Angry, Oblivious, Alpha

20 Tears

Clarisia

That evening, loud knocks on my door made me raise my head.
Alarmed, I jumped out of bed. After a brief hesitation, I grabbed the bedside lamp and bent my knees.
"Yes?" My voice trembled slightly.
Jonah stormed into my room, his dark eyebrows drawn together. His gaze slid over my combative pose and his expression darkened even more.
Behind his back, I could see Lorelie in the hallway, shifting from one foot to the other, her brow furrowed. I slowly put the lamp back on the bedside table.

"Is it true?" my brother asked angrily.
I stuck out my lower lip and raised my chin. "I've imprinted myself on Damien Lynch."
"Not that." He waved his hand briefly. "Did he rape you?"
"What?" My gaze wandered over to Lorelie, who shook her head briefly. "No, of course not!"
"Of course not?" Jonah repeated, blush creeping up from his neck to his face. "Lori said you screamed when he was with you! And cried!"
He ran his hands over his tense face. "My God, Cass, your dress was torn!"
"I..." The words died in my throat, I lowered my gaze.

"I'll kill him!" Jonah screamed, furious.
He spun on his heel, but I grabbed his arm. "Jonah!"
My brother squirmed under my grip.
"He didn't rape me, Jonah!" I said quickly. "He was rough and he wanted... he didn't... he didn't do it, okay?"
"What did he want?!" Jonah yelled.
A vein throbbed on his throat in a wild rhythm.
I moistened my lips with my tongue. "Jonah, nothing happened."
"Oh, damn it, you can't make it better," he growled, a flash in his darkened eyes. "He should keep his hands off you!"
My brother tore himself away and stormed out into the hallway.

"Jonah, no!" I shouted in horror.
I rushed forward, pulling him away from Damien's door with all my strength.
"If you challenge him and he loses control, he'll kill you!" I managed to say in a frightened voice. "Please!"
My brother stared into my face, his chest rising and falling violently with his rapid breathing.
"Please, Jonah," I whispered, and his body relaxed a little.
"You're my little sister." Tears glistened in his dark eyes. "He should honor you, you more than deserve it."
His voice broke and he cleared his throat. A lump formed in my throat, my eyes began to burn.

Jonah hugged me, something he hadn't done in a long time. Before I could hold them back, loud sobs shook my body.
I pressed my mouth against Jonah's shoulder to muffle the strange sounds. His arms wrapped tightly around my back, giving me a sense of security.
"He's an asshole," Jonah murmured in my ear. "If he touches you again, I'll castrate him."
Despite the tears, he made me laugh.
"Please don't," I said, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. "Otherwise I'll have to endure my heat for the rest of my life."
Jonah held me tightly until the last tear had dried up.
After Lorelie was able to lead my brother away from Damien's room, I sat down on my bed.

I hadn't seen my mate once all day, even though his scent was constantly in the air. I suppressed the urge to go to him. The desire was eating me up inside, but the fear was stronger.
Fear that he would reject me again, fear that he would lose control again.

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The morning taunted me with bright sunshine, cheerful birdsong filled the forest as I walked to school beside Lorelie. The werewolves we met on the way eyed me curiously.
I lowered my gaze to my shoes.
"Cass!" The call made me raise my head.
Derik hurried toward us, his cheeks flushed. The strap of his leather bag threatened to slip over his shoulder.
As soon as he reached Lorelie and me, he took a deep breath. "Have you gone mad?"
I frowned in confusion.
"If you really want to kill me, you can just stab me in the back!" he shouted angrily.

Frightened, I looked into his eyes, the bright blue darkened with anger.
"I'm sorry," I said hastily. "I didn't think he would find out."
"Cass, he's the young Alpha!" Derik replied fiercely. "Did you really have the feeling he wouldn't smell it when I was with you?"
He pulled up the leather strap on his shoulder. "If I'd known you had imprinted on him, I would never have agreed!"
Derik gasped, his eyes now almost black. "I wouldn't have let you get closer than ten feet to me! I like my life too much, it's not so bad being me!"
"Derik, I'm so sorry," I managed to say in a trembling voice.
Hot tears welled up in my eyes again and I blinked hard to hold them back.
He pressed his lips together so that they formed a thin line.

"When his mark is on your neck, we can be friends again, Cass."
"No, Derik!" A cold pain wrapped itself around my heart like a claw. "Please, you have to forgive me!"
Derik avoided looking at my tears, which were now rolling down my cheeks.
"I know you didn't do it on purpose. You just didn't think about it enough. But I can't risk getting close to you again," he continued fiercely. "So hugs, shared laughter and all other types of affection are out of the question."
He pointed at my neck. "Until he marks you as his."
With these words he pulled the strap of his bag onto his shoulder and left me standing there.

I covered my face with my hands, unable to stop the tears.
A warm arm wrapped around my trembling back.
"It will be okay, my love," I heard Lorelie's gentle voice.
"I don't want any of this!" I squeaked. "Then I'd rather not have an imprint again!"
Lorelie hugged me, I could smell the hint of vanilla in her perfume.
"Being with your mate is very nice, Cass," she said softly.
"But he doesn't want me!" I sobbed, annoyed at my outburst, wiping my sleeve over my face, which felt swollen. "I haven't seen him since Wednesday, not once! And my heat is killing me!"
I pressed a hand tightly against the blazing pain in my stomach.

"It'll be okay." Lorelie kissed my forehead comfortingly. "You'll see."
After fixing up my makeup in the girls' bathroom to cover the traces of tears, I sat next to my best friend in the classroom.
Damien didn't show up for class today either.