Chapter 5
1175 Words
The weeks following that night were a slow, agonizing torture. The house felt smaller, the air thicker, and the silence between us was louder than any scream. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the ghost of his hands on my skin, but every time I opened them, he was gone. He had retreated into the role of the stern, untouchable Alpha, leaving me to drown in the aftermath of my own awakening.
I wasn't the "wolfless" girl anymore. My wolf was a constant, restless hum beneath my skin, pacing and snarling at the coldness he offered me.
One morning, I dragged myself downstairs, my skin feeling too tight for my body. I walked into the kitchen, expecting the usual morning quiet, but stopped dead. My mother was pressed against the counter, and he—my Alpha, my "Daddy"—was buried in her neck, his hands possessively on her waist.
”What’s going on here?” I snapped, the words sharp with a jealousy I couldn't hide.
My mother jumped, pulling away with a flushed face and a nervous laugh. “My darling! You’re awake. I’m almost done with breakfast, okay?” She turned back to the stove, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to regain her composure.
I didn't look at her. My eyes were locked on him. He didn't flinch. He just stood there, adjusting his shirt, his expression as cold and immovable as a mountain. He looked at me as if I were a stranger, as if he hadn't spent hours filling me up until I couldn't breathe.
”Uhm, alright,” I muttered, turning on my heel. I couldn't stand the sight of his hands on her.
I slumped onto the couch in the living room, my phone buzzing in my hand. It was Stella.
“What is it? What do you want?” I barked into the phone, my frustration boiling over.
“Yo, calm down girl! I was wondering if you’re gonna follow me shopping today,” Stella chirped.
“No, I am not in the mood,” I said, rubbing my temples. Stella was my best friend, but her constant energy was the last thing I needed while my life was falling apart.
“Don’t worry, the bills are on the guys coming along,” she added.
I was about to hang up when I felt a presence. I looked up to see him—Alpha Collins—walking into the room. He didn't even look at me; he went straight for the mail on the table.
”Really? There will be boys?” I said, my voice intentionally loud and suggestive. He paused for a fraction of a second, his shoulders tensing, before he continued as if he hadn't heard me.
I smirked, a wicked idea forming. “Stella, I’ll be there. Maybe around 1 PM.” I hung up and leaned back, watching him.
“Are you going somewhere?” he finally asked, his voice low and gravelly.
“Yeah, I am,” I said nonchalantly, checking my nails.
“Where are you going?”
“None of your business,” I uttered, standing up to leave.
“Oh, come on, don’t be rude to your father, Bella,” my mother called out, walking in with plates of food. “Apologize now.”
“No,” I yelled, the word echoing through the house. My mother flinched, shocked by the venom in my tone.
“Bella!” she yelled back.
“Calm down, darling,” he said, stepping toward my mother and putting a hand on her shoulder, caressing her to soothe her. “She doesn't have to apologize.”
“Bullshit,” I hissed, my eyes flashing gold for a split second before I turned and ran up the stairs.
—
The mall was buzzing with the weekend crowd, a sea of mundane faces that made me feel even more like an outsider. I scanned the atrium, my heart still racing from the cold exchange back at the house, until a familiar voice cut through the noise.
”Bella!”
I turned to see Stella waving frantically from near the fountain. Two guys were standing with her, leaning against the railing with that effortless, predatory grace that marked them as shifters. I smoothed down my short dress and walked over, feeling their eyes track my every move.
”Hey, Bella! You made it,” Stella said, pulling me into a tight hug. As she pulled away, her nose twitched, her eyes widening as she caught the air around me. ”You feel different. And your scent...” She leaned in closer, trying to get a lock on the new, powerful pheromones radiating from my skin.
I pulled back sharply, my pulse spiking. ”Won’t you introduce me to your friends?” I asked, my voice tight. I wasn't ready to explain how I’d found my wolf—or whose knot had triggered it.
Stella took the hint, though she looked suspicious. ”Well, this is my boyfriend, Adams,” she said, pointing to a blonde guy who gave me a casual, easy smile. ”And this is his friend, Williams.” She gestured to the guy with a sharp box cut and a build that filled out his t-shirt perfectly.
They could have been twins, both tall and striking, but Williams had a certain edge to his gaze. When he smiled, showing a perfect set of white teeth, I felt a spark of something—not the soul-shattering bond I shared with my stepfather, but a flicker of distraction I desperately needed.
”Nice to meet you,” Williams said, reaching out to take my hand. He didn't let go immediately, his thumb grazing my knuckles as he waited for me to speak.
”Bella. I’m Bella,” I said, matching his gaze.
”What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” he murmured, his voice smooth and low.
”Alright guys, let’s get today started!” Stella chirped, grabbing Adams' arm and practically dragging him toward the shops.
Williams didn't pull away. Instead, he offered me his arm, his eyes lingering on the curve of my neck. I took it, leaning into him just enough to feel the heat of his body. For the first time in weeks, I decided to let go. I was going to forget the cold Alpha in my living room. I was going to forget the way he looked at my mother. I was going to be a normal twenty-year-old on a date.
But as we walked, my phone burned a hole in my pocket. It buzzed once. Twice. Three times.
I finally pulled it out, hiding the screen from Williams.
[Alpha Daddy]: I smell another male on your skin. If you don't leave that mall right now, I will come there and show everyone exactly who you belong to.
I felt a rush of heat—half terror, half dark, twisted triumph. He was watching. He was jealous. And he was losing his mind.
- Writer
