Chapter 17: Chapter 17

It’s day nine or ten or maybe eight… she had lost count. She had lost count of the night Dominic tried to mate with her or whatever he had in mind that night. She wasn’t sure—but it didn’t seem like he was up to any good. He was never up to good.

She rolled over to the other side of the bed. It was also the last time she saw Aaron. She knew he had came out looking for her several times but she never shows up. The last time she was out there was when she last saw Aaron—the night the mend the bond Dominic tried to demolish.

She heaved a sigh of grief, unsure of what exactly she’s upset about. The only thing she knew was there are so many things to be angry about. Dominic… her father…

Though Dominic haven’t showed up in her house since the night he came and took her to his pack. But it feels as if he was in her house—in her room. It felt like he was lurking in her closet and scrutinizing her every movement.

She hates how he has gotten so much affect on her. How he is now a part of her life—her new norm. She hates how often she thought of him and how he was overtaking some part of her more than Aaron did.

The unhealthier part she hated was how somewhat, a part of her wanted to see him. Hear his voice giving her orders and his stupid smirk that never ceases to make her heart drop.

She shrugs off the thoughts and sat up right just as her door slightly opened. He peeped his head and smiled at her. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” he said in a frisky way. Alice giggled and shook her head. “No, Ryan, you’re always welcome in here,” she told him and he exhaled out before walking in and closing the door behind him.

“Wow,” he said, looking around her messy room. “Love the new… look,” he lied, trying to find the chair in her room but pile of clothes had already eaten it up.

She made a space for him on her bed and he perched down on the edge of the mattress beside her.

“This isn’t a new look, I promise. I’m just going through a lot. I’ll clean up when I feel better. I’m still the clean and tidy Alice you know and love,” she spoke breathlessly, almost choking on her words.

His lips curved upwards as he looked at her. “I know,” he mouthed and pinched her cheek. “Since I’m here, why don’t I help you clean up?” He suggests and she immediately welcomed the idea because she doesn’t know how she’d start or if she’d ever clean her room.

She knew her mother would do it for eventually, when she gets tired of seeing it that way but she hates it when someone touches her belongings when she wasn’t there.

They began with folding her clothes and arranging it back into her drawer while she tosses the dirty ones into the laundry basket.

“So…” he began as they continue to fold more clothes. “Dominic pack, huh?” He continued. He could see the irritation wash over her face. She was already exhausted before they even began the topic.

She sighed, knowing this was coming sooner or later. She knew Ryan was going to bring this up and she had no choice but to speak up.

“What about it?” She asked, feigning clueless at what he meant.

“Do you like it?”

Alice halts for a moment to take a look at Ryan. She arched her brow and scoffed before going back to what she was doing. “Did my dad send you here?” She retorted with a question.

“That’s not how questions work, Alice. And no, Fredrick didn’t send me. I just feel like you’re hiding something and I know something happened that night you were there.”

She breathes out as her heart suddenly felt heavy and weighing her down. She perched on the vanity stool and rested her face in her palms. She grunts softly, running her fingers through her long, messy hair.

“I don’t know, Ryan. I’m just confused… I mean… why me? Why does he want me?” She said, looking up at Ryan that didn’t stop working.

“Because you remind him of his wife and his daughter, Alice,” Ryan told her. He could feel the intense gaze of Alice but he didn’t care to look at her.

“His daughter? He had a daughter? Her name was Alice?” She asked ceaselessly as she got to her feet and marched toward Ryan. He had to look up from what he was doing by the way she was standing so close to him. “I hope you haven’t forgotten about personal space, Alice.”

She scoffed and threw her arms out dramatically and he knew what she meant. He heaved a sigh and dropped the pink dress he was about to fold. “Listen,” he started, gently caressing her forearms. “All I know about him is, he had a daughter but she died at the age of four together with her mother, Sofia.”

“He killed them?” She asked impatiently. Her heart hammering against her ribcage as she waited for the answer she dreads. If he was the one that killed them, she’d rather slit her throat open than to mate with him.

Ryan shook his head, “I don’t know of that. But, if you want to find out more about him… talk to your father… or him,” he said and went ahead to continue working.

Alice’s shoulders slumps down defeatedly. She knew she’d never talk to her father or Dominic about anything concerning him. She doesn’t want to get their hopes high and give them the thought that she might consider marrying him.

But now that she knows he had a daughter and she had her name… she felt less hatred towards him and actually felt slightly sorry for him though she doesn’t know the reason behind their death.

**

She took another bite of her meal, trying to avoid his gaze but it was so intense that she could feel it burning her heart. She hated the new norm between her and her father. They weren’t like this before.

They were so close, bonded and loved each other so much. But now that Dominic was in the picture, those moments were now just memories she doesn’t know whether she’d ever have them again.

She heard the clattering of his spoon hitting the plate and she knew he was done eating while she had barely touched her food.

Tonight was the first night she was eating together with her family in several days. She always eats in her room or even skip dinner. And now, her father had just reminded her why she needs to keep avoiding them until faith decides to take over.

She hears him clear his throat, grabbing her attention. She slowly raises her head up and settle her tired eyes on him. He smiled at her and she felt slightly at ease. She only hopes that whatever he has to say now better be something optimistic and wouldn’t upset her.

She gently dropped her fork, folding her arms over her chest and resting on her chair. Her eyes were fixed on him, waiting to hear what he has to say and why he was smiling. It always has to be about Dominic, she knew that.

“Alice,” he began, also grabbing her mother’s attention when he called her name. She raised a brow, tilting her head to the side. “Yes father,” she spoke formally. And could see the slight sadness in his eyes when she referred to him as father not dad or daddy like she did when she was in a good mood.

He shrugs it off though it bothered him and cleared his throat again. “I spoke with… Dominic,” he said, somewhat stumbling when he mentioned his name. He knew it was the last thing Alice would want to talk about at the moment.

She heaved a sigh, her brow still facing up and her head tilting to the other side of the room. “He told me you find his pack fairly okay.”

“And?” She cuts in, not wanting to hear the other lie Dominic fed her father. “And I think it’s settled, you’re getting married to Dominic,” he announced, his face expression growing cold.

“The hell I’m not,” she thundered, hitting the table. “Alice,” Linda called out in a cautioning tone.

“What? You’re just going to sit there and let this man ruin my life? Who forced you two to be together?” She questioned as her chest heaved up and down. She was so angry that she didn’t mind spitting out every single hurtful word she could think of. She was tired of her father bossing her around and thinking he could just wake up and make decisions for her like she was the little girl she used to be.

“I am not going to sit here and watch you ruin my life because of your own selfish reasons, Father. I am sick and tired of it. This man you want me to be with isn’t what you think he is…”“That’s enough, Alice. I don’t care what the hell you think he is. This man sacrificed every happiness he had to save this pack you call your home. He gave up the two things that mattered the most in his life just so your pack would keep on running. Do you ever just sit and think of other people not just yourself? Stop being selfish, Alice…”

“And stop being greedy, father!” She fired back.

“I am not being greedy. I am trying to save you from the danger you’re trying to put yourself in. The danger you’re trying to put us all in…”

“What? You mean Aaron? Aaron is the last boy I know that’d ever harm me. He’s not like Dominic. He’s gentle and he loves me the way I am. He’s not domineering and vicious like the haughty man you’re trying to…”

“SHUT UP!” He roared, making the room go silent. Linda placed her hand on Fredrick’s but he snatched it away out of anger. “Don’t involve yourself in this, Linda. I am not going to let my daughter mate with a filthy human boy I know nothing of,” he avowed, glaring right into Alice’s eyes.

“He’s a werewolf, Father and I choose to be with him. He’s good to me,” she retorted, her voice cracking. She hated how sensitive and soft she gets whenever she gets into a fight with her father.

“The hell he is! He’s good for nothing. He’s useless and you don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“I don’t give a fuck! I am going to move out of this house and Aaron is going to be my mate and no one would dare stop me,” she affirmed, her eyes boring into her fathers’ as he narrowed his eyes. He curled his fingers to a fist, drawing them to the table. “You wouldn’t dare,” he clamored, making her to shift in her seat.

“I am old enough to make my own decisions, father. I am not your little girl anymore,” she reminded him. Her words stabbed him right to the chest. This was the words he was afraid of the most. Her reminding him that she wasn’t his little girl anymore.

“I forbid you from going out the gates.”

“The gates isn’t the only way out of this place,” she said, relaxing back in her seat and folding her arms over her chest. She looked too calm and it irritated him more. “It’s your choice, Alpha Fredrick. It’s either you accept Aaron the easy way or the hard way…”

He got to his feet, hitting the table as hard as he could, and making the unstable items on the table to fall off.

“No child of mine is going to bring shame to my home,” he clamored, pointing a finger at her.

She got to her feet and leaned towards him from across the table. “I’m the only heir of Alpha Fredrick if you have forgotten. And if mating with Aaron is going to bring shame to this family, then I’m afraid it’s too late,” she spoke calmly before exiting the room.

She doesn’t know the reason behind what she had just done now, but Alice bolted out of the house and raced through the scanty crowd out of the territory. She never stopped even when Ryan called her out when he spotted her until she was in the middle of the road. She looked around the empty road and heaved a sigh.

At least she’d have peace here and she won’t get pestered by her father…

Out of nowhere, Alice saw the bright light of a car before it balled her out of the road. She shrieked in fear before she even felt the pain.

“Alice!” She heard her name faintly. Wincing in the upcoming pain, she tried to get on her feet but failed. The car owner jumped out hurriedly and approached her. “Oh my God, are you okay?” He asked, examining her.

“I’m fine,” she muffled and tried getting on her feet again. “No,” She yelped, “My ankle,” she mourned, holding her ankle that was piercing with stinging pain.

“Alice? Are you okay?” He asked as he approached her. She looked up at Ryan and burst into tears. She didn’t know why she was crying, but she knew it wasn’t because of the pain she felt and the fact that she couldn’t heal herself like she could.

“We need to take her to the hospital,” the man said and Ryan helped her up.

Soon enough, they arrived at the E.R and Alice was wheeled in immediately to be checked up.

Ryan paced back and forth, thinking of the possibilities that could’ve happened if he didn’t run after her. What if the man that hit her had ran off after he balled her out of the road? What if he did more damages than he already did? What if he ended her life…

Ryan was taken aback by someone brushing pass him as he called out Alice’s name.

“Whoa, Whoa… Who are you?” Ryan asked him, blocking his way.

“Who are you?” He asked back, giving Ryan a revolting look. He snatched his arm away as he grunts.

Ryan scoffed lowly, already disliking whoever this guy was. “I’m her friend,” Ryan stated colly.

“Well, I’m her boyfriend,” Aaron said proudly. Ryan smirked, taking in the appearance of the so-called boy Alice has been head over heels for.

“So, you must be Aaron, huh?” Ryan said, still smirking. This wasn’t what he was expecting. When Alice told him Aaron was the sweetest guy she has ever met, he was expecting what she had described or even more. He looked nothing like what she said. He had the good looks, but Ryan was skeptical about his attitude. He doesn’t like the energy he felt around Aaron. He could even admit that Dominic was better than him.

“Yes, I am. What happened to her? I just saw her being taken in,” he demanded, as though he owned the place. Ryan was running out of patience but he restrains himself. He wasn’t going to make a scene in the hospital especially when Alice is in a state he’s yet to know of. And she would be so thwarted if she hears the first time he meets her boyfriend, they had a fight.

“She got hit by a car.”

“What the hell? By who? You?” He clamored, fighting the urge to grip Ryan by the neck.

“By him,” Ryan said, looking at the man that was seated on the waiting chair. He anxiously looked at the both of them and looked away.

Aaron scoffed lowly, and moved closer to the room door Alice was taken into.

Several minutes later, the doctor walked out. “She’s going to be fine. She’s just sore and sprayed her ankle but other than that, she’s fine. She’ll be kept overnight for observations.”

The doctor prescribed the pain killers she needed before he left.

The man that hit her with his car paid the bills before he left.

Ryan and Aaron entered the room together just to meet her sitting on the bed and staring out the window. She turned her head towards them and smiled despite being shocked Aaron was here.

“Aaron? What are you doing here?” She asked him as he approached her.

“Same thing I asked,” Ryan mumbled under his breath. Aaron heard him but ignored what he had just said. Alice’s health was more important than retorting back to what he said.

“I came to pick up mom from work when I saw you being wheeled in. Are you okay?” He asked worriedly, stroking her hair. She suddenly felt uneasy with Ryan being around and Aaron touching her. She nodded her head as she looked behind him to see if Ryan was watching them. “I’m fine,” she mouthed, forcing a smile.

The door swings open and Aaron’s mom walked in. “Aaron, what the heck? What are you doing here?” She asked him, perceptibly pissed that he left her waiting.

He straightens up and took a step back. “Mom… uhm… this is Alice. The girl I’ve told you about. She had an accident,” he explained.

“Oh, it’s lovely to finally meet you dear. I’m so sorry for what happened. Hope you get well soon.”

Alice smiled sheepishly. “Thank you. And it’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Cooper,” Alice said graciously. She could see the nonchalant expression on her face as she waves Alice off.

“Well… it’s getting late. We have to get going now, Aaron,” She announced but he shook his head. “You should go, I’m staying here for the night.” He handed the car keys to her.

“That won’t necessary. I’ll be staying here with her to make sure she’s okay,” Ryan cuts in. He didn’t care that Aaron just sent him a death look and he didn’t like what he had just said.

“Very well then, Aaron, let’s go now.” She walks towards the door but Aaron’s voice stops her midway. “No, I’m staying here with her,” he said through gritting teeth.

Alice panickily stared at the both of them, switching heated words as though they were going to throw hands at each other.

“Aaron, her brother insists that he’s staying. And they only admit one person to stay with the patient. So, we are leaving together. I need you to take care of something for me back home,” she spoke sternly as she gave him a pointed look. “I’ll wait for you in the car,” she added before walking out.

Aaron stared at Ryan angrily for few seconds before he turned to Alice. “Be safe please. And don’t hesitate to push the button if something goes wrong, okay?” He said to her and kissed her temple. She forced another smile and nodded. He smiled at her, caressing her cheek before walking out of the room without sparing Ryan a look.