Alpha's Stolen Mate

Chapter 9

Thea walked out of Emric's office, with him still holding onto her arm. His genuine concern was commendable, but seriously she was just fine. But he was acting as if her heart would jump out of the tiny cut any time.

They were walking down the hallway of the multipurpose hall, noticed banners in the school colors still hung around, and the faint scent of sweat and perfume lingered in the air. The clamor of excited voices had quieted down to the occasional cheer as teams left in small groups, the tournament's adrenaline gradually giving way to exhaustion. At the entrance, she noticed Iz with Kai. She was leaning into him slightly as they walked hand in hand. Thea halted and looked at the man holding her arm.

"I'm just gonna join my friend over there. And I promise I'll have a nurse check this out," she said, raising her injured hand up, while pointing in Iz's direction, who was now adjusting her ponytail with one hand, while the other was waving as Kai walked away, a smile playing on her lips.

"Great. Be careful." He said, but his gaze followed Kai as he disappeared behind the corners of the school buildings.

Thea nodded, and splinted toward Iz. She had so much to deal with today than to worry about her injured finger. The knot in her stomach tightened with each step closer to the main gate, where she knew the reality of her evening plans awaited. The idea seemed romantic at first, but now it seemed like a rest, a challenge she wasn't prepared for. It made her hands clammy. How can he ask her to meet his family without even mentioning anything about them to her? Except for Mr Ashford, she knew no one else in his family. They never got a chance to get to really know each other, their families and stuff. Or maybe he wanted her to know his by interacting with them?

Still, her mind raced, her stomach a bundle of nerves.

They walked alongside each other towards the main gate, each step feeling heavier than the last. She glanced at Iz, who was talking animatedly about their last class, and tried to focus, but her thoughts kept spiraling back to the evening ahead.

“...And then Mr. Simson said we’d have a pop quiz next week. Can you believe it? Ugh, I swear, he enjoys watching us suffer,” Iz said, her voice light and unconcerned.

Thea forced a smile. “Yeah, sounds like him,” she replied, her voice lacking its usual energy.

Iz stopped and turned to face Thea, her expression shifting from casual to concerned. “Okay, spill. What’s going on? You seem really out of it."

Thea forced a smile again, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, just... nervous, I guess."

Iz raised an eyebrow. "Nervous? About what?"

Thea sighed, feeling the weight of the evening pressing down on her.

"Conrad just invited me to dine with his family tonight."

Iz's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. That is kind of a big deal. What are they like? Has he told you anything?"

"No, and that's the thing. I don't know any of them. I don't even know how he's related to Mr Ashford," Thea said, her voice soft.

Iz chuckled, but her eyes were sympathetic. "I can see why you're nervous. But Conrad wouldn’t invite you if he didn’t think you’d fit in." She comforted.

Thea nodded, drawing strength from her friend's words. "Thanks, Iz. I really needed to hear that."

Iz smiled. "Anytime. Now go rock, girl. You've got this," she said, throwing a fist in the sky triumphantly.

Thea giggled, linking her arm with Iz’s as they continued walking.

The late afternoon air was warm, a soft breeze rustling the leaves of the ancient palms that lined the pathways. They continued with their conversation until reached the gate. As they reached the main gate, the bustle of the campus gave way to the quieter sounds of the nearby residential area. Some learners lingered in small groups, their soft laughter and chatter creating a backdrop of normalcy that contrasted sharply the tension in Thea's head.

"Now, let’s talk outfits. What are you wearing tonight?"

Iz's question took her by surprise. Her brow furrowed in thought.

"Actually, I didn't even think about that," she said, pouting her lips.

Iz shook her head disapprovingly. "Okay, here's a little tip. Choose something pretty but not too formal. Perfect for a family dinner."

Thea felt a tiny bit of her tension ease away. "What would I do without you," she said hugging Iz.

She paused, taking a deep breath as she looked at the street ahead. Iz noticed her hesitation and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Remember, you’re not alone in this. Conrad's there with you."

Thea smiled, feeling a bit more confident as she waved goodbye to Iz when she noticed her aunt's car parked at the far curbside.

In the car, Delphine took her usual sitting position. The front seat. She cleared her throat and turned to look at her.

"What's up, sis?" She asked, raising her brows up and down.

Thea rolled her eyes. "Nothing much,"

It was Thea's turn to clear her throat as she readied herself to tell aunt Leah about her dinner plans.

Creasing her forehead, she decided to take the bull by its horns.

"Erm, aunt Leah," she started.

"Yes, Thea." Aunt Leah replied, her voice as sweet as always.

"Umm, I'm having dinner at Conrad's tonight," Thea said, tightly closing her eyes as she mentally offered a prayer to the heavens. She didn't know how aunt Leah would react to her dining with a family she didn't even know properly. But she hoped beyond hope that she would agree, because she didn't want to disappoint Conrad. It was the first time he asked her out for dinner, and he asked her to have dinner with his family. That definitely signified the next big step in their relationship. Not only was she meeting the family, but she was delving right into an intimate family setting. It meant Conrad felt comfortable enough to let her around his family. This meant a lot to her. She had always yearned for such love. To feel loved. To be noticed and not always overlooked. And she was getting all of that in Swakopmund. She could feel the change. And she was loving it.

She met Aunt Leah's gaze in the rear view mirror and she smiled nervously. Aunt Leah should be okay with the dinner plan in place, or she was going to find a reason to reject Conrad's romantic gesture. Which hurt even just by thinking of it.

"Oh, the Ashford boy." Aunt Leah said. Her tone saturated with concern and disdain.

"Yea, him. You don't like him," Thea said, her heart twisting at her aunt's disapproving tone.

"Not particularly. I heard stories, you know. He's a player and I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you to get hurt." Aunt Leah said concerningly.

"Yes, of course." Thea replied, holding back the tears stinging her eyes. It was a no. Unsiad, but still felt. She wasn't going to let her go there. And though it might be reasonable given Conrad's reputation with girls, her heart still hurt.

"But he seemed serious about you? I mean inviting you to meet his family and you guys just started dating, you must mean something to him," aunt Leah said, her tone upbeat. She turned around the corner of their street. "I know you heard stories about him. And it worries me that you're dating him. It's a risk you're taking, to see if you're not just some urges for him but an actual partner. And I know you're familiar with risks. Please be careful. I honestly hope this works for your sake."

Thea nodded. She knew what was at stake. Her heart. She hoped she wasn't going to end up like her mother. She didn't know why she fell for Conrad Ashford. The guy she was sure was likely to break her heart. It was probably some feminine traits. Women, no matter the generation, tended to choose the wrong men because they were so drawn to people who needed help. They always wanted to fix things. Maybe she was wrong to judge her mother in the first place. Because just like other women, deeply rooted in her genetics was her will to help others. The urge to fall for the emotionally unavailable man, just to prove that they could heal them and make them better. The question was whether she was going to fail like her mother or pass this feminine test and soar above her fears of being heart broken like her mother.

"You can go, sweetie." Aunt Leah said, snapping her out of her thoughts. A smile tugged at her lips.

"Thank you aunty," Thea said happily.

"Oh finally, someone's having a boyfriend," Delphine jumped in, as she turned to look at her.

"What?" Aunty Leah inquired, the thin line of her brow jumped in surprise.

"Yes, she was a complete freaking nerd back in Windhoek. Of course no boy would want a nerd," Delphine said, shifting in her seat, adjusting her backpack beside her, and let out a barely audible sigh.

Thea's face flushed with anger, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of her seat. "Maybe I haven't dated because I've been too busy playing mom. Maybe if I wasn’t so busy taking care of everything at home, I would have had time for a boyfriend.” she snapped, her voice trembling with barely contained fury.

Aunt Leah’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening as she glanced nervously at the rearview mirror. “Girls, let’s keep it civil,” she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

Delphine turned in her seat, facing her older sister, her expression a mix of surprise and defensiveness. “What are you talking about? I never asked you to take care of everything.”

Thea glanced at her sister, her eyes blazing with years of pent-up frustration. “Oh, really? Who else was going to do it, Delphine? Mom couldn’t even take care of herself, let alone us.”

The mention of their mother made the air in the car even heavier. Aunt Leah sighed softly, her heart aching for both girls. Thea’s breath came in ragged gasps as she struggled to contain her tears. “You got to go out with your friends, have fun, be a normal teenager. I was the one making sure we had dinner, doing laundry. In fact, you and mom had times of your lives, while I was stuck home or at work trying to figure out how I'll make it to the end of the year."

Delphine's eyes widened, then narrowed in defiance, her posture straightening as she crossed her arms. "That's not fair, Thea," she shot back, her tone defensive. "You know I didn't ask for any of this."

"Well, wanna know something. I didn't either," Thea snapped.

Delphine’s face crumpled, a mixture of guilt and anger. She turned to stare out the window, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood. “That’s not fair,” she muttered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the tires on the asphalt. “You think I didn’t notice how hard things were? You think I wanted any of this?”

Thea’s eyes flashed with a fierce, desperate intensity. “You think I did? I had dreams too, Delphine. I wanted to go to parties, have a boyfriend, but someone had to keep things from falling apart.”

Aunt Leah’s gaze flickered from the road to the rearview mirror, her face etched with worry. “Girls, we’re all doing our best. Let’s try to understand each other, okay?”

Neither sister responded. The argument hung in the air, a heavy, oppressive presence that filled the car. Thea’s shoulders heaved with silent sobs, her hands trembling in her lap. Delphine’s face was a mask of stubborn defiance, but tears glistened in her eyes as she stared out at the passing scenery.

The familiar landmarks of their neighborhood came into view, but the comfort of home seemed distant, unreachable. Aunt Leah turned into the driveway, the car rolling to a gentle stop. She turned off the engine, the sudden silence in the car almost deafening.

Thea wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to regain her composure. “I’m sorry if I’ve been harsh,” she said, her voice trembling. “But you need to understand how hard it’s been for me.”

Delphine finally looked at her sister, her expression softening. “I know, Thea. I know you’ve done a lot. But it’s been hard for me too. I just... I didn’t know how to help.”

The tension between them eased slightly, but the underlying pain and resentment remained. Aunt Leah turned in her seat exchanging glances between her two girls, her face a mix of sadness and determination. “We’re a family, and we’ve been through a lot. But we have to stick together. We’re all we’ve got now.”

Thea and Delphine nodded, their eyes meeting in a moment of fragile understanding. They stepped out of the car, the warm evening air wrapping around them like a comforting blanket. As they walked toward the house, their shoulders brushed, a small, tentative gesture of reconciliation.

Inside the house, the two girls dropped their backpacks on the couch, and sat, each one of them deep in their thoughts. Aunt Leah watched them from the doorway, her heart heavy but hopeful. She knew that healing would take time, that the wounds of their past wouldn’t fade easily. But she allowed herself a small, hopeful smile.

"Okay girls, let's pick the dress," Aunt Leah announced.