Beyond Fate

Not a date

“ BENJI !!!” She bellowed through the shop that was stacked with rail after rail of clothes. There was no one theme either; some of the lines looked designer and others looked vintage. I was pretty sure I saw a dior suit I’d once seen in my grandmother's collection of Paris vogue magazines, that couldn’t be real could it? a fashion designer would have a field day in this place. It was a treasure chest, but there seemed to be no one there. Moments later a balled head gentleman appeared at the staircase above our heads. He looked to be about mid to late thirties and clearly had a colourful fashion sense judging by the leather trousers and fiberant orange and yellow patterned silk shirt that stood out even more so against his russet skin tone. Hanging over the balcony he looked down at us frowning.

“ awwww bo peep you’ve lost your sheep” he cooed the same way Tammy did earlier and I felt like giving him the finger.

“ hilarious!!”I scowled at the guy showing him his jokes were seriously unappreciated. I was not in the mood.

The seamstress places her hand on my shoulder to calm me before shouting up an this benji guy “ this young lady needs saving sweetie some hideous bride and her band of brats from hell just destroyed her clothes and she has to get to a date” she shouted and I realised she was using the word date too much.

“ oh a makeover I love. '' The man clapped excitedly, rubbing his hands together as he made his way down the stairs towards us. He changed his tune fast.

“ a super quick one benji she’s already late, it’s with the new guy we’ve seen drive through town a few times recently” she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively at him.

“ oh wow that fine piece of man, he’s like my fantasy brought to life, tell me all your secrets girl, what I wouldn’t give to get up close to that alpha male ” I flinched at his use of the word alpha, the town consisted of humans and they knew we lived in a small community in the forest but to my knowledge they knew nothing about what we really were. If they did I doubt the town would be so full of life and the people so calm.

Whilst I tried to decide if the situation needed any alerting to the alpha the two kept talking ignorantly “I certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed if he crawled in” the seamstress said, making my eyes go wide, she was more than twice Mitchell’s age.

“ Deborah!!” Benji scalded, slapping her on the arm playfully.

“ I don’t care, that boy is fine as hell” she shrugged and I chuckled feeling myself relax a little it seemed the alpha comment wasn’t anything to do with his title not that I could blame them, everything about Mitchell screamed alpha male he exuded power even when he wasn’t trying.

“if my granddaughter could find a guy like that I wouldn’t be so against her mothers pleas for her to get married” she chuckled, shaking her head.

“ she still not letting up?” Benji asked disapprovingly.

“ nope my poor Ginnie she never wants to go home these days, just sits in my shop looking glum” Deborah said sadly.

“ the girl in your shop, isn’t she only a teenager” I asked looking puzzled surely they weren't talking about her she was so young. But Deborah nodded her head confirming the young girl behind the counter was who she was talking about.

“ my husband had old fashioned values dear, he believed a woman should be in the kitchen and making babies, morals he installed onto our children unfortunately, my daughter wants Ginnie to look for a husband but Ginnie wants to go to college and become an architect” I was stunned I couldn’t believe a business woman like Deborah would have such an old fashioned husband.

“ can’t your husband talk your daughter round, I mean you own your own business so he must be supportive of that right?” Deborah burst out laughing and so did benji clearly I’d missed something.

“ oh huni my husbands long dead, he died of a heart attack when he was forty five” she waved her hand dismissively as if she was almost happy about it.

“ oh Im so sorry..”

“ oh don’t be…happiest day of my life, that man made my life hell and I told him one day I’d dance on his grave, I even waited an extra half an hour before calling for an ambulance just to be sure he was dead” my eyes widened at her revaluation wow should you really tell a stranger something like that. Deborah leaned into me as if to tell me a secret.

“ It turned out he’d been hiding money from me…. Hundred thousand big ones to be exact. That arshole used to give me a beating if I’d take sewing jobs on the side because my place was at home cooking his dinner, but he could barely afford to put food on the table. My children went to school with holes in their clothes but he had cash to spare. so as my final revenge on that sexist pig I used all of his stashed cash to open my business, now every time I open up my store I think of him and how he’d be spinning in his grave to think all his money went to pay for a woman’s business venture” she smiled smugly, well that’s one way to get your own back on a man spend all his money on something he’d despise.

“ joke will be on my spiteful daughter as well, she thinks she’s sent my granddaughter to my shop as a way to show her how hard working life is but we’ve been secretly plotting her escape, along with what’s left of my husbands money and the bratty bride’s dress, it’s the final payment we need to get my girl out of this town for good” she high fived benji who smiled like they were both in on the evil plan, which they probably were.

“ Well Genie is lucky to have you to support her” I smiled praising Deborah for helping her granddaughter fulfil her dreams.

“ thank you sweetie but enough about me let’s get you ready for your hunk” she squealed like a teenager, I was about to correct her when benji spoke up again.

“ don’t worry huni I’ll have you beautiful in no time '' Benji said before bouncing off. Between him and Debora they were a couple of gabbling teens and I found myself loving them the more they talked.

“ I appreciate your help but I should tell you it’s just ice cream not a date” I said to benji who was distracted grabbing clothes.

“ So did he invite you out for food?” He looked back at me heading to another rail.

“ Yes,” I said puzzled.

“ Did he smile while he did it?” He asked again, grabbing something else to throw with the pile on his shoulder.

“ Yes,” I said with a frown wondering where this was going.

“ Is he single?” How did I explain to him that werewolves mated for life.

“ technically” I cringed, not sure how to answer, it wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t the truth either but then no one else seemed to grasp that Rose was Mitchell’s one and only.

“ then it’s a date” benji cheered carrying on with a spring in his step, it’s really not but I wasn’t gonna argue if it got me out of this stupid costume, benji grabbed me some jeans and tops, I was amazed he knew my size.

He handed me the clothes and ushered me into the fitting room. I listened to benji and Deborah go on about what had happened in the shop, apparently I wasn’t the only one that hated the b***h brigade they were notorious in this town which I frowned at because most of us never left the pack so how had Kelly and the others been given so much freedom to be able to developers a reputation.

Deborah had even threatened to really get Tammy's measurements wrong on purpose for her wedding dress because they had upset one of her friends in the cafe next door. All the shop owners seemed to know each other pretty well so it made sense if you got in bad with one you were on bad terms with them all.

“ So sweetie, tell me how long you and Mr Hotness have been seeing each other?” Deborah asked as I came out of the fitting room.

“ Oh well he’s actually my boss, I’m his daughter's nanny’s that’s all” I stated proudly, I had always loved my job taking care of Mina and was eager to tell anyone that wanted to hear.

“ Sweetie, if my boss looked at me that way, I sure as hell wouldn’t be serving some snobby little brats with money for a living” benji turned to Deborah seductively gesturing to her.

“ f**k me eyes?” He said, raising his eyebrows and looking at her weirdly almost the same way kelly and the others had looked at mitchell earlier.

“ serious f**k me eyes” she confirmed with a nod. I was struggling to keep up with these two. What were ‘f**k me eyes’ I was certain no one had ever given me that before.

“ I’m sorry?” Not a clue what they were on about but enjoying the show all the same.

“ sweetie that boy does not see you as his kids nanny not with the way he was looking at you even in that awful dress” Deborah corrected making a face.

“ meaning he was more interested in getting you out of it” benji winked and Deborah slapped his arm.

“let me put it this way he had a crowd of beautiful women all fluttering around him yet the only time he took his eyes of you was to look at that adorable little girl of his, he even swooped in like a knight in shining hot armour saving you from having to wear that awful thing” Deborah pointed to the dress that was now in my hand. I figured I’d keep it since Mina liked it so much I could make it into a play dress for her.

“ you know this dress is one of yours right?” I chuckled holding it up as Deborah turned back to me, she looked like a woman that took pride in her work so I didn’t know why she was insulting her own work but Deborah looked at me disgusted.

“ sweetie I would never stock such an awful thing, those girls brought that dress in with them not five minutes before you came into my shop” fuckers I hated them all Tammy was seeing this bridesmaid thing as a way to humiliate me for sure. She was even going to make me pay for it.

“ Well, don’t you look beautiful, ” Benji said, admiring me like a piece of art he’d designed. His soft expression made me blush.

I looked at myself in the mirror behind me, I hated to admit it but I actually did look better than normal benji had chosen black fitted jeans with a high waist and a light blue floral crop top with gypsy style sleeves and a V neck cleavage, he’d place a few longer necklaces there so my chest didn’t look bare, I was comfortable but dressed up not like the other night at the distant dinner.

I liked it. He'd paired it with a new black side bag and white converse. pretty but casual I looked like most girls my age for a change, from just wearing casual jeans and a plain top in case it got caked in something from the kids at school or Mina. I smoothed down my wavy hair turning to thank Benji and Deborah before I left.

Turns out my bag hadn’t survived the bitches toilet prank so I had no money to offer them but promised to bring some back tomorrow to pay for the new clothes. They just told me to promise to come back to them with some juicy gossip on in their words ‘ hot daddy’ I laughed before hugging them both and leaving.

I had to run to meet Mina and alpha Mitchell at the ice cream stand. Thankfully, I knew the place they’d go to, it was Mina's favourite, a little stand at the end of the high street. Sometimes when we came out with alpha Felix and Luna Jamie I would bring her here as a treat.

Once I got there I saw them sitting just in front of the stand. Mina was already tucking into a huge bowel that I knew was way too big for her to handle. Alpha Mitchell hadn’t got anything so I assumed he’d eaten his already. When I neared the table he noticed me removing his designer sunglasses. He smiled his all dazzling smile at me that you could never help smiling back to.

“ good thing we didn’t order yours it would be liquid by now” he eyed me for a moment his gaze lingered a bit on me making me feel self conscious.

“ new clothes?” He asked me, nervously I tucked my hair behind my ear.

“ err Yea... long story” I looked towards Mina hoping he’d get I couldn’t really talk about it in front of her, he looked at me expectantly waiting for an answer though, huh maybe I was a bit too subtle.

“ it involved a magical fairy” I sat down waving my hand dramatically as Mina giggled at me while alpha Mitchel smirked.

“ and five evil..... trolls who flushed the poor fairy’s clothes down the toilet right before the fairy was supposed to meet her friends, the king” I did my best deep voice and made a muscle, well in for a penny and all that. Mina giggled which made my dramatics worth it. “And the beautiful little princess for ice cream” I smiled at Mina tucking her hair behind her ear.

Mina gasped “ oh no”

“ I know” I said dramatically.

“ poor fairwy” Mina pouted taking another mouthful of ice cream.

“ So, how did the story end?” Mitchel asked with a more serious tone now, I smiled at him hopefully letting him know everything was fine.

“ the very nice fairy godmother took her to her friends shop and they gave her some new clothes for free because the evil trolls had even flushed the poor fairy’s money away too”I nodded at her.

“ poor fairwy” Mina spoke with her mouth full letting ice cream dribble all down her chin.

“ and although the fairy was grateful to her new friends, she insisted on bringing the money to pay them back the very next day because that was the right thing to do and the fairy still made it in time to eat ice cream with her friends” Mina jumped up and down in her chair cheering and we all laughed.

“ Sounds like those evil trolls need a good hiding” Mitchell said sternly knowing exactly who the evil trolls in the story were, I looked over at him solemnly.

“ don’t worry they had to go home while the fairy gotta eat as much ice cream as she wanted” I chuckled and his face softened a bit.

“ Well in that case I best go get you a double helping of....strawberry?” I smiled nodding to him, impressed that he’d remembered Mina's earlier comment.

“ Yes please” Alpha Mitchell smiled at me before getting up to go to the stand. Every female around us was checking him out watching him ready to pounce. Did he see it? He must see it.

I looked over to Mina who was well into her giant bowl making a right mess. At least Mitchell had the foresight to make a makeshift bib for her but the master mess maker had it all over her hands and face.

“ So your daddy let you get the big bowl today?” she smiled with a mischievous glint in her eye. She was a sneaky monkey. Alpha Mitchel had obviously asked her what size she normally has and Mina had picked the biggest knowing I’d never let her have it because she’d end up being sick.

“ Hey animal, slow down, you're getting your hair in it” I pulled one of my emergency bands from around my wrists tying her hair back.

“ I’m gonna grab some napkins, messy monkey don’t move” the cart was five feet away so I quickly ran to the counter and grabbed some napkins tapping Mitchell on the shoulder so’s not to run into him which was our usual routine.

“ I’m sorry we should have waited for you, those girls wouldn’t have done that to you if I’d of been there” no they probably would they were stupid and ballsy thinking they were untouchable.

“ they were just pissed I wouldn’t have to wear that god awful bo peep dress” I chuckled trying to make light of it. It wasn’t the worst thing they had done to me by far, but I wasn’t about to tell Mitchell that he had already done so much to keep me safe within the pack and I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was an impossible task.

“ no it’s not good enough I hate bullies and I won’t abide it in my pack” he had a lot to learn about his pack did he not know I was the entire packs favourite target or at least for anyone for our age range everyone still thought of me as the Beta girl who’d had the privileged life until she had shown her true unworthy colours by hiding in the cupboard during her trials. Never occurred to anyone that I was locked in from the outside, so obviously I hadn’t locked myself in there, needless to say our pack wasn’t that smart.

“don’t worry about it alpha, I’m used to it”

I smiled over at Mina who was beginning to slow down but not stopping. She was going to puke later. I moved away towards her with the napkins then a strong hand grabbed my arm pulling me back so I was flush up against his side Mitchell stared down at me with his intense alpha eyes they flowed from their usual green to amber showing me his wolf wasn’t happy.

“ if anyone treats you that way again Alisha I want you to tell me I won’t have you being treated that way ever again and Lucas is a f*****g i***t”

I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face.He changed his tune fast. Did he not realise that barely a month ago he was on the same bandwagon as the five trolls. I should have reminded him of that but I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes long enough to find my voice. I was slightly aware that he was stroking my skin with his thumb. I tried to ignore the tingling sensation it was leaving in its wake. I instead focused on the fact he’d just called his own friend an i***t.

“ Well it’s not like you didn’t warn me it would end in heartbreak” I said shakily trying to ignore the feeling of his hand on my skin. Heat flowed through me and the light breeze that I’d found chilly earlier suddenly seemed too hot. I couldn’t ever remember feeling like this, not with Lucas or even Nathan. It was so strange I’d never felt such a strong feeling of being exactly in the right place. it seemed Mitchel was picking up on it too because neither of us had moved we just continued to stare at each other. The woman at the counter called Mitchell, bringing us both out of our trance. Mitchell’s eyes went back to their normal green and turned away from me to answer her question leaving me reeling from what had just happened. As if something had snapped into place but I had no idea what.

‘ You will not form an attraction to this man Alisha, he is not your mate, he is your alpha’ I scolded myself in my head. Shocked it hadn’t come from my wolf for once. Nothing made sense every time I had been with Lucas she had either been raging or had shut me out but she was there I could feel her, she was content.

“ I only ever want to see you smile Alisha '' Mitchell whispered when he turned back to me he didn’t touch me this time but it was as if he needed to be as close as possible, I would have been scared if I hadn’t felt the same way. It was as if we had formed a bond, not like the mate bond but something just as meaningful.

His eyes darkened almost to black before turning back to amber. I couldn’t control my breathing. I felt like I might melt under his intense gaze ‘ STOP, STOP, STOP!’ I shouted in my head.

Once again my wolf stayed quiet normally she started giving me a headache If any male but Nathan touched us but she was incredibly calm, the calmest I’d ever known her to be.

“ Here you go, one strawberry and one chocolate” the girl behind the counter said, forcing Mitchell to finally release me from his intense gaze and turn towards the girl. I took the moment as my chance to escape. I walked back towards Mina trying to get my breathing under control, what the hell was that? It couldn’t be that Mitchell was attracted to me could it?

‘Don’t be stupid he could have any woman he wanted why the hell would he want you esspecially when he didn’t even approve of your relationship with lucas.’ I scaled myself again.

It wasn’t an exaggeration Mitchell could literally have any woman he wanted any time anywhere he didn’t have to work for it just nod his head and they’d come running, I was an i***t, stupid fairy godmothers benji and Deborah filling my head with idiotic thoughts.

I cleaned Mina up doing my best to save her summer dress she had on, I pushed my stupid attraction thoughts away vowing to be a good pack member and appreciate I could have a friendship with my alpha. I’d been more than honoured at the thought before, he didn’t have to be nice to me. I was an employee, a pack member, the ex of his close friend, not to mention an omega. He didn’t even have to acknowledge my existence except to give me an order but he’d graciously asked me to join him for ice cream. I couldn’t read into this for anything more than what it was besides I loved taking care of Mina and he’d already sent me away from her once I didn’t want to risk losing my position in the pack house again.

“ Remember your place, keep your distance” I whispered to myself even Mina wasn’t paying attention.

“ What was that?” s**t Mitchell came up behind me with our ice creams making me visibly jump.

“ I...I.. was just saying how much of a mucky pup your little lady is sir” Mitchell didn’t miss the fact I’d called him sir he frowned tilting his head to the side studying me trying to work me out, sometimes it felt like he could see right through me when he did that.

He said nothing and handed me my ice cream. He'd gotten us cones which was good thinking, I’d doubt Mina would sit and wait while we ate ours so at least we could walk and eat.

“ How you doing kiddo?” He smiled down at Mina going to sit next to her.

“ told you I’d eat it all daddy” Mina smiled proudly I chuckled knowing what was coming later.

“ What do you want to do now princess?” He asked as I sat back down taking a lick of my ice cream.

“ park” she clapped.

“ sounds like a plan Alisha are you joining us ?” He spoke formally to me and I felt bad for calling him sir earlier. He'd been laid back before now he seemed all stiff and authoritative again. I didn’t want to ruin his time with Mina he didn’t get many opportunities to do this he was always so busy and Mina was having fun with laid back dad.

“ I best hang out with you guys to help you clean up the mess the monkey is going to make in the next.....” I glanced dramaticky at my wrist watch before finishing. “ …20 minutes” I smirked, Mitchell frowned before eyeing Mina suspiciously trying to hide his own smirk.

“ Have you been telling daddy porkies?” He squinted at her taking a lick of his own ice cream.

“ NO daddy!” Mina insisted, almost screaming.

“ You said Alisha buys you the big one every time” I couldn’t help laughing. Alpha Mitchell looked at me and then went back to Mina looking confused.

“ you really did tell daddy porkies monkey pants” I scrunched her nose between my fingers and she pushed me away grumpily that she’d been caught out.

“ don’t worry Mina, daddy will learn his lesson when you hurl all over his car later” I chuckled, making her even more angry.

“ no I won’t....pants on fire” she put her hands on her hips determination set on her cute little face.

“ the usual wager?” I stated arms folded, raising an eyebrow attempting to act formal and failing to hide my smile. Mina had such a good poker face she was alpha through and through eyes scowling she thrust her hand out at me and we shook fiercely.

“ What's the usual wager?” Mitchell asked, looking a little worried.

“ you’ll see” I smiled, happy that mitchell had changed back to happy laid back daddy “park?” I asked Mina.

“ yay park” she cheered jumping down from her seat.