The Lost Alpha Princess by Riley Above Story

Chapter 7

The limousine drove into a wealthy neighborhood that I’d never seen before. The homes were large with well-manicured lawns. I was watching the expensive houses go by when I saw a high wall with a gated driveway.

The gate opened, and the limousine I was riding in pulled in and traveled up the flower-lined driveway to a gigantic stone house.

The house reminded me of a castle. It rose four stories into the air and was wide and deep enough to hold a hundred homes like the one where I had grown up. The front entrance was double wooden doors wide enough to drive a car through.

Was this castle-like mansion to be my new home?

The limousine stopped near the front entrance, and the Benson opened the door and gave me his hand to help me out of the car.

Two older women waited by the open front entrance. They curtsied and said, “Welcome home,” as Benson led me inside the mansion.

Other ser vants dressed in black with white collars and cuffs waited in the elegant entrance hall. The men stood on one side of a double staircase and the woman on the other. They all said, “Welcome home, Miss Wilson,” as Benson led me deeper into the

enormous mansion.

Not sure if I could speak, I tried to smile and nodded at them. Over a dozen serv ants were working for my father.

But this was a large home that required a lot of care to keep its present exquisite condition. I was responsible for keeping my adoptive parents’ house neat and clean. These ser vants must be hard workers. There wasn’t a speck of dust or dirt, and everything was neat and tidy.

Benson nodded to the serv ants and kept walking toward a set of double doors. I followed, listening to my old sneakers squeaking on the polished marble floors.

Benson held one of the doors open for me, and I sl*pped inside what appeared to be a large living room. I gawked at the tasteful furniture meticulously arranged, the thick carpets covering the floor, and the beautiful silk drapes hanging over large windows.

A tall, handsome man was sitting on a comfortable-looking sofa. He stood, opened his arms, and slowly approached me. Even though he was more pale and sickly looking than on TV news stories, I recognized him.

He was Alex Wilson, my father.

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Chapter 7

He burst into tears the moment he saw me. “Alberta, my darling daughter, I never thought I’d see you again,” Alex Wilson said before towing his arms around me.

I returned his embrace. It was a moment I’d wished for since Andrea was born. My father, my birth father, was hugging me as he cried tears of joy. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

F. Fa Mr. Wilson.” I don’t know what I should call him.

Call me Alex. Come and sit down.” Alex said as he sl*pped.an arm around my shoulders. “You’re all grown up. The last time I saw you, you were just a baby.” His eyes. filled with more tears. “We’ve lost so much time together

I sat quietly next to him on the sofa and waited to hear what he had to say.

Im sorry I couldn’t find you until now,” Alex said. “The Smith’s friends and neighbors. told my people that your adopted family aren’t nice. Did they hurt you?”

I shook my head. “They they didn’t want me after they had their daughter. I was ignored by Cecilia and Andrew and resented by Andrea, but I wasn’t hartme

I didn’t mention that I’d done all the housework while Andrea did whatever she wanted. But I knew how to take care of a home; Andrea couldn’t.

“Let me tell you how you were lost to me.”Alex said and took my hand. “You’ve heard about the car accident when you were very young?”

I nodded and looked into his eyes. There was a deep sadness there that made a wave of sympathy wash over me

“I fell into a coma for three months,” he said. “When I woke up, I was told my beloved wife, Joanna, had died, and my daughter, Alberta, was missing. He squeezed my hand.

He broke into tears. I’ve been looking for you since that day, sweetheart. And I vowed never to marry again. I loved your mother far too much to try to replace her.”

I squeezed his hand and blinked back tears of my own.

A single moment and one accident took my mother’s life and separated my father and me for seventeen years. How different things would have been if that accident never happened.

“I wuh wish I could have known my mother,” I said.

Alex put his arms around me and k*ssed my forehead.

“I stuttered too when I was younger. Alex said.

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His voice was gentle and soothing.

“Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks of you, sweetheart. You’re my daughter, and we live by our own rules. You’re strong, smart, and beautiful. Don’t allow the opinions of others to rule your life.”

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“They said on TV that you’re sick,” I am glad that my stutter stopped. I could feel I was no longer that nervous. “Now that we’re together again, I don’t want to lose you.”

Alex gave me a weak smile. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but it’s true. The doctors are still trying to search for new treatment methods…., but most likely I have a year or so left.” He hugged me again. “Now I have you back in my life, and we’ll make the most of every

moment.”

A tear sl*pped down my cheek. “I’m sorry.”

He wiped the tear from my face. “Even after I’m gone, you’ll be taken care of, sweetheart. Everything I have will be yours. I have no other children, so nob*dy else has a claim to my company, stocks, home, or money.”

I didn’t know what to say. Being a wealthy Alpha wasn’t something I admired. They seemed greedy and power-hungry to me.

“You will give birth to a future leader of our kind. Therefore, you must marry. It was arranged long ago that our family would be joined together with the Kleins. And the Council of the United Association of Alphas have agreed that Victor should be their next leader after I’m gone.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to marry a man I don’t love.”

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“You don’t know Victor, sweetheart,” Alex said. “You will learn to love him. He comes. from a good family, he has his own wealth, and he’s a born leader. And he’s a good man. I wouldn’t give you to him in marriage if he weren’t.”

“I’m not ready to marry,” I insisted. “I want to go to college and work to make a difference in the world. I know I don’t want to marry Victor.”

Alex looked at me with wide eyes. He never thought a girl would turn down the opportunity to marry a man like Victor. Victor seemed like the perfect son-in-law to Alex, but he didn’t know Victor was a lady’s man and a greedy jerk.

“Why can’t I choose my husband?” I asked.

“Your husband should be the next leader of the U.A.A., as will your first son. The Wilson family must remain at the center of power,” Alex patiently explained. “Any man your wish to marry must be worthy of leading our people and be approved by me and the council.”

J

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“I will only marry for love,” I said without stuttering. “I don’t love Victor.”

“I want you to be happy with the man you marry,” Alex said. “But I have no son, so the honor of our family depends upon the man you marry. Do you understand, Alberta?”

I shook my head. “I can’t marry Victor,” I insisted..

Alex took both of my hands in his. “Tell me why you find Victor unsuitable to be your husband.”

How could I explain to him that I didn’t like Victor? I saw him flirt with the beautiful woman who caressed his leg with her toes. A plain-looking girl like me couldn’t trust

him.

Worse, I couldn’t forget about that three-thousand-dollar suit. If I wasn’t Alberta, and if I was not working at Amy’s father’s restaurant, I would be the miserable waitress who had spent all her savings to pay for it.

Three thousand dollars might be nothing to Victor, but that money had been my hope to escape from my current life.

I needed to tell him the truth about the man he chose to be my husband. If my father truly loved me, he would understand.

“There are things you don’t know…..” was all that came out of my mouth before Victor suddenly swept into the room.

“Excuse me. Hello, Alex and Alberta,” Victor said and flashed me a big smile.

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