ONE NIGHT WITH MY EX'S FATHER

RUNAWAY BRIDE

MALIA'S POV

Invisible.

That was how I felt as I ran from street to street, alleyway to alleyway without even getting a second glance or recognition.

I had on a black hoodie with blue jeans and I felt like my old self. My old, cowardly self.

Once again, I had run away from my problems successfully.

I had nowhere to go but I couldn't return to Alpha Alaric's residence. I knew my note would break him,but I had no other choice.

I was going to be bullied all over again and made to feel small no matter how many positions Alpha Alaric was willing to give me.

I was not going to be the redemption he hoped for. The relatable character from the inner city slums who would understand the people's plight and gain natural love.

No. That was not me. I had never even been given a chance to be me because everyone had judged me from my mother's actions.

No one wanted to know the things I liked, hobbies, interests, favorite foods, favorite movies. No one cared about that.

The moment their eyes rested on my appearance, what rang in their minds was ‘the harlot's daughter”.

How could I ever live up to their expectations if they were not even interested in getting to know the real me.

It was a safer choice to stay away from Alpha Alaric so my bad luck would not ruin whatever good luck, respect and favor he had going for him as Alpha.

I had fallen in love with him, no doubt, but it was going to take more than that to become Luna to the same people who had never acknowledged my existence as a normal event.

We were entirely different people and in every other world, I would never be a good fit for him.

I had made my peace with that.

…

After an hour of walking through hidden shortcuts, I took a break to step into a bar at the outskirts of town.

The flashbacks of my first night with Alpha Alaric hit me like a ton of bricks.

I felt tragically nostalgic, but I had to be strong in my resolve to leave his life forever.

I was already making progress, finding my way to the outskirts of town.

I walked into the bar, my eyes scanning the kind of wolves in every corner of the building.

There was an abundance of male wolves with arms that could easily pass them off as warriors. If they were not already warriors.

There was no single female and I took multiple breaths to relax myself, hoping that none of them would recognise me.

I sat at the bar, far away from the tables were the male wolves gathered, laughing at the top of their voices.

The bartender was a young boy, presumably in his teenage years.

I didn't understand why he was working at this place with these men who could kill him off if they wanted to, but I kept my mouth shut.

I couldn't afford to attract the slightest bit of attention to myself.

“Hello sir, what will you be having today?” He asked, beaming with smiles.

He had beautiful dentition and I almost felt sorry that he had mistaken me for a man.

It was a good sign however.

“I'll have a beer, thank you” I answered, trying my best to make my voice sound as manly as possible.

“A beer?... Coming right up” he said, studying my face.

He slid the bottle to me smoothly and I forked over a couple of notes to him as payment.

In addition to the money I was going to use to take the train to another town, it was all I had for refreshments.

“Are you new in town?” He asked, trying to make small talk.

I wasn't in the mood. But it didn't want to be rude.

“Uh, yeah. Forgive my appearance, I'm just having a sick day” I lied.

“Hmmm” he responded, nodding his head.

He was really buying into my little act.

If only it would be this easy to convince the people that I was going to be a good Luna to them.

Then he leaned in and whispered to me.

“I know you're not really a man. But it'll be safer to keep up this act if you don't talk to any of those men. They'll rip you apart if they discover you're a woman”.

I was shocked.

“Why would they do something so cruel?” I asked, whispering.

“Because this is a men- only bar…Has been for ten years. The natives know but I assume you don't because you're new here” he explained.

“Yes, yes. Thank you so much for the tip” I answered, trembling.

I couldn't process the exact feelings to express.

I couldn't imagine that things like this went on where women were excluded from what I assumed to be the only bar in this part of town several miles away from other parts, while people like Kurt had priorities that involved waking up with a new woman on his bed every day.

I wanted to right this wrong, to let Alpha Alaric that things like these went down under his rule.

But I couldn't. I couldn't go back to him. It would break me all over again to see him fight with his own family for my sake.

I drank up my beer and got up from the stool.

“Thank you” I mumbled to the bartender.

A tall man hovered over me andu heart sank.

I looked up to meet his gaze and I tried not to give into impulse and run. He would catch me.

“Would the table like another round of drinks sir?” The bartender cut in.

I knew it was an attempt to distract him while I would walk away to safety.

But the man did not budge. I looked around and I could see some of the other man walking down to meet him.

“What's the matter, Phil? This chap bothering you?” One of them asked.

I took several deep breaths and I could not feel at ease. I couldn't move an inch.

Why had I brought myself straight into the devil's den?!

My wolf quivered hopelessly.

“This ‘chap’ is a woman” he responded.

I was dead.

Then he turned to the bartender.

“You! You let this woman in here?” He pointed at him, heaving profusely.

I felt sorry for the bartender. He was going down with me.

“No! I swear I didn't know it was a woman! I would've kicked her out at the door! I swear!” He countered, beads of sweat forming on his face.

Phil glared at the bartender intensely for a few seconds before turning away from him.

The bartender disappeared behind the counter, his designated spot.

Phil’s gaze, along with the gazes of the other men beside him, returned to me.

“We’ll let you off with a warning since you obviously look new to town” he finally said.

I heaved a sigh of relief. I was going to escape and never return here.

I was ready to say my ‘thank yous’ and then he suddenly requested;

“Now what body part do you dislike the most?”.