The Exiled Alpha

Chapter thirty-five

My wounds are completely healed up in the morning, when I wake up. I tear off the bandages, the blood covered cloth falling down on the floor next to my bed. I watch the fully healed flesh on my hand, turning it around to check if there are any scars left. But there is no sign of my battle wounds from yesterday.

I feel drained, tired from the sleepless night that just left me tossing around the bed. I could hear Tyler and Samantha talking in their room, next door to mine, around five in the morning. I'm almost positive none of us could sleep after a night like this. I don't even know if father came home from the pack house or if he just stayed there with Loki for the whole night.

I stand up from my bed, looking myself in the mirror that is next to my wardrobe. I watch my long blond locks fall over my shoulders and down to the middle of my back. My eyes look duller than they usually are, especially now that they're decorated by dark eye bags that are turning purple. My face seems sunken, my skin looks paler. Yesterday's scenes of the battle live rent free in my brain and they cause me to feel worse in my own skin, than I already do.

I tug my hair behind my ear and force myself to look away from the mirror. I head over to my desk, opening up the top drawer, where the little bottles filled with pills sit. I grab one of the orange bottles, looking at the label glued on the plastic container. I have read over the name of these pills so many times already, it makes my lips tug down into a frown. I unscrew the white top of the container and shake out one of the pills into my open palm. My eyes look over the white pill. It is so small, yet so effective.

I take in a deep breath and lean my head backwards, bringing the pill to my lips. I feel how it slips down my throat and into my stomach, my lips pressing in a thin line as it disappears into my system. I screw the white top back on the orange pill bottle and set it down on my table, closing the drawer with my hip. Maybe this is going to help me survive the day.

I avoid my mirror as I get ready, changing into some soft sweatpants I usually wear just in the house and an oversized hoodie, that once belonged to Thomas. I put my hair up in a messy, high ponytail, before I head out of my room. When I open my door, I can smell coffee brewing in the kitchen, announcing that at least one of my family members is already awake.

I head downstairs, the soft patting of my feet announcing my descending form to whoever is in the kitchen. I head where my nose leads, opening the kitchen door to see Thomas by the stove and Samantha at the open fridge.

"Morning." I greet, making both of them look over at me. Sam gives me a gentle smile, noticing what attire I am wearing for today. I usually wear these sweats and Thomas's sweater when I feel like not leaving the house, when all I want to do is lay in bed with a bunch of blankets.

"Good morning. Eggs and bacon?" Thomas asks me, the new set of bandages around his head being a harsh reminder of yesterday's events. I shrug my shoulders at his question, dragging myself to the dining table and slumping down into the seat.

Samantha glances over to Thomas, as if to ask him silently if he saw how I'm dragging myself around the place. He returns her the same look, before they both turn to me.

"Cereal?" Thomas offers again, which makes me shrug again. "Just... coffee for now." I mumble, pushing back the stray hairs, hopefully tugging them behind my ears successfully. My brother nods at my answer and prepares another mug for me. Samantha takes out the carton of milk and closes the fridge door with her hip, just like I did with my drawer. Her hand is still in a brace, keeping her wrist in place, in order to not cause more damage to it.

"Where's dad?" I ask, picking at the black nail polish on my nails, tearing and crumbling it slowly down from my thumb. "He left already. I think he's in the pack house with Loki, waiting for the arrival of the reinforcements." Thomas answers, pouring the coffee into the mugs and then grabbing the carton of milk Samantha got. He pours the milk into the coffee, before grabbing two mugs and setting them down on the dining table. Samantha is preparing a pan on the stove, for the eggs and bacon.