Alpha Dominic

Three Years Later,

Bethany's POV

Life as an independent adult away from her family and friends was not easy. In fact, it was harder than I'd ever imagined anc it was humbling.

If only Carl had agreed to come with me, but he was right to send me away, he had to make sure I was not caught by the tyrant Alpha Dominic. I only hope that he is safe wherever he might be.

Back at the train station two years ago, I had tried to stall a little and wait for him but he never showed up and my wolf kept howling in my head, urging me to go back home, it felt like something bad had happened to him and I know it's all my fault, was not strong enough to defend my people. I ran off like a scared little cat, leaving them to their fate.

Iam the Alpha's first daughter, I should be capable of leading and defending the pack in my father's absence, but I'd failed them all, I ran away from my responsibilities and I had also put my boyfriend in danger, leaving him at the mercy of the tyrant. Since I left, my heart has done nothing but ache, my body seems heavy. Everything hurt so bad that I had to ask myself if all this pain I'm feeling is because of Carl or is it because I lost my parents also.

I can't be feeling this way because of Carl right?

I know we spent so much time together and we had a deep love for each other, but at the end of the day, Carl is not my true mate. We only dated and agreed to settle down together because we couldn't find our true mate. This pain I'm feeling, this hurt and misery, it only happens to anyone that separated from his true mate but I never found my true mate, so why do I feel so broken-hearted, so miserable?

Well, it has to be because of my parents and my sister, I miss them so much and I'm so lonely and alone. It's been three year and my life has been so sad and miserable. The only happy moments I have are when I let my wolf out to go for a run in the park. I have no contact with my people, I couldn't get through to Carl with the phone he gave me before I left. When I arrived in Washington, I used part of the money he gave me to rent a little apartment in the suburbs. I had to lay low because I don’ know if Alpha Dominic would be searching for me, it is said that no one has ever escaped from his watchful eyes. I had to hide out in my room for months because I was scared of getting caught, I only came out to get something to eat and to get acquainted with my new environment.

The first week was a nightmare! I couldn't sleep, I kept tossing and turning on my bed, thinking of the different ways I could kill that bastard that ruined my life. I keep hearing the screams of my family and friends in the pack as Alpha Dominic and his warriors pillaged and raided our pack. I could hear his evil laughter as he pushed his sword through my father's heart, m mind kept conjuring different mental images, showing me different ways that he could have killed my family.

I had felt something strange right before I boarded that train, it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I struggled to board that train and leave, my heart aches for Carl, I feel his pain and I know that his heart is calling for me but couldn't do anything to save him or my people. I'm a weak wolf who ran away from home, I don't deserve Carl, I don't even deserve to be called a leader. I am serving my punishment right here in the human territory, I deserve what I'm getting, I deserve it all because I'm a weak wolf.

“You're up Alexia, a client is asking for you specifically.” Carol called out to me, bringing me back to reality.

Iwork in a strip club as a stripper. Yeah I know, what you're thinking right now, like, how did I go from managing the money from Carl to being a stripper?

I didn't wake up one day and decide to become a stripper, and it certainly wasn't something I aspired to be as a little girl. The opportunity fell into my lap when I was struggling to figure out who I was and what I was going to do with my life.

I was a 24-years-old college dropout, I had one year left to round up with college, but my life took on a dramatic turn after Alpha Dominic attacked. I was running out of cash, I had to get a job as a bartender to meet up with my daily needs. Carl never called as he promised, Alpha Dominic never found me too, I just had to get my life together so I don't starve to death. didn't escape death at home only to die miserably in a foreign land. I was making decent money from my bartending job, bu Ialso was living on my own, loaded with student loans and credit card debt. Most importantly, I was trying to save enough money so I can return home and help my people, I can't seek the face of Ashford, the Lycan king if I'm a pauper, he would never take my complaints seriously if I have nothing to offer him and from what my father used to say, he is a greasy king that loves money, so the plan is to get wealthy and seek help from King Ashford.

I ended up going to the strip club one night with a male friend just for fun. We were doing shots and dancing around when I was approached by an older gentleman who looked like he'd walked right off the set of Goodfellas. His olive-skinned face had a few pockmarks on it, and his hair was a slick comb-over, but he was nicely dressed and wearing an expensive-looking gold watch and a gold chain around his neck. He asked if he could buy me a drink.

As a bartender, I was no stranger to older men hitting on me. I was just getting ready to tell him to f**k off when he introduced himself as the owner of the club. He told me I was a beautiful girl and thought I had potential as a dancer. He must have seen the ambivalence on my face because he went right for the closer — telling me that most girls at that club bring home over $200, each day.

Timing is everything, and at the time, money seemed like the answer to my prayers. The fact that I had zero experience dancing didn't seem to matter. All I had to do, the owner said, was show up at the club the next morning to meet with the talent manager.

I'm not sure what I expected walking into that club the next morning, but I was incredibly nervous. My first thought was that the club looked very different in the light of the day.

I met with the talent manager at the bar. She was an ex-stripper herself, a pretty but worn-looking woman named Purity (which I found somewhat ironic given her occupation). She went over the dancer's contract and fee schedule and explained that I would be an independent contractor.

Being classified as an independent contractor is pretty standard in the industry. Dancers don't get a paycheck from the club, iin fact, they pay to work! My club required dancers to pay a flat fee of $80 to work an evening shift ($40 on days), plus a portion of the money made from private lap dances and dances in the VIP/champagne room. Dancers also tip out individual employees, like the DJ and the House Mom (who's like a dressing room manager).

Purity told me I couldn't work my first shift until I bought some costumes and shoes. Dancers weren't allowed on stage in a g-string from Victoria's Secret- you had to buy actual exotic dancewear and shoes made for dancing.

A vendor came right to the club a couple of times a month, but I was surprised at how expensive the gear was. A single pair of booty shorts can run $40. A pair of stripper heels will easily cost you $I00 or more, and they don't last very long. Including the costumes, shoes, and house fees, I spent a couple of hundred dollars before I even set foot on the stage for my first set. Until I got more experience, I would work the slower day shifts. Purity told me to spend time watching the other dancers perform and that I could come in at specific times before the day shift started to practice on the pole.

Good routines require practice. Many people don't realize how physically demanding exotic dance is. It takes strength, agilit and endurance — especially to do any moves on the pole. By no means was I exceptional at it, but I mastered a few basic moves because pole work can really increase your earnings.

After a few weeks of working day shifts, I started working on some of the slower evenings. A month after that, I did my first Friday and Saturday night, which are the prime shifts with the maximum earning potential.

Once an hour, we would hear our name called and head to the stage to begin our ten-minute sets. We would dance our way around the stage, looking to find clients interested in us and spending money.

Most girls use a stage name. It's a good practice to keep your dance life and personal life separate. You don't want any creeps to know your real name or any other personal details about you. My stage name was Alexia, and I created a whole persona and back story to use whenever clients would ask me questions. Being personable and friendly is a crucial part of the job. A lot of clients are lonely and are really craving connection more than anything.

It's important to understand that strippers are in the sales profession, but we do not sell s*x. We sell a fantasy. A tease. Something that the client is missing. We use our time on the stage to market ourselves, but we are ultimately trying to up- sell, to convince you to buy a private dance or an hour in the champagne room.

The most successful dancers are not the best-looking or the best performers, although that certainly helps. They are the ones who understand how to get into their clients’ heads and give them the particular fantasy they're looking to find. That's where we make the most money and that was where we get information about different things happening around the world. Most of these clients happen to be top government officials and some are top businessmen who just need a few minutes of fun to ease their stressful life.

There are people in the club that can help you with this, and that's why I always tipped club staff generously. The DJ has a lo of power, as they can hype you up during your introduction and get clients interested in what you have to offer. You can alsc ask them for favours, such as playing a specific type of music when you're on stage or skipping your set.

If a client is looking for a particular type of girl, floor managers can suggest a specific dancer and make introductions. If you don't tip appropriately, you can forget about receiving little favours like this. Being friendly with other dancers can be beneficial as well. Sometimes it's easier to convince someone to pay for a private dance if another girl is already available and ready to give one to his buddy as well. While we're all in competition, sometimes working in pairs and looking out for each other has its perks.

Some young women begin stripping with an unrealistic idealization of the job. It has the allure of fast cash and seems like a way to improve your situation, give yourself more options, or move up in the world. You seldom think about the negative aspects until you're doing it. While there is the potential to earn a decent amount of money, the exact amount can vary drastically on any given day and depend on both the club and its typical clients. And then again there is the dangers that comes with being a stripper, and I must admit, the danger far outweighs the benefits. Take for example, I've seen entertainers decked in the face by grown men, subsequent stabbings, and heard more dancers confess to leaving the club with customers and then being raped or drugged than I'd like to really remember. Amidst all the glamorization and stigmatization of strip clubs, sometimes what gets glossed over are the the dangers of stripping, or more accurately, the violence that sometimes burdens strippers. I've seen people get shot a couple of times and it's not a good experience, I tell you. it's traumatising and it's so hard to move past the pain and fear because you know that one day, it just might be you.

I got vital information about home one day. I was giving a strip tease to one of my usual client's, then I heard a chatter from a group of friends in the next booths as they celebrated the dawn of a new era. With my heightened hearing, I listened intently to their conversation and it infuriated me to know that these jerks are actually celebrating because Alpha Dominic had succeeded in defeating and conquering the last of the Alphas that stood against him. He is now known as King Dominic, King of all wolves. It irked me to see them celebrating such tyranny,

“How could they be so stupid and gullible? He is a murderer and a tyrant, how could they be celebrating his success" I thought within me as I concluded my time with my client and clocked out furiously. I couldn't work anymore that night, I signed off and headed home in despair, looking sullen and morose. With this much power, it would be pretty hard to bring justice upon him, I doubt that even the Lycan king would be willing to wage war against him because he has over one millior warriors at his disposal and he is now stronger and unstoppable.

Did I waste too much time, can I still succeed in getting my revenge against him?

“Come on Lexi, wake up. A client is asking for you and he is in the champagne room. Why do you keep zoning out?

Look girl, you need to hurry, this deal is cool and legit. I recommended you to him after getting part payment myself. Just go over there and give him your best performance, you'll love this deal, I promise.” Carol urged me on, sounding a little too excited. Carol is her stage name, her real name is Graciela Murray and we have been quite close for the past year's years although I never told her anything about my past. We go on some private shows together if the client has a friend with him and we sort of understand each other as friends and we look out for each other.

I widened my eyes in shock when I saw the wads of cash that she got as part payment. That was all the motivation I needed and I removed every thought from my head as I ran up to the Champagne room upstairs. Immediately I opened the door, I got hit with their scents and my wolf whispered in my head,

“Wolves.”

They were five guys in total and they all looked so gorgeous and handsome with their well-toned skin and well-chiselled chest that told you that they spent quality time at the gym. I'm pretty sure that they were not sent by Alpha Dominic becaus he has more important businesses to cater to, he has no time to waste on a nobody like me. I eyed them suspiciously as the also watched me warily. I know they could not perceive my scent because I always mask my scent every damn day. I've run into a couple of werewolves in this club so I've learnt to mask my scent with my special spray that could mask my scent for z whole day. They must be eying me warily because my heartbeat celebrated when their scent hit me and I was still standing at the door when I should have started working my magic on the cute guy who sat on a single seat by the tinted windows. Hi aura is stronger which means that he is of higher rank than the other four that are seated on the other side of the room. “You look shy or should I say scared, is this your first time on the job?" He asked me in a grumpy tone, keeping his eyes locked to mine.

“No, it's not my first time. I'm a professional and I'm good at my job.” I responded to him as I gathered the courage to walk uj to the little stage in the middle of the room, rolling my hips to the slow best, dancing around the pole for some seconds. Then I walked to the high ranked wolf, walking behind him, leaning over until my breath fanned his ear, then I ran my hand down his chest, smiling in satisfaction when he took in a deep breath, looking me deep in the eyes as I came around to give him a lap dance,

“That's Enough!” he muttered in a groan as I wanted to tease him further.

“As much as I would love F*****g you hard and fast, I have to obey the king's orders. He won't be happy if he learnt that sampled the goods before delivering them to him.

Here's the deal, our king is hosting a party with his generals to celebrate his victory. He needs a lot of strippers for the event and he is willing to pay a million dollars for the week, You and your friends would be picked by 7:00 am tomorrow.” he said abruptly, leaving no room for argument. One of the other guys handed me huge wads of cash that he referred to as part payment for our services. This job looks good, too good if you ask me. And why is my Wolf howling so happily?” I thought within me as I kept gazing at the men with mixed feelings.

“If I may ask, who is this king you speak of and where would this party be held?” I asked him curiously and he turned to his companions as they exchanged a knowing look before turning back to me and saying,

“You must be very inquisitive.” He remarked dryly. The party would be held at Castle Black and if you must know, the name ¢ our king is, Dominic Rayleigh, our one true king” He said proudly and I nearly choked on my own saliva.

How is this even possible?” I thought within me as I composed myself straight away and I accepted his offer and ran off with my part payment. The universe must be trying to tell me that it is time to go back home and get revenge on that murderer. I need to come up with a perfect plan to kill Alpha Dominic, I won't run away this time, I'll avenge the death of my family and my boyfriend.