Beyond Fate

Dead man

( Alisha pov)

Things went from bad to worse throughout my day after my run in with Nathan. Mina decided she didn’t want to get up this morning unless her dad got her dressed again. Unfortunately alpha Mitchell had already left for his business trip with the neighbouring pack and had left early.

I was surprised and disappointed that Nathan hadn’t gone with him but pleased that Johnny had, hopefully it would give them a chance to repair their friendship.

However it hadn’t been helpful for me with getting Mina to nursery this morning and by the time I’d coaxed her out of bed it was too late for breakfast so she had to make do with an apple on the go and a scowl as she went. By the time I’d dropped her off we were late and as luck would have it the headmistress had stopped by so she saw me strolling in late with the alpha’s daughter and accused me of taking liberties because the new alpha favoured me, I’d had to stifle my laugh at that one.

I’d say that was the worst thing to happen but I think the turning point from bad day to worst day was somewhere in between getting a football kicked in my face, causing me to knock my coffee all over myself and the apparent food fight in the cafeteria that only I was a part of. By the time the day was over I was ready to quit the day and go to bed.

As I walked out the school gate with Mina I could see groups of moms picking up their children all gossiping and looking my way. Some giggled clearly finding my food-covered clothes hilarious. However, today I wasn’t feeling like ignoring them so instead I scowled at them until they turned away from me.

“DADDY!!” I felt Mina scream just as her hand left mine. I looked away from the moms to see Mina running towards Alpha Mitchell who was waiting just beyond the school gates. He had ditched the business suit this afternoon in favour of simple jeans and navy t.shirt that barely left anything to the imagination and displayed the ink on his arms that was out for all to see.

He smiled brightly scouping Mina up as he usually did greeting her. I looked around to see I wasn’t the only one watching them either, they seemed to have attracted the attention of the gossiping moms who were all admiring the view, I felt someone shove passed me almost knocking me down just as the headmistress Dianna went strolling up to alpha Mitchell, might I add missing her usual business jacket and her matching navy blue pencil skirt had been rolled up above her knees, her hips were swaying with a little too much effort as she went. Her long black hair had been pulled out of the elaborate up do she always wore and her usually sensible heels had been replace with some very nice six inch black stilettos, I chuckled shaking my head at the display and the evil witch had the nerve to suggest I was doing unspeakable things to win favour with the alpha.

“She’s been eyeing him up since the night of his ceremony” a voice came from my right, knowing it was Mina’s nursery teacher Miss Phillips, the only person in this place that ever talked to me without a nasty comment to follow. She was very thin even for someone so young, she wasn’t much older than me but people always mistook her for younger judging her by her dainty size and her love of girly floral summer dresses but she was as bright as sunshine and she loved the children. Miss Philips shook her head in the direction the headmistress had gone, a strand of her dirty blonde hair fell loose of her smart bun and she tucked it behind her ear. We both looked towards alpha Mitchell and headmistress Dianna who was shamelessly flirting and touching him any chance she could.

“ yea, her and half the pack” I whispered and we both chuckled drawing the attention of a few moms who frowned at us.

“ well it does look like she’s got competition” she gestured forwards and I looked up again to see there were now several women gathered around him, most of them with children in Mina’s class, no doubt telling him what great friends Mina was with their child. Alpha Mitchell however didn’t seem to be enjoying the attention he seemed on edge and every time Dianna or any of them touched him he visibly flinched as if their touch was burning him.

“ He looks like he needs saving,” she said to me, nudging me forward. I stumbled slightly, almost dropping Mina’s bag scowling playfully at Miss Phillips who just smiled as one of the children came running up to her, grabbing her attention. I sighed really not wanting to get in the middle of all that

As I began making my way down the path towards the gate eyes began turning to me again making me self conscious. I struggled through the gate holding it open whilst trying to juggle all the bags in my hand, along with Mina’s latest work of art I’d been given strict instructions from her not to fold. I must have looked like a right dork stumbling around trying to get through the tiny gate. I was sure I heard some giggles and a few gasps before I felt the gate suddenly being opened wide without any force from me. I looked over my shoulder to see Mitchell had his arm stretched out above me pushing the gate open wide enough for me to squeeze through. I tried not to pay attention to the bulging bicep just by my head or the sudden heat of having his body so close as I tried to free myself from the awkward situation.

“ Alisha are you ok?” He asked with a frown when I finally broke free stumbling out onto the path and feeling like an i***t. I looked into Mitchell’s eyes frowning when he gestured up and down with his free hand, all the while still with Mina on his hip.

I realised he was looking at my clothes caked in food and chuckled feeling my face go red with embarrassment “Oh yea never get in the middle of a food fight, the food always wins” I laughed to him trying to make light of having the day from hell. His harem of female followers had moved towards him again and were now surrounding us making me uncomfortable. I heard a few comments about how much of a gentleman he was but alpha Mitchell didn’t acknowledge them he just stayed focused on me.

“ well I was gonna suggest heading straight for food but we can swing by the pack house first” he offered my breath hitched in my throat thinking about potentially seeing Lucas after our fight this morning. I wanted to make things right but I didn’t really fancy darkening my day further incase it ended in another fight plus I was still upset with the way he had been with me so I decided to leave it.

Lost in my thoughts for a second I didn’t feel Dianna come up to me until she had her arm securely wrapped around my shoulder in a tight hug “ Oh Mitchell we just love our newest little omega in school you sent us, the children just love their new toy” Dianna said, clutching my arm just a little too tight to make it pinch. I raised my eyebrows as if she had gone insane, this b***h couldn’t stand me just like the rest of them but I guess I couldn’t exactly blame her. Her sister was one of the workers from the harvest who’d been put into the isolation cabins, most of them had just stood by and watched but had still served time for the crime of doing nothing when I was being beaten to death by a select few. I was grateful to Mitchell for what he had done but it hadn’t made me any more popular. Everyone knew he’d done it for me and isolation for a wolf was no joke. There was a reason we were pack animals, we were sociable by nature.

“ Actually I have clothes still at home so we can head straight to dinner” I smiled trying to hide the fact that going back to the pack house was the last thing I wanted to do right now after the day I’d already had, I just wanted to go home and have dinner with my family. I also wanted to show Dianna I had familiarity with our alpha over her, she didn’t need to know it wasn’t true.

“ Well then if you’ll excuse us ladies” he nodded to the women who were practically swooning, one or two even started fanning themselves. When Dianna made no attempt to release me Mitchell came towards us wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me with him out of Dianna’s reach. The look in the woman’s eyes said if she could make it happen I’d be dead ten times over.

Mitchell led me away from the crowd without a second glance in their direction but I could feel their gaze on us the whole walk away. I squirmed, feeling uncomfortable with his hand at my waist as we walked knowing full well what it looked like to all the outsiders, it would only fuel Diana’s rumours too.

“ payback for not rescuing me sooner” alpha Mitchell stated as if he had read my mind. Oh goddess, kill me now.

“ Well I thought a big bad alpha such as yourself could handle a few hormonal females outside a school” I mocked, smirking, earning a sideways glance from him and lost my nerve looking away smiling to myself thinking about how sacred he had looked around them.

“ I think I’d rather face a pack of rogues single handed than those women, they were terrifying” he made a face at Mina and we all chuckled. I’m sure I’d hear some digs at school but I couldn’t seem to care right now.

When we reached my family home we all headed inside. The usual scent of mom's famous spaghetti bolognaise hits us as we walk inside and Mina’s runs off straight away to find my mom. I headed upstairs to my old room to grab some fresh clothes and clean up, while I heard Mitchell talking with my dad and Johnny, probably filling dad in on the meeting with the pack they visited today. .

When I got to my room I realised that I took most of my everyday stuff with me when I moved in with Lucas. so it’s no surprise that all that’s left is nicer items that I would normally wear for special occasions, and not really appropriate for a casual family dinner. After standing there for a few minutes I knew whatever I picked would be over the top so In the end I settled for a pair of super skinny jeans that I’d had from the Christmas sales last year that were a size too small and I’d been working on slimming into for the last year. You know the ones. Every girl has a pair in the back of the wardrobe you can never quite button but promise yourself you’ll slim into but never quite do it.

Thankfully the goddess was smiling on me for once and I managed to button them up, ok so they were a bit snug but nothing I couldn’t work with I just had to make sure I didn’t stuff my face at dinner. They hugged my few curves and showed off my bum nicely giving it a lift. I paired it with the most casual thing in the wardrobe which was still a bit too dressed up for dinner, a white crop top with puffy three quarter sleeves the only problem was the cleavage, there was a massive gape leading to the very thin piece of fabric at the bottom just above my belly button I cringed at the thought of having to sit through a dinner with my family in this top but my only other opinions were party dresses or my high school prom dress. Thankfully the jeans were high waist so the crop part of the top wasn’t noticeable but there wasn’t a lot to be done about the massive deep v cleavage. I was just grateful I wasn’t a big chested girl seeing as a bra wasn’t an option in this situation.

You look amazing. Be brave. My wolf cooed, I was stunned she was actually talking to me for once. we hadn’t exactly been on great terms the last few weeks.

I took my hair out of its messy bun and quickly brushed it, hopefully my long hair would draw attention away from the cleavage. Taking a deep breath I headed downstairs.

As soon as I got down there I could hear mom and Mina in the kitchen so I headed in to see them both buttering bread together, mom had gotten a stool out so Mina could reach the worktop, the front of the her baby blue dress was now smeared with butter and she was eating more than actually putting on the bread but mom was making up for it.

“ monkey you’ll be sick eat some bread with it too” I chuckled going to the counter to help, in answer to my request Mina picked up some bread taking a bite and then licking the butter off her fingers, mom and I both chuckled at her then moms head came up taking me in doing a double take.

“ Who are you dressed up for? I didn’t think Lucas was coming” mom asked, looking me up and down and I can’t say that I blame her given I looked like I was going to a bar with friends not staying in for a family meal. mom was wearing her usual yoga pants and one of dads old hoddies that drowned her. She looked stunning and could rival any female in a ball gown even in a casual state. I snapped back into the moment when I realised I hadn’t answered her

“ it was either this or a cocktail dress” I gestured to my outfit, to be honest I was just happy I’d gotten the jeans on or it would have been something very revealing.

Mom raised her eyebrows as if she didn’t quite believe my outfit choice was due to lack of wardrobe. “ You look beautiful, you should make an effort more often, let people see the real you” mom said absently buttering bread I wasn’t even sure if she had meant to say it out loud.

“ yea I’m sure dad and Johnny would approve of this” I gestured to the giant gap down my chest where the rest of my top should be. Then I realised my ears weren't bleeding from the sounds of their ranting.

“ Where are the guys anyway?” I looked around the kitchen before turning back to mom in time to see Mina dipping her fingers into the butter again.

“ oh they all went into the office, I assume to discuss today's meeting though for the life of me why your dad needs to do it now….bless him he’s struggling to let go” mom sighed sadly we all knew retirement wasn’t going to be easy for dad but I think it made things harder to bare because he hadn’t handed down the title to Johnny. With mom it was different although she technically retired when dad did until kelly took over her duties mom still had plenty of things to do with her day.

“ oh did you hear about poor Mrs Coleson?” Mom said, whispering eyeing Mina who still had her fingers in the butter now drawing shapes. I nodded to mom not wanting to say much more about it with how upset Mina was yesterday when jaz was talking about it.

“ I saw her only last week when she brought my dress round for the wedding,” mom smiled sadly.

I was about to ask mom all about it when a very stressed dad came rushing into the kitchen huffing and puffing.

“ hey baba…oh I thought… you were having…dinner….shit” he panted, doubling over clutching his knees breathless.

“ Please don’t get dying on my floor babe, I’ll never get the deposit back on the house” mom murmured absently buttering still.

“ Of course not my love I just need to borrow our beautiful daughter for a moment ” dad gestured towards me reaching his hand out and grabbing my arm. I already knew this wasn’t going to be good dad only ever panicked for one reason and that reason was absently buttering bread.

“ What have you broken?'' Mom called sternly just as dad and I headed out the room. I looked over my shoulder to see dad cringing.. Mom Didn’t miss a thing.

“ Nothing my love the boys and I just want her opinion on something” mom hummed clearly not convinced but not saying anything either she was absently stroking Mina’s curls and feeding her more bread to go with her buttered fingers.

Dad all but shoved me out of the kitchen and into his office next door, I stumbled into the room seeing Johnny and Mitchell both looking sheepish and avoiding my eye. Straight away I knew something was wrong.

Dad’s office was similar to the alpha’s at the pack house only it wasn’t as big a space when he had been Beta he had a main office at the pack house so this was more of a safe haven for him. It was a multitude of shaded badge’s and yellows, mom said it prompted positive thinking but I wasn’t so sure. In the centre of the room sat an oak desk and a brand new laptop that I was sure had to be Johnnys or Mitchell’s as my dad felt the same way about technology as alpha Felix did . The room was usually immaculate but now there were white boxes and flowers along with other various wedding crap that Tammy had gotten mom to store until the wedding day in a few weeks time. This stuff was taking over completely and I’d be glad when it was all over.

“ alright what happened?” I asked suspiciously, folding my arms over my chest without thinking.

“ wooooo Ali, unfold the arms for a start” Johnny shouted putting his hands over his eyes in disgust and I realised I was not in the top for those kind of actions. I quickly put my arms by my sides embarrassed. I looked at the floor feeling my cheeks flush.

I heard an angry cough feeling like maybe I got called in to get an earful from the guys about my outfit, maybe mom had mindlinked dad. No that was stupid mom was encouraging me to dress up. I peaked up at the guys. Johnny was standing by dad's desk in the centre of the room and Mitchell to the right of him by the cupboard door where dad kept all his files. His head was down and his hands shoved in his pockets which I’d noticed he only ever seemed to do when he was uncomfortable, his head was dipped not making eye contact with anyone and I saw Johnny scowling at him.

What the hell had happened between these two now, don’t tell me I was only in here to play referee, I thought their business trip today would have helped build some bridges but something has clearly happened between them again.

“ So what's happened?” I asked shyly, it seemed to break Johnny out of his scowl and he relaxed, turning back to me.

“ Dad happened” he huffed and Mitchell peeked up at me slightly flushed and I wondered what had gotten into him, when I saw his eyes dart for the briefest moment to my chest and then back to Johnny who was now giving dad the stink eye over my shoulder. Mitchell moved to the side out the way of dad's cupboard door and for the first time since I entered I saw it.

As soon as I realised what had happened I audibly gasped covering my hands with my mouth, turning to dad I could see he was pale rubbing the back of his neck nervously. I looked back at the door then to the shredder by the desk seeing c*****e as a piece of torn red fabric lay just inside it, I followed the trail that led to the remains of the beautiful red gown that was once mom's handmade wedding outfit. It now had a huge tear all up the centre revealing the silk under skirts that were no way reparable.

“ OH.MY.GODESS!!!” I almost screamed at the top of my lungs but the guys covered my mouth quickly and I heard dad slamming the door to the office shut. I felt dad's arms come around me as he clutched me for dear life. He was a dead man.

Johnny took his hands from my mouth the same time all three of them let me go. The most powerful men in this pack and they were all wide eyed and filled with fear.

“ How?” Was all I could come up with, I had no idea why mom was storing stuff for the wedding in dad's office, best I could guess is she figured he was retired now and wouldn’t be in here so much so it would be safe, oh how wrong she was.

“ well dad was showing us his new paper shredder so naturally he stuck moms dress into it to show how well it works” Johnny joked gesturing to the dress, he amazed me how he could make jokes even while he was flustered at the situation.

“ oh shut up you i***t, it was that stupid tip top it was on too high a setting” dad groaned angrily from behind me.

“ for the last time it’s a laptop and that doesn’t explain how the dress by the door gets caught in the shredder,” Johnny explained to dad and I knew this was going to start a whole new argument I didn’t have time to let them get into.

“ So why have you dragged me into this?” I waved my hands in the air at them interrupting the impending argument.

“ well your a girl can’t you just fix it, stick it or something” dad asked gesturing to the ruined dress in response, Johnny started laughing hysterically at dads suggestion.

“ dad this is silk and chiffon” I said like it should have been blatantly obvious there was no repairing this dress it was destroyed but as usual dad just looked at me like I was speaking a different language to him.

“ I think what she’s saying is, you're a dead man” Mitchell chuckled from behind me I turned to him to see like Johnny he was trying hard not to laugh. It felt so strange seeing him so laid back and carefree for a change.

“ well what about mrs Coleson, surely she has another” dad asked.

“ dad mrs Coleson died the other day” I told him running my fingers through my hair, becoming more stressed by the second.

“ oh f**k it, why does everything happen to me” dad whined slumping against his desk and we all started laughing at him. Mom's voice sounded through the house saying dinner was nearly ready and we all froze but Johnny inadvertently kicked the shredder on the floor causing it to start up again and the material began disappearing into it once again. we all jumped to stop it when we heard an almighty tear and the sound of beads flying on the carpet. I didn’t need to look to know the dress had now been completely ripped open, dad suddenly went into a blind panic dancing around the room.

“ s**t, s**t, s**t” he shouted pulling at his hair.

“ so shall I call the ambulance now or wait till mom starts chasing him round the house with a meat cleaver” Johnny jokes picking up the phone on dad's desk.

“ I’ll just grab a shovel and start digging a plot in the garden now” Mitchell added and for a second I forgot about him being our alpha and just saw him as Johnny's goofy friend who always liked to add on in times like this. I forgot how Johnny and Mitchell used to wind my dad up terribly when they were kids. They both looked at each other laughing and it was like they were fifteen again.

“ IDIOTS!!” Dad cried running to the door grabbing the dress and robling it up in his fist in an attempt to hide it.

“ right we need to get this fixed, so you lot distract your mom and I’ll sneak the dress out the house” dad said going to the door with the dress in hand.

“ It's six at night. Who's gonna fix it now?” Johnny asked dad like he hadn’t thought it through at all.

“ I’ve already told you that the shredded materials can't be fixed” I stated from the floor trying to pick up the bead c*****e.

“ Come on, I need your help to save a life” dad begged almost on his hands and knees.

“ Oh dad , you know the dress wasn’t alive” Johnny joked and we all laughed. Mitchell crouched down beside me to help pick up the beads and sequins.

“ moron’s, I’m talking about me” he shrieked. I got up from the floor and Mitchell followed placing the few beads he’d gathered into my hand so I could dispose of them.

“ ok look I can take the dress to the seamstress if you like and see what can be done but they won’t fix it, either way your gonna have to tell mom the truth” I told him hoping to offer a solution, I mean really what other option was there.

“ not a chance, now listen, your mother just needs to be kept away from this office for the next week, now, she wanted to show you tonight so you just need to avoid her for a few days and bugger off tonight” he said looking directly at me with his most serious expression, I just gazed at him in astonishment.

“ dad we’re here for dinner, I’m pretty sure the ship has sailed on telling mom I’m not available” I said through gritted teeth, he had lost it.

“ right” he agreed finally but then he looked around for an answer before his eyes landed on Mitchell still standing next to me pointing at him. “ you pretend to ask her out on a date at the last minute and then the pair of you bugger off for the night” dad gestured toward the door frantically.

“ DAD!!” I exclaimed and Johnny almost shouted at once. I looked at Mitchell embarrassed to see him rubbing the back of his head looking sideways at me. Goddess why do dads always have to be so embarrassing.

“ right new plan we go out to eat” with that bombshell dad made for the door.

“ what, that makes no sense” I tried to argue feeling like the only sane person anymore but he was already gone.

“ great dads officially lost it, this should be fun” Johnny joked again and I wanted to slap him as he came round the desk shouldering Mitchell out the way so he could wrap his arms around me, Mitchell growled but otherwise said nothing and moved to the door.

“ You're not seriously going along with this?” I whispered to Johnny and his face lit up mischievously.

“ Come on, it will be fun, how much do you wanna bet dad survives the night?” I couldn’t help but chuckle thinking of how mom was absolutely going to find out about the dress and was definitely going to kill him even more so now he had dragged the rest of us into his elaborate and ill thought out plan.