Infinite

Pt.2

[2]

When I wake, Dawson is sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me. I pull my hair behind my ears, sitting up slowly. He smiles, but it doesnt meet his blue eyes. "How are you feeling?" He asks, voice comforting.

I shrug, crawling off the bed and standing. "Crappy." I tell him truthfully. "Why are you here?"

He pulls back the shades, bathing me in light. I use my hands to block out the sun, crinkling my nose. "We have to talk." He says, a serious tone in his voice. I nod, looking around the room.

"Can I shower first?"

He sighs. " Make it quick. I'll be in my office."

"You mean, my dad's." I mutter under my breath, passing by him and heading into the bathroom.

The hot water runs down my back, calming my aching nerves. He'll kill me this time for sure when I come home. I've never spent more than five hours after one of his attacks, much less an entire day. The clock read 3p.m, meaning I've been here for over 12 hours.

Stepping out of the shower, I towel dry my hair and then wrap it around my body, glancing at myself in the mirror. There are small red clots on the left side of my face, neck, and arm, due to the beer bottle that was thrown at me. There's a blue bruise on my neck, near the bottom of my chin. Looking down at my stomach, a long, angry red mark in the shape of a misformed oval covers most of my stomach, not really hurting any longer. I turn around, grimacing at the purple bruise running along my spine. God, he hit me hard.

After finding my old bunk and clothes cubby, I pull on a pair of ripped denim shorts, throwing on a crimson button up shirt over it and rolling the sleeves to my elbows. Dawson is waiting for me in my father's office, his hands playing with a familiar glass paperweight. I had made it for my father in second grade, and given it to him for his birthday. He loved it and promised he'd cherish it forever.

I guess promises are meant to be broken, though.

"Ellie?" Dawson's voice brings me from my thoughts. "You can sit."

I nod stiffly, lowering myself on the wooden chair. "What am I here for, exactly?" I ask.

"I cannot be the Alpha." He starts. "I don't have the blood in me, nor does the pack like the idea of me becoming both first and second in command. The weres who would like to become Alpha are immature and have no experience." His voice gets softer. "I know you're having a difficult time with your father right now. He'll never recover from that. Come stay with us, and be the Alpha of the pack."

"I'm not strong enough." I say immediately. It's become a routine phrase around here.

"Yes, you are." He counters. "You have the blood of two sets of Alphas."

Yeah, my mom was an alpha, too.

"You don't understand, Dawson. I'll let the pack down." I explain. "If I can't get past my drunkard father, what happens if we're attacked? I can't do that. I can't be responsible for their harm."

He shakes his head, leaning forwards across the table to me. "I'll help you the first few days. Until you can take over."

"But-"

"No 'buts'. Lexus needs you, and you're going to be their leader. Got it?" He growls.

I nod reluctantly, standing. "Can I go now?"

He smiles. "You're the Alpha. You can do whatever the hell you want." Without another word, I walk out, taking a deep inhale of the summer air. Whatever you want, my ass! He just forced me into being Alpha, and he's telling me I'm uncontrollable. That nobody can tell me what to do.