The Replacement Aplha

The Alpha Mansion

***Flashback***

 ***Grade 9***

The last period of the day happened to be my least favourite, mathematics.

I was daydreaming and doodling in the margins of my notebook when a loud knock at the door drew me back into reality.

Mrs. Fawn, an elderly, rigid teacher, paused her lecture an approached the door.

A young man in a tan outfit shoved a bouquet of at least 4 dozen roses in her arms, tipped his hat, and quickly rushed away.

“What in the heavens could be more important than math…” Mrs. Fawn began, holding the extravagant bundle of roses in front of her. The older woman could barely carry the weight of the vase and its contents.

Belle raised her hand.

“There’s a card, Mrs. Fawn,” she said smugly, and possibly… jealously?

I thought I caught a hint of it in her voice.

“Ah,” the teacher stammered, and rummaged for the purple card that was projected out among the flowers.

Mrs. Fawn read the card mentally, then frowned.

“What does it say?” Penelope questioned.

“Well this is quite inappropriate,” said Mrs. Fawn, “but since it is from the Alpha’s son, I better oblige.”

She reluctantly slammed the roses onto my desk.

I swallowed and picked up the card.

To,

My future mate.

As you can see, I like to make myself noticed.

Having you on my arm will definitely help with that.  

Love,

Alpha Ben

I noticed that he had signed it ‘Alpha Ben,’ and not “future Alpha, or Alpha-to-be.”

The sweet smell of the roses pricked my nose. They were red. Blood red.

I turned my head slightly to Quinn. She gave a forced, disapproving glance after confirming it with Belle.

Awesome possum. I thought to myself.

Dad was working going to be working late tonight. I knew he would grab dinner after work so that he could avoid the plate of food I always left for him on the counter wrapped in saran.

I didn’t blame him; I was a terrible cook. Every time I followed the recipe, I always managed to miss a step, get confused the measuring amounts, or leave out key ingredients.

Often times I would just take the extra meal with me to school for lunch.

I considered this an opening to go to the Alpha mansion. Dad wouldn’t even know, and what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Thomas was waiting for me as I left the high school.

He had his navy backpack slung on one shoulder of his arm. His outfit was cleanly pressed. He looked - rich.

“You are way too above my class to be spending time with me,” I said, as we started the walk towards his neighbourhood.

“I’m the second Alpha’s son, remember,” he remarked. “My title means… shit.”

I laughed and roughed his hair.

“Well I’m the first daughter of an Omega so I better not be seen with you or my high ranking might be tarnished.”  

He gave me a playful smile. “You mean soon-to-be-Luna.”

Just as the words escaped his mouth, he snapped it shut, as if he was embarrassed at what he had just said.

The mood became more serious.

“So, Scarlett… do you mind if I call you Scar?” he asked.

“Sure, all my close friends do,” I started, “That is, if I had any.”

This seemed to stun Thomas. We continued to walk side-by-side, neither of us saying anything. It was as if Thomas was trying to figure out the proper reply to what I had just shared with him.

Could I blame the kid? He had been surrounded by popular and important people his entire life. Since infancy, he had been wrapped in a comforting blanket of glamorous social parties and expensive extracurricular activities.  

Finally, he stopped in his tracks.

“I have to admit something, Scar,”

“Mhh,” I said.

“We are not walking the entire way to my house.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed, “are we hitch-hiking?”

He laughed, then gave me a pleading look.

“How would you feel about a limo?”

When I didn’t reply right away, he started walking again, his chin tucked lower. I wasn’t certain, but it seemed that his shoulders had sunken.

“Well, I mean it doesn’t really compare to throwing your thumb out to a stranger in a beat-up vehicle that may or may not murder you, but I guess it will do,” I remarked.

Thomas beamed.

As we pulled up to the Alpha mansion, the scene took my breath away.

 I knew it was a beautiful house. I had run by the street many times while training for cross country, but to actually pull into the seemingly infinite stone driveway and approach the monstrous manor was a completely different experience.

 The three-story villa dominated the entire property. The building itself was perched at the top of rolling hills consisting of perfectly manicured lawns. Behind it, the landscape slopped drastically which I knew would open up into the wide river that all the wealthiest houses were built along.

 As we got closer, the details of the mansion became more visible. It was made from a thick grey stone that almost glistened in the sunlight. Large, spotless windows lined the majority of the front of the building, exposing part of the extravagant interior of the house. Massive water fountains irrupted from either side of the large doorway, spewing crystal clear water in a decorative stream.

I attempted to count the number of garage doors I saw. 7…8… how many vehicles did one family need?

The entire house was a privilege to even look at.

It was disgustingly extravagant.

How could a family own such an estate, while my father and I, and my neighbours, lived in such small dwellings?

I hid my revulsion from Thomas. I was thoroughly enjoying his company and didn’t want anything to ruin it.

After the limo came to a gentle stop, Thomas and I hopped off of the cushiony seats and raced towards the entryway. Above the towering front door, the symbol of the Rocky Mountain Pack, a simple triangle that represented a mountain, had been delicately carved from the stone.

All of the overwhelming details of the mansion being presented to me didn’t seem to faze Thomas. He quickly banged on the door before giving me one of his dazzling smiles.

My heart skipped a beat.

One of my Omega neighbours, a stout woman famous for making the best cinnamon buns in the neighbourhood, opened the door and greeted us.

“Hello Master Thomas…” she began, “And….” She stared, remembering me as the fair-haired girl that used to play street hockey across her house.

“Scarlett,” I mumbled, suddenly embarrassed.

“Ms. Scarlett,” she spoke in a formal tone. She curtseyed, then let us through.

I felt strange handing her my jacket and books. We were equals, both Omegas, yet she was the one serving me.

“Would you like to meet my mom?” Thomas asked.

Not particularly. I thought to myself. But I knew it would be rude to refuse.

“Sure,” I shrugged.

He led me past the spacious entrance that had a marbled ceiling and an extravagant stairway, following the sounds of a demanding voice that echoed off the walls.

As we entered the enormous kitchen with granite countertops and shinning, stainless steal appliances, Luna Evelynn was perched in a chair beside the large island talking on the phone.

I had seen her from a distance many times before, but this was my first chance to see the delicate and well-dressed woman up close.

Not a hair was out of place, from her sleek up-do to her perfectly manicured hands.

She had a lighter appearance than both of her boys. Her hair was more of an auburn colour and her eyes were a striking green.

“No, I don’t want to have them cater again,” Luna Evelynn was bleating to the unknown recipient of the call, “the food at the Beta appreciation ball was atrocious. I’m almost certain it gave several guests, including my own mother, food poisoning!”

When she finally noticed the two others that were in the room with her, she barely looked up. She raised a hand that was either represented a stiff greeting or a gesture to leave her alone.

After a few painful seconds of Thomas trying to get his mother’s attention, he abandoned his plan of introducing me.

Instead, we went downstairs into the home theatre to play Wii, just as Thomas had promised.

“Sorry about that,” he said apologetically as he turned on the 95 inch television, “Mom’s busy planning for the Spring Equinox party she’s hosting. She’s been pretty stressed out.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “It sounds like it’s going to be quite the event. A lot different from the Spring Equinox parties I’ve attended.”

Somehow, I didn’t think that the party was going to consist of hotdogs, beer, and a bonfire that people two-stepped around.

He shrugged. “It’s not bad, sometimes they can be pretty fun, as long as Ben doesn’t get too drunk, which he often does.”

A few minutes later, I was kicking his butt in bowling.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, you are bad at this!” I exclaimed as he threw another virtual bowling ball into the virtual gutter.

“Hey, I’m saving all of my energy for when I crush you in tennis,” he shot back at me. He mimicked a tennis swing with the Wii remote.

“Such a big talker for someone who is getting beat by a girl who hasn’t played Wii a day in her life.”

“Really?” he asked, surprised, “well, you’re a natural.”

The compliment made my cheeks burn.

Before I could respond, booming steps down the stairs interrupted us.

“Thom, I swear to the Goddess if you took my lucky socks, I will beat that little ass of yours,” Ben’s voice thundered from behind the theatre door.

We both jumped in alarm.

Thomas looked worried as he turned towards me. I knew he could see the dread in my eyes.

“I – I didn’t know he’d be home, I thought he and his date were leaving right from school,” he stammered.

Suddenly the door burst open.

“You know I have a date tonight,” Ben said, staring at his brother, evidently unaware of my presence, “and you KNOW those socks always get me laid.”

Ben’s heated eyes flicked over to my direction, and suddenly his demeanour changed.

His brow relaxed. His eyes shifted from their wolf yellow back to brown. He even smiled, and although not as brilliant as his brother’s, it was one that definitely melted hearts.  

“Well hello there, Gorgeous.” 

SR