The Bully Alpha’s Redemption

Damien Vanderwood

Damien



I don’t know how it started but I know one thing; There’s something about Scarlet Black that sets my blood on fire. Maybe it’s her quiet defiance or the way she refuses to bow her head like the omega she is. Maybe it’s the fact that no matter how much I push, she never really breaks.

Or maybe, it’s the way her crystal-blue eyes seem to see right through me.

Whatever it is, I can’t ignore her. And if I can’t ignore her, I might as well make her life hell like she makes mine. I don’t even know how I tolerated her in middle school.

“Hey, Damien, there’s your little omega,” Carter said, nodding toward the cafeteria as we walked down the hallway.

Carter, my ever-loyal sidekick, was practically bouncing with energy. He thrived on this—the hierarchy, the pecking order of the pack, the constant need to remind everyone who was at the top which is the right way of order.

I wished it was Declan, my to-be-beta to be my sidekick but he thinks all of this is beneath him. Even though he is a good friend he supports only when the pack matters are involved. I don’t need him but I know he will come around.

I glanced toward the cafeteria and spotted Scarlet sitting in the far corner with her two human friends. Her fiery red hair caught the light, starkly contrasting the dull beige walls around her. She was laughing at something the girl—Maya/ Mia, I think—had said, her shoulders relaxed, her guard down.

It irritated me more than it should.

“What do you think she’s talking about?” Carter asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Probably comparing notes on how to be a loser,” I replied, my tone sharper than I intended. Seriously, I don’t talk this way but have a completely different side when it comes to her.

Carter laughed, but I barely heard him. My eyes were still on Scarlet.

“Let’s go say hi,” Carter suggested, already moving toward the cafeteria.

I could have stopped him. I should have stopped him. But instead, I followed, my steps measured and deliberate, the familiar thrill of control coursing through me.

We strolled into the cafeteria like we owned the place, which, in a way, we did. Redwood High is a co-species school. Our town, Silver Hollows had a very unique situation. Humans and the Supernatural co-exist, they know of our existence and they keep to their own turf.

Heads turned as we passed, whispers rippling through the crowd. I could feel the weight of their gazes, the unspoken respect that came with being the future Alpha. Scarlet noticed us the moment we entered, she always did. Her laughter faded, her posture stiffening as her eyes darted toward me.

Good. Be nervous.

“Hey, Red,” I called, my voice carrying across the room.

She didn’t respond, but I saw the way her jaw tightened, the way her fingers curled around the edge of the table. Her friends, Mia and Luke, glared at me, but they didn’t say anything.

“Aw, don’t be rude,” I said, sauntering closer. “I’m just trying to be friendly.”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” Mia snapped, her green eyes blazing.

I ignored her, my focus solely on Scarlet. “What’s wrong, Red? Cat got your tongue?”

Scarlet looked up at me then, her blue eyes meeting mine with a steadiness that made something in my chest tighten. “What do you want, Damien?” she asked, her voice calm but edged with weariness.

What did I want? That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it?

“I just wanted to make sure you’re settling into your role,” I said, smirking. “You know, as the pack’s very own charity case. Do tell, if your family needs any more of our charity.”

Her friends bristled, but Scarlet didn’t react. She just stared at me, her expression unreadable.

“You done?” she asked after a moment, her tone bored.

I should’ve walked away then. I’d gotten the reaction I wanted—or close enough. But something about her calmness, her lack of fear, made my blood boil.

“Not yet,” I said, leaning down so our faces were inches apart. “You know, if you spent half as much time listening to me and doing as I say as you do hiding behind your human friends, maybe people wouldn’t think you’re such a freak.”

Her eyes flashed, a flicker of anger breaking through her mask of indifference. It was small, but it was enough.

“You think I care what you or what you think?” she shot back, her voice low but steady.

For a moment, I didn’t have a response. She’d caught me off guard, her words striking a nerve I didn’t even know I had. Then Carter snickered, and the moment passed.

“Careful, Black,” I said, straightening up. “That fire of yours might get you burned.”

With that, I turned and walked away, Carter and the others trailing after me. But even as I left, I couldn’t shake the image of her blue eyes glaring up at me, defiant and unyielding.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and meaningless chatter. I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to Scarlet.

Why did she get under my skin like this?

I told myself it was because she didn’t know her place because she didn’t show the respect I deserved. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t it. It was something else—something I didn’t want to name.

“Earth to Damien,” a voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see Declan staring at me from across the table in the library.

“You’ve been zoning out all day,” he said. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, flipping through the book in front of me.

“Is it Scarlet?” he asked, his face grim.

I shot him a glare. “Why would it be Scarlet?”

“I don’t know,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “You seem awfully interested in her lately. Carter and this people you hang out with, aren’t good for you. You are an Alpha, these are the people you should be round like a bunch of high school kids. We are more than that.” I smirked, maybe I was wrong, Declan does care about it.

“I’m not interested and I am their Alpha. I need to have relations with everyone in the pack.” I snapped.

“Sure,” he said, clearly not convinced.

The final bell rang, and I headed to the parking lot, eager to leave the school behind.

As I walked, I spotted Scarlet near the edge of the lot, her head bowed as she rummaged through her bag. She looked smaller than usual, her red hair spilling over her face like a curtain.

For a moment, I felt a pang of something— but I shoved it aside.

She deserves it.

Before I could dwell on the thought, Carter appeared beside me, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Watch this,” he said, pulling a water bottle from his bag.

“Carter, don’t—” I started, but it was too late.

He launched the bottle, and it hit Scarlet square in the back, drenching her shirt. She froze, her shoulders tensing as she turned slowly to face us.

Carter burst out laughing, and I forced myself to join in, even though the sound felt hollow. Scarlet’s eyes met mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

I expected anger or humiliation, but what I saw instead was something far worse: disappointment.

Without a word, she turned and walked away, her head held high despite the water dripping from her hair. As I watched her go, a strange, uneasy feeling settled in my chest mixed with Declan shaking his head beside me.

I told myself it was nothing.

But deep down, I knew better.

This entitlement comes with being the future Alpha as it isn’t just a title; it’s a mantle, a responsibility, a weight that sinks into your bones and makes you forget what it’s like to be anything else.

I was born for this.

At least, that’s what my father likes to remind me every time he drags me into his office to give me another lecture on leadership, discipline, and dominance. This morning had been no exception.

“You can’t show weakness, Damien,” he’d said, his piercing silver eyes—eyes I’d inherited—locked onto mine. “Respect is earned, not given. And you’ll never earn it by letting emotions cloud your judgment.”

I nodded because that’s what he expected. But inside, I’d been screaming for the conversation to end. Respect wasn’t a problem for me. Everyone in this pack knew who I was and what I was capable of. The issue wasn’t earning respect—it was living up to it.

But I didn’t tell him that. I never did.

The crisp morning air bit at my skin, but the chill only fueled the fire burning inside me. Training wasn’t just a routine; it was a necessity, a ritual to hone myself into the Alpha this pack needed. No weaknesses, no excuses. That was the rule. My father’s rule.

The training grounds were alive with movement, wolves shifting back and forth between their human forms, practicing sparring techniques, and pushing themselves to the brink of exhaustion. I stood at the edge, observing, my piercing silver eyes scanning every move, every mistake.

“Again,” I barked at a group struggling with a basic maneuver. My voice carried authority, cutting through the chaos like a blade. They didn’t hesitate, immediately resetting their stances and executing the drill with renewed determination.

I hated incompetence.

“Harder, faster! If you’re holding back here, you’re a liability out there,” I snapped, pacing between them. “And this pack has no room for liabilities.”

They nodded, sweat dripping down their faces, but their resolve hardened. I could see it in their eyes—they wanted to prove themselves. And they should. This wasn’t just training for them; it was survival.

After an hour of drilling my pack, it was my turn. I stripped off my shirt, the cool air prickling my skin, and stepped into the center of the grounds. Declan was already waiting for me, his smirk firmly in place.

“You ready to lose, Damien?” he teased, rolling his shoulders.

“Dream on,” I replied, my voice low and steady.

We circled each other, the world around us fading into the background. He lunged first, aiming for my midsection, but I sidestepped easily, grabbing his arm and twisting him to the ground. He shifted into his wolf form, a sleek gray beast, and charged again.

This time, I let my own wolf surface. The shift was seamless, my human body was replaced by a massive, dark-pelted wolf with sharp eyes that mirrored my human ones. I met Declan’s attack head-on, claws slashing and jaws snapping.

The fight was brutal, and that was how it needed to be. Every move, every decision, was calculated. My father had taught me that a true Alpha doesn’t just react—he anticipates, controls, and dominates.

In the end, I pinned him to the ground, my teeth bared inches from his throat. He whined, submitting, and I stepped back, shifting back into my human form.

“Not bad,” I said, grabbing a towel and wiping the sweat from my face. “But not good enough.”

he laughed breathlessly, his grin unfazed. “One day, Damien, I’ll take you down.”

“Keep dreaming,” I said, though there was no malice in my tone. Declan was my Beta, my right hand. He was the only one I trusted to challenge me, to push me. He might not believe in my ways but on the field, we are both beasts.

As the pack continued their training, I moved to the edge of the grounds, pulling on a fresh shirt. The soreness in my muscles was a reminder of my limits—limits I was determined to shatter.

I grabbed a weighted staff and began a series of solo drills, the repetitive motions grounding me. Sweat dripped down my brow, my breathing steady as I pushed myself harder, faster. My mind emptied, focused only on the task at hand.

But then, like a spark in the darkness, her face appeared in my mind.

Scarlet.

I slammed the staff into the ground, the impact reverberating up my arms.

I finished my drills and headed to the edge of the woods that bordered the training grounds. The Silver Hollow woods were sacred territory, a place of power and history for our pack. It was here that I pushed myself the hardest, testing my limits in ways that bordered on reckless.

Dropping to the ground, I began a series of push-ups, each one a challenge against my own endurance. My muscles burned, my body screaming for rest, but I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t stop.

Every time I thought about Scarlet, about the way she looked at me like I was nothing, the fire inside me grew hotter. She didn’t fear me, didn’t respect me. And that was unacceptable.

“Damien,” Declan’s voice called from behind me, breaking my concentration.

I pushed myself up, breathing hard, and turned to face him.

“What?” I snapped, my frustration bleeding into my tone.

“You’re going to tear yourself apart if you keep this up,” he said, his expression more serious than usual. “What’s eating at you?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, brushing past him.

That evening, as I returned to the pack house, the weight of the day settled on my shoulders. My father was waiting for me in his office, as he always was.

“How was training?” he asked, not looking up from the papers on his desk.

“Good,” I said, standing at attention.

He finally looked up, his silver eyes sharp. “And you? Are you prepared?”

“For what?”

“For the challenges ahead. An Alpha doesn’t just lead; he protects. He sacrifices. Are you willing to do whatever it takes, Damien?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation.

“Good,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I have something for you,” he drops a file on the desk ahead.

“What’s this?”

“It takes more than physical strength to be the Alpha. We are in the 21st century and you need to learn to run an empire. Take the lead.”

I was confused but one thing about me is I don’t shy away from challenges; I thrive in it. But I didn’t think my very first challenge would entail interviewing…

Scarlet Black.