Afraid alphas little psy.., p.1
Afraid (Alpha's Little Psycho Book 3), page 1
Afraid
Alpha's Little Psycho Book 3
K. A. Bauer
Afraid (Alpha’s Little Psycho 3) by K.A. Bauer
Cover Artwork by K.A. Bauer
Copyright © 2023 K.A. Bauer
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, submitting to an artificial intelligence database, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Note: This is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, people, or places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
E-book ISBN 979-8-9892840-3-0
Note from the Author:
I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to invest in the world I’ve created with Ethan and Ric and the rest of the pack. Your love and support really mean a lot to me.
At this time, there is a lot of book piracy going on in the literary world and it is causing a lot of independent authors to suffer the consequences. I myself fell victim to this, and have been fighting a legal battle to get the unauthorized distribution of my stories removed from sites that are not only sharing illegally, but also may include some type of malware on the files.
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PROLOGUE
ESTHER
40 Years Ago
“Esther, baby? I need you to take this letter over to Mrs. Sinclair.” Mommy’s voice rings out from the kitchen. Ever since she started growing my baby sister in her belly, she’s been acting strange. She doesn’t spend any time with us anymore because she’s always tired. I guess growing babies is hard work, but I don’t remember her being this tired with Carl. Then again, I was only four when my little brother came around…
“Sweetie? It’s important!”
“Coming, Mama,” I call back, dragging my feet.
I don’t know what could be so important that she needs to send something over to the Beta’s mate and not call her over here. Daddy says we’re a special family from a very important bloodline and this pack should be happy to have us. He says I’m going to be the one to bring our bloodline back into power since Alpha Alistair has a son around my age. I’m not sure what Daddy means, but I like Ricky. I am looking forward to being his mate someday…
Grabbing the letter from the counter, I call out a goodbye to my mom and my little brother and race towards the big house that the Sinclairs live in. It’s pretty enough, but it’s nothing like the Alpha house, the pack house. I’m destined for greatness and deserve nothing less. That’s what Daddy says.
When I come up to the little pond, I stop to sit for a bit. This is my happy place. It’s almost like no one knows about it. It’s a little secret for me… While I’m sitting, I glance at the envelope in my hand…
Who is Edward Sullivan? Why is Mama writing to a strange man?
I know it’s naughty, but I open the letter and start to read. I’m eight, almost nine, and I am very advanced for my age. Daddy says I’m a genius…
I can’t understand some of the words I’m reading, but I see enough…Mama wants to leave. Mama wants to take me away from Daddy, from my future with Ricky, from my destiny…
NO!
I stuff the paper back in the envelope and hide it under a rock. That will show this Edward person. He won’t ever know to come back for Mama, so we won’t have to leave Daddy. I don’t even care about the words that my sister isn’t Daddy’s as long as we stay together. I won’t leave Daddy. I am his princess and I’m supposed to do great things for this pack…Daddy says so.
6 Months Later
I miss Mama.
Daddy figured out that Elizabeth’s daddy is not him and he got really mad at Mama. He sent me and Carl out of the house that day, but when we came home, Mama was gone and Elizabeth was here. Daddy says Mama died because of what Elizabeth is, because her daddy wasn’t him and the Goddess punished Mama for her infidelamy or something like that. I forgot to look up the word.
But it’s all his fault, that Edward man Mama was writing to. Daddy says so. Now, I’m nine and the lady of the Welling household and it’s more important than ever to be proper and dignified and bring the honor to our family that I’m supposed to. Daddy says it’s time for me to be grown and sponsible.
I can’t cry about Mama in front of Daddy without making him angry. He says to the world, we need to make sure everyone thinks that Elizabeth’s daddy is him so that people don’t think badly of Mama. I’m a big girl now. It’s my job to protect the family reputation.
Sitting on the stoop to get away from my sleeping sister, a strange car pulls up. I don’t know who it could be, but they better not wake the baby. She’s very loud when she first wakes up, and I have a headache from crying again.
The man who gets out of the car looks a little familiar. I can’t figure out where I’ve seen him before. Then, he asks for Mama…
I remember him now. He’s the stupid head who caused Mama to go away. He wanted to take us away from Daddy. I yell at him and tell him Mama’s gone. Somehow, I slip up and tell him only me and Carl are really Wellings, but Daddy will forgive me for one slip up, right? To everyone else, she’ll be my one hundred percent little sister…
The man looks really really sad when he gets back into his car. I don’t like him being sad, but he has to go away. He wanted to take Mama and if he stays, he’s going to try and take my sister. She belongs here. She belongs with me.
It’s hours after the man drives off, but I’m back on the stoop, on the lookout for him to try and come back to take my baby sister away. While I’m waiting, Johnny Sinclair comes out of the woods and sits next to me. He’s kinda cute for a teenager, but Daddy says I have to mate with Ricky when I turn eighteen. Maybe he’ll even be my true mate…
“Penny for your thoughts?” Johnny asks me, nudging my shoulder with his own.
“I miss Mama,” I tell him honestly. I can’t reveal what happened earlier, but it’s true that if Mama was still here, I could just be a regular little girl again.
“Speaking of your mom,” he says looking into the trees. “I found a letter from her addressed to someone in South Carolina about a week ago. When I showed my mom, she had me race it to the post office. You know anything about that?”
My blood freezes in my veins. How did Johnny find the letter? How was it even still in one piece? I hid it so good.
“Did you read it?” I ask, dreading the answer. Daddy says no one can know.
Johnny shakes his head and I feel like I can breathe again. I don’t mean to let them out, but I can feel some stray tears fall from my eyes. He puts his arm around me and pulls me close. I don’t really understand why he’s being so nice, but I’ll take it. It feels really nice to get a hug again.
9 Years Later
“Richard has met his fated mate! I won’t split them up!”
I don’t usually argue with my father, but this time he’s gone too far. Fated mates are sacred. Annabelle is a scared little mouse, but apparently the fates gave her to Richard, our future Alpha. Dad is just angry that they found each other before I turned eighteen. Not my fault I can’t control when I was born…
“Fine then. If you won’t push for an Alpha, you’ll mate with the future Beta!”
Wait… what? He wants me to mate with Johnny?
“Dad, he’s almost twenty five now! Don’t I even get a chance to find my fated one?”
“You are my daughter!” he screams at me. “You don’t get choices. You do what you’re told for the good of this family!”
I storm up the steps to my room and slam the door. Collapsing on my bed, I use my pillows to muffle the sobs I can’t hold back any longer. When did I stop being his princess and become a freaking piece of property to sell off? How am I supposed to reach my destiny if I can’t be with my fated mate? How did Anna end up with my destiny, anyway?
When a small hand taps my shoulder, I startle. I didn’t even hear the door open, but the little twit has always been silent. She’s had to be with the way Dad’s temper has been…
“Sissy?” Lizzie looks a bit scared, so I hurriedly wipe at my eyes. She doesn’t know how lucky she is that she isn’t blood related to that drunk downstairs. Even though he’s cruel to her behind closed doors, at least she doesn’t have to worry about ending up like him.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” I whisper as I pull her into my lap. “Everything will be okay.”
7 Years Later
The Heartstone Alp ha and his son have finally left. That was the longest three months ever.
When they arrived, suddenly my mate and the Alpha were needed to be locked up in meetings all day every day. That left me to deal with two toddler boys who just wanted to get into everything possible. Anna was useless as usual. She’s nothing more than arm candy to Richard… a disgrace to she-wolves everywhere. And then Liz just up and disappeared for most of the time they were here.
I caught her with Bennet a few times, but I didn’t say anything. I mean, the secret’s out that my mother had an affair, thanks to Liz not getting a wolf, and all. But behind closed doors, she’s still my precious little sister. I have to put up a front when Father is around or else deal with his anger issues. Most of the time, those are focused on her now. I still feel the need to protect her and keep her with me, so I allow her to help me with Connor and Alaric. She belongs with me. She’s safe with me.
At least now things are getting back to normal with the visitors gone. Liz is helping me out with watching the boys again while I keep the house clean and plan the parties and events. This is the way our pack is run. This is how I get to be the most important she-wolf in the Jameson pack. Alistair let it slip that Richard is likely to not be the next Alpha, so it looks like the Sinclairs will be moving up… the Goddess really has blessed me after all.
6 Months Later
“Elizabeth Welling! You tell me who it was before I rip that bastard out myself!”
I race into the living room to see my father looming over my baby sister. Today is her sixteenth birthday. We are supposed to be having a girls day, so that I could pamper her. Pregnancy isn’t easy, and I need her to get through it so that she can go back to watching Connor again.
I was hoping she wouldn’t provoke Father today and have at least one day without a beating from him. It’s been a regular occurrence since she started to show. She hasn’t told anyone who the father is, but I’m pretty sure it was Bennet. When I asked her, she just said she doesn’t want anyone else to know until she can tell him herself.
I’ve tried to reach out to him discreetly, but his father is keeping him isolated within their pack. Alpha Heartstone just keeps saying that his son cannot be in contact with known vampire sympathizers or something. I can’t tell him he’s going to be a father unless Liz confirms it’s him because I don’t want to start an incident between packs if it turns out I’m wrong…
“I know what you did to my mother,” Liz growls breaking through my thoughts. I’ve never heard that kind of a tone from her before. She’s my sunshine girl. She doesn’t DO angry. “You killed our mother because she had me and wanted to take us away from you! You were more concerned for your reputation than the health and well-being of your mate! You went against FATE for your own selfish reasons!”
The force of his slap sends Liz flying across the room. I watch as her body collides with the dining room table and crumples to the floor, not moving. Kneeling beside her I see she is still breathing, but there is blood pooling between her legs.
I hesitate.
I know it’s wrong and my niece or nephew doesn’t deserve to suffer, but I want my sister back. I want her whole and healthy and all of her love directed at me again…
If I can’t have her back, then she should just get to be at peace with Mama and her baby and not have to face this cruel world anymore… She shouldn’t have to face Father’s wrath anymore and this will allow us to get rid of him as well. Alistair will never let him remain alive after this…
Carl and I can be free… Liz can be free… We’ll all be better off this way.
I grab my father and drag him from the house, locking the door behind me. Getting into the car, I head for Dayton. It’s time to get him good and fully drunk so that I can get rid of him once and for all. I’m going to miss my sister, but this is the best outcome for everyone.
7 Hours Later
John dropped off Connor with me about three hours ago. He said something about the Alpha and an emergency visitor. I wasn’t really listening. I had just finished dragging my father’s sorry ass to his bedroom. Three hundred dollars of liquor wasted on that sorry excuse of a man, just to get the cover story of him being drunk and pushing her into the table. I can’t afford to have him remember I was there.
After all, my family can’t have a bad reputation…
It’s after ten at night before my mate comes home. I had to do the whole bedtime routine with Connor by myself. I hate having to tuck him in, but it’s much better now that he’s in kindergarten and mostly self sufficient. I’m going to have to get used to not having Liz around to take care of him…
“Esther? Can you come to the living room?”
I put down my book and sigh. It’s so unfair that I ended up with the older and responsible mate. John is objectively good looking and all, but he’s so boring. Ricky and I are a much better match, but he picked Anna the waif and left me with the grandpa.
Walking into the room, I’m surprised to see John is not alone. Alpha Alistair is here along with Richard and another man who has his back to me. When the stranger turns around, I feel as if I’ve turned to ice. It’s him…
“Hello again, Esther,” he says to me looking up from the bundle in his arms.
Oh, no... The baby survived. He knows everything…
He keeps talking and talking but my brain isn’t computing. Terror has a stranglehold on my comprehension abilities. The only thing I’m hearing is my heartbeat pounding away like it knows it’s about to stop any second. John is just nodding along and takes the baby into his arms as if nothing is wrong.
Wait a second… Why is my mate taking the baby?
“I think it would be good if family raises him, at least until he gets his wolf,” John says while Alistair shakes his head in agreement.
Family? Does John expect me to raise another child? How would this look to the rest of the pack? Raising my sister’s bastard kid…
I wish I could have Lizzie here to do it. She did everything when Connor was a baby. I don’t know anything about babies. I never even changed a diaper! Give him to someone else since she’s not around, not me!
“He will be a Sinclair until you come to claim him, King Edward.”
King?
My wolf speaks up for the first time in years to smugly say, If you hadn’t shut me out I could have told you that your sister wasn’t a human halfling, but vampire. You have been connected to royalty but it will never benefit you. You are nothing. Your greed and narcissism will always be your downfall.
I slam the door shut on her again in my mind. There is a reason I don’t let her out anymore. She questions everything I do. She says I’m wrong. I know I’m not wrong. I am the one responsible for my house. I am the most important she-wolf in the pack…
Almost 5 Years Later
The little shit is running again. There’s only so much cleaning I can force on a four year old. I’m not worried about over exerting him or anything. He just can’t reach shit yet. I can’t wait for him to get older so that people will stop thinking he’s cute and will see him for the disrespectful bastard that he is. Vampire princeling… bullshit. He’s a waste of oxygen.
