Alpha’s Virgin Stripper

Ashley smiled as she sipped a glass of champagne and turned to where Zelda stood with a fine looking tall man. Her cheeks turned a faint shade of red, even though she wasn’t the one the man looked at as though she was the most beautiful person he had ever set his eyes on. She was happy to see her friends finally come out, socialize and smile. Everything with Brandy getting banished and the secret they found out she had kept from them tore them. Especially Zita who had been closest to Brandy.

Despite her invite to Jojo’s party, she did not attend and insisted on taking a break from Rush for a while. Zita Lowe had left Rush pack three days ago, and from the looks of things, Ashley was sure that she would not be returning anytime soon.

Even if she still had a lot of things to sort out in her life, she was happy she had been able to get through her retirement. Jojo was happy with the alpha in her life now, and she was sure that her friend would do well with everyone she had around her. Ashley just wished that she was as lucky as Jojo when it came to relationships. The man she wanted most in the world seemed to want nothing to do with her.

She dropped her empty flute into an empty tray when can waitress walked past her. She cleared her throat and brushed her palms against her red short dress. She looked around the room with one swift motion and decided to take a step outside for fresh air. She needed to clear her head and the blissful noise in the party wasn’t going to let it happen.

She whispered into Hadley’s ears, telling her friend that she’ll be outside for a while. Hadley nodded absentmindedly, she was too focused on the fine young man she had as her beer pong partner. And Ashley? She completely understood.

She heaved a sigh and shook her head. She turned on her heels and started to walk out of the hall.

************

Kenji Lockwood had his eyes on the lady in red from the second she stepped into the room. She illuminated the entire room and pulled all his attention to herself. Like unlike poles of a magnet, he was drawn to her. It was impossible to stay up to five feet away from her, but he did his best and still watched her every move.

She was one of the reasons he had agreed to be in attendance. He had to speak to her today, he couldn’t let her slip out of his hands anymore. The past few weeks without her had been torture, it seemed as though his life had lost its colour. He was here to get her back into his life, and he did not care what it’ll cost him.

Immediately she started to walk out of the room, Kenji saw his chance and decided to seize it. If Ashley walked out of the party, he knew she would never agree to see him alone.

For Kenji Lockwood, it was now or never.

He rushed past the crowd of people and hurried over to where she was. He could feel his heart start to pound in his chest as he got closer and closer to her.

What if she rejected him and pushed him away? He knew he would deserve it, but what would he do with himself? How would he ever be able to live with the fact that he lost a good woman like her because of his stupidity?

“Ashley!” He started to call out as he ran behind her. He did not know whether she heard him, but she did not turn back to look at him.

Kenji quickened his steps.

“Ash! Ashley!” He continued to call out, and she continued to walk without so much as turning to look at him.

Frustrated, he hastened his steps and ran to her, just before she took her first step out of the hall.

He caught her by her right wrist and twirled her around. When she faced him, she threw him a stony glare.

His eyes softened as he looked at her.

“Ashley…”

“What the fuck do you want, Kenji? Why are you following me? Why can’t you just let me be?” As she screamed at him, he saw tears gather in her eyes. Kenji’s heart cracked into two equal halves in his chest. He had never known he had hurt her this much. The pain in her eyes was all because of him, and he didn’t know how he’ll handle it.

“Ashley,” He started to speak.

“I just wanted to talk to you, Ash. It’s been so long and I…”

“What else do you want to say besides what you always do?” She thundered, snatching her hand from his grip and flinging it into the air. Kenji’s heart skipped a million beats at once, he had never seen her so angry.

“What else do you want to say, beta Kenji Lockwood? That you’re sorry? That you’ll try your best to change? That you’re trying hard already but society would not let you be with the woman you love? That’s it, isn’t it? That’s all you have to say because that’s all you very fucking want to say!” This time, she screamed at the top of her voice, gesticulating and dramatizing every word she said with her hands and her face.

Her voice pulled the attention of the entire room to them. All eyes were on her, and for the first time Kenji wasn’t bothered. He didn’t care that people would find out he was dating her, he just wanted her back.

Ashley’s tears ran down her eyes as she stood and Kenji’s stare softened with every minute that passed.

“I am tired of listening to your excuses, Kenji. I did everything, I made sacrifices for us and for myself, just to get us to work. Just to make you as proud of me when we are with the rest of the world as we are with you. But nothing is ever enough for you, Kenji. Nothing I do will ever be enough.”

He started to hear whispers and murmurs erupt from the crowd, but he did not speak.

Ashley sniffed her tears and a bitter chuckle escaped her throat.

“I can’t do it again, Kenji. I can’t be with someone who is always going to be ashamed of who I was. I’ll rather be on my own, and that’s what I’ve decided to…”

Before she could finish her statement, Kenji fell on his knees in front of her and grabbed both her hands.

Ashley’s voice trailed off as shock washed over her. She looked down at him and looked up at the rest of the room. All eyes were on them, every single person in the room was looking at them, anticipating his next move.

She looked down at Kenji with disbelief in her eyes. Did he really go on his knees for her in front of everyone?

“Kenji, what are you doing? Get up.” She tried to whisper, but it was to no avail. Everyone could hear what was being said, and everyone listened.

“I have been a fool, Ash. A very big fool. All this time I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t the problem, but the truth is that I was. Society never gave a damn about anything, even my parents didn’t discriminate or look down on your profession, but I did.”

He paused to draw in deep breaths as he stared into her round eyes, then continue.

“The one thing I know now is that I love you, Ash. I love you so much and I do not know what I’m going to do if you walk out of my life. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for everything, Ashley, and I know that I always ask for second chances, but please, just this last time… give me the opportunity to try again.”

He spoke from the depth of his heart, he meant every word he had said, he just hoped that she believed his words as much as he did.

Ashley’s tears rushed down her cheeks again. She looked away from him and raised her head up, sniffing her tears as she did so. She let out a deep sigh and looked down at him again.

“I love you so much, Kenji. I always have, and I always will. But you have to understand that I am not your whore. I am not your sneaky Link or your personal call girl. I am your fucking girlfriend, Kenji. You need to respect me for that.” She cried out, and his grip on her hands tightened.

Yes. He would teach himself to love and respect her more, no matter what it took for him to do it.

He loved her so much, he couldn’t bare the thought of losing her.

“I promise, Ashley. I would teach myself to do as you have said. You are my queen, Ashley. And you would always be.”

Ashley’s face spread out into a smile as she looked at him. She gestured for him to rise and he did so. Kenji could not take his eyes off the beautiful woman in front of him. He had come a long way with her and she had stood by his side at every point in time. He loved her, he loved her so much.

“I love you so much, Ashley. You have absolutely no idea.”

She blushed and looked him in his eyes. Ashley cupped his cheeks with both her palms as she smiled at him.

“I love you too, Kenji Lockwood.”

Chants and cheers filled the room. Ashley smiled as she looked around. She could not believe Kenji had confessed his love to her in front of everyone that mattered the most, including his family.

She flung herself into his arms and locked her arms around him in a tight embrace. He did the same and placed a soft kiss at the top of her head.

“I thought I was going to die. All these days without you…” Kenji started to speak, but Ashley cut him off.

“It’s okay, my love. I know, I felt it too.” She replied. Kenji brushed her chin with his fingers and tilted her face up so that she looked at him. His gaze dropped to her lips, before he leaned into her and locked her lips with his.

Suddenly, the door to the balcony bursted open and Lake stormed into the room, holding Jojo in his right hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” He screamed at the top of his voice. All eyes in the room turned to him, boring holes of anticipation into his skin.

A coy smile formed on the man’s face as he looked around the room.

“She said yes!”