Soulmated: Love me Alpha

Mum....

Ever since the night of the barbeque things haven't been too settling. My thoughts have been driving me crazy and affecting my sleep.  It was four in the morning, an ungodly hour which I'm usually in a dead sleep but lately I've found myself waking up way too early and not being able to go back to sleep. My mom has noticed a change in my sleeping behavior but she doesn't know what to do about it, even though I've already told her what would help me sleep easier.

I could hear the floorboards creaking above me, a sign that my mom was up and about, getting ready to leave for a job as a grocery manager that was an hour and a half away from here. It was the same routine every morning. I'd hear her get up from bed, go to the bathroom for a quick shower, then come shuffling down the stairs for a cup of coffee dressed in her work clothes. Then, right before she'd leave, she'd try and give me a kiss goodbye and give me sad eyes when I denied her.

A half hour later my mom enters the kitchen and starts the coffee pot, humming. I take a deep breath as I wait for her to finish her coffee then come into the living room to say goodbye to me. 

"Alright, I'm leaving. I'll be back sometime around nine or ten. There should be some leftovers in the fridge from last night," my mom said, swinging her purse around her shoulder and slipping on her heels. She went in for a kiss but I turned me cheek to the other side so she got me ear, routinely. She pulled back slowly and went to pet my hair but I swatted her hand away.

I heard her huff. "You're acting like you're five."

"And you're not?" I countered.

"I told you, Haley, I wish I could but I can't," she sighed, heading for the door.

"Oh, yeah," I said bitterly, "because you're not my mother, or anything. Because you're not the closest thing to me and can't tell me anything, because somebody else 'owns' me."

She paused before slamming the door behind her. I shrugged the minor tiff off and continued to stare blankly at the television.