Alpha’s Lone Mate

Chapter 2

By the time I reached home, my face was flushed, and my skin felt sticky from my tears. Every time I managed to stop crying, the image of my mother with that man would flash in my mind, and I'd start crying all over again.

I could feel my ears heating up as I tried to take deep breaths while approaching the front door. I knew my father would be worried – who wouldn't be? I had come home five hours later than usual. Thomas, my brother, usually hung out with friends after school, but I always came home early. I felt guilty for making him worry about me.

My father must have seen me through the glass part of our front door, as I didn't even need to knock. I had hoped I would have more time to compose myself and act as if nothing had happened, as if it were just a normal day spent with my best friend.

However, I had underestimated how worried he was. Before I could even enter the house, I was engulfed in my father's arms. I couldn't help but hug him back tightly. As tears welled up in my eyes again, I fought hard not to cry.

"Don't cry. Don't cry. Please don't cry again," I told myself, but my emotions overwhelmed me. I cried – cried for my innocent father who didn't know his wife was cheating on him, cried for my brother who loved her so dearly, cried for myself because I knew our happy family was shattered, and cried because I knew someone was going to leave. I just didn't know it would be him leaving us.

"What's wrong?" my father asked, his concern evident.

Who wouldn't be concerned? I had come home five hours late and burst into tears. It was understandable that he was worried.

"Is it a boy?" he asked, trying to make sense of my emotional state.

I forced myself to pull away but avoided his gaze, feeling guilty even knowing what my mother had done. I felt guilty for thinking I could hide the truth from him. I shook my head and kept my eyes down, too afraid to reveal the truth. His hands rested on my back as he gently guided me into the house. He closed the front door and hugged me again, and this time, I didn't hold him as tightly as before, but I held on.

"When you calm down, you can tell me what's going on," he assured me while hugging me tightly.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't.

"I'm wondering who hurt my princess," he whispered.

"It's not who hurt me. It's what's going to hurt you when you find out," I thought to myself.

"Find out what?" my father asked, pulling me away and gently lifting my chin with his finger.

Everything froze within me as I realized I had said it out loud.

"Find out what, Claire," he repeated, this time using one of my nicknames.

"Nothing," I whispered, pulling away from him.

"Don't lie to me, Claire. Just tell me what it is," he said, his voice growing slightly more forceful.

It was true; he had the right to know. He had the right to know that his beloved wife was cheating on him with another man. My throat tightened, and I felt a lump forming.

"Oh, Dad. I really can't," I whispered so quietly that it was almost to myself. However, he managed to hear.

"I will get your brother down," he said, "I'm sure you can tell him."

"No, Dad!" I shouted.

The concern on his face aged him. He was getting frustrated by now.

"For the love of God, Claire, are you going to tell me what you're hiding?" he exclaimed, running his hand through his dark brown hair.

"I can't, Dad! I can't!" I cried out, pushing him away from me.

"What's wrong, Claire? Just tell me. I'm your father; I have the right to know," he said, his tone more subdued.

I couldn't bring myself to say it. I knew I had to, but the words stuck in my throat. I knew that telling him his wife had been unfaithful would shatter him.

"I can't, Dad," I whispered, shaking my head.

He made a move to go for my brother, but my panic was building.

"Wait," I said, my voice catching, "I saw Mom kissing another man."

I slapped my hand over my mouth immediately after saying it. I watched my father's face change, his concern replaced by a blank expression. It was as if he wanted to hide his pain from me, but I wanted to cry for him. He didn't entirely succeed; I could see some of the pain in his eyes as he stared into mine, making sure I was telling the truth.

He let out a sigh, shook his head, and muttered something under his breath but didn't look back at me. Instead, he glanced at his shoes and then headed for his coat. Just as he did, my brother, Tom, entered the room.

He glanced back and forth between my father and me before locking eyes with me. I panicked; I knew I'd have to explain this to him as well, but I didn't know how he would react.

"Go to bed, Claire. Thomas, make sure she goes to bed and takes care of her," my father instructed, but his back was turned to us.

"Where are you going, Dad?" I asked.

"I'm just going for a walk," he said before slamming the door shut.

Hours Later…

"WAKE UP!"

I was jolted from my brief sleep by someone shouting. The sudden yelling caught me by surprise, and my body reacted as if it were ready to fight, but instead, I fell off my bed and onto the floor, landing on my back.

The sharp pain in my back made me moan as I tried to sit up.

"What the hell, Thomas?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What did you tell Dad? What the hell did you do?"

"What do you mean?" I was confused by his anger and his words.

My brother rarely swore, so I knew he was furious. His anger was evident, and I knew he was trying to control his wolf.

"I swear, Claire, stop playing with me. I don't want to hurt you," he said, pushing himself against the wall and punching it, leaving a large hole.

"What do you want?" I yelled, or at least I tried.

My voice cracked, and I felt my throat was dry.

"What did you tell Dad?" he repeated, his frustration evident, closing his eyes to control his wolf.

I knew that his wolf and he were in conflict, with his wolf struggling for control. It made me nervous. I knew my brother loved me and wouldn't do anything to physically hurt me, but the flash of red in his eyes indicated his anger.

"I said I'll tell you in the morning," I tried to calm him down.

"ARGH! YOU STUPID GIRL! DAD IS DEAD!" he yelled.

I had never seen my brother cry before. I sat there, staring at him, shocked and confused.

"What?" I barely managed to utter.

"I can't feel him anymore. He's no longer in our territory. The Alpha said there are rogues in the vicinity," he sobbed.

I had never witnessed my brother cry before, and I sat there in utter shock and confusion.

"So, let me ask you again, Claire. What did you say to Dad?" he inquired, casting me a harsh, disapproving glare.

"He can't be dead. No, he can't be. Maybe he's out of town. He'll return tomorrow morning. Yes..." I stammered, unable to believe for even a moment that he was gone.

He firmly grasped my shoulders and shook me forcefully. His nails dug into my skin, and despite my reluctance, a scream of pain escaped my lips.

"DAD IS GONE. If he were coming back, he'd be here by now, Claire. It's past midnight," he declared.

In that moment, I was terrified of him. His eyes radiated such intense anger that it caused my heart to ache with sorrow.

My father was gone, and I was responsible. I had informed him. I had let him walk out that door, and now he was gone, all because of me. I had disclosed the truth about our mother. But what would happen if I told Thomas about her? Would he also leave? Would he perish and leave me behind? I couldn't bear to tell him. No, I couldn't.

"I said... I told him..." I struggled to say.

But I couldn't tell him. He appeared so wounded already, and revealing the truth would only inflict further pain.

He gazed at me, tears welling up in his eyes, waiting for me to provide an explanation. However, I simply had no idea what to say yet.

"I can't tell you. I can't tell you," I repeated, each time more softly than the last.

"Very well! Keep your wretched secret. But let me make one thing clear: I despise you, and from this day forth, you are no longer my sister," he spat.

My vision became blurred, and I struggled to see. I watched him walk away.

The taste of my tears, the pain in my heart, the loss of my father, the memory of my mother, and the anger from my brother all converged on that fateful day, making it the worst I had ever experienced.