Alpha

Jasinda Wilder’s erotic romance novel Alpha (2014) follows a young woman who attracts the attention of a rich and mysterious man when she can’t afford to pay her bills, but who then decides that it’s time that she pays back her debt to him. The first book in the Alpha series, it won the 2015 Audie Award for Erotica. Wilder is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her books have also featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal. Alpha is one of her most popular books.

When the book begins, there’s a lot going wrong for Kyrie. Recently, she lost her job and she is struggling to make ends meet. Still paying back her college tuition, Kyrie is also paying her brother’s fees, and she is also responsible for her mother’s numerous medical bills. On top of everything else, she pays the rent and the utility bills.

Kyrie doesn’t know what she’ll do when the little money she has left runs out. Her mother needs constant medical attention, but Kyrie can’t care for her on her own. She doesn’t see her friends much and she’s single, so she doesn’t feel that there is anyone she can confide in. More than anything, Kyrie just wants someone to help her out and care about her.



One day, Kyrie gets her wish. She finds an envelope in the mail with $10,000 inside. This is more than enough to cover her bills and give her some breathing space until she finds a new job. Kyrie has no idea who left her the money. The only name on the envelope is “VRI Inc.,” and inside is a piece of paper with a single word written on it: “You.” Knowing that the money is too good to be true, Kyrie takes it anyway.

A month goes by, and Kyrie gets back on her feet. Another envelope arrives in the mail, again with $10,000 inside. This time, the note inside says “Belong.” The next month, yet another envelope arrives. The note says, “To me.” Putting the notes together, they read, “You belong to me.” Kyrie terrified. She regrets using the money, but it’s too late to back out now.

Still, the envelopes arrive on the same day every month, and Kyrie accepts them. By now, her mother needs round-the-clock supervision, and Kyrie still can’t find a job. She knows that it is only a matter of time before this mysterious benefactor shows up looking for something in exchange for the money, but right now, it doesn’t matter. The important thing now is keeping her brother in school and her mother comfortable.



Kyrie almost forgets her fear until, one day, a black limousine pulls up outside her house. The driver, Harris, gets out and tells that it is time to pay back her debts. Kyrie knows that unless she can give back the $120,000 she has received, she must get in the limousine. She hopes that the mysterious donor isn’t violent and doesn’t plan to kill her.

Harris drives Kyrie to a private jet, and she is flown to a penthouse at an undisclosed location. She is blindfolded and her host refuses to reveal his name. All he says is that she belongs to him, and she will live with him now, but he won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do. Kyrie is terrified, but a part of her finds the mystery thrilling.

The man tells Kyrie the rules. She can take off the blindfold and leave at any time, but he won’t give her any more money. Until her brother finishes college, Kyrie must stay with this man to see how his game plays out. Despite her protests and her questions, he refuses to tell her who he is. He claims he is hiding a secret from her, and until she’s ready, he can’t say anything else. He only promises her one thing—she might not want to sleep with him yet, but she will eventually.



The man does everything for Kyrie. He feeds her, dresses her, and bathes her because she is blindfolded the entire time. She has never felt so powerless, but she has also never felt so alive. For the first time, she feels that someone cares about her and wants to make her happy. She can relax and stop worrying about her responsibilities.

The man finally reveals his identity. His name is Valentine Roth. After some time, Kyrie feels ready to sleep with Valentine, although she has no idea who he really is or what he looks like. All she knows is that he makes her feel safe, cherished, and desired. Only after they’ve had sex does Valentine reveal his darkest secret.

Valentine explains that he is responsible for the death of Kyrie’s father. He claims that he murdered Kyrie’s father in self-defense. Kyrie hates Valentine for what he did, but she knows her father wasn’t a saint. When the book ends, Kyrie hasn’t decided what she will do about Valentine. For now, she’s happy.