A Slave for the Alpha King

-ALIYAH-

Biting my lips, I climbed the stairs of the mansion, carrying a heavy tray filled with all kinds of delicious food on it. I was instructed to bring breakfast to Brayden Connor, the son of the biggest businessman here in Michigan. I just got into this house a few minutes ago, so I was a bit confused. Why do I have to do this task so soon? Was this a test?

Brenda Connor, Brayden’s older sister, told me that whatever was inside his room might shock me. Despite feeling a little uneasy about it, I can’t help but be curious as well. All kinds of thoughts run through my head: What can possibly be so strange? Do they have some sort of weird family tradition or something like that?

“Relax,” I hissed under my breath. But the pounding of my heart just wouldn't stop. “You are only bringing food. That’s what a maid is supposed to do, isn’t it?”

I entered an extravagant hallway decorated with artwork and paintings hung on each wall. With every step forward along those shiny marble stairs, I felt like I was entering another world full of wonders.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I needed this job. Besides, it was just one meal, and then I could leave. I straightened my uniform and knocked on the door, preparing to face whatever strange situation awaited me on the other side.

As soon as I approached his room, the smell of cleanliness lingered abundantly. It seemed like I was being invited inside.

“Brayden must be a prudent guy,” I whispered, a small smile curving across my face. Wait, how must I address him?

But the picture I had painted in my mind melted as soon as I stepped into the room. "Good morning, B-Braydon. I have something..." My eyes widened and my throat tightened with fear as an enormous black wolf stood by the bed! “O-oh, no! A wolf!”

Its big red eyes stared at me with a burning hatred. Its lips curled up and revealed rows of sharp white teeth. It stepped closer, growling and snarling at me. Its fur was black as the night, each hair standing on end as if it were a spear ready to be thrown at me.

My heart pounded in my chest as the beast leaped down from its rocky perch, racing towards me with its huge fangs bared. Its eyes, burning with feral rage, seemed to challenge me to come closer, daring me to face its raw and unstoppable power. As it lunged forward, I could feel my courage quaking, and I knew that I was moments away from an unthinkable fate.

The seconds felt like they dragged on forever as I stood frozen in fear. I wanted to run, but my body wouldn't move. With a start, suddenly I found myself tumbling back onto something soft yet firm, providing me some sense of safety. But then, almost too quickly, the wolf started to transform right before me into a tall, muscular man! Stunned and confused, I knew that running away was no longer an option.

“What… what kind of thing are you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes narrowed, and his expression became unreadable. “You seem shocked," he replied gruffly. "Are you a human?”

I nodded slowly, still trying to process what was happening. "Yes, I am. And you're not," I said, stating the obvious.

"Aren't you a feisty little b*tch? he growled and clamped his hand over my mouth again.

I could feel his grip tightening around my jaw with each passing second. "I'm... I'm begging you. Please don't hurt me." Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded with him, hoping that he would show mercy. My mind raced, trying to come up with a plan to escape his grasp.

He leaned forward, so close that I could feel his hot breath against my face as he stared at me. at “You cannot reveal to the outside world what you have seen here,” he growled, emphasizing every single syllable through gritted teeth as he added another glare, making sure I got it loud and clear. His scrutinizing blue eyes seemed more lethal than playful as he released me slowly until I could stand up again. “... or else you’re dead meat in the morning. Understood?”

I nodded quickly, feeling a knot form in my stomach as I watched him walk away. As much as I wanted to believe it was just an empty threat, something about the way he said it made me think otherwise. But as much as I wanted to move my shaking legs, I couldn’t. All I knew was that my body weakened like a melting candle until my senses were numb and my sight turned pitch black.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in bed. Panic paralyzed my body as I examined myself, making sure that everything in me was still as intact as a rosebud. But then I jerked as a deep voice filled the room. “Don’t make any noise! Don't shout or scream if you want to stay alive."

Before I knew it, I was locking gazes with Brayden. This time he was in a gray shirt and sweatpants.

I frowned. “What do you expect? I just dreamed that you have shifted into a beast, and...” My cheeks felt ice cold as I realized something. Well, that wasn’t a dream at all!

I gasped as I looked down at my arm, where a deep scratch was still visible. "You really did shift into a beast," I whispered in disbelief.

Before I could scream again, his warm hand covered my mouth immediately, making it difficult for me to breathe. He might have guessed that all I wanted at this moment was to cry out loud and scream until there was no sound coming out of my lungs anymore.

I stumbled out of the room and into the hallway, my mind full of questions and confusion. What was he? Was he really a beast? My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to remember what happened before he shifted into a creature.

It was then that I remembered something else: his eyes. They had been so gentle and kind, but when he shifted into the beast, they became icy and terrifying. It made me shiver just thinking about it.

His gruff voice brought me back to reality. “You looked like an idiot, you know that?” For some reason, I noticed that his eyes softened but his voice remained rigid. "Now leave this instant!”

"R-right away!" My whole body shook in terror as I reluctantly obeyed his demands, my mind numbly refusing to accept the truth. I felt the sharp burn of a thousand needles on my skin as tears cascaded down my face like an avalanche.

"Please don't hurt me," I pleaded one last time before turning around to leave. The door shut with a loud thud behind me, and suddenly it felt like all life had been sucked from my body.

-ALIYAH-

The first person I ran to was Grandma Estelle. She was the only one I got in this world since my parents had died when I was a baby; that was according to her.

She was folding clothes when I barged into our room. My nerves were still trembling as I pressed myself onto the edge of the mattress. "You won't believe what I just saw, Grandma," I hissed, letting the stack of clothes fall on the edge of the bed.

“Now look what you did,” she complained, and her ash-colored eyes grew wide as she raised her freckled, dusted face at me. “Oh, goodness! What happened to you, my poor child? Why are you crying?”

“M-monster.” I stared at her, leaning forward. My hands squeezed into fists, crumpling the portion of the blanket. “Brayden Connor is a monster. I just witnessed how he became a human from being a wolf!”

I was taking deep breaths as I waited to see how Grandma Estelle would react. She'd be as surprised as I was, if not terrified. B