Alpha Obsession

Chapter 13

I didn't know what to do

Going home that day was a nightmare. I felt like shit and the moment my father saw me he could feel it too. He stared at me for a good moment before waving me over to his desk. He swiveled around in his chair to face me and said, "girl trouble." Plain and simply.

It was so surprising that I recoiled and almost tripped over my feet. "No, not at all. Just a shitty day, dad. No girls at all." He rubbed his beard like he did whenever he wanted people to know he was thinking. Then he nodded in an understanding manner.

"I see. Well, son, not every school has top tier females to choose from. If you're feeling that lonely, then you may have to look beyond their appearances to find someone. I'm sure there are at least a few girls at Viridian that aren't too bad." Oh lord. "And let me tell you something. When I met your mom, she wasn't the brilliantly shining fashion star that she is now. Some people just take longer to reach their full potential." Dad was so far off that I couldn't stop a smile from tearing at me. "Oh boy, let me tell you the story of how I met your mother." Oh no, not again! I fell onto the couch closest to his desk and leaned on the side.

This was a very long story that I've been told countless times. But right now, I looked forward to it. I feigned interest and surprise as my father told me the most unnecessarily long story which led up to him meeting my mother for the first time. My mom came home a few hours later and rolled her eyes when she heard the topic. She sat next to me and wrapped me in a soft hug while we both pretended this was the first time we'd listened to his adventures in college.

When he actually finished the story it was already dark outside and I went up to my room after grabbing a snack. My parents had created a warm feeling in my chest despite the cold outside and I was more grateful than I could explain. Yet, back in the quietness of my bedroom, the feeling from this afternoon returned to rival the warmth. There was a chip on my shoulder that I struggled to ignore.

Thankfully, Hunter wasn't paying attention to me at the moment and I couldn't feel his gaze on me very well. So I took advantage of the rare privacy. There was a large 7-foot tall mirror in my room that I stood in front of now. I looked myself over for a long time, examining my entire appearance. Even though I wore Hunter's clothes, it was clear that I wasn't a good comparison to the athlete. The shirt was slightly stretched out in places where Hunter had muscles that I just didn't. In the loose clothing, I feel my lack of manliness as clear as day.

Stepping closer, I ran a hand through my hair which had been recently cut shorter. It was plain and average compared to the werewolf's blonde curls. My face was...my face. I never gave it much thought until now, but I simply didn't look as good as some of the other guys I've met. "Maybe he was right. We have nothing in common." I said to my reflection.

All at once, the pressure in the room increased and I knew Hunter's attention was back on me. Instead of unsettling me like before, it was infuriating! What the hell was I doing, throwing myself a pity party because of some stupid beast with control issues? I shut off the light and growled into the ensuing darkness. I didn't want him to see me. I threw myself onto my bed and rolled around in the covers. I can't explain how I did it, but I tuned him out. I shut off the paranoia that had held onto me for months and opened my eyes. The room was black with a slight glow of moonlight slipping through the curtains.

Earlier, I told myself that I just wanted to try being Hunter's friend. Now, though, I don't know how true that was. His rejection hurt more than it should have. I didn't realize how much I wanted him to accept me until he flat out declined. My bedroom felt infinitely more lonely now, compared to sleeping at his place. Sleeping in his arms. My skin burned slightly and ached in the places where I could remember his touch. It felt terrible to be alone again after knowing how peaceful it was to be held by him. All jokes and logic aside... I wanted to be closer to him. Even if it meant gaining an interest in things I didn't actually care about. I might have joined the track team today if things had gone different and that just seemed crazy to me.

Too much had changed in my life since moving to Viridian. It was more than just my surroundings and the people I met. It was myself and the things I thought about. It felt like I was carrying a ton of baggage now. I wanted things that I couldn't even understand. The knowledge of werewolves, the dominant presence of Hunter Sin, and the self-consciousness that it had all instigated. Things couldn't stay like this, but honestly...I didn't know what to do with myself anymore.

So, this was a much shorter chapter. As you can see, Jake can always count on his parents for comfort, but Hunter really did manage to hurt him. At this point, figuring out how to get through these changes is the biggest hurdle of his life.