Her Blood Haven werewolf

The Alpha

RACHEL'S POINT OF VIEW

"Why were they even hurrying to repair their car, anyway?" I asked, frustration lacing my voice. "It’s not like they actually need it for anything important."

Kristy hesitated for a moment before sighing. "It's probably because of the Alpha's mating ceremony coming up. They want everything in order before it happens."

I rolled my eyes so hard I could almost see my brain. "Of course. The Alpha," I said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "As if he's any better than the rest of those wolves. What’s the big deal about him, anyway? I don’t get why everyone’s so obsessed with the guy."

Kristy gave me a sideways glance, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I've heard he's actually not that bad," she said cautiously, as if afraid of how I’d react.

I scoffed loudly, my temper flaring again. "Not that bad? Isn't he dating the twin brother of the wolf that just attacked your dad? How is that not bad? Kristy, you shouldn’t be defending him!"

She looked down, defeated, her hand brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're right," she mumbled. "I just... I don’t know. People say different things."

I softened a little, guilt creeping in. I knew Kristy wasn’t trying to make excuses for what had happened, but I couldn’t help how angry I was. Not just at the pack members who terrorized her family, but at the whole damn system we were stuck in.

Kristy sighed, deciding to let the subject drop. She cleared her throat, trying to change the mood. "Anyway," she started hesitantly, "are we still going to the fabric market today? You wanted to make a dress for your 19th birthday, remember?"

I paused, biting my lip. The thought of my birthday felt so insignificant compared to what had just happened. "We can't go now," I said flatly, glancing at Mark, who was still groaning quietly in pain on the couch. "Your family just got attacked. How could I think about dresses after that?"

Before Kristy could respond, Kate cut in, her voice gentle but firm. "Rachel, it’s okay. I’ll take care of Mark. He’ll be fine."

Kristy looked at her mother, uncertainty written all over her face. "Are you sure, Mom? I don’t want to leave you with all this."

Kate smiled softly, stroking her daughter’s hair. "Yes, I’m sure. Go. You both need a distraction, and there’s nothing more you can do here right now. Mark just needs some rest."

Kristy’s face relaxed, though the worry didn’t completely fade. She glanced at me, and I nodded. If Kate was insisting, who were we to argue?

"Alright, let’s go," Kristy said, a bit of the old excitement returning to her voice.

We grabbed our bicycles and headed out, the tension that had built up in the house slowly loosening as we sped down the road toward the town mall. The wind whipped through my hair, and for a few moments, I let myself forget about the horrors of earlier. Kristy was pedaling fast beside me, and we both exchanged a small smile, almost like old times. Almost.

Though I was two years older we still felt like sisters, staying back home after graduating from highschool to take care of my dad, was never a burden for me even though I told him I stayed back because I wasn't ready for college yet, I needed to be here for the people I cared about, the Adams family, my dad, in any way I could, this was my home and however f****d up it was I grew up here, the trees were all too familia to me that I could almost count them, the lake were we gathered after school, the water fall where all the kids like to play in were all home for me and I wouldn't wanna leave, at least not yet.

When we reached the mall, we parked our bikes and rushed inside, giggling like we used to when we were younger. The fabric market had always been our favorite place, with its bright, colorful patterns and the endless possibilities for what we could create. For a moment, it felt like everything was normal again.

But as we reached the entrance, a group of pack members suddenly burst through the doors, laughing loudly, their voices echoing around the mall. I stepped back instinctively, trying to avoid them, but one of them bumped into my shoulder as he barreled out.

"Hey!" I snapped, more out of reflex than anything else. My hand went to my shoulder, and I turned to see who had hit me.

That’s when I saw him.

The Alpha.

He turned as well, locking eyes with me. His gaze was intense, his deep brown eyes reminding me of the setting sun, warm but distant. His long jet-black hair fell around his shoulders, and he wore a sleek black leather jacket that made him look even more intimidating than I had imagined. He was everything the rumors had described, but seeing him up close was… different.

For a split second, I couldn’t move. Neither could he, it seemed. We just stood there, staring at each other. My heart beat faster, but not from fear. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at me, like he was trying to read me, to understand something I didn’t even understand myself.

Then, as quickly as it had happened, he broke the stare and turned away, walking off with his pack members as if nothing had transpired. The moment was over, but I could still feel the heat from his gaze lingering on me.

"Sorry he bumped into you," Kristy said, shaking her head. "You’re kind of right, though. They do act like they’re gods."

I forced a small smile, but my mind was still racing, replaying that moment over and over. Who was he, really? The Alpha. I had always thought he was just like the rest of them, a heartless, arrogant werewolf who couldn’t care less about humans. But something in his eyes had been… different.

"Yeah," I muttered, trying to shake off the feeling as we stepped into the mall.

We made our way through the fabric market, the vibrant colors and patterns a welcome distraction from the tension that had been building all day. Kristy pulled out bolts of fabric, holding them up to me and laughing when I wrinkled my nose at the more garish ones. Slowly, we started to relax, falling back into our old rhythm, teasing each other about what colors would suit me best for my birthday dress.

But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the fabric, on Kristy, on the upcoming birthday celebration, my thoughts kept drifting back to the Alpha. The way he’d looked at me, the way something in me had shifted in that brief moment.

I couldn’t explain it, but one thing was certain.

Things were changing, and not just for me. Something was brewing, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. But I could feel it—like the calm before a storm.

And I wasn’t sure if any of us were ready for it.