Alpha’s Virgin Stripper

Lake:

Neil was just about to begin his end-of-the-month report. He stood in front of the large projector while other employees sat at the round table with me. It was a monthly routine I had forced myself and my workers to uphold.

Each of them had to list out the goals they had shared on the first working day of the month, relate it with their progress so far, and point out their losses and ways they planned to improve their standards and working techniques. It was how I knew who would be resuming the first working day of the month and who would not.

The meeting lasted for over an hour, and Neil’s presentation was to be the last before I make my closing statement. However, before he could speak, I saw one of my father’s minions peep from the glass doors of my boardroom. I narrowed my eyes at him and pulled my attention from Neil to focus on the man outside my boardroom. My father’s tall image emerged from behind him. I found myself rolling my eyes and shaking my head instinctively. We had neither seen nor spoken to each other in more than a month and if I was given the chance, I’ll want it to remain that way.

I tore my gaze away from him and fixed it on Neil, as though I never saw him. In less than a minute, his bodyguard pushed the door of my boardroom open, silencing Neil and earning himself the attention of everyone in the room, excluding mine. My father stepped into the room, immediately his bodyguard moved away from the door. Everyone scrambled up from their seats and bowed to him. I followed suit, more out of courtesy than out of respect.

Alpha Cole, my father, allowed his dark orbs to wander around the room with a form of mocking gaze. He had never thought I was capable of running my own business without his support, it was the reason he was both surprised and annoyed that I managed the casino, and my chain of hotels yet still found time for the family business. He never had anything to hold against me when it came to business, which was the reason he never wasted time hammering on the one part he felt I lacked in; family.

“Greetings, alpha.” Everyone chorused. He walked to the only empty seat in the room, the one beside me, and settled into it, while the rest of us continued to stand.

“My apologies if I had to interrupt something, son. But, there is an urgent matter which we must discuss.” He started. Without looking at him, I replied.

“We were almost done, father. If you could just give us ten minutes…”

“If you do not listen to what I have to say right now, my boy, you might not have a company to run anymore.” His voice was subtle, but I could hear the dangerous threat hidden in his words.

I sighed and looked around the room.

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your cooperation and attendance. Neil would send the necessary monthly information to you and I sincerely wish you all good luck.” I said out loud. I watched them gather files, papers, and bags as they walked out of the room individually. Neil waited behind but I gestured at him to leave. I settled into my seat before my eyes acknowledged my father’s presence.

He was still staring at the door with a smug grin on his face.

“Did you tell them they might not have jobs to return to in the next thirty days?” He asked me, as his dark orbs traveled from the door and locked with my sturdy gaze.

Confused and slightly annoyed, I arched a brow at him.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“What does that even mean?” I bit back. I saw him chuckle as he leaned into the table.

“My boy, my boy. What is today’s date?”

My eyes involuntarily wandered to the digital clock at the top of the projector. The time and date were both on display.

31st. It was the 31st day of the month.

“It’s the 31st…”

“And your 31st birthday is in what? 30 days?” My father cut in.

Something in me sparked in recognition. My jaw and fists clenched simultaneously, a blaring sign that I was not pleased by his reminder. How had I quickly lost track of time and days in such a manner? It was 30 days to my 31st birthday and my father’s presence in my boardroom suddenly made sense.

My father was like smoke; he was never anywhere that fire was not present.

My birthday. I hated the very word.

It brought back memories of the last day I was ever truly happy; the day before my mother left. It was my fifth birthday and we spent the whole day in the pack with three-year-old baby Kenji.

After she left, I never celebrated, unless I had to. And my father always made sure I had to.

“Does that ring a bell, Lake?” I could hear the mockery in his voice. The silent “I told you, you cannot do this without me.” annoyed me more than the smile on his face.

“Father…”

“Hush now, my child. I brought something for you.”

I fixed my eyes on him. Cole Rush was clad in an all-white three-piece suit, a sharp contrast to the color of his heart and mind. He beckoned on his bodyguard with his right hand. I watched as the huge man pulled out a file from his suit and handed it over to my father. My father, in turn, pushed the file to me.

“Open it.” He spat out. His voice had lost every iota of friendliness; he spoke to me like I was a redundant partner who had caused him a million-dollar loss.

I tore open the brown envelope and pulled out the laminated paper within it. The first I caught sight of was my signature at the end of the paper, and his by the side.

“You remember that, don’t you?”

I frowned. Both at his question and the paper.

Yes. Yes, I did.

Five years ago, on my 25th birthday, I told him I wanted to reject my then-mate, Jade. He was furious, beyond angered. Nothing I said was a good enough reason to him.

“The pack elders are rolling their tongues already! Word is flying around that you are many things, including impotent! You cannot give them more reasons to think you less of a man, you cannot!” He had said.

Alas, he decided he would allow me to reject her, but on one condition.

I had to sign an agreement. An agreement stated that if I did not have a Luna by my 31st birthday, I would lose all that I had, including my wealth, inheritance, and my private businesses to someone else. I would be forced to marry Jade Lockwood if she was still interested in our union.

In other words, he was here to remind me that I had merely thirty days to complete my side of the bargain, or I could lose everything.

“You cannot say I did not warn you, Lake, because I did. But you felt that you were tough. You could do anything you wanted, couldn’t you?”

I stayed silent, gritting my teeth as I stared at the paper in front of me. I knew who my father was, I knew what he was capable of doing. People often said I took a small share of his cruelty and impatience. He was not a man anyone wanted to mess with.

“It’s a good thing you have always been so confident then! You have just twenty-nine days to present a Luna to the pack elders. We can discuss the child later, but you must wed someone in the next twenty-nine days, boy. Else…”

He sprung up from his seat, while his guard rushed to his side.

“I would not spare a single expense to run you to the ground. Trust me.”

My heart skipped a beat. When I stared into his dark and hollow eyes, I could tell he wasn’t only threatening.

Alpha Cole meant every word that slipped out of his tongue and he never made empty threats.