The Mafia Alpha and His Healer

Katsura.

“One hundred… two hundred…”

“And that’s two hundred and fifty dollars,” I bit my lower lip with eyes stinging with tears as I stared at the money in my hand.

This wasn’t going to be enough to cover my medical tuition for my last semester in college. I barely had enough to feed myself; clothes weren't even an option, as I saw them as a luxury, but I also had to contribute to the rent of the apartment I shared with Jessie, my best friend.

My eyes swept around the small room which we managed. There was barely anything left to sell or pawn, we had sold our appliances, jewelry… just anything to keep us afloat.

I was an orphan who escaped being killed by the Grimhowl clan when they attacked our clan. It was a gory sight to see my parents being torn apart by the enemy clan.

“Run!” My mother screamed with tears and blood streaming down her broken head, my father lay lifeless beside her… he was long gone.

I ran deep into the forests as my little weak legs could take me. I hadn’t run for long when I was hit by a car which landed me in the hospital and I was taken in as one of the lost kids from the war.

But one thing I kept a secret was that I was a lowly omega who was meant to be killed or taken away as a sex slave. I chose to live.

“You’re not dressed?” Jessie walked in jerking me back from my thoughts.

I quickly stuffed the cash into the pockets of my sweatshirt.

“I feel tired and…” I yawned, hoping she would get the memo.

“That won’t work this time, Katsura. This is your chance to show you can do this job,” she threw a silver gown at me which still had the price tag on.

“You know you don’t have to tear that off. We have to return it,” she reminded me again that we paid some money to borrow clothes to wear to the club.

The public bus was the only means we could afford to get to the club, not just any club but Secret Palace was an exclusive nightclub where the rich men came to squander their money on drinks, casinos, and women.

I hated that I was chosen to be an exclusive stripper for a famous billionaire that night. This wasn’t the life I wanted to live, but I had no choice but to comply or we would be on the streets by the weekend.

“Are you sure you are ready for this?” Jessie, who had always been the one to soothe my fears, asked.

I swallowed hard as I looked around. “Not like I have a choice.”

She didn’t say a word, she patted my shoulder with a faint smile then left me to change into my costume.

I had the dance memorized. I had played the song nonstop for three days and practiced the pole dance and lap dance till I was sure I was a professional.

My golden mask was on, covering just my eyes. I had the red lingerie on with the black heels which were a bit uncomfortable.

“Just this once, Katsura. You’ve got this,” I cheered myself as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

The moment I stepped into the dimly lit room, the slow seductive song came on and I sang along with my body moving like a giant anaconda to the beats of the song.

Just as Jessie advised, I didn’t look at anyone. Flashes of that night clouded my memory… the sight of seeing my mother fight for her life while the wolves of the enemy pack tore her flesh apart.

The cold and stiff body of my father which lay aside with the enemy's claws deep into his chest.

“Run!” The voice of my mother echoed in my ears again… I tripped and fell.

I just wanted to remain there. I could see Jessie gesture to me to get up and continue, but I was weak… I was tired.

I turned to the empty seat, the seat where the famous billionaire whom I was performing for was meant to seat but he wasn’t there.

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, I stood up to continue my dance, but the next thing that followed was a gunshot.

Then two gunshots… then another.

Everyone in the exclusive room scampered to safety. I ran toward the door, but I was pushed back into the room by a tall man with a hardened chest.

“No one leaves or enters here,” his dark eyes swept around the room while his voice drummed against my chest.

He gave way and two hefty men carried in a man drenched in blood, he had too many cuts on his body. I could barely see his face because the thick blood smeared it.

I could bet my life that he wasn’t going to survive it. He was definitely going to die in this room.

“Clear the table!” One of the men carrying him ordered.

The waiters knocked down the expensive bottles of wine, champagne, and whiskey off the table and the man was laid on the table with the men surrounding him.

“Take him to the hospital!”

“You don’t want him to die in here.”

People who shivered in fear said. The men shot their guns to lights making us cry out in fright.

“I won’t hesitate to put a bullet through anyone’s head if I hear you speak without being spoken to,” the guard who had thrown me back into the room warned sternly, his gun pointing at us.

“Now… is there a doctor here?” He roared.

Immediately he asked, my heart skipped a beat.

Who were they?

And why were they not taking the man to the hospital?

“I said who is a doctor here?” He marched toward us like he was about to pounce on us.

“She is!”

“She is… she is a doctor,” The trembling voice was a familiar one, but before I could turn to look at Jessie, the strong hands of this man grabbed me, pulling me forward to the table where the dying man lay.

“You are going to dress his wounds and make sure he lives…” his breath was hot against the skin of my neck.

I gasped when the cold metal of the gun pressed between my breasts.

“And if he dies…” he paused, “… you die.”