Alpha [Explicit Version]

Chapter One

I dropped my head, closing my eyes. This must be what dying felt like.

**ANGEL**

The alarm clock on my headboard was blaring, sending a pounding ache right into my brain through my skull. I groaned and reached up, slamming the off button harder than necessary. Slowly and stiffly, I sat up and squinted through the room in the bright sunshine. There was not a noise in the apartment, which meant that I was either alone, or my father was asleep. I climbed out of bed and stumbled to the chair next to my desk, where I had draped a pair of jeans and a T-shirt the night before. I quickly dressed and pushed the bookshelf that was barricading the door out of the way. After grabbing my backpack and jacket from the floor, I left the room.

My father was asleep in his reclined armchair, his clothes wrinkled and stained. I felt my face twitch in disgust, and I absently rubbed my shoulder where a bruise was forming. How I was stuck with him, I didn't know. My mother never laid a hand on me, and she always took the best care of me, yet she somehow lost all custody. Father didn't even want me, so why was I even here?

I grabbed an apple from the bowl on the kitchen counter and walked out the door, zipping my jacket and pulling the hood over my head. The clouds were thick and dark, meaning that there would soon be a storm. I shivered in the wind as I made my way down the sidewalk and to school. It was Thursday, which meant just two more days before I could have a break from my classmates. Of course, that meant two full days of my father. I couldn't win in this situation.

The automatic glass doors slid open and I stepped into the school, hoping to get to my locker and then to class before anyone spotted me. Once I got to my locker, I frowned and ripped the insult-covered papers off and shoved them into the trash can at the end of the hall before opening it and taking my math book out. I walked to class with my head down and eyes averted, then took my seat at the back. I could hear the students filing into the room and dropping into their chairs.

The lesson began, and I jotted down some notes. I had already learned this in my free time years ago, so my attention wandered to the window, where tiny droplets of water burst; it was starting to sprinkle.

My head was yanked roughly up by my hair, and I snapped awake, my hands flying back to free myself. The guy that had woken me, Tyler, grinned and pulled me to my feet by my jacket.

"We don't sleep in class, you know," he said, smirking, then tossed me at one of his buddies. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before nodding at the teacher and walking out of the room. I kicked and squirmed, trying to free myself, but it was no use. Students in the hallway laughed at me, some of them throwing punches as we passed by. Suddenly, we were outside, and I was dumped on the concrete. Tyler knealt in front of me.

"What were you dreaming about?" He jeered, forcing my face up to look at him. "The little things your daddy does to you in the bedroom?" I felt my anger flare up and started to struggle. "I bet you like what he does to you. I bet you beg for it."

"You're sick," I growled and spat at him. His smirk turned to a grimace and his fist connected with the side of my face, my lip splitting and cheek bruising right then and there. I fell backwards, cracking my head on the concrete. Slowly, I sat up, rubbing my head where it connected with the sidewalk.

"No, you're sick. Don't you know that everyone at this school thinks you're disgusting?" Tyler demanded. "Everyone would be better if you weren't born. Course, you had to be, since your mom is such a whore."

"You leave her out of it!" I screamed, throwing myself at him and strangling him. The door suddenly flew open and I was pulled back by my hood.

"Mr. Summers, what do you think you are doing?" The principal demanded. I glared at Tyler, who was staring at me with false hurt.

"I was letting him back in the building, Mr. Morrison, and he attacked me," he said, feigning innocence.

"No I didn't! You fucking threw me out here and hit me!" I screamed, trying to get at him again, but I was restrained.

"Mr. Summers, let's go to my office and have a nice chat with your father on the phone," Mr. Morrison said. I froze; my father absolutely could not know about this. I yanked myself free and bolted, not really heading anywhere specific. The rain was getting harder. I could hear the principal calling after me, but I really couldn't care less. A forest appeared on my right, and I sprinted into it. A few hundred feet in, I tripped on a tree root and fell flat on my face, the air leaving my lungs at the impact.

I lay there, the rain pounding on my aching head and soaking through my clothes. The cold air didn't help, and soon I curled into a shivering ball. That's when the tears came. They mixed on my face with the rain. Why did all of this happen to me? What had I ever done to these people to get them all to hate me in this way? Was it true, that they would be better off if I had never been born?

I heard footsteps up ahead of me and quickly sat up, drying my eyes and peering into the dim light. Between some trees and branches stood a figure, silently watching me. He had dark hair and eyes, and his clothes were slightly worn. He looked like he could easily kill me, based on his height of over six feet and the tough build of his arms and chest.