Angry, Oblivious, Alpha

Breathe

7 years old, Damien

The darkness surrounded me like a protective cloak. I pulled my knees up to my chest and exhaled sharply several times. Annoyed, I swiped my sleeve across my cheeks, where tears had dared to appear. A soft knock made me freeze.
The door opened a crack and my mother squeezed herself into the cluttered shed.
I buried my face in my arms so she couldn't see that I had been crying.
I could hear her footsteps as she came towards me and knelt down next to the garden shovel.

"Honey." Her fingers lovingly stroked my hair. "Talk to me."
For a moment I struggled with myself.
"Why was she so strong, Mom?", I finally managed.
I hated myself for not being able to hold back the sobs anymore. "I'm an Alpha. Then why... why couldn't I defeat her?"

My mother pulled me into a warm hug. The familiar smell of her floral perfume clung to her clothes. A terrible thought crept into my mind. Fear gripped my insides coldly, making it difficult to breathe.
"Maybe... maybe I'm not an Alpha at all?" My voice trembled with horror.
"My dear Damien", my mother said, kissing me tenderly on the forehead. "You are fully Alpha, I can assure you."

She looked at me and I could see so much pride and love in her eyes that my tears dried up. "You need to be patient. Then you will see how the Alpha blood will make you strong."
I dried my cheeks with my sleeve and sniffed loudly.
My mother pulled a tissue out of her pocket and used it to wipe the crusted blood from my nose.

"Now come in, I baked muffins." She smiled and despite the darkness I could see her eyes sparkle. "With blueberries. I know you like them."
I let her pull me to my feet and followed her out into the garden.

Since that moment, I had never cried in front of others again. And from the next day on, I made it my mission to make Clarisia Rollins' life harder.

Damien

I suppressed a small growl in my throat and quickly opened the door to my locker. Cold water rained down on my head.
I gasped in shock and looked up. A bucket had been neatly tied to my door.
A wave of anger flooded through my body.

"Who was that!", I growled angrily.
I whirled around and looked at the students in the hallway, who were giggling quietly.
Jayce roared with laughter and a mocking grin spread across Brian's face.
A few meters away I recognized Cass, giggling next to her friend.
I gave her a pissed off look.

"Hey, Damien", she managed between spiteful giggles. "Would you like to cool down?"
Her eyes wandered down to my crotch and she winked at me.

I clenched my teeth tightly to hold back the uncontrollable rage and ignore the heat that was coursing like flames through the lower half of my body and could actually use some cooling.
The crowd immediately fell silent as I took off my T-shirt in the hallway, quickly rubbed off my wet hair and put on a new shirt from my sports bag.

I slammed the locker shut with a loud bang and gave Cass a dismissive look.
Her lips were slightly parted and a blush rose to her cheeks. She watched with wide eyes as I ran a hand through my damp hair.
"Close your mouth", I remarked coldly as I walked past her. "Unkess you want to catch flies."

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As soon as I sat at the lunch table, I opened my comic and pretended to read.
Instead, I focused on breathing evenly.
From time to time I turned the pages without knowing what was shown in the pictures. Like this they left me alone.
Everyone except Cass, of course.

"Well, dry again?", she mocked, but I ignored her comment.
As I knew, that was the quickest way to get her angry. I could hear her chair scraping against the floor as she leaned over the table.
"Is the fire of your desire extinguished, mighty Alpha?", she asked.
I gritted my teeth tightly. Inhale and exhale. I leisurely turned a page and leaned back in my chair. I pretended to stifle a yawn.

"Aren't you too old to read comics?", she hissed.
A smug look crept onto my face. I had her straight away.
"Says the one who got a four in her essay", I replied, scanning the page of the comic.
Her annoyed snort gave me satisfaction.
Without looking, I knew she was rolling her eyes.

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As soon as the bell rang, I packed my bag and quickly left the classroom.
I did laps in the deserted swimming pool with strong strokes until my whole body ached. The chlorine burned my eyes and left a stale taste in my mouth.
After I showered, I strolled over to the small dance studio on Rosemary Lane.
The loud music was pounding in my ears with a thumping bass as I pulled the door open.
The smell of sweat and ambition was in the air.

The group had grown over the years.
Groaning, I sat down on the wooden bench and let my sports bag fall to the floor.
My sister changed the song so Lil Wayne's voice blared through the speakers.
I'd always thought that he sounded like he was suppressing a smug grin.
Kira stood in front of her dance class and winked at me in the mirror.

"Let's go, girls!", she shouted, clapped her hands and started dancing.
She had her light, thin hair tied back in a ponytail, her make-up was perfect as always and her smile was the most infectious in the world.
But her legs looked much too thin in the black leggins and I could see the plasters on her heels.
I furrowed my brows sullenly.
Fucking dance studies.

I leaned my back against the wall, crossed my arms over my chest and watched the girls practice the choreography over and over again.
Jessy gave me a cautious wave and I returned it with a short nod.
At the back of the room I could see Cass' small figure, she was definitely one of the best, not that I cared.
I looked over at the clock, the hand ticking slowly and a deep sigh leaved my chest.

Finally Kira finished class, she came over and ruffled my hair. "I'll be ready soon."
"Take your time", I replied, resting my elbows on my knees.
While my sister packed up her things, Cass sat down on the other side of the bench. She kicked off her dance shoes and slipped on worn sneakers.
She pulled on her sweater in a fluid movement while talking to Jessy.
Cass laughed, I could hear her bright voice. A small dimple formed in her cheek.

She loosened her ponytail, the dim light of the lamps leaving a coppery glow on her hair. They clung darkly to her sweaty temples.
"Damien?" A finger snapped in front of my face and made me jump. Kira's freckled forehead furrowed. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Let's go", I said and stood up.

"See you later, Damien", Jessy said goodbye and I returned it with a fleeting smile.
Cass didn't even raise her head. As I walked past her bag, I knocked her water bottle with my food.
The metallic bottle clattered across the floor.
"Can't you watch your steps?", she snapped, glaring at me from below.
"I didn't see you there", I replied calmly.
I grapped my gym bag and followed Kira out of the studio, Cass' testily look on my back and a satisfied grin on my face.

My sister took a deep breath of the cool night air and I noticed her testing look.
"What?" I raised my eyebrows challengingly.
"How are you doing?" Her forehead furrowed again and I snorted softly
"Good." I shrugged my shoulders.
Kira smiled, her eyes softening. "You'll get over it soon."
I twisted my mouth and took her backpack.

"And with you?" I asked.
We soon reached the outskirts of town and followed the dusty road towards the forest. Behind the dark trees, whose branches left dancing shadows on the ground, was our village.
"Yes, good", she evaded.
"Don't fuck with me." I stared at her face and could see her gritting her teeth. "Are you puking again?"
"Damien!", she shouted, but she didn't manage to meet my gaze.
"Get help", I asked quietly. "I need you, you know?"
Kira grimaced, tears glistening in her bright eyes.
I put my arm around her shoulders.
Like this we hiked through the forest until the thicket cleared and the houses in our village became visible as dark shapes.