The Replacement Aplha

Alone at Last

As I peeled into one of the many empty parking spots in front of Molly’s, the popular diner which remained open until 2 am to cater to the many young bar-goers, Thomas’s face lit up with happy recollection. He remained in the car while I entered the brick building.

There was an unspoken silence between the two of us which indicated exactly what Thomas was craving - the same meal that we had shared while we hunched over our exam notes after my shift at the diner - poutine.

A young, thin Omega took my order when I entered the dinner, obviously unaware of my previous connection with the establishment. She was wiry but looked like a hard worker. I slid into one of the blue wooden booths I had come to know so well. I was alone aside from the drunken couple in the far corner of the restaurant, both of them preoccupied by their greasy burgers.  

I grasped the paper bag from the skinny waitress and she shyly thanked me for my business. I smiled at her, vaguely remembering how I used to say the same thing to customers when I had worked here several years ago.

“Miss me?” I teased as I entered the driver’s side of the black Chevrolet.

“I was counting the seconds,” Thomas replied. I was pretty sure he was being sarcastic, but at the moment, I couldn’t be sure exactly. It seemed like he had indeed missed me, even though I had been gone no more than fifteen minutes.

“Goddess, I haven’t had one of those since…” Thomas began, pointing at the brown, grease-stained bag. “Since you left, Scar.”

We were back on the road, this time heading towards the Old Forest. A heavy silence hung over us for several moments. I was unsure how to continue the conversation.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I’m sorry I left you.”

Thomas only shook his head. “No. Don’t be sorry. You always wanted to be a Healer. After everything with Ben… leaving was the best option.”

“Wow,” was all I could mutter when Thomas directed me to the private campsite he had set up amongst the old, thick pine trees.

Fairy lights were strung along a thin wire, creating a sparking, almost magical, scene. A large, comfortable tent was splayed open, exposing a warm nest made of fuzzy blankets and a thick duvet. The tent was protected by mosquito netting, preventing any pesky bugs from entering the comfortable domain.

On a large, thick slab of wood that served as a tray, a bottle of expensive champagne and delicious looking foods were displayed. To my surprise, a bag of Sour Patch Kids rested beside the fancy looking cheeses. It looked so out of place compared to the rest of the arrangement.

“But…” I started, unzipping the netting and grabbing the colourful bag of candy.

Sour Patch Kids had been the candy that Thomas and I had munched on after stopping at the local corner store. It was our own special treat that I had shared with no one but Thomas.

But he couldn’t have known who he was setting this campsite up for, could he?

Still clutching the package, I slowly turned to Thomas. He was looking at me so seriously, so deeply, that I thought at that moment, he could see right through me. His dark eyes gleamed amongst the twinkling lights.

“How…” I stammered, once again trying to begin my sentence.

He reached for my hand.

“I think I sort of always knew you were my mate,” Thomas said. “Ever since I first met you. At first, I had just assumed that I had this connection with you because you were my brother’s destined mate. But even after you rejected him… after you ran away and he… died, I still had this strange feeling about you. It’s hard to explain. It was like, whenever I thought about you… I thought I was…”

“Home?” I breathed.

“Yeah.”

As I studied all of his familiar characteristics- tanned, even skin, sharp jawline, tender eyes- I noticed that they created an aura of ease for me, like I was returning home after a long, tiring trip.

Had I always felt this way about him? Had I just buried it deep down under layers of denial over the years?

I opened the bag of Sour Patch Kids and popped my favourite flavour, the green and red one, into my mouth. I offered the bag to Thomas and assumed he’d rummage for his usual blue and yellow flavour, but instead, he pulled me in and kissed me, tasting the sugar crystals that dusted my lips.

 “Mhhh…” he said after breaking away. “They taste better than I remember.”

“You sure you want a glass?” Thomas asked as he poured the bubbly champagne into the delicate flutes.

“Sure. It’s a special occasion, after all.”

We sat across from each other in the tent within a cocoon of soft blankets, with only the wooden slab of food separating us. I was fully aware just how close Thomas was. He would have only needed to lean in a few inches before he’d be on top of me. The thought of my body under the weight of his made my cheeks flush with colour.

“What do you think of my Beta?” Thomas questioned.

I took a sip of the golden liquid. “Davey’s a fun guy. He seems very genuine, too. I’m sure he’ll make an extremely loyal Beta.”

“Good. It’s important to me that my Luna and Beta get along.”

“My Luna…” I said slowly, pronouncing every syllable.  

Thomas’s face became concerned. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No… not at all. It’s just the first time you’ve addressed me as that.”

Thomas grinned. “Whew. So you don’t plan on rejecting me?”

He had meant for the question to be a joke, but I answered him seriously.

“Thomas, I will never do that to you. I promise.”

The atmosphere became electric. Thomas moved in closer to me and my eyes wandered down to the top half of his muscular chest that was exposed.

My wolf began to push through, and I started to lose control of my thoughts. The few sips of champagne I had taken made my head fuzzy and my wolf bolder. She hungered for more than just Thomas’s lips on mine. She wanted all of him.

I slid down onto my back and pulled Thomas onto me, pressing my lips on his. His mouth parted slightly, and I bit gently down on his lower lip.  

His cool flesh came into contact with my bare midriff and I felt sparks erupt, suddenly warming both of our bodies, the way I had learned in Healer school that mated individuals often felt in times like this.

I remember taking notes on the chemical reaction involving each mate’s hormones that, when combined, created an intense eclectic spark.

But studying the reaction on paper and experiencing it were two very different things.

I began to unbutton the remaining buttons on Thomas’s Hawaiian shirt.

I was very thankful for the private location Luna Evelyn had forced Thomas to set up.

Luna Evelyn.

The sudden thought of her crept into my head and made me gasp and bolt upright.

“Your mom…” I managed to squeak out.  

Thomas almost chuckled. “You’re thinking about my mom in a time like this?”

“Thomas, she hates my guts.”

“Well, she isn’t your biggest fan that’s true…”

“We mated tonight. And now we have to tell her.”

A flash of realization overcame Thomas’s face and he went pale.

“Oh shit.” 

SR