THE PROTECTED ALPHA

Chapter 2

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It was another monotonous day at school. I sat in the back of the classroom, zoning out while the teacher droned on. I had already learned the material, so I pulled out my earphones, plugged them into my phone, and slipped them into my ears. The soothing music immediately calmed me, and I let my head rest against the desk.

I don’t even remember when I fell asleep, but I was jolted awake by someone tapping my shoulder.

“Emily, it’s lunchtime,” Teresa whispered, her voice low.

“Hmmm,” I mumbled, not quite awake yet.

I sat up, gathered my books, and packed them into my bag. “Let’s go to the cafeteria,” she suggested but I waved her off

“No, thanks. I’ll pass,” I said, her smile faltered for a moment as I could see the disappointment in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a cheerful expression.

I gave her a small nod and walked out of the classroom, searching for a quiet corner. I found one by the school’s side wall, away from the bustle of other students. I laid out my scarf on the ground and sat down, pulling out a sandwich. As I chewed, the music played softly in my ears, and the world seemed to fade away.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, I packed up and headed to my next class. The day seemed to drag on, and by the time school ended, I was exhausted. I slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped outside. My dad was waiting by the car, already parked.

“Good afternoon, Dad,” I greeted him as I slid into the passenger seat.

“How was school?” he asked, his voice full of curiosity.

“Fine,” I replied shortly, staring out the window.

I could feel his gaze shifting to me as he drove. He was gearing up to ask me something, so I beat him to it.

“What is it, Dad?” I asked, glancing at him.

“I just wanted to know if you made any new friends today,” he said, his tone hopeful.

“No, I didn’t,” I answered quickly. “But... Dad, it’s only my first day. Give it time.”

He sighed softly. “I know, but you’ve got to try, Emily. You need to talk to people.”

“I did talk to someone,” I said, trying to reassure him.

“Really?” he asked, clearly surprised.

“Yeah. I asked for directions,” I said, feeling a bit proud of myself.

I saw the spark of hope in his eyes flicker out, but he didn’t press further. “Okay, baby steps,” he muttered.

“I promise I’ll try harder,” I said quickly, trying to make him feel better. “But by the end of the week, I’ll have at least one friend.”

He smiled and nodded as we pulled into the driveway. My dad parked the car in the garage, and I quickly got out and ran inside. As I opened the door, Storm, our golden retriever, greeted me with loud barks.

“Hey, boy,” I said, bending down to rub his head. “How’s it going?”

Storm barked again, wagging his tail in excitement.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said, smiling. I made my way upstairs to my room, tossing my bag onto my bed. I changed out of my hoodie and clothes and jumped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the day’s stress.

Once I was clean, I dried off and put on my pajamas, tying my hair into a messy bun before heading downstairs. In the kitchen, my dad was finishing up dinner, setting the table with plates of food.

I grabbed a seat at the table. “What are you waiting for?” he asked, joining me.

“I’m waiting for you,” I replied with a grin.

“Why?”

“So we can eat together,” I said.

He chuckled. “Well, I’m not that hungry. You go ahead.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, a little concerned.

“Yeah, I’ll just watch you eat,” he reassured me.

I gave him a smile and began eating. Once I finished, I gave the leftovers to Storm and carried my plate to the kitchen. As I was about to wash the dishes, my dad stopped me.

“Let me do it,” he said gently.

“But I want to,” I protested.

“How about this: you clean the dining room, and if I’m still doing dishes after that, you’ll help me finish up.”

I sighed but agreed, heading over to the dining room to clean the table while my dad worked in the kitchen. Once I was done, I went back to the kitchen and found him finishing up, wiping down the counters.

“You’re done already?” I pouted, pretending to be upset.

“I’m sorry, dear,” he said with a chuckle. “I couldn’t help it.”

“It’s okay. Sometimes I think you have superpowers,” I teased, and he laughed.

“Why don’t we watch a movie?” he suggested. I nodded eagerly.

“You go get the drinks while I set up the movie,” I said, and he agreed.

In the theater room, I logged into Netflix, looking for something we could both enjoy. After a moment, I settled on Descendants. “This should be good,” I muttered to myself.

My dad joined me in the living room, handing me a glass of orange juice and a glass of red wine for himself. We sat back, settled in, and began watching the movie. Before I knew it, my eyes grew heavy, and I fell asleep.

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Raymond’s POV

I had carried Emily to her room and tucked her into bed before leaving, but I wasn’t able to get comfortable in the theater. The sound of her voice calling for her mother echoed through my mind. I rushed to her room, my heart racing.

I opened the door and found her tossing and turning, her face tear-streaked.

“Shh, it’s just a nightmare,” I whispered, sitting down beside her and gently shaking her awake. She shot up, wrapping her arms around me.

“I saw her... Dad, I saw Mom,” she sobbed.

“It’s just a dream,” I soothed, stroking her hair. “You’re safe now.”

“Can you stay with me? I’m scared to be alone,” she begged, her voice trembling.

“Of course,” I said softly. “But you need to take your pills first.”

She nodded, and I reached for the bottle of pills beside her bed. I poured a glass of water and handed it to her. She drank it quickly, and I placed the cup back on the table.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I lay down beside her, and she curled up next to me. I pulled the blanket around her and gently tucked her in, then stood up, leaving the room but leaving the door ajar. “Goodnight, love. Sweet dreams.”

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Emily’s POV

The next morning, my alarm blared, pulling me from a peaceful sleep. I groaned, rolling out of bed to take my shower. Once I was clean, I got dressed and grabbed my bag. Before I left, I saw my mom’s yellow scarf in my drawer. I carefully folded it around my neck, a small comfort.

At school, things felt the same—quiet and routine. By the end of the day, I had almost forgotten what happened earlier in the week. That is, until I entered class and saw the new guy.

The door swung open, and I didn’t even look up, but I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Excuse me, could you move?” a voice said.

I slowly lifted my head, meeting the gaze of the most handsome guy I had ever seen. His golden hair framed his face perfectly, and his forest-green eyes pierced straight through me. I couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized by his presence.

“When you’re done gawking at me, move,” he said arrogantly, but his voice had a certain charm to it.

I snapped out of my trance, realizing he was waiting for me to move. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry,” I muttered, quickly getting up and moving to the seat in front of him. My heart raced, and I couldn’t stop thinking about his eyes, his voice.