The Alpha and His Rapunzel

Chapter 3: A Haircut

The floor of her bedroom looked like a battlefield at a hair salon. Piles of discarded locks littered every surface. It had always looked so shiny when it was attached to her head. But now it seemed sad, as though its life force had been stripped away.

Nora felt so much lighter that morning. 'Literally,' she thought. All that hair probably weighed ten pounds. If she jumped, she felt she could touch the sky. Boldness filled her, and she squealed as she rushed to look at her new reflection.

"Oh s**t," she whispered. What once was a long, endless river of dark, glossy hair was now a jagged bob. It sat at uneven levels above her shoulders, but she felt prettier than she ever had. Her skin glowed, her eyes seemed more golden like a light bulb had been switched on within her. "Well, I better fix this before I go downstairs."

She scrolled through her phone and found her favorite photo. She'd saved it years ago. It was a photo of a model sporting a hot, sexy pixie cut. Having practiced the cut on several dolls, she felt confident in replicating it on herself. Her fingers guided the scissors as she chose strategic locks to be chopped away. The satisfying snips fed her soul, and each one filled her with an electric thrill. She felt the stirring of her parents right as she finished. It wasn't perfect, but now she was crowned with an edgy pixie cut. And she loved it. Nora knew she'd have to face her parents' wrath, but she didn't care.

"Ask for forgiveness, not permission," she said to her reflection. It smiled back at her in a way she didn't recognize. It was like seeing her face for the first time. After a quick shower to wash all the hair off, Nora got dressed in a quick, casual outfit . She looked around her room, and there was hair everywhere. Bundles and bundles of long discarded hair covered everything. There was something different about it, she pondered. While it had been attached to head, it had always been so shiny. Like black silk. It looked so dull in comparison. Nora shook off the thought and began to clean it up. Once it was all bagged it and braided it up, she smiled. Not a hair in sight.

"Shiny or not, I should donate all of this. Just because I don't want it, doesn't mean someone else won't ."

"Breakfast!" Frank called from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Nora answered, practically vibrating from the excitement. She floated down the stairs, feeling lighter than air.

"Honey, about last night," Nancy turned to face her daughter. The glass of orange she was holding fell from her hand and shattered all over the kitchen floor. "Nora!"

"I know," she began. "I know you said, I couldn't. But I'm not sorry."

"What's going on out..." Frank's words were stuck in his throat.

"Please don't be mad," Nora pleaded. "Like I was saying, I know you told me not to. But I just couldn't understand. I'm not sorry. I just love it so much. Please understand. It's my hair, and I have the right to feel good in my body, my way."

Her parents were stunned into silence, and Nora did her best to pretend the slight terror she saw in their eyes wasn't there.

"We- we aren't mad," Nancy stammered. "It's a shock."

"You went against our word," Frank added.

"You two always told me to never do things just because other people told me to."

"Well," Frank couldn't hold back his smile. "That doesn't count when it's something we tell you to do."

"Hair grows back, Dad."

Frank heaved a heavy sigh.

"There is nothing we can do about it now." He walked up to her and kissed her forehead. "You look great. Eat some breakfast, then go and pick up Kai in your new car."

There was a resignation in their tone. It spoke of an ending to one struggle, but the beginning of a greater one. The haunted look in her mother's eyes would stay with her and gnaw at her in the coming days.

"Holy s**t!" Kai squealed as she pulled up to his house in her bright yellow car. "My b***h got wheels!"

Nora laughed.

"That's not all she's got. Notice anything... different?"

"Should I?" Kai looked at her, and his eyes slowly rounded as he took her in. "You didn't."

"I did," Nora replied, a slow, sly smile spreading across her face. "Get in. We're going to the mall."

"You bet your ass we are! New hair equals new clothes." Kai hopped in and marveled at his friend. "You really did it. Rapunzel is no more."

"That's right. And that better be the last time I hear that name."

"Okay," Kai put his hands up in surrender. "What did your parents say?"

"They were strangely calm about it. Mom looked almost scared to be honest. But they couldn't be too mad. They still gave me my birthday present."

"Yeah, I guess so." Kai pursed his lips. An action he did when he didn't want to say what he was thinking.

"All right, out with it." Nora demanded. "You're doing the lip thing. Spit it out."

"Ugh, fine," Kai rolled his eyes. "It's just that, your parents have always been so crazy about your hair. Like neurotic. You've cancelled hanging out with me because your mom would say it was 'hair day'."

"It was a lot of hair!"

"Well, yeah but... something about the whole thing feels off."

Nora let that sink in. While she didn't want to admit it, there was a certain stink about the whole situation. Just the night before they jumped down her throat about a haircut. But when she did it, they relented. Just like that. Without any protest.

"Maybe," she said. "But there is no reason to worry about that now. Just tell me I look great and let's do some shopping and summer job hunting!"

"b***h, you do look great!" Kai laughed. "Onward, mighty yellow steed!"

Finch Landing Mall was the local hangout spot for the younger crowd. Raven's Hollow wasn't a small town. There was just enough there for kids and teens to do. Behind it was Quail Briar Woods. It was a thick forest that separated Raven's Hollow and the neighboring Starling City. It was a place for families to have parties and picnics, a place for lovers to sneak away and a place for trouble if that what you were looking for . Most people stayed away at night, as it was a place werewolves often used for their runs.

Starling City was a sprawling metropolis and home to the Scarlet Moon Pack. They were welcoming to any. As long as you behaved on their land. Venturing into neighboring Starling City was like a rite of passage amongst the youth of Raven's Hollow. Every 21st birthday was celebrated there. The Scarlet Moon Pack would be sure to show them a great time.

"So, what are we doing for your birthday?" Kai asked as they strolled through the mall. "A trip to Starling City? A romp through Quail Briar Woods?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"No, thanks." Nora shook her head. "I got the one thing I've always wanted." She ran her fingers through her cropped hair. "And something everyone wants for their birthday, "she said of her car. "I don't need anything else. Right now, I just want a little job for the summer and to figure out what I'm going to do for college."

"You're no fun," Kai pouted. "We should each find ourselves a hot wolf and suck face."

"Ew," Nora giggled. "You are so thirsty."

"Parched, b***h ."

As they walked through the mall, they noticed they were drawing much more attention than usual. Then they realized that everyone was staring at Nora. As adorable as she was, she'd never really drawn anyone's gaze before. It was as though she was shielded by some cloak. No one ever seemed to notice her. But now, people couldn't tear their gazes from her.

"Have you noticed—"

"That everyone is staring at me? Yes," Nora said, her eyes darting around. Everyone they passed stopped to look at her. Every single person. She felt exposed, as though she was walking in the mall naked. "I think... I think I'd like to leave."

"Yeah," Kai said, wrapping his arm around his best friend's shoulder and pulling her close. "Let's get your hair fixed first. It looks like you chopped at it with a Weedwacker . Then we can go. "

"It's not that bad," Nora pouted.

"You're a lot of things. A hairdresser is not one of them. Come on."

Kai led her into a hair salon and when they emerged, Nora was crowned with the haircut of her dreams.

The next few days were the same. Everywhere they went, people stared. It was like no one had ever seen her before. Nora felt uncomfortable at first but did her best to ignore it.

'It's got to be the hair,' she thought. 'I must look really different.' Her long dark locks used to hang around her like curtains. People must feel like they were seeing her for the first time. Her parents began to treat her differently as well. They were still doting, but seemed to handle her with more care. Like she was a delicate crystal vase or an old, fragile book. She got a job at a bookstore at the mall, and eventually got used to the stares.

The job was easy and didn't pay much. But she enjoyed it and got to read all the books she wanted. It also took her out of the house. The staring she could deal with, but the way her parents seemed to tiptoe around her was becoming unbearable. They wouldn't touch her, and there was a frostiness in the way they spoke to her. She hated it.

Her recurring dreams became more intense as well. She'd wake up drained and confused. She began to feel like stranger to herself. Kai noticed as well and did his best not to treat her differently.

The combination of everything had her on edge, and she wasn't sure how much she would be able to take. An unfamiliar emotion bubbled in her heart. Something simmered in her soul; it begged to be released. It took all her energy to keep it tempered.

***

"Nora. It's time," the voice called to her. "Your bindings have been severed and it is time for you to embrace who you are."

"What are you talking about?" she yelled into the void. "Who are you?"

"Haven't you figured it out?" The voice was clearer than it had ever been. Feminine, dainty, like a windchime on a spring day. Hers. The figure stepped through the shadows and came face to face with her. Round golden, doll-like eyes stared at her.

"What's going on here?"

"I've been waiting for you," Dream Nora said. "You've been hidden for so long, but no longer. It's time."

"Time to what?"

Dream Nora looked behind herself, and more figures stepped through the shadows. Unlike before, she could see all of their faces. However, not one among them was familiar. Their faces were lit up with knowing smiles. Varying words of welcome fell from their lips like people greeting a long-lost loved one.

"I don't understand," Nora said to her dream self. "How are you me? I'm so confused."

"I am you. The you that has always slumbered within you. The one you always knew was there. The strong one. The confident one. I have always been here."

"Always? Where were you all these years? I'm invisible. Sometimes it feels like I don't exist!" Tears welled up in Nora's eyes. "Except for Kai and my parents, I have no one! No one who cares or even notices me!"

"He noticed you," Dream Nora said. A shadowy image of her mystery dance partner stepped forward. His features were blurred except, as always, his captivating eyes. "But you can't seem to remember him."

"I want to," Nora reached out for him, but Dream Nora stopped her.

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"All in due time. But now, you must wake up, and face your destiny."

"What destiny?"

The watchers behind Dream Nora all stepped forward, reaching towards Nora. A compulsion to touch them gripped her. She walked towards them, and their smiles grew with anticipation. Her fingers laced with the dream version of herself, and a brilliant light encompassed her.

"Happy birthday, Nora."