THE ALPHA'S DESIRE

CHAPTER TWO

Leanna

The steady beat of the machine matched my heartbeat as I watched my mom lay on the bed. She was now stable, her eyes fixed on a spot in the room. I took in her hand, swallowing a hard lump in my throat.

"What happened, mom?" I asked, my focus returning to our interlocked hands, which meant she was uncomfortable about discussing this topic. As if I didn't know she wanted to evade the answer because I already had my suspicions.

It made me feel like a bad child for not being with her all the time. But someone had to put food on the table.

"I feel the way you breathe, dear Leanna," she began, her voice the softest I've ever known. "I know you're tired and I know you try to keep it from me. I also know that you're trying to go to college."

What? How did she know that? Yes, I was hoping to tell her but only after I'd gotten a good news. I didn't want to shatter her hopes every year.

"No, I'm not." I replied while giving her my most relaxed tone.

She wasn't convinced. "When you leave...I'll have to learn how to fend for myself eventually."

"I'm not even sure I'll be accepted. There's no reason to think about that." Which was valid thinking about it. How would my legally blind mom cope with the cruel world after I leave?

My mom often tried as many times as possible to ensure she helped me in her own little way even though I've confirmed that I didn't need her help. However, I suppose I did feel like there's been a ton of heavy weight on my head and I needed to be relieved. But then, I couldn't dream of that day now. Not when exhaustion was crawling to my door every night.

"You could go stay with Aunt Brey. Jeanne's mom." I felt bile clog my throat even as I made that suggestion.

Mom began to caress the back of my hand, her brows drawn together. "Are you sure you're fine with that?"

"I agree Jeanne is a terrible person. But not Aunt Bree. Besides, I'm not sure I'll be going to Webb so think of that suggestion as a bottom of the list option. It may not happen."

"And if it happens?"

I glanced outside the hospital window, watching as the sun slowly broke thought dark sky, creeping through the curtains and bathing the room in its orange light.

"Then that means I'll be back but not as I used to be."

It was morning again at Grate and Pow except it was busier than it used to be. It was a Saturday morning. Men watched Huntsgame show where they watch Wolves hunt down huge animals and whoever gets it first wins. It was usually a smaller game but this one was different. Hence, the full house. Whoever won this league would be rewarded by the Alpha of Niddan Pack himself, Phoebe's dad.

My eyes were still glued to the TV as I cleaned the glasses on the counter when I heard a glass drop on the table.

"Hey!" A man waved me over. "You over there, come clean this up."

This was usually the job of the cleaner but who's to say I couldn't just sweep the shards of glass to avoid accidents. When Manny returned, he'd owe me a pint of beer.

"Coming!" I responded and grabbed the needed tools before heading over to where he was.

On getting close to where the men sat, I began to feel uncomfortable. Since I lost my wolf, I lost the ability to sharpened hearings and I struggled with knowing what was being said about me. What I didn't lose was my ability to tell when a situation was getting uncomfortable.

I bent over, hoping my tight skirt wasn't too short to give these perverted men a peep.

"Oh, darling! What's there to hide? You work here anyway. We know the things you lot have done."

I didn't respond and just kept sweeping the glass.

Another man spoke up, his speech slurred. "Don't talk to the pretty lady like that. You'll scare her." They were talking about me like I was some prey. Like I was the huge prey from the game they were watching.

My hands began to shake as I was livid with anger not fear. Yet, I decided to maintain my composure, not ready to lose the one thing that gave me and my mother financial stability.

Then I felt a hand crawl up on my arms. Alarms blaring in my head told me I needed to stand up for myself and walk away. But the men didn't seem to get the hint when I flinched and moved away as another one was no caressing my chin.

"Just relax, sweetheart. We are not going to hurt you. We just need you to render personal service like you always do to other customers." The men laughed, the sound grating on my nerves.

I was too irritated to know what act was irrational and what wasn't because as I felt a hand on my bum, I swirled as fast as lightning and s***h the face of the man who assaulted me. Silence dawned in the club for a beat before the men started closing in on me, yelling and becoming dangerous.

I didn't know how but moments later, I was in the manager's office, refusing to apologise.

"If you want apologise to those gentlemen out there, I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave this club."

Four years of working with Grate n Pow thrown into the wind just because I refused to let a smelly i***t touch my ass. I fought the tears that threatened to fall as I grabbed my things, ignoring the ding in my phone.

I wasn't ready to talk with Phoebe. But something nudged me to check my phone. Maybe it was the urge to be comforted with her stories about the college or the fact that I needed someone to tell me I did the right thing, but as soon as I unlocked my phone and checked the notification, I was stunned.