She's My Alpha

4

After Pepper and Felix had gone I was left to my thoughts, my injuries were minor enough that I didn't go running to the telephone to call an ambulance, I didn't even alert my parents to my defeat and instead went to shower and mourn alone.

As soon as the stinging hot water hit my wounds the reality of what had happened began to sink in. Now more than ever I was glad to be taking the scholarship across country, there perhaps I could lick my wounds in peace and become something better...physically and mentally.

Inevitably though my mother came to see where I was and gasped, looking horrified when she saw the wounds around my neck and arms.

"Conrad! Who did this to you? Who were you fighting with?" She demanded, being one half of the alpha couple, I couldn't keep quiet, the demand in her voice was enough to have me retelling in great detail what had happened.

Instead of her being angry at me as I had half expected my mother was livid that I was attacked in my own room, it didn't matter that it was Felix defending Pepper...she wasn't an alpha in that moment, she was a mom and I was glad she didn't slap me upside the head for ruining the carpet.

"Trevor! Get in here!" My dad didn't need to be told twice once my mom used that voice, it spoke of the trouble one would be in if they questioned her.

Once my dad entered my room, took a look and me, then the floor then sniffed the air I could swear he had a hard time keeping a lid on things.

"That....did his parents not raise him, right? The last thing I expected from Felix was this! What was the fight over Conrad?" I gulped at the question, butterflies rising in my stomach again as I thought about Pepper, the fight and their engagement.

The first thought that crossed my mind was to lie, but then I was never good at lying to anyone much less my parents.

"Pepper Dean. She's my mate but made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with me and wanted nothing from me, I must have come across a little threatening this afternoon and Felix pounced to protect her. I think I might leave for California in a few days, once the bruising and the worst of the wounds have healed a little." As soon as I was done telling my story I could see the pity build in my parent's eyes and I pulled away, was I that pathetic?

"Oh Con! Don't go doing anything without thinking...isn't there some way to convince Pepper to break off the engagement to Felix? He's a nice boy and I thought that girl was a little smarter than this, have you tried?" The last question caught me off guard as I really thought about it, I hadn't fought for Pepper. Hell, she probably didn't even know I had feelings for her, the more I thought about it the more I realized I hadn't given her any reason to think that I wanted her.

It was like a bolt of lightning had hit me square in the forehead and I felt the colour drain from my face, I hadn't told her! All I had done was assume she had known, that the mate bond would speak for itself...I felt stupid as the reality sank in and groaned in frustration as my mother put a hand on my shoulder.

"You have to tell her, if you're going to run away from the rank demotion at least tell Pepper how you feel about her, about what she's doing, about being mates and all that crazy stuff. Okay? I at least want you to try," my mom could be persuasive when she wanted to be, I nodded. The last thing my ego needed was for her to drive me over to Pepper's family home, drag me up to the front door and stand there with arms folded as I poured my heart and soul out to a girl who'd already rejected me.

"Fine, I'll go over tomorrow morning so I have the rest of the day to pack my things up." Just thinking about what I was to say to Pepper made me nauseous, how would I approach the conversation?