The Alpha and her Luna

Everyone Breaks a Dish Sometimes

It's Friday  night, and there's no school tomorrow, so of course there's no rush for anyone to leave the party. We all danced, and after a few beers I forgot all about the unpleasantness that happened at the Alpha's table.

I had changed into a pair of jeans that hugged my figure perfectly and an off the shoulder white peasant blouse, and a pair of supple brown boots. My fiery red hair was piled into a neat bun on top of my head and when I changed clothes I added a bit more green eyeshadow and a deeper plum shade of lipstick. I wasn't conventionally beautiful, but I was cute. I had a button nose and a spattering of freckles that gave me a playful look, even when I was trying to be serious.

I had never been unpopular with the boys, and I danced with several of them. We were all feeling a little tipsy, but it's near impossible for a werewolf to get drunk unless we tried intentionally. This is why most werewolf parents didn't mind their teenagers drinking.

The night was fun, but it had to end eventually and Sarah and I find ourselves in the kitchen once again. The price for enjoying the party was staying afterwards to finish the clean up. I offer to stay behind and let Sarah go home, since she has riding lessons the next morning. She competes in equestrian shows, so her weekends are usually taken up with traveling or lessons or some other such nonsense.

The kitchen is empty and quiet, and when I slip the earbuds in my ears and turn on music I'm already mentally preparing myself for the massive stack of pots and pans I'll be scrubbing tonight. We have an industrial dishwasher so the plates only have to be loaded, but the pots and pans? Well, there's no quick and easy way to do that. It requires elbow grease, and boy I had plenty of it.

It's late, pretty much the middle of the night, really. The pack house was dead silent and most of the inhabitants were asleep. Most people would be creeped out by it, but I had been doing this for a few years, so it was just normal for me. The music is blaring, I'm scrubbing, and there's a smile on my face. I'm happy with the way the night turned out. I'm generally happy, honestly. I don't have much to complain about in my life, and I want it to stay that way.

I'm not sure how long I've been scrubbing, but there was the sound of a door opening and a person entering the kitchen. I don't pay much attention to it, though. It's not the first time someone gets hungry in the middle of the night and comes foraging in the pack refrigerator. I call out to them, whoever they are, "Mom left a few turkey subs in the fridge in case anyone got hungry! I can make you something else if you want!"

I never turn around though. Why would I? This was business as usual here in the pack kitchen. I am not aware there's someone behind me, at least not until I feel the warmth of their breath on my neck. For some reason it makes my hair stand on end and when I hear the sound of them inhaling my scent I can feel my hand trembling slightly. I'm afraid to move. I'm afraid to say anything at all. Whoever it is - they're radiating a sense of power that you usually feel in the presence of the higher ranking wolves. I reach up to pull the earbuds from my ears, and the sound of punk music can faintly be heard as I drop them onto the counter on the side of the sink. There's still nothing being said and I draw in a deep breath before saying quietly, "Listen, I'm just doing the dishes then I'll be gone. I don't want any trouble."

My voice is trembling even though I'm making an effort to sound strong. I'm still afraid to turn around. I wonder if it's one of the guests from the surrounding packs that came for the Luna's party. I'm just about to turn when I hear a word hissed against my ear as soft lips brush it. "Mate.." I gasp and drop the plate in my hand. The sound of it clattering against the sink and breaking echoes against the stainless steel of the industrial appliances.

I can't bring myself to turn and look. I just can't. I'm under eighteen so I can't feel the mate bond yet. I won't be able to for a few more months, and the idea of being claimed like this... it scares me. I'm trembling and when I push against the edge of the counter to prepare to turn my back presses into something tall and hard. I turn around slowly, my eyes closing until I'm facing them. It's not until their hands lift to gently rest on my exposed shoulders that I open my eyes.

I gasp loudly. Chloe!