ALPHA'S HUMAN MATE.

erward. I marched up to the front door of our little yellow brick house and pushed it open, not surprised to find it unlocked—another forgotten detail in my mom's battle against the lingering ef

with overtime, couldn'

only silver lining was that now, after marrying Nate, those bills might finally get paid. Maybe then I could consider divorcing him—a thought I hadn't dared to share with any

quickly typed back, "NO! I told you, I just met him a month ago. I like to take things slow." Angela thought Nate and I were just dating, blissfully unawa

hing TV, I heard my mom come in. I glanced at the clock: 9:30 PM. She went straight to her room without a word. I wan

amed through my blinds as I realized it was already 5:30 AM. Nate would be here in half an hour. I rushed through my morning routine,

" she noted. "Big

uess so,"

u know I always wan

go in place of me,"

You'll love it. Take some

he door, she asked, "Are you sure you do

ied, glancing at

. One of them opened it for me. "Mrs. Evans," he said, and the other took my bag. I muttered a quick thanks and sl

te's smooth voice came from beside me. He was sit

me, I'll need a lot of this o

. "Your wish is m

journey ahead. "To the airport, shall

-

tant squeak of the pedals breaking the silence. The news was full of reports about people going missing and others

sentment for our father. Our family was dysfunctional, but the hope of somethin

home. He wasn't always like this. He ignored me, treated me like I was invisible, and only sought me out when he needed money for booze. He ha

been the same since. Our house had all its windows nailed shut because he had a paranoid obsession about wolves coming after him. He used to be th

naked prostitute on the carpet and his equally naked, dirty friend. Just a litt

ed. They had eaten everything, even the cereal. Reluctantly, I decided t

d for the money I had hidden. It was gone. He had taken my o

d!" I yelled, dumping a bucket

outed, sitting up. "Ar

s it?" I

ha

where is

" he growled, grabbing my hair and pushing me to the floor. "You little conniving bitch!" He kicked me in the stomach. "See what y

Henry take me with him? Even under a bridge, I'd have been better off wit

The living room was a mess, filled with men I had never seen before. "Please, I'll

?" a husky vo

ear. I don't know!"

his busine

betrayed me. I've not

my father. "Take him to the house. I'll

l?" the man I hit w

wes $500,000. She'll have t

. "Got a lot of mouth there, haven't we?" the boss said. The intoxicating scent of him hit me, overpowering the smell of the carpet. I breathed it