum timepiece that caught the light of the fading afternoon. He offered his arm, and she took it, letting him lead us away from the twin plots down the path. My shoes crunched softly against the stones. But as we neared the wrought-iron gates where the black town car idled, a prickling sensation crawled up the back of my neck, and I glanced back to see a few women I'd never met walk over to my grandmother's grave and place flowers on her coffin. ''Ela.'' Ari called out, and one of the women turned and looked at me. We stared at each other for a long moment, before I walked away. Who are they? I reached the cars, and a man opened the door for me, and I slipped into the back, while Alaric climbed into the driver's seat beside Ari. And the other men, guards, I assumed, got into the first car. Making me wonder once more what my aunt and uncle did for a living. Were they rich? ''There's a pillow there, Ela,'' Ari told me, ''Lay down and sleep. It'll take about eight hours to get home. You weren't actually allowed to leave the hospital, but we wanted you home where you're safe, so we left early, but you need to rest.'' I nodded, and curled up on the back seat, and closed my eyes. I thought I'd felt someone's arms around me, but I was far to groggy to wake up fully, but the man smelt like the forest. ''Goddess, she looks like her mother,'' An unfamiliar voice said, ''I still can't believe it. I'm a father again. Have the trackers found the witches?'' Witches? Before I could think too much about it, I drifted back to sleep. When I woke up, I wasn't sure if that conversation actually happened or if it was a dream. I blinked as I looked around the room. I started to panic, but then I remembered that I was probably in my uncle's home. I was sleeping on a large double bed, with blue woolen blankets, that slipped to my lap as I sat up. The room was sparse but cozy. A bed, bedside tables, a rocking chair by the window, and chest of drawers. Several boxes were pilled next to it that I suspected was from my old home. I looked down and frowned when I realized I was wearing long pj pants and a shirt. Had Ari changed my clothes? I hope it was her. I went to get up when I saw two bottles sitting on the beside table next to a bottle of water, and a note, ''Take two pills from each bottle.'' What were these pills? I looked at the first bottle and read that it was to prevent infection, and the second one was a painkiller. I took the pills, and drank the entire bottle of water, before I gingerly left the bed, and walked towards the boxes, and opened each of them until I found some clothes, and stood up again, swaying slightly, and I quickly grabbed the chest of drawers, steadying myself until my dizziness vanished. I took a breath and walked over to one of the door, but it was a closet, so I shut the door and tried the second one, and found a small bathroom. It was nothing special, but I was grateful to have a private bathroom. There was a toilet on the left, a sink in front of the door, and a shower on the right. I placed the clothes on the closed toilet, showered, and dressed before I pulled my hair up, and sat back down on the bed. What now? Should I go downstairs? I was free now, so why didn't I want to go outside? I sat there for a while, before I walked over and started to unpack the boxes, just for something to do, but after an hour, there was knock on the door, and I jumped in fright. ''Ela, I'm Bella,'' A female voice called out, ''I'm Ari and Alaric's daughter-in-law, may I come in?'' I moved towards the door, when it opened and I froze, and a pretty pregnant brunet came in holding a tray, and I quickly rushed to take it. ''Oh, thank you, honey,'' She smiled warmly at me. The tray was filled with food and several drinks, and my stomach grumbled hungrily. ''I didn't know what you liked,'' She told me, as she sat down on the bed with a relieved huff, ''You took the pills?'' I nodded, and sat the tray on the chest of drawers and looked at her. ''Good. I'm studying to be a doctor,'' She told me, ''Though I'm on leave right now,'' She added and rubbed her stomach, ''When the pills run out, I'll examine you, and we'll see if you still need more. Your aunt and uncle are in a meeting, so they asked me to come take care of you. Felix, my husband will be back later for dinner. We're going to have a family dinner to welcome you. You'll meet Felix's sister Kristen, she's nineteen, and her husband Mathew.'' Nineteen and already married? How old was Bella? ''And Patrick, he's twelve,'' She went on, and looked around, ''I see you're unpacking, can I help?'' I frowned at her, and she smiled awkwardly and slowly stood up. ''Sorry, I'm a little chatty,'' She told me, ''But I can see that you need to be alone right now. I'll go and leave you to get some peace, but please eat.'' I nodded, and she left, and I quickly took the tray and sat down. I picked at everything, but didn't finish anything, as my stomach couldn't handle it. Once I was done, I took the tray and left the room. I looked around and realized I was on the second floor, and took the tray downstairs. The home was lovely, all stone and wood. There were family photos all over the walls, and I looked at them all. I didn't see any with a man that looked like me. I guess my uncle didn't have any pictures of my father. I paused at one photo though. It was with two men, and one was holding Bella in front of him, with his arms around her, and I guessed he was Bella's husband Felix, but the other man, I didn't know. Not that I knew Felix. I stared at the other man. He was extremely handsome. Exactly my type. Thick set, dark black hair that fell to his chin, dark green eyes, and he had tattoos up his arm. I couldn't stop looking at him, and inside, I felt something stir, and I cringed as my head stung, which caused me to drop the tray. The noise of clattering made Bella come rushing over, a book in her hand. ''Ela, are you okay? Did you trip?'' She panicked and went to pick everything up, but I quickly grabbed her, and shook my head, before I sat down and picked everything up. ''Ari said you don't talk, but I can give you some paper and a pen if you like, and we can talk.'' I didn't respond, I just smiled and stood up. ''I can take that for you.'' She reached for the tray, but I moved back, and she understood. ''Okay, you can do it,'' She said, and getstured to move, ''This way.'' I followed her into the kitchen, which was absolutely lovely, it was all stone and steel, the oven was massive, and so was the fridge. How much did this family eat? ''There's a dishwasher,'' She pointed to what looked like a normal cupboard. I pulled it open and began washing out all the dishes before loading the dishwasher. ''Don't turn it on yet,'' She warned me, ''Ari prefers for it to be full.'' I nodded and shut the dishwasher, and wiped my hands, before I went to walk away. ''You can stay down here, if you like?'' She asked, and moved in front of me, ''We could watch a movie, or we could go for a walk. The forest is lovely. Although, now that I've said that, I remember Ari saying that your eyes can't stand the light for long, so I guess the walks out.'' I shook my head, and walked around her. I felt so awkward, and I wanted to be alone. It was strange. When I was in captivity, I wanted to be around others, but now all I wanted was to be alone. I went back to the room, and took a breath. I was going to keep unpacking, but I was suddenly exhausted, so I curled back up under the blanket and drifted off to sleep. I was dreaming about my mother, when I heard a knock on the door, before it opened, and I rolled over groaning and rubbing my eyes. ''Oh, sorry, darling, I didn't realize you were asleep,'' Ari told me, from the doorway, ''Dinner's ready, would you like to join us?'' I sat up and brushed my hair back over my shoulder, and nodded. I was hungry again, though the idea of seeing others was daunting. Ari waited for me to brush my hair, and we walked downstairs where noise was flowing through the home. ''I'm sorry, but your father couldn't make it tonight,'' Ari told me, not that I was going to ask. It was pretty clear the man didn't want me, and I was fine with that. I'd only be here until I was eighteen and could leave. When we walked in, everyone fell silent, and I awkwardly looked around the table. I saw Alaric, Bella, and the man from the picture, who I suspected was Felix, but the others I didn't know. ''Darling, this is Felix, Bella you've met,'' Ari introduced everyone, ''But these three are Kristen, Mathew and Patrick.'' I gave an awkward wave, and Ari pulled out a chair near Patrick, ''Come and sit.'' I sat down, and everyone started talking all at once, as if they were trying to overcome the awkwardness, or perhaps they all spoke like this every time, and I was the only awkward one. I put some mashed potatoes and vegetables on my plate, but Bella quickly added some meat, and smiled at me. I smiled back and started to quietly eat. I needed a job to help pay for my stay here, but I didn't think I could be around anyone right now, not for hours at a time, anyway. ''Did you really get kidnapped?'' Patrick asked, and everyone fell silent as I froze. ''PATRICK!'' Alaric shouted, and we both jumped at the noise, ''Do not ask her about that. Just eat.'' I tried to keep eating, but suddenly everything looked unappealing, and I lowered my fork, and stood up. ''Ela?'' Ari said, sounding a little nervous, ''Are you not hungry?'' I shook my head, and she gave me a sad smile. ''Alright, darling, why don't you leave the plate, I can clear it for you.'' I smiled at her, and quickly rushed away. ''You stupid little brat,'' I heard a girl scold Patrick, ''Why did you bring that up? Are you stupid? Would you want to talk about some being abducted.'' ''I was just asking!'' Patrick defended himself. ''Well, don't,'' Alaric said, as I reached the stairs, ''She's traumatized and needs peace. Don't bring it up again, or I'll knock you upside the head. Now eat.'' I laid back down on my bed, pulled the covers up, and started crying again. I wanted to go home. I wanted my mother and grandmother. I wanted to forget the past few months. I wanted to forget all those strange things I'd seen. Were they witches? Did my so-called father say that last night? Or was it a dream? Did they really use powers in that basement or did my mind imagine that too to protect myself from what they were actually doing to me?