The Alpha's Dual Flame

Aria’s POV

I practically skipped out of the school building, the heavy textbooks in my arms feeling lighter than usual—as if the last bell had lifted a weight off my shoulders. Usually, that final ring meant freedom, but today? It felt like the whole world had cracked open just for me. And then I saw her—Mom—leaning casually against our familiar red Ferrari, that ridiculous grin stretched across her face like she’d just won some secret lottery.

“Mommy!” I squealed, dropping my books and rushing into her arms. The warmth of her hug wrapped around me like a shield. “What are you doing here? Did something happen?”

She chuckled, squeezing me tighter. “Nothing bad, sweetie. Just thought I’d pick up my favorite girl on her special day.”

My heart skipped. “Oh my gosh—I totally forgot it was my birthday!”

“Well, I didn’t,” she winked, her eyes sparkling. “Now, hop in. We’ve got a day full of surprises.”

I climbed into the car, bubbling with excitement. I rattled off stories about my classes, my friends, anything to fill the space between us. But Mom steered the conversation towards the evening, that mysterious glint never leaving her eyes.

“So, excited for tonight?” she asked, voice playful. “I’ve got a little surprise planned. Bet you’re gonna love it.”

“Tell me! Please!” I begged, but she just laughed.

“Nope. Wouldn’t it be a surprise if I told you, would it?”

The sky darkened as we drove, the cheerful buzz between us fading with the fading light. We slipped into a quieter part of town, the streets growing unfamiliar and empty. Then, without warning, the car jerked to a halt with a screech. A massive black van blocked our way.

My pulse hammered. “What’s going on?”

Before Mom could answer, the van’s side door slid open. Five men spilled out, moving fast and silent like shadows. Panic slammed into me—cold and sharp—as they approached.

“Stay calm, Aria,” Mom whispered, her voice trembling, betraying the calm she tried to fake.

But it was too late.

They yanked open the doors. One man lunged at me, pressing a cloth soaked with something sweet and sickly over my mouth and nose. I struggled, but my limbs grew heavy, my vision blurred. Darkness crept in, pulling me under.

Mom was fighting too, but they were too strong. The same cloth pressed against her face. Then, a rough blindfold was tied over my eyes.

And then—nothing.

My head throbbed, each pulse a brutal hammer against my skull. I blinked, but darkness was all I found behind my eyelids. A gag, rough and musty, filled my mouth, choking back the scream that clawed at my throat. Ropes, digging deep into my wrists, confirmed the nightmare was real.

Oh God, oh God, this can’t be happening. This is a dream. Wake up, Aria, wake up! My thoughts spiraled, a chaotic storm of terror and disbelief. But through the panic, one image burned bright: Mom.

Mom! Where is she? Please, God, let her be okay. What have they done to her?

I thrashed against the ropes, raw panic lending me a desperate strength, but they held firm, unyielding. I was trapped in a dark, suffocating room. The air was thick with the stench of decay and something else… something coppery and sharp that made me gag. It smelled like... like death.

Then, it came—a scream that tore through the silence, a sound so raw and filled with agony that it ripped a hole in my soul. It was Mom.

My heart stopped, then lurched back to life with a painful jolt. Nausea rolled in my stomach, threatening to overwhelm me. The scream was followed by a laugh, a deep, guttural sound that resonated with pure evil. It was a laugh that promised pain, a laugh that chilled me to the bone.

No, no, no! I have to get to her. I have to help her!

Fueled by adrenaline, I surged to my feet, the rough floor scraping against my bare skin. I stumbled blindly towards the door, my fingers fumbling for a handle, a lock, anything. But there was nothing, just cold, solid wood. Imprisoned.

Despair threatened to consume me, but I fought it back. I wouldn’t give up. Not on Mom. Scanning the room, my eyes finally adjusted to the faint light seeping in from an unseen source. That’s when I saw it—a jagged hole in the wall, hidden behind a tattered tapestry that hung like a shroud.

It was a sliver of hope, a desperate chance. I lunged for the hole, ignoring the splinters that pierced my skin. I pressed my eye to the opening, and the world tilted on its axis.

The scene that unfolded was a grotesque tableau of horror. In a dimly lit chamber, my mother lay sprawled on the cold stone floor, her body a canvas of bruises and blood. Her clothes were torn, her face swollen and distorted with pain. Five men surrounded her, their faces masks of cruel delight.

“Please,” Mom sobbed, her voice a ragged whisper. “Please, stop! What do you want? Just leave my daughter alone!”

One of the men sneered, his eyes glinting in the shadows. “Oh, but where’s the fun in that, Maggie? We’re just getting started.” He raised his hand, and I flinched, a silent scream building in my chest.

No! Mom!

My mom, my everything, was just lying there, all broken. Every breath she took felt like a punch to my gut. These guys weren’t even human; they were like something out of a horror movie, with faces so evil it made me want to throw up.

One of them pulled out his phone, and a loud, annoying ringtone blasted through the room. He started talking, all cocky and cold.

“Yeah, it’s done… You better pay us what you promised… Yeah, yeah, the girl’s not a problem. We’ll take care of her, for sure.”

My blood ran cold. Oh god, they’re going to kill me.

Mom, her voice weak and shaky, begged, “Please… please, don’t hurt her. She didn’t do anything wrong. Just let her go, please!”

The guy with the phone just laughed, a creepy sound that made my skin crawl. He knelt next to Mom, with a super-evil smile on his face. He put a gun to her head. A real GUN.

“Sorry, Maggie,” he said, all fake-nice. “We have our orders, you know?”

I couldn’t breathe. My whole world was just that black hole at the end of the gun. Everything felt super slow.

Then, BANG. Everything went crazy.

I saw it all. The flash, Mom’s body jerking, the blood exploding everywhere. It was like a nightmare, but it was real. This is real. Mom is gone. Gone.

Terror, pain, sadness—it all hit me at once, a tidal wave crashing over me, dragging me under. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even scream. Tears streamed down my face, hot and endless, but I couldn’t stop them. She’s gone. They killed her. My mom.

The door creaked open, and two more figures shuffled in. They looked like zombies, their eyes empty, their faces blank. They didn’t say a word, just walked straight towards me. Oh god, no. Please, no.

One of them punched me, right in the face. My head snapped back, and my vision blurred. Stars danced in front of my eyes. Then, another punch, this time in the stomach. I doubled over, gasping for air, bile rising in my throat. I can’t breathe. Everything hurts. Make it stop.

Numbness spread through me, a thick fog blanketing my brain. I’d lost everything. There was no hope left. It’s all over. I’m alone. Mom, please, help me. Everything was fading, the edges of my vision turning black.

But before I slipped away, I heard one of the guys say, his voice bored and cold, “Just kill her already.”

Kill me? Is that it? Is that all I’m worth? Mom, I’m so sorry. I love you.