The Rouge Omega Caster

Chapter 4: Screw Expectations

Alec’s POV

“ Alec…” the brunette underneath me moaned. I couldn't tell you what her name was or how we necessarily got into the position that we are in now, but hell, if I was stopping any time soon. My pack, Moon Hall, one of the most financially affluent and strong packs in the area, was hosting dinner for the nearby packs to reinforce our Alliance. Yet another event my parents had forced me to go to in hopes that I would finally settle down and give in to being the pack Beta.

To quell my anger of being thrown to the wolves, pun not intended, I drank some champagne and felt much better after emptying the fourth flute. A pretty girl, the brunette, crossed the room and started to flirt with me, asking if I wanted to get out of there; needless to say, I was more than happy to oblige. In 45 minutes, We were in the back of my car, which was parked in the woods bordering our pack territory, kissing and touching each other with so much urgency that we were practically ripping each other's clothes off. The girl slipped her hand into my boxers, grabbed me, and then began stroking me slowly, causing me to toss my head back and groan. Making a mental note to get her number later so we could have more fun shortly, I bent down to take her mouth again. I was at the point of sliding her thong off when sharp, sudden knocks rapped against the back seat windows from the outside, causing me and the girl to flinch. I growled, ready to rip the head right off the shoulders of whoever dared to interrupt.

“Alec, Get your ass out here now! I'm done covering for you,” a deep, familiar voice called irritation lacing his tone. My older brother, Chase Blackwell, is the shining light of our pack, and our Alpha was standing outside my car. The role was passed to him about a year and a half ago, and ever since then, I have constantly had to hear people sing praises about how the position couldn’t have gone to a better person. And it wouldn't have been such a big deal; I was happy for him. That was until our parents, the former alpha and Luna, began to compare us more intensely. Half of the time, I don't think they even realized it, but it didn't stop the annoyance I felt from it.

The brunette, wholly mortified, was now getting dressed in a hurry, whereas I did not rush to put on any clothes. Once she finished, she opened the car door and timidly addressed my brother “A-Alpha..” bowing slightly before running away towards the direction of the pack house.

“Well, brother, to what do I owe the pleasure?” I asked, climbing out of the car and buttoning up my pants, not even bothering to put my shirt back on. Chase looked at me with disgust and scoffed, turning away from me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to be at the banquet hall helping me host the dinner for the nearby packs, not gallivanting around f*****g everything that walks with two legs. Do you not care about what your future mate will think?” He finishes through clenched teeth.

I roll my eyes and approach the back of my car, leaning against it. When the topic of mates comes up, I can't help but find a certain irony in it. It's just another thing that I don't have a say in. While everyone thought that it was a blessing to have a mate, I, on the other hand, thought of it as a crutch. The Moon Goddess’s f****d up way of toying with wolves emotions. I was often curious about who she had chosen for me, if she had chosen anyone for me, but other times, I had hoped our paths would never cross. My Wolf, Silver, growled at me for thinking such a thought, but I ignored it.

Putting my hands in my pockets and crossing a leg over the other, I say, “Sorry, brother, but I’m not up to hosting dinners. I would’ve rather been at the party I was invited to tonight than helping you with this boring s**t. Because of that, I had to make my own fun.” and give him a cynical smirk. Grabbing my collar, he shoved me back against the car. I’d pissed him off more than I should’ve, And he was completely done with me at that point. “Dammit, Alec, I’ve tried everything to help you this far to show people that you could be a good beta for this pack. But when you do things like this, it makes me not wanna even try anymore.” He said, which made me start seeing red now.

Since I was 16, my father had this notion that once he made my brother Alpha, he would appoint me as beta—a responsibility I never wanted in the first place. Since then, it’s been dinner party after dinner party, me having to attend meetings that I would rather gouge my eyes out than participate in because they were all reminders that I would never be Chase Blackwell.

And well, if I couldn’t be him, then I vowed I would be the complete opposite. Since nobody would listen to what I wanted, I wouldn’t listen to what they wanted either. Shoving him back roughly, I ground out between my teeth. “Then don’t.” I almost regretted the harsh words as I saw the hurt that morphed on Chase’s face. Almost. I have to get away from here. Now! My Wolf cried, feeling overwhelmed and needing to be released.

Suddenly, I phased and darted into the forest, away from my car, brother, and everything that threatened to crush me with the heavy expectations they wanted from me. My feet pounded the earth as I ran in wild abandonment. I jumped over tree roots and snapped twigs in my wake. I was only 18 for crying out loud; I just turned it last month. No one had ever asked me what I wanted to do. There were three days until senior year started, and with an astonishing thought, I couldn't wait to return to school. Our pack had a high school of its own to minimize the exposure we’d have with humans, even worse, Caster’s. Tensions were still pretty high between us, but we hardly ever ran into each other since they preferred to stick to themselves.

I had gotten into many fights during my sophomore year at the pack high school Moon Hall High that the school’s administrators genuinely considered suspending me for the rest of the school year. There was always some cocky bastard that insisted on challenging me every chance they got, and being the alpha that I was; I did not back down from a fight. It allowed me to ask my parents if I could attend Hillcrest High. At first, they were expectedly against the idea entirely. Still, when they faced me possibly having to repeat another year, they reluctantly agreed to let me attend the human high school. I was satisfied. Not only would it give me eight hours away from my pack, but it also gave me eight hours of being away from the figurative shadow that loomed over me constantly. At least there, I could escape and free myself. For the rest of the night, my wolf ran until exhaustion and slept in the woods under the stars.

***

The following day, I trek back to my car to grab my spare pants from the trunk and drive myself back home. I pull up and leave the car, only to be stopped short with a question.

“Did you have fun last night?” My father asked in a tone that made my hair stand on end, not that I'll show it. He may be the former Alpha, but he still was intimidating as hell and radiated a power that kept him the title for years. He was waiting for me on the front porch of the main pack house. Chase wasn’t the only one I managed to piss off last night, but you know this isn't an uncommon occurrence anyway.

“ Yeah, loads,” I said unashamed, and tried to breeze past him to get through the front door and up to my room.

“Hold it right there, we’re not done talking,” he said, grabbing my arm and turning me to face him, and I wished more than anything that we were. “ Do you know how worried your mother was? You didn't call to say you were staying out, and no one knew where you were. As the future Beta of this pack, you don't have the luxury of throwing caution to the wind and doing whatever you please.” he said, looking exasperated and disappointed. At one point, this look used to cut me deep, but now I was numbed to it. Snatching my arm from his grasp, I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“I just needed to breathe a little, that's it. I haven't had the chance to sit and wipe my ass in the peace without having to play the perfect pawn in your plan.”

Dad sighed deeply before hitting me with a line I'd heard a thousand times. “Son, we do this because we love you and want to help you gain footing in the pack's future. We only-”

“Want what's best for me, I know..” I finished for him, and I am now officially done with this conversation. “Can I go now?”

Seeing this conversation going nowhere, he grunted a yes and moved aside to let me in. I stormed through the door and up the stairs, not wanting to run into anyone else who could potentially grate my nerves.

With two days left before school started, they couldn't pass by any faster.