Alpha Victoria

Answer

"Victoria, hey, wake up," Alexander's whisper startled me from my sleep. I must have dozed off while lost in "The Da Vinci Code." Startled, I sat up abruptly, forgetting I was perched on the window sill.

The sudden realization of the height made me scream like a startled teenager, instinctively grabbing Alexander's arm for support.

"Goodness," he exclaimed, collapsing into laughter beside me on the floor. I felt ridiculous, a fierce hybrid momentarily reduced to a scared child.

"Can you help me out first?" I demanded, still flustered. Alexander helped me down from the sill, chuckling at my expense. Once on the bed, I relaxed, trying to recover my composure.

After a moment, Alexander's laughter subsided, and he approached me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He gently pulled my hair tie, letting my curls cascade down my shoulders. His closeness, his minty breath, stirred an unexpected warmth in me, but he pulled away before things could escalate.

His compliment about my hair caught me off guard, momentarily easing the tension between us.

Minutes passed in a comfortable silence before Alexander finally broached the topic that brought him here. "I came to talk to you about your heat," he began earnestly. Intrigued, I leaned in, eager to understand this mysterious term that had eluded me.

"Yeah, what's with this whole 'heat' and 'she thing' you keep mentioning?" I asked, genuinely perplexed. Alexander's stunned expression hinted that he had assumed I was joking, but my serious tone and furrowed brow told him otherwise. His attempt to explain only deepened my confusion, especially when he asked if I hadn't learned about it from my mother or friends.

The mention of my mother caught me off guard, stirring memories I hadn't shared with many. My mother, who had died giving birth to me, had occasionally appeared to me in dreams or in the depths of the pack forests, a comforting presence I cherished silently.

Alexander's awkward apology for bringing up a sore topic was unnecessary; I quickly dismissed it, masking my emotions with a light-hearted response.

"No, I've never heard of this term. I was homeschooled, focused more on administrative studies," I explained, choosing not to delve into the personal details of my upbringing. His mixed reaction—shock, understanding, and a hint of jealousy—amused me, and I couldn't resist teasing him about his assumption regarding my childhood friend.

As the conversation continued, Alexander finally explained the basics of 'heat,' his discomfort evident. I listened intently, absorbing the unexpected details of what awaited me. The prospect of experiencing intense hormonal shifts, accompanied by physical and emotional changes, left me both intrigued and apprehensive.

"So, I'm going to bleed and... feel incredibly... amorous?" I summarized incredulously, struggling to grasp the reality of what he described. His awkward nod confirmed my suspicions.

"And when is this supposed to happen?" I pressed, dreading the impending uncertainty.

"Anytime from tonight to tomorrow, most likely," he replied, his tone resigned.

With Alexander's departure, I was left to contemplate the impending upheaval. I ate dinner in silence, mulling over the bizarre twists of fate and nature. Despite my efforts to push aside the unsettling thoughts, they lingered, plaguing my mind as I eventually succumbed to sleep.