The Alpha's Fated Outcast Rise Of The Moonsinger novel Chapter 389

Chapter 389: The girl who called the darkness...

Delia

[Warning - Explicit sex scenes. May contain *Grape* insinuations]

Seven Years Ago—Whispering Pine, Human World

The neon sign of GameZone Arcade flickered erratically as I swept the sticky floors for the third time that evening. My shift had officially ended at nine, but a group of rowdy teenage boys from Cloud High School were still playing at the fighting game machines and showed no signs of leaving.

I glanced at the clock: 11:47 PM. My stomach churned with anxiety as I watched them punch buttons and yell at the screens. I was only nineteen, working two jobs to pay for Mom’s cancer treatments, and I couldn’t afford to lose this one by abandoning the shop.

"Excuse me," I called out tentatively, wringing my hands. "We actually closed almost three hours ago..."

"Yeah, and?" The tallest boy—Steve, I think his name was—didn’t even look up from his game. "We’re still playing."

"But I need to lock up and—"

"Then wait," another one snapped. "We’re in the middle of a tournament."

I bit my lip, knowing Mr. Henderson would be furious if anything happened to his precious arcade machines. But I also knew these boys had a reputation for trouble, and confronting them directly never ended well for people like me.

Finally, at midnight, they finished playing and headed for the door. Relief flooded through me until I realized they were walking past the cash register without stopping.

"Wait!" I called out, rushing after them. "You haven’t paid yet!"

The boys, about three of them, rougher than the usual brats who came in, stopped walking but didn’t turn. My heart began to pound wildly in my chest.

"What did you say?" Steve asked, without turning.

I swallowed hard and said in a shaky tone. "I said, you haven’t paid yet. Please."

Steve finally turned around with a smirk that made me take a step backwards. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"

"Please," I begged, my voice cracking. "I have to make up the difference if the register is short. There’s not much left of my monthly pay, and my mother is sick. I need every dollar to buy her medication."

"Not our problem," one of his friends laughed.

"Please, just pay for the games. It’s only fifteen dollars—"

Steve shoved me hard, sending me sprawling onto the concrete sidewalk. Pain shot through my palms where they scraped against the rough surface.

"Stop bothering us, freak," he snarled.

But I couldn’t stop. That fifteen dollars meant the difference between buying Mom’s pills or going without food for three days. I scrambled to my feet and ran after them.

This particular group of boys had been to the arcade shop almost five times this week alone, and each time they came, they always refused to pay. I was tired of paying for them.

"Please, I’m begging you—"

Steve spun around, with his face twisted in irritation. "I told you to leave us alone!"

His fist connected with my cheek, the sudden impact sending stars exploding across my vision and also producing a high-pitched ringing in my ears. I stumbled backwards, my hand flying to my face in shock.

"What did I—" I started, but before the words could leave my lips completely, the other guy, called Jordan, was already grabbing my arm.

"Maybe this will teach you to mind your own business," Jordan snarled, shoving me hard against the brick wall of the alley.

The third boy, Tommy, kicked at my legs, sending me crashing to the concrete. Pain shot through my knees as they scraped against the rough pavement.

"Stop, please!" I curled into a ball as their kicks rained down on me. Steve’s boot caught me in the ribs, driving the air from my lungs. Jordan kicked my shoulder while Tommy aimed for my back.

"Stupid freak," Steven panted between kicks. "Nobody cares about you or your sick mom. If you don’t have enough money, then get a better job and stop stressing us."

A particularly vicious kick to my stomach made me retch, causing bile to rise to my throat. I tasted blood where I’d bitten my tongue.

"Had enough?" Steve asked, squatting down to grab my jaw roughly, forcing me to look at him.

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