Alpha Carter's Mysterious Mate

***Trigger Warning: *** This book mentions physical and s****l abuse in the form of flashbacks experienced by our heroine. Alexia (Flashback to a year ago…) I am chained to the bed, lying on my tummy. His touch that once meant everything to me, now feels like acid burning my skin. He unties my legs, but leaves my arms shackled. “Knees on the bed, ass in the air.” He commands, and I sob and try to kick him away. He pushes my head down into the pillow and I struggle for air. “Don’t make this harder on yourself, you filthy whore.” He says in my ear and I sob when he lets go of my head. “Please, don’t do this Phillip. You are hurting me, just let me go.” I pleaded and he chuckled. “You are mine. Mine to do with as I please. And right now, I said, knees on the bed, and ass in the air!” he yells. I do as he says, and he immediately starts hitting me with his belt. I try to stay quiet, but the pain is just too much. I feel it when he starts using the buckle, and I know he broke skin. I can feel the burn. I yelled for him to stop, but he just laughed manically. I feel him throw something over my behind, and it burns. I just sob and wish for death to come, but it never does… (End of flashback) I shake my head to dispel my wayward thoughts, and focus on driving. So, here I am, all packed up and driving over 3000 miles, to get away from this constant misery that has been plaguing my life. ‘How cliché,’ I thought to myself. My life has literally turned into a bad romantic thriller. It seems in this movie, the villain is set to win. Why is it all so unfair? Why should I have to leave everything I love behind? What could I possibly have done in my previous life to deserve such bad luck? As unfair as it is, if I want to keep breathing, I need to keep moving. I found an isolated town up north and hopefully no one will come looking for me there. After months of lying low and recuperating, I’ve secured a job with the local newspaper under my new alias. I’m just glad my love of all things tech is coming in handy. I have successfully created a whole new life for myself on paper, as well as digitally. No one needs to know my real past, and I intend to keep it that way. Sometimes I wonder if it’s all worth it, but I have to remind myself that I am worthy of love and happiness. I, like every other 25-year-old, had dreams for the future, dreams of a happy ever after, with a husband who loves me, and kids of my own. A beautiful home with a lake out back for the kids, and dogs to play in. I would be the editor and owner of my own publishing house. Dreams… yes, that’s all they were. Boy did I have a nasty wake-up call, from the horrific nightmare my life had become. So here I am, almost at my destination, with a heavy heart and tear-filled eyes. I decided to stop to fill the tank and my tummy at the next service station I saw. As I pulled up to get the gas pump, I noticed that there were very few people around. There was no one near the pumps, and I could only see about 3 people in the store. I finished at the pump, and parked near the sign I saw for the restrooms. I walked up to the store with my phone in my hand, trying to get a signal. I wanted to check how much further my new home was. I was so engrossed in trying to get a signal, I didn’t notice anyone approaching me. I walked straight into a hard body that was moving at a fast speed. It caught us both so off guard that I fell on my ass. He fell back against the store's entrance door, just as it was about to close. The force of his fall, and the glass door closing, knocked him out cold. I was too shocked to move, so my reflexes were a bit slow. When I finally regained my motor skills, I rushed towards him, feeling rather guilty. He was really unconscious, and it was all my fault. As I stood up to run for help, someone came running towards me. Judging by the uniform, it seems to have been the store clerk. His name badge announced him to be Dan. I immediately asked him to call an ambulance, and was rambling on and on about how sorry I was. He didn’t say anything, just walked past me with some cable ties, and proceeded to tie the unconscious man’s hands and legs together. ‘What the hell’, I thought to myself. I just opened my mouth to protest, when he turned to me and thanked me for my help. “Thank you, Miss, your timing was impeccable. The police are on their way, as well as an ambulance, to check on you. Are you okay mam?” Dan said in what seemed like a worried tone. “I’m okay I think, just my backside is a bit sore. Why are the police on their way? I really didn’t mean to injure anyone. He ran into me and I knew I was on my phone and not paying attention, but I really didn’t mean to hurt him.” I said, feeling a little panicked. I do not need any police in my business right now. Dan looked at me and gave a little chuckle. I looked at him, feeling a bit confused. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see the humor in an unconscious man on your store’s doorstep. Am I missing something?” I said. “You don’t know what just happened?” asked Dan. “I was looking at my phone trying to get a signal, so I wasn’t paying attention. This gentleman ran into me, and now he is out cold” I said, pointing at the unconscious man. “Yes, that is how it ended I suppose, but you missed everything else that went down before that.” Dan said with a smile. “Okay, enlighten me then.” I said with a puzzled expression. “Well, this unconscious ‘gentleman’, as you put it, actually just robbed our store, and stabbed my manager when he tried to intervene. Then he proceeded to stab one of the shoppers on his way out the door. Only to knock into you, and now thanks to karma, or a beautiful guardian angel, namely you, he is unconscious, and won’t get away even if he tries.” he says. I just looked at Dan with my mouth hung open. I’m sure I looked like a fish out of water. I closed my mouth and opened it again, but still words failed me. Dan chuckled and told me to go get me some water, and take a rest inside. He would stay and watch over the unconscious man, until the police arrived. I nervously complied, and rushed over to help with the two men who were injured. There were two ladies assisting them while applying pressure to their wounds. “Can I help with anything?” I asked, my voice coming out higher than I had intended. The older lady turned to me and asked me to check if there were any towels in the back of the store. I proceeded to run towards what looked like the back office. It seems this was the break room, and there was also a bathroom. I ran into the bathroom, and saw some hand towels on a shelf above the sink. I grabbed them all, and the first aid kit I saw on another shelf, and ran back to the injured men. I handed some towels to the older woman, and the younger one, who also seemed to be a staff member, judging by her uniform. I helped her as she was assisting who I assume is the manager, Dan mentioned. He was stabbed in the abdomen, and was bleeding profusely. It also looked like he had a fever. I ran to look for some ice, and found some frozen peas, and kept them on his forehead and the back of his neck. I used some paper towels to dab some of the sweat away. He looked like he was in and out of it. I tried to get him to stay awake by talking to him. I asked the lady, whose name tag said, Jenny, what the manager's name was. She replied that he was the owner of the store, and his name was Carter. Carter… I liked the name, and he was extremely handsome even in his current state. I shook my head from its wayward thoughts, and tried to keep him awake. I took hold of his hand, and the minute our skin touched, I felt a tingle. Like a tiny electric shock, but not in a bad way, it felt good. ‘What was that?’ I thought to myself, but quickly tried to brush it away. ‘Focus’ I chastised myself. He opened his eyes and looked straight into mine. I felt as if everything stilled around us. He has the most mesmerizing green eyes I have ever seen. I spoke to him about the first thing that popped into my mind. Namely, the Golden Retriever puppy I had when I was five. I asked him if he liked animals or had a pet. He said he loves dogs and has a German Sheppard named Max. I smiled at that, and he gave me a weak smile, before closing his eyes again. I gently squeezed his hand, and told him to open his eyes, and keep talking to me. I could hear the sirens approaching, and I just had to keep him awake until they arrived. He squeezed my hand weakly, and tried to keep his eyes open, while he told me about Max, and his antics. He apparently has a dislike for all squirrels. The paramedics came hurdling in, and checked Carter and the older gentleman over. They then put Carter on the stretcher, and asked me if I would like to accompany my ‘boyfriend’ to the hospital. I was shocked by the assumption, but I had not yet let go of his hand, so I guess they thought we were together. Carter opened his eyes, and simply told them that I would be coming with him. I tried to protest, and say that I needed to give my statement to the police. One of the officers came over, and said that they would come to the hospital to take our statements. I dutifully followed the stretcher to the ambulance, and got in. I held onto Carter's hand again, and he gave me a weak smile.