Meeting Him
Alison's POV:
“Forever,” I murmured thoughtfully, scratching my eyes, thinking I was daydreaming.
After rejecting me, Alpha Henry left the room like a free man, while I laid on my rag bed, wondering what had happened.
Suddenly, his words sunk in, and I opened my eyes. “Forever…….” I screamed at the top of my voice.
Tears welled up in my eyes as Henry's words hit me like a sledgehammer. I held my chest in pain, and I couldn't bring myself to think about anything. "I am a weakling; this pack needs a strong Luna, and I am not worthy of being the one.” I kept assuring myself.
The door was pushed open, and I turned in the direction, hoping that Henry had come back for me.
“Oh, the laughingstock is awake!” Phyna said as she entered the room, accompanied by my mother.
“Sister Phyna, I just had a horrible dream. I was rejected by the Alpha,” I cried out to my sister, not because I was expecting kind words, but because I needed to tell someone my sorrow.
Phyna laughed at me, and my mother joined the menacing laughter. “Oh, forgive my rude manners; but sister, you dreamt about my mate?” she asked when her laughter died down, a fierce look on her face.
“Umm... well,” I stuttered, unsure of how to reply to her. “You guys aren't mated, and he is still my...”
“Time’s up, Josephine the dreamer, get out of my house; I've endured the shame that comes with giving birth to you long enough,” my mother yelled at me before I could complete my sentence.
“What do you mean, Mom?” I asked with a surprised look. Everything was happening so fast before my eyes, and I didn't understand what was going on.
“It’s been a while since your father left for the court of law, so the papers should be ready by now,” my mother replied, stepping on my ragged bed.
“What papers?” I asked with raised brows, wondering if they were planning a surprise.
“We are legally disowning you, dummy. You are not our daughter, never was, and never will be,” my mother replied, and Phyna hugged her happily.
“But you guys are my parents. I don't have anyone else,” I whispered, barely audible for them to hear, wondering if I was still dreaming.
“Get out, or else I will drag you out. We've endured the shame you bring. Leave, and don't ever come back!” my mother yelled.
I thought she was joking, so I laughed nervously. Unfortunately, this irritated her, and she grabbed my hair, dragging me down the stairs. Phyna followed, laughing and clapping.
I tried to reason with them. I apologized and vowed to be a better daughter, but my mother was beyond listening. She pushed me out of the house and locked the door.
I sat in the portico, lost and confused. Tears kept streaming out of my eyes, refusing to stop. I didn't know who to turn to. After sitting there for hours, I stood up and left.
The pack environment was quiet, so I didn't meet a lot of people on the road. Brother Peter's house was located in the heart of the community. It was gigantic, just like an Alpha's mansion, and three different fancy cars were packed in the garage.
I entered the compound, and looked around for signs of my brother. When I saw none, I sighed in relief, and I knocked on the door.
It took a while before the door was opened. Unfortunately for me, Phillip was the one who opened the door; he was smiling, but on seeing me, he shut the door. I stood there like a lost puppy, wondering why my entire family hated me.
I quickly turned to leave because I didn't want to be the cause of another argument.
“Alison,” Lara Smith's voice brought me back to earth, “What are you doing here? And why are you leaving so early?” She asked with a grimace on her face.
Lara is Henry's little sister, and although she's not fond of me, she dislikes Phyna.
“Well….” I mumbled, thinking of the right word to use.
“Don't leave; curfew will soon start; follow me,” she proposed, and I obediently followed her back.
I couldn't help but wonder if she was oblivious to the trending hot topic: ‘Alpha Henry Smith rejected the helpless Beta, Alison.’
She knocked on the door several times but received no response. I knew it was because of me, but I didn't say anything.
“Hmmm, maybe they’re having some couple’s fun,” Lara said, giggling excitedly.
I smiled at her feigning innocence, “You are right, maybe,” I replied politely.
“Brother Peter, it's me, Lara!" She announced and banged the door harder.
“Really? You are keeping her out?” I heard Peter's voice, and a few seconds later, the door was open.
“I'm so sorry, Lara, it's a..." Peter paused his apology statement upon seeing me, “Alison?” He looked surprised, “What are you doing here, darling? Did you guys come together?” he asked Lara.
“Unfortunately, no, we didn't. I met her here. She was about to leave,” Lara blabbered like a parrot, and Peter frowned.
I quickly hid my face so he wouldn't see my red eyes.
“Not fair, Alison. I've missed your smile. Anyway, come in,” he said, opening the door. As I took my first step into the house, my brother's threatening words echoed in my head.
‘If I lose my marriage, I'll make sure your bones are fed to the rogue wolves!’ he had threatened me a few days earlier.
I looked at Peter; he was smiling at me. But then, I knew my coming into their house could ruin a lot of things. He had always been nice to me, and I wanted him to be genuinely happy, so I took a step back and ran into the woods.
'At least, I won't ruin a good marriage!’ I thought.
“Alison! Where are you going?” Peter yelled and attempted to run after me, but Lara held him down, while whispering some words to him.
I can't say for how long I kept running, but I knew I stopped when my bones refused to move. It was very dark, and the hooting sound of an owl gave the environment an eerie vibe. I looked around; the woods looked creepy.
Bats and ravens kept flying around in horror, as though they were chased by an invincible force. I decided to ignore it all. I sat down on a nearby rock, and exhaustion washed over me like a wave. I was hungry, tired, and utterly spent. I looked around the dark woods, my eyes scanning the underbrush for any sign of food.
That was when I spotted it—a juicy, ripe fruit hanging from a nearby tree. I reached out a hand, my fingers closing around the fruit, just as a searing pain shot through my arm. I yelped, jerking my hand back, and saw that a snake had coiled itself around the tree trunk, its fangs buried deep in my skin. I panicked, trying to shake off the snake, but it held fast. I managed to fling it off, but not before it had injected its venom into my bloodstream.
As I sat there, nursing my wounded arm, I noticed something strange. The birds, those creepy, black creatures, were flying overhead, their wings beating in a cryptic rhythm. They seemed to be warning me of something. Then I saw it. Three sloth bears, tall and imposing, emerged from the shadows. Their eyes glowed like embers, and I could feel their gaze upon me, piercing and cold.
I tried to stand and run, but my legs felt like lead, and my body was heavy with the snake's venom. As the bears moved closer, I felt a surge of fear and desperation. I began to wonder if my parents and siblings were right—maybe I was just a helpless, lost puppy searching for acceptance.
But then a spark of determination ignited within me. I knew I couldn't give up, no matter what. I was determined to escape, survive, to prove them wrong, and make everyone pay for their humiliation. I realized that life and death were separated by a thin thread, and I vowed that if I managed to escape this deadly fate, I would transform into a force to be reckoned on. A name to be feared.
With my last drop of strength and determination in my eyes, I stood up like a fighter and took to my heels. The bears jumped out of the dark, roaring like lions, and began to chase after me. I sprinted through the darkness, my heart racing like a drum.
I could feel their hot breath on my neck, their claws snapping mere inches from my heels. But I refused to give up. If I had a wolf, I would have jumped into a tree, ran faster, or perhaps alerted a nearby werewolf, but I was wolf-less, and I learned to accept that part. I drew on every last scrap of strength, pouring it into my legs as I pumped them as fast as I could.
Suddenly, a huge tree trunk fell out of nowhere, separating me from the ferocious animals. I quickly hid beside the trunk, wondering how it got there. I heard a strange noise echoing through the forest—a sharp, metallic ringing, like the sound of a sword slicing through the air.
I peeped and saw a figure emerging from the darkness, a gleaming sword held high. With swift and deadly precision, the figure strikes down the sloth bears, his sword slicing through their thick fur and flesh like paper.
"You shouldn't be here. What are you? A little bird?" The figure whispered to me, his breath like a cold mist on my skin.
His gaze was like a winter's night, cold and unforgiving. His eyes, a piercing yellow, seemed to bore into my soul as if searching for secrets I dared not reveal.
His chiseled features were set in a stern expression, his full lips pressed into a thin line that hinted at a passion long suppressed. His raven-black long hair was slicked back, revealing a prominent forehead and sharp cheekbones that seemed to be carved from ice. His skin was deathly pale and hinted at an otherworldly beauty. His shirt was revealing, and although it was dark, I could still see his beautiful tattoos.
As our gazes met, a jolt of electricity ran through my veins, and I felt an inexplicable connection to this mysterious being. It was as if our souls had collided, sparking a deep and forbidden attraction.
“Little bird, don't you…….” Before the strange ethereal being could complete his sentence, the venom of the snake came back, and I collapsed in his arms.