The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

54

Ariel was in her wheelchair, in her bathroom. With a full supply of makeup in front of her on the bathroom counter. Looking at her reflection and wanting to cry. Looks weren't supposed to matter. Looks were illusions most of the time or lies made with makeup. She was healing faster than she used to. Thanks to the cackle and Gisella, Ariel had seen bruises, cuts and marks heal on her skin over and over. The pattern of healing a comforting constant. Ariel had been injured barely two weeks ago now, and her bruises were already all but gone, and the scars dulled down to a cool pink instead of angry red.

She was still too thin, her bleached hair had a line of regrowth showing. Wheelchair bound with one shattered leg and one broken arm. Wanting and not wanting to get ready for a date with not one but two alpha werewolves. She wasn't sure what she wanted at all, except that she wanted to feel like she could be maybe not pretty, she would settle for plain instead of the Frankenstein monster she currently felt like she was.

Binh had even surprised her with a deep purple dress, long flowing sleeves would hide her cast in a more elegant way than an oversized zip up hoodie. A simple demure boat-neck and it would fall just below her knees if she could stand. Ariel wanted to wear it. No one had ever bought her a nice dress for an event before.

Ariel was about to pick up her phone and cancel everything. Binh would understand, and if the wolves really meant that they were completely different from the hyenas and how they had treated Ariel when they called her mate. They would understand if they really were different.

Ariel's fingers were moving over the glass, getting ready to hit the self destruct button, when a quick rapping knock sounded on the door. Startling Ariel out of her spiral, hastily wiping away a tear that had shaken free when she jumped while startled. Calling out "Come in?" To whoever was knocking at her door.

Briefly considering that maybe it was Beth-Ann come to rescue Ariel by doing her hair, and then styling her for tonight. Ariel was mostly right, "Hello? Jenny?" A familiar voice said, walking into the opulent washroom in a lavender skort paired with a cotton candy pink cloud looking sweater. Kit had come to Ariel's rescue instead of Beth-Ann.

Kit swept Ariel into a careful embrace. "I am so glad to see you! We've all been so worried at the diner." From her bag Kit produced a brown paper bag, then a parchment wrapped sandwich. "Tyrone wanted to make sure you had a lunch and well, he wouldn't let me leave without it." Handing the sandwich to Ariel, who looked at the phone in her hand and realised she had been sat in the bathroom not moving for over an hour. It was lunch time now.

Ariel started to eat the sandwich while Kit unpacked an impossible number of things from her bag. "What are you doing?" Ariel asked, "What's all that?" Not leaving enough time between the first question for an answer to have been offered.

Kit finally set the deflated bag down. Gracefully lowering herself so she was near eye level to 'Jenny'. "Binh said you might have a date you were excited for tonight?" Reaching towards a hairbrush she had laid on the counter. "May I?" Kit asked, before moving to touch Ariel or her hair. Ariel nodded as she continued to eat the sandwich Tyrone had made for her. Practically able to taste the care he had put into it.

Kit moved the brush slowly and carefully through 'Jenny's' hair, undoing any tangle without pulling or forcing the brush roughly. "The bleach was nice, I could touch up the roots or we could try a whole new color or aim to go back to your natural color?" Kit offered, and Ariel found herself overwhelmed by being presented with such an open choice.

Beth-Ann had dictated every part of her last makeover. Ariel had been a living doll for Beth-Ann to show off her own skills on. This was an entirely different experience. Ariel looked at the endless seeming options on the vast counter space. "Would it, I mean could you make it mostly my natural color again with like I donno how to explain it? Just Red? Like a stripe? Or strip? Or what's the word?" Kit giggled nodding as she began to grab various potions from the counter, and the black mixing bowl.

"How about we bring this platinum back to your natural color and I try my best to add in peekaboo red highlights just behind your ears?" Bringing up her phone, to show Ariel a couple different versions of hairstyles. Until both agreed on which one was the one Ariel wanted. Ariel finished her sandwich, brushing off the crumbs as Kit threw a protective cape over Ariel's clothes.

Kit sectioned out Ariel's hair carefully, her touch was so gentle. Quickly braiding two swaths of hair from behind her ears and wrapping the braids in foil to keep the bleached hair braids separate from the rest. Kit was excited that 'Jenny' wanted to try something new. Kit was gentle as she worked, Ariel barely felt anything as Kit painted dye onto her hair.

The room was quiet, not in an uncomfortable way. Kit was focused on doing her best, she had died all her friends hair in highschool, she wasn't clueless, was far from a professional. Thankfully, she knew from Beth-Ann bragging that Jenny had never dyed or colored her hair, which meant nothing too surprising should happen.

"I'm sorry I left the diner short-staffed, is everyone okay there?" Ariel asked Kit, wincing when she saw Kit's eyes briefly turn to pity in the mirror she was sat in front of. Kit stopped what she was doing, putting the brush down in the bowl.

"Jenny," Kit started to say softly. Jenny had nearly been killed and had no one but her benevolent boss to help her right now. The last thing on her mind should be the sleepy diner that practically ran itself. About to try and offer comforting words, to try and ease whatever it was that had Jenny still holding her broken body so tense, when she was cut off.

"That's not my name. I just wanted it to be." Ariel admitted to a second person, that she was lying about who she was. The need to be herself, to name herself growing stronger as her magic bloomed brighter and her body healed. Ariel stuck out her good hand, "I'm Ariel, it's nice to meet you Kit." She said, looking up through her lashes in a glance to see if Kit was mad at her for lying about her name.

Without missing a beat, Kit took Ariel's hand and shook it, "Nice to meet you Ariel." Picking the brush back up to continue her work. "Tyrone of course is worried sick about you, I think he was a mother hen in another life..." Kit started to run down through everyone at the diner that Ariel had worked with a few updates on the regulars. Several of whom were deeply worried about 'Sweet Jenny' and would be glad to have Kit report she was doing well.

Kit kept talking, and working her way through Ariel's hair that thankfully, Ariel did not notice that Kit hadn't mentioned Beth-Ann. Kit was an awful liar, she hated the on edge feeling in her belly as she hoped that Ariel wouldn't ask about the former waitress at DEB's Diner.

Kit did not want to have to be the one to tell Ariel that Binh had fired Beth-Ann before her last day after catching her trying to spread gossip that Sweety Jenny-Poo was fucking Binh for perks and benefits. Kit also knew that Binh had arranged an amazing apprentice position with the Black Corporation's HR and Talent Management division, and had let Beth-Ann keep it under the condition she never spread lies again.

Kit wasn't supposed to know. Beth-Ann's firing had been swift. There was a zero tolerance for infighting at the diner. Beth-Ann couldn't help but brag to Kit when Kit had tried to be kind and reach out in support after Beth-Ann had been fired and escorted out.

Kit's cheeks flushed when she remembered Beth-Ann sending a LOL followed by a text message that read, "I'm better than a shit diner job now anyways." Immediately blocking Kit afterwards. Kit knew Ariel had felt close to Beth-Ann, Hell Kit had liked Beth-Ann alot right up until she didn't like her at all.

Lucky for Kit, Ariel had way too many other things on her mind to catch that one person had been left off the list when a barrage of names and updates were thrown at her. Making Ariel feel like her heart was thrown wide open when she realised how many different people she cared about, and how many cared about her in return.

Much to the delight of Binh and Three Hours Past Midnight Kit and Ariel spoke and giggled behind the closed door together for hours. Ariel's heart was light and her mood bouyant. The two unlikely partners in ensuring Ariel's welfare were thrilled that Kit had been able to make Ariel feel so content and happy for so long. Each eager to see the results of their time in the makeshift travelling beauty parlour.