Born For The Alpha

Arda woke up to the beeping of the alarm clock on her bedside table.

Without looking, she already knew that it was 7:00am. She had set the alarm clock the previous night to sound at exactly 7:00am so that she would have enough time to prepare for the day.

Although, the room curtains were down, the evidence of daylight was obvious.

The room was already bright and from the windows of transparent glass, natural light effortlessly seeped in through the dividing space between the sliding window curtains.

Arda found herself frowning at the alarm clock even though it was only doing its job.

She had to report to her project supervisor at 9:00am and then meet up with Luke for lunch. It would be their first date as a couple and the thought of it excited her. The thought also brought to her mind, the bizarre note and gift she had received last night.

She hated to admit it but she could not completely dismiss the message as a prank because of the expensive gift attached to it.

Arda sat up on the bed, threw her legs onto the floor, reached for the alarm clock and turned it off.

The silence as soon as the insistent beeping ceased, was welcoming and she stretched with a yawn, one hand over her gaping mouth.

She was still feeling sleepy and she knew it was because she had gone to bed late, thanks to her birthday party the previous night.

She had cleaned up the mess from the party with Jacob and Karina before going to bed and she was exhausted. She knew her friends were probably not as exhausted as she was. They both had an inner strength and energy that she admired.

Arda pushed herself off the bed and began preparing for the day. She dressed her bed, brushed her teeth in the bathroom and took a bath.

After creaming her body, she put on lingerie, wrapped a big towel around her body and sat down before the mirror at the dressing table. Then she picked up her hairbrush and started brushing her hair, her eyes on her reflection.

She had straight caramel colored hair that rested on her shoulders and she liked to wear it in a side part. Her hair color matched the color of her light brown eyes. Her lips were full and set in a face that nicely accommodated her wide set eyes and narrow nose.

On the dressing table was a picture of her, Jacob and Karina, standing at a leisure park.

Jacob was standing between her and Karina, his hands around them as they all smiled into the camera.

Beside the picture was a photograph of her and her family-Her father, mother and sister who was a couple of years younger than she was.

hair. And while Arda's eyes were light brown, her

was darker than the three of them and sometimes when they appeared in public, people often said she looked like none of her family members but thank God for the

her hair and touched the tattoo mark on her inner wrist. It was the image of a full moon. Anyone who saw

a closer look, it had the markings of a mole right on her skin, hence it was

parents had told her to keep people believing that it was a tattoo so that they would

mark, strange unlike when she was a child. She could still

she had run into her parent’s bedroom,

asked, pointing at the mark and her dad had lifted

her mum

a tattoo?” She had

design on the body.” Her mother had answered. “We

“Yes. Very much.”

and her mum

they had made it with a special ink. When she asked why her sister did not have one, they had told her it was because

time Arda was eight, they could not keep the truth from her anymore. Arda could vividly recall

and their parents were seated on either side of the bed. While she had

it’s time to tell you

her that something was not just right about her mark and finally, her parents were going to

or design of any sort. It

“What does that mean?”

were born with it.” Her

first time. In a

you make me think it wasn’t natural?” she

to protect you.” Her

“From what?”

a question, Arda.” Her father said. “How would you feel if for example you saw someone with the image of the sun on their

about it. “I will think it

she understood their reasons for letting

think I’m strange.” She said and somehow, she found the thought