WITH THE ALPHA

Part 3 ; Heck No

I hummed a soft, melodic tune, the vibration echoing gently in my throat to anchor a rare moment of peace. I never knew where the song had come from or who wrote it, but my sisters and I used to sing it to each other whenever the nights in the orphanage felt too cold, dark, and hopeless.
I picked up a hairbrush and began working it through my long brown curls. Serenity settled over me as I sang, the words dripping straight from my heart.
"On top of a hill, by the lakeside. It's where I'll find you, behind the sunshine."
Closing my eyes, I recited as much of the song as I could remember, surrendering to the quiet vulnerability. My heart ached for something—something nameless and distant. All I knew was that I felt hollow, as if an empty void lived inside me that only that one missing thing could fill.
"Deviana," I muttered under my breath, testing the weight of my own name. "Deviana Horl."
Setting the brush on the dresser, I pulled a fresh pack of cigars from the top drawer and flicked a lighter to life. I stared at my reflection in the mirror as I smoked, pulling the harsh mix of air, ash, and nicotine deep into my lungs. I knew it wasn't good for my health, but what point was there in stopping? My worries and fears would eat me alive otherwise. Aside from sex, I desperately needed an outlet.
A sharp knock at the door shattered my thoughts. I hurried over and peeked through the peephole. Luckily, it wasn't Damian or Derick—just one of the pack's errand workers.
"Deviana Horl?" the young woman read aloud from a package while knocking again.
Since it was just a low-ranking staff member, I didn't bother hiding my cigar. I pulled the door open, towering over her with my tall, imposing stature.
"Package from the pack clinic, and another one arrived for you too. No return address on the second one, but it's marked for you." She handed over both parcels, offered a quick polite smile, and walked away. The emblem on her shirt marked her as part of the mail house staff.
Closing the door, I tore into the package from the clinic out of sheer curiosity. A note from the staff lay resting right on top.
You missed your monthly contraceptive shot, so I've assigned daily oral pills for the next 30 days instead. Please swing by the clinic later this month to get back on your regular shot schedule. —Nurse Gladis
A cold sweat broke across my skin. Oh, shit.
It hit me all at once—I had completely forgotten about my contraceptive appointment. The hormonal treatments suppressed my body's reproductive cycle, ensuring no surprise pregnancies occurred. I was supposed to have gone three days ago, right before the gala, but I had been too consumed with picking out a dress and planning my grand scheme to get close to Damian.
I gasped loudly, startling myself in the empty room.
I had slept with Damian. And Derick. Two powerful Alphas within hours of each other, completely unprotected. They had undoubtedly operated under the assumption that I was current on my mandatory routine. Ever since the new pack laws mandated that all unbonded, sexually active female wolves take contraceptives until they settled down with a mate, it was standard procedure.
I sank onto the couch, my mind spinning into a complete blur of panic. Surely three days couldn't make a difference? I had been on birth control for years. My body couldn't possibly have reset its entire system in a seventy-two-hour window to suddenly make me fertile... could it?
Unable to bear the agonizing uncertainty, I threw on a pair of fitted tight jeans, a black shirt, a black cap, and oversized sunglasses to hide my face. Slipping into a pair of heels, I clicked my way out to my black Jeep and headed toward the pack's downtown commercial strip.
The short drive brought me to a local convenience store. Pushing through the glass doors, I slipped into the aisles. The town was predominantly populated by wolves, though a few human mates walked among us. Humans and supernatural species coexisted under strict regulations established by the Supernatural Committee and human governments—though radical human anti-wolf groups had birthed dangerous factions of Hunters.
I searched the health aisle until my fingers brushed against what I needed: a home pregnancy test. I stared at the box in disbelief, horrified that I was even holding it. Grabbing a second one for good measure, I hurried straight to the checkout counter.
There were three people ahead of me, but the line moved quickly.
"Hello, my name is Carla! How can I help you today?" the cashier greeted cheerfully.
I offered a distracted node, setting the two boxes on the counter. She scanned them, bagged them up, and read out the total. I tapped my credit card on the payment machine, waiting until the green approval light flashed and the receipt printed out.
She handed me the plastic bag, but my anxious, trembling fingers slipped, sending the bag tumbling onto the floor.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Carla apologized frantically, leaning over to help.
"It's fine, I've got it," I muttered, bending down at the exact same moment a man stepped forward to retrieve it for me.
Our hands brushed beneath the counter, and our shoulders collided softly.
"Ah, sorry about that. Here you go," he said, holding out the bag.
I opened my mouth to snapped at him, my short temper flaring from the stress—but as my eyes locked onto his, the words died in my throat. I froze entirely, my heart slamming into my ribs.
Heck no, I thought, blood running cold.
A sudden, violent wave of electricity snapped through the air between us. His brilliant blue eyes flared, bleeding into a swirling, stormy dark hue as his inner wolf surfaced.
A low, possessive rumble vibrated deep from his chest.
"Mate."