Against The Alpha's Rules

Chp 2

Willow POV

The cold doesn’t bother me as much when I’m moving because I am built that way or Maybe it’s the rhythm of the wheels cutting through the quiet streets, or it’s the music humming through my headphones, loud enough to drown out everything else, thoughts, memories, the constant weight sitting somewhere behind my ribs.

Either way, this is the closest thing I have to peace. I pedal faster, the wind biting against my cheeks as strands of my short hair slip out from beneath my hood. The sky is still pale, the kind of early winter morning where everything feels suspended between silence and noise.

My playlist shifts, the beat drops into something sharper, louder and I turn it up so that I can feel the music. For a moment, I forget about the house, about the dream and about him. A lone wolf like me who doesn't have anyone this is the best thing that can happen.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, Once and

then again. I frown slightly, slowing just enough to pull it out with one hand, balancing the handle with the other.

Oh it's Ethan, of course. I began to type

‘Don’t enter yet. Wait near the back gate, I’m coming’, I exhale, already typing back.

‘yes reaching in 2 mins’ he types back

‘You said that ten minutes ago’.

No response so typical of him, he always does that. Which is so annoying and it irritates me everytime, I glance back down at the screen, about to shove the phone back into my pocket and that’s when it happens, suddenly something slams into me, it was so hard that the world tilts violently as my bicycle jerks sideways, the front wheel skidding against the pavement before I lose balance completely. My headphones slip off, music cutting abruptly as I hit the ground.

Pain shoots up my arm.

A sharp breath escapes me.

“What the hell—?”

The voice isn’t mine.

It’s a male voice, which was so deep and very, very pissed.

I blink, pushing myself up just enough to see what or who I collided with and then I freeze. He’s standing a few feet away, perfectly upright, like the impact barely affected him at all.

He is tall and broad, you can say he is 6 '3 or 4 and I'm like a dwarf in front of him, I'm just 5' 2. He is dressed in black like the cold doesn’t dare touch him.

At his feet, I noticed that there are shards of glass. A dark liquid spreads slowly across the pavement, seeping into the cracks like something alive.

Ah..oh, what did I just do!!!, I think to myself

His gaze snaps to me, it's sharp and burning.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?, I hate guys like you, who just want to ruin things”

I open my mouth and then I close it. I'm actually at a loss of words and I don't know what to say. He thinks I am a guy maybe because the hood is over my head and I tied my hair into a bun. I don't wear lipstick and because of the winter my lips are cracked and I didn't show any interest in putting on a lip balm. Today I am wearing an oversized hoodie as well as loose pants. So let's pretend to be a guy and talk like a guy this would be fun right!!. I think to myself.

I opened my mouth again. “I fell and you fell because of me as well?” I say, because technically, that’s not wrong, that was a mistake or I should say an accident

His jaw tightens, something dangerous flashing behind his eyes as he takes a step closer.

“Those,” he says, pointing at the shattered bottles like they’ve personally offended him, “were imported. Limited stock. Christmas special. Do you know how hard it is to get them?”

I glance down again. Yeah… he is right they look expensive. I think I should run!No Willow, you will put yourself in more trouble if you do that, it's better to stay and answer his questions.

“I’m guessing very?” I say carefully, brushing dust off my sleeve as I stand up, another mistake, at times I speak without thinking twice.

His expression darkens further, if that’s even possible.

“I went to three different stores for those.”

Just for alcohol he went to three different stores. I have no idea what people find amusing in drinking.

“Wow,” I nod slowly. “That’s… dedication.”

There is silence between us and not the good kind. The kind where you realize you might’ve just made things worse.

“You think this is funny?” he asks, voice dropping slightly.

There’s something about the way he says it, it's quiet, controlled and that’s far more intimidating than if he had just yelled.

I hesitate, just for a second, and apparently I have no survival instinct because I'm someone who is sure to give back and all thanks to my mother who sometimes thinks that she can cross the boundaries.

“Not for you, I’m guessing.”

His eyes narrow, great and fantastic, this is how I die.

Run over by my own terrible decision-making.

“Those were the last bottles in stock,” he says, stepping even closer now. “They’re not available anywhere else. Not here. Not nearby. Not even online unless you’re willing to wait weeks, do you understand what i am trying to say.” his voice is cold

“Okay,” I raise my hands slightly in surrender. “I get it. Tragic. Truly. A loss for the entire community.”

That does it, something in his expression snaps not out of control, but close enough to feel it.

“You think you can just crash into people, ruin their stuff, and joke about it?”

I straighten a little, the initial shock wearing off just enough for something else to take its place.

Annoyance.

“I didn’t exactly aim for you,” I shoot back. “You were in the way.”

Wrong answer, again because apparently I cannot shut my mouth and I let my intrusive thoughts take over.

His gaze sharpens, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice.

“I was walking.”

“And I was cycling,” I counter. “We both had momentum. Congratulations, physics happened.”

For a second…Just a second… He looks like he doesn’t know whether to be angrier… or something else.

Then he exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair like he’s trying to stop himself from saying something worse.

“Unbelievable,” he mutters.

I glance at the mess again, then back at him.

“Look, I’ll pay for it.” That makes him pause.

“You?” His gaze flicks over me briefly, taking in the oversized jacket, the worn sneakers, the bicycle lying awkwardly on its side.

“…eventually,” I add.

He lets out a short, humorless laugh.

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

My grip tightens slightly at my sides.

“I said I’ll pay for it.”

There’s a beat of silence between us and then he steps closer again, just enough to invade my space without actually touching me.

“Keep your money,” he says coldly. “Just stay out of my way and I don't ever want to see you!’

As if I want to see him who thinks his entire life is over after few bottles breaking

But what he just said, Something about that…The dismissal and the assumption.

It scratches at something under my skin.

“Trust me,” I mutter, grabbing my bicycle and pulling it upright, “that wasn’t exactly on my to-do list.”

His gaze lingers on me for a second longer.

Like he’s trying to figure something out, like something doesn’t sit right and Then

he turns, just like that and walks away.

I watch him go, my chest still slightly tight, though I’m not sure if it’s from the fall… or the encounter.

“Wow,” I breathe out under my breath. “Merry Christmas to you too.” I said a bit louder so that he can hear me but he doesn't turn back just shows me his middle. I scoff, okay I deserve that because I did act like a jerk to him. It's just how I am now, situations made me like this, my mother made me like this.

My phone vibrates again.

‘Where are you?’, I see the text from my cousin

I stare at the message for a moment before typing back.

Just committed accidental financial destruction. On my way.

I shove the phone back into my pocket, adjusting my grip on the handlebars.

And as I push off again, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t over, not even close.