Human Belonging to the Alpha Chapter 790

The Alpha King's Human Mate AKHM - Bonus Chapter - Alessia & Lily （1） “Everything I ’ve ever let go of had claw marks on it. ” David Foster Wallace There had never been a thing in Alessia ’s life that she hadn ’t had to fight for. That was one of the first lessons her father instilled in her, long before he taught her anything else about the world “You’re my only child, Lessie, ” he’d told her when she was barely six- years-old, perched on his lap, and licking chocolate sauce off her fingers. One of the ladies in their pack had dropped off a chocolate cake an hour ago. Alessia wasn ’t sure why, but she wasn ’t the first — a lot of women in their pack liked to bring baked goods to her father. They ’d usually bat their eyelashes and ask to come in, although her father never let them “That means you ’re my heir,” he’d continued “What’s an heir?” Six-year-old Alessia had asked. It sounded a lot like air, but she didn ’t think her father was calling her that “Tt means you ’re the next in line to take my place as Alpha, ” he’d explained, “One day, I’m going to be gone like your mother, and these people are going to depend on you. ” “T don’t want you to leave, ” she’d pouted, twisting her body around to look at him, “Not like mom. You have to stay. Forever. ” She didn’t miss her mother - not the way her father did - but it was only because she ’d died the same day Alessia came into this world. It was hard to miss someone she only saw in framed photos around the house “T can’t do that, Lessie, ” he’d replied, his eyes softening, “Nobody can That’s why we need to prepare you for what happens when I do. ” “So, I’ll be your heir? ” She’d asked. She still didn ’t quite understand what that meant, but it sounded cool. She saw the way people looked up to her father, and her chest swelled when she thought of them doing the same to her He’d nodded firmly. “Yes, but it’s more than that. ” She’d blinked at him curiously as he wiped the remaining chocolate sauce from her face with a napkin “Things would be so much easier if you ’d just been born a boy, ” he’d said, “Or if you’d just had a brother I could teach these things too. ” Even so young, Alessia had felt the disappointment for something she had no idea how to change “But you weren ’t,” he’d continued, “You’re a girl, which means that none of this will ever be easy for you. You'll have to fight for your birthright, and protect it from people who try to take it from you. You ’ll have to prove yourself to the pack, even once you ’re Alpha. It never stops. You’ll have to spend every day fighting to make up for the biology you weren ’t born with. ” His voice had been hard and cold, like he’d drill these words into her brain if he could And for the first time in six years — but not the last - Alessia had wished she ’d been born a boy too ese At twelve-years-old, Alessia wished she ’d been born a boy for the second time. This time, it had nothing to do with her father or her birthright — it had to do with girls “T can’t wait to meet my mate, ” Elise said one morning in warrior training class. Alessia wasn ’t sure she’d call Elise a friend — she didn’t have friends - but she was probably the closest thing to one. She didn ’t mind spending time around Alessia, even when she was grouchy or ina bad mood “Why?” Alessia snorted. Their instructor was late, which meant everyone in class had been freezing on the grass field for about twenty minutes. When she got her hands on Instructor Roman, she was going to kick his ass And since her combat skills were leagues above the other kids her age, she might be able to “Because he’s going to love me, ” Elise continued, her blonde braids flapping in the breeze. “And protect me. Don ’t you want someone to love and protect you, Lessie? ” Her big blue eyes peered up at Alessia, and she could ’ve sworn something in her chest flip-flopped “No,” Alessia scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why would I want some gross boy to love or protect me? I can protect myself. And you. You don ’t need a boy to protect you when I can do that. ” Elise rolled her eyes. “But that’s a mate’s job!” She suddenly turned to where some of the other pre-teens had gathered on the field and sighed dreamily. “I hope Arthur is my mate. He ’s so cute. And he looks strong. ” The boy in question, a freckled, red-headed boy with gangly arms, was laughing with his friends Alessia scrunched up her nose in distaste. “You want Arthur? He couldn ’t protect a fly, let alone you. ” She couldn’t imagine what Elise might find appealing about Arthur — or any of the boys in their class Almost all of them were scrawny like toothpicks. Some of them were taller than her, but she ’d gone head-to-head with all of them on the mat. She was still stronger Before Elise could jump to Arthur ’s defense, Instructor Roman finally showed. He was a large, bulky man with a shaved head and biceps the size of her head. “I know I’m late,” his deep voice boomed across the field, “The previous class ran over, but I appreciate you waiting. ” “What about Instructor Roman? ” Elise whispered into her ear, and she was so close that Alessia could smell her vanilla perfume. “Surely, you’d want him to protect you. ” “T want his muscles, ” she retorted. She wondered if people would take her more seriously if she had biceps like that “Today we’re going to do more one-on-one combat, ” Roman explained, “Yl be pairing you up randomly, so I don ’t want to hear any complaining about who you ’re fighting.” There was a murmur of excited and less-than-excited murmurs from the group of students “Alright, here are the pairings, ” Instructor Roman continued, and began listing off the pairings before anyone could complain “ — Arthur and Alessia. ” She could hardly believe her luck Arthur glanced at her, his throat bobbing nervously. They ’d never fought each other, but he had to know she was undefeated amongst the class She grinned back at him When it was their turn, they both stepped onto the makeshift mats set up on the grass. Despite having at least three inches on her, Arthur ’s walk onto the mat was filled with plenty of hesitation “You can take her, Arthur! ” One of the boys he ’d been laughing with shouted from the sidelines. “She may act like an Alpha, but she ’s not one.” Alessia blood boiled, and she turned to the heckler, hissing, “I am an Alpha. ” “No, your father is, ” the boy shot back “Which means I will be one day too. ” The boy’s smile widened. “I doubt it. When our current Alpha dies, the Elders will just elect a new one, and it ’s not going to be a girl. ” “That’s enough,” Roman’s voice cut through their argument, “Keep your eyes on your opponent, Alessia. ” His gaze fell to the boy who ’d been heckling from the sidelines. “And I don’t want to hear any commentary. ” With anger still burning up her veins, she turned her attention back to Arthur He looked terrified, even more than when he ’d first stepped onto the mat. He could probably sense the rage brewing inside her Good, she thought “Okay, you kids remember the rules now, ” he said, “Clean hits, and the fight is over when one of you taps out. ” And then Instructor Roman clapped his hands together, signaling the start of the fight Arthur struck first His blow was sloppy and uncoordinated, and it took hardly no effort at all for Alessia to dodge the blow Arthur stumbled, and she took that opportunity to sweep his legs He went sprawling on the mat with a grunt Before he could get up, she tackled him to the ground, driving all her weight into him His eyes widened in horror, and he tapped the mat three times — the signal that he was tapping out of the fight Alessia sneered. He was giving up that easy? She hadn ’t even hit him yet, and he was already trying to surrender. Was this really who Elise wanted to protect her? Over Alessia?

Instead of letting up like she was supposed to, she dug her knees into his stomach until he coughed. “You’re pathetic,” she sniggered at him He did nothing but tap out again “Get up, Alessia, ” Instructor Roman called firmly, “He tapped out. The fight is over. ” She knew she should, she was supposed to, but..

Arthur wasn ’t even trying to fight back or throw her weight off. He was just lying underneath her, limp, defeated, and weak. Surely, Elise saw how incompetent of a boy - of a mate - he was now “Alessia! Up now! ” Roman growled more sternly this time She exhaled. “I’m going. I’m going.” She jumped up, removing the weight of her knees, and watched him cradle the section of his stomach where she ’d driven her kneecaps in He didn’t look angry or even disappointed in himself, which is how she usually felt when she didn ’t perform well He just looked scared, like a wounded puppy who ’d been kicked too many times Pathetic, she thought again, and fresh anger filled her. Why did someone like Arthur get to be so weak when she constantly had to prove herself? Why did he get Elise ’s admiration over her?