Eve's Awakening: Mated to the Alpha

Chapter 1

"One more drink for the old lad over there, and you're done, Eve," My manager said to me as he continued making drinks for the customers in our small bar.

"On it," I replied quickly and gave him a wry smile as I started feeling tired- almost burnt out from working the whole day. I grabbed the glass that nicely sat on a small tray and walked towards the customer waiting for his drink. The old lad greeted me with a perverted smile, as always, and I greeted him back with a smile, as I did not want to come across as rude or anything. "Here is your drink for tonight. Enjoy your night here".

"Sure, little bird," He replied and winked at me. Then I felt a sharp smack on my *ss, and it was from him. It was expected, so I wasn't feeling triggered anymore. Before, I was much angrier towards these kinds of acts, but after being sternly warned by my manager, I couldn't say no and always must keep in mind that customers are always right. He threatened me by taking away my job, and I couldn't risk that.

I walked away, trying to appear friendly and okay with the whole bar, and quickly entered the staff room. I started packing my things and changing my outfits to my regular hoodies and sweatpants. As I walked out of the bar, leaving and finishing the night shift, I waved goodbye to my manager, and he was smiling back at me. He was satisfied with my work for tonight, which was good enough for me.

As I briskly walked through the dark and quiet streets of the night, I took out my phone to check it out and perhaps scroll through my social media so that I could feel a little less lonely walking alone. It was beginning to feel normal walking alone, but I sometimes feel lonely at night, but it was okay. As I scrolled through my feeds, I saw a post from one of my college mates promoting her upcoming house party at one of her houses near the woods. It was announced to be a quiet and calm party, but I seriously doubt that because her parties are usually wild, I guess. I was never invited and would often be mocked by people in my college just because they felt I was boring.

I mean, what do they even want? I have no expectations and am not looking forward to anything, so why would I dress to impress? Besides, I was already comfortable with who I am right now. Then I noticed my email got a new unread email, which was rare because my email usually would be quiet. I opened it, and it was an email from my college. I sighed loudly as I read the title of the email. Not this again, seriously. They sent me a second notice of late payment for my tuition fees, and I thought I didn't have to pay until next month. I already addressed these issues with them and am currently having trouble with my financials. I scored every exam they had for the sake they would somehow give me some scholarship or even a discount on my tuition fees.

My college isn't supposed to be that expensive. It is not even a worldwide known college, so supposedly, and realistically speaking, it shouldn't be that expensive! But guess what? It does. At this point, I don't even know the significance of enrolling in a college if I can't pay for it. My only goal in life is to get a good job… which means I must continue studying. But d*mn, life is not easy for me.

I never envied my peers, who seemed comfortable with their lives and always laughed around with their friends. I wanted that, but then again, who am I? I am just a girl with a broken family, a broken self, and struggling to make ends meet. I looked up, put my phone away into my little pocket, and finally arrived at my house. It was a small, run-down house where my father and stepmother lived.

Regarding families, I have always dreamt of having a life where my father and mother live with me. Unfortunately, I have never even met my mother or even had a picture of her. But I do know that I resemble my mother a lot, based on what my father said every time he was drunk.

I wouldn't say I liked it when my father became drunk. He would always become someone that I barely recognize, angrier and much more cruel, I'd say to me at least. He has a soft spot for my stepmother and stepsister, but it was never about me. Whenever he brings up about me and my mom, he often says that I resemble my mother a lot, making him feel more disgusted with me. Usually, I would feel offended, and I did, but that was before. I don't feel a thing right now.

As I entered the place I perceived as home, I was met with my drunk father sitting on the couch with a bottle of alcohol in his right hand. My stepmother was busy in the kitchen, and my stepsister was nowhere to be seen. Probably, she is already asleep.

"Is that you, Eve?" My stepmother called out.

"Yes, July. It's me," I replied.

"Take out the trash, and don't forget to clean up the trash bin outside because it appears some wild dogs started rummaging through the garbage again," She commanded. I closed my eyes and sighed because I was drained, and they asked me to clean up again in the middle of the night. "What did I hear that?" She asked, this time sounding angrier.

I shot myself back up and stood straight with my eyes wide open because she was about to get p*ss*d again, and I did not like that.

"Did you just sigh at me?" She walked up to me with bulging eyes and veins popping out of her temple.

"N-no…-" Before I could say anything further, my left cheek was greeted with a hard slap from her.

"Are you seriously lying to me right now?" She asked.

"No…"

"No, what? Do you think that I was that stupid? That deaf and that blind to not see your reaction and your sigh?!" She said, half shouting at me.

"I'm sorry… I won't-"

PANGGG

"Ouch!!" I almost shrieked as I held my hand at the back of my head. At this point, tears started welling in my eyes, and I turned around to see my dad looking at me with a broken glass bottle of alcohol.

"Does smacking you with this bottle make you a tidbit wiser and mature?" He asked sternly.

"N-No, dad… please… I am sorry…" I said through my tears, sobbing now. The bruise at the back of my head was still not fully healed, so the pain made it two times worse.

"You and your useless mother are alike. Both are stupid and dumb enough to think! I despise you," He spat out at my face.

My stepmother sighed at just what happened to me and walked away by saying, "That is what you get from coming out of that wh*r*'s vagina." This time, I was sobbing harder because those words cut deep inside me. I couldn't even get angry back at them or show any sign of retaliation if I truly valued my life. My father would go crazy if I did so, and he had once, and I almost lost my life then, so I never fought back.

"Now go out there and take out the stupid trash before I pierce this broken bottle into your f*ck*ng head!" My dad shouted, and I quickly got up to do whatever he asked me to.

The tears in my eyes still couldn't stop coming out, and I held back my sobbing while taking out the trash. I looked at both of my hands and saw blood on them. I continued crying while thinking about my life, the pain in my head, and how my dad would treat me like that on earth. What have I done to deserve so much pain in this life? I did not ask to be born, yet here I am.

After cleaning out the trash bin outside of my house, I quickly made my way to my tiny room that initially should be the storeroom but then I had to live there since there were no rooms left in this house. I entered the bathroom and slowly put a damp towel on the back of my head. Every droplet of water touching the wound made me flinched in pain, but I must do it. Slowly, I ran my fingers through my hair and scalp to check if there were any glass shards, and fortunately, there wasn't. Or else, I would have to undergo another pain in taking out the tiny sharp bits. After washing myself up, I made my way into my room, avoiding encounters with any of my family members.

I was already fatigued as I slowly lay down and put my head on my worn pillow to avoid any harsh impact on my wounds. I drifted off to sleep quickly while crying as I was again thinking why I was given such a life and when I could hold out.

///

The following day, I was getting ready to get to the bar where I was working part-time and received a text from my classmate. They wanted to invite me to a house party organized by one of the hot girls in my college. Before I could even let the excitement take over me, I felt suspicious. I don't have any friends, yet they always mock me, so why on earth would they invite me to the big party?

"Hello, Eve, babe. I am just notifying you that Christine wanted to invite you to her big house party. We thought it would be a great way to get to know you! I know we have always been harsh on you, but since you always score your exams, we have been thinking that if we start hanging out with you, you could teach us a thing or two or perhaps have a study group together! It would be loads of fun," Emma said in the text.

The party would be tonight, but I am unsure if I want to go there… Perhaps it would be an excellent start to making friends, and since I will be finishing off my shift early, it wouldn't hurt to try, I guess? There could be nothing wrong with going there; maybe they would start seeing something valuable in me. That made me feel butterflies in my stomach, and I think I can't wait to attend it. "Sure, I'll be there, okay?" I replied.

Instantly, a message came in, and it was from Emma. She said, "Yay! Love you lots!" Now, that is weird. But then, why should I even care? If they genuinely want to make a fool out of me again, they probably will make up something more ridiculous, like saying I suddenly look pretty and they want to hang out with me. But they mentioned my studies, and I always think I could be a valuable friend to them even if it may sound like they are probably using me, but I don't mind.

Later that night, when I was finishing my shift, it dawned on me that I didn't even have a proper outfit to go there! I cannot wear my old and worn hoodies and sweatpants. My face fell as I spaced out, looking sad. How on earth will I get a new set of outfits that are even proper for a party? Does this mean I have to cancel from coming there? I sighed loudly in the staff room and was about to reach out for my phone when a bar staff member approached me.

"Eve, you feeling okay?" Olivia asked as she put a hand on my shoulder softly.

"Yeah… not probably. For the first time in my life, I was invited to a party of one of my college mates, and I didn't even think about any outfits to go there. It is supposed to be tonight, and there is no way there are any outfit stores that I could go to in the middle of the night. And even if I go, it will all be too late, and I am worried if they think I stood them up or something…" My voice died down in regret.

"Aww, that is nice, Eve! Well, I have been thinking about throwing away my crop top and my pair of jeans because my cheating boyfriend gifted it- now an ex. So… would you like to have them? It is right here with me in my staff locker. It may not be as fancy as in parties, but it looks decent. Is it okay?" She offered me a new set of outfits that I also think would be better than just my hoodies.

"OMG? Are you sure?" I asked her again, widening my eyes in shock.

"I am dead serious, babe. Besides, it's a gift from someone that I don't like anymore. Initially, I was thinking about throwing them away, but then I think it would be a loss if I did so since it is still brand new".

"Yes, please!" I agreed, and my expression turned to excitement as I started hoping again that I could finally go to the party.

"Yes, please!" I agreed, and my expression turned to excitement as I started hoping again that I could finally go to the party. I quickly changed into the crop top and a pair of skinny jeans that Olivia gave me for free, and I have never been this excited in my life, I swear.

I took a bus near my workplace, and thankfully, I didn't have to wait long enough for it to arrive. I got on the bus and sat on an empty seat near the bus door. I patiently waited with a grin on my face as I looked around the outside of the bus, recognizing every street the bus took. The bus finally came to a stop that was supposedly my stop. I said thank you to the bus driver but was replied with a wry smile because the bus driver was probably already tired. I got down from the bus and looked in front of me, and I could hear loud music blaring from the woods.

Lights were peaking through the trees, and I knew I was in the right place, so I quickly made my way through the trees on the