Christmas With The Alpha

The Reunion

***

The hum of fluorescent lights buzzes overhead as I sit in the hospital waiting room, staring blankly at the chipped floor. My hands grip the edges of the chair, my fingers numb from the cold that still clings to my skin. The faint smell of antiseptic hangs in the air, mingling with the faint murmur of voices from the front desk.

I don’t even remember how I got here. I just know I fled from the woods the moment the wolf disappeared, and I limped my way back to the road. There I walked in a daze, until somehow I found myself here. The hospital is packed for some reason, which is surprising as it’s usually empty during the holidays. If I was in a better state of mind, I would probably wonder why there are so many sick people today.

But all I can think about is the beast.

Its eyes had glowed with an unnatural light, wild and feral, as it lunged for me in the snow. And the black wolf... the way it had appeared out of nowhere, with its powerful form clashing with the creature. My heart races at the memory of its piercing gaze when it turned to me. Those eyes... they'd felt familiar somehow, though I couldn't explain why.

Is it possible that I had met this wolf before? Did it perhaps recognise me, and it tried to save me?

I shake my head, trying to dispel the thought. It's ridiculous. Wolves don't save people. They don't stare at you like they know you. And yet, the images refuse to fade. I glance around the waiting room, my pulse pounding in my ears. It feels like everyone here knows something I don't, even though no one has said a word to me since I arrived.

"Lila Winters. I didn't expect to see you here."

The voice pulls me out of my thoughts, sweet and sharp all at once. I look up to see Clarissa Hawthorne gliding into the waiting room, her blonde hair tied back in a perfect ponytail. She's wearing scrubs, but they're tailored so well she could be walking a runway. Her bright blue eyes fix on me, and her lips curl into a smile that doesn't quite reach them.

For f**k’s sake!

"Clarissa," I say, forcing a neutral tone. "What are you doing here?"

She lifts a clipboard, as if that explains everything. "Volunteering, of course. Someone has to take care of the elderly wing, and I thought, why not me?"

Of course. Clarissa has always been the golden girl of Silverpine, effortlessly perfect and painfully aware of it.

"What about you?" she asks, her eyes flicking to my ankle. "Had a little accident?"

"Something like that," I reply, keeping my voice tight.

Her smile widens, but there's an edge to it. "You've always been a little clumsy, haven't you?" Before I can respond, she adds, "Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure they'll patch you up just fine. They're used to... small-town mishaps."

“Did you just call me a mishap?” I say through clenched teeth, but she smiles back at me the same way a python would smile at its prey before striking.

“I don’t mean it like that, silly,” she says. “I’m just saying, not everyone gets to be born as a naturally coordinated person. But it’s not a bad thing. I just remember you tripping all over yourself in high school, with that ugly grey sweater that no one could possibly pull off. At least your clothes are not so hideous anymore.”

With that, she gives a delicate wave and walks away, leaving the faint scent of expensive perfume in her wake. I clench my fists, heat rising to my cheeks. Typical Clarissa. Always sweet on the surface, always venomous underneath. Her parting shot sticks in my chest like a thorn, and I'm still fuming when the nurse calls my name.

One of these days, I’m going to drive my fist into her pretty little nose and knock some sense into her.

---

"You'll be fine," the doctor says, peering at my ankle. He's an older man with kind eyes and a tired smile. "It's just a sprain. Keep off it for a few days, rest, and you'll be good as new."

"Thanks," I mumble, wincing as he gently tests the swelling.

"Mind telling me how this happened?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

My throat tightens. I can't tell him about the glowing-eyed beast or the massive black wolf. He'd think I was crazy.

"I slipped," I say quickly. "On the ice, near the woods. The snowstorm didn't help."

He nods, clearly unconvinced but too polite to press further. "Well, be careful out there. These storms can be brutal."

Within minutes, I'm dismissed, with instructions for ice packs and elevation tucked into my jacket pocket. As I leave the exam room, still distracted by thoughts of the forest, I suddenly slam directly into someone, and hot liquid splashes onto the floor.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I blurt, stepping back.

"Lila?"

The voice makes me freeze. When I look up, I'm met with warm brown eyes and a familiar crooked smile.

"Elijah? Oh my God!"

He's older now, his jawline sharper, his shoulders broader. His hair is shorter than I remember, but the way he's looking at me feels like stepping into a time machine. Elijah was my best friend in high school, and we called ourselves the golden trio with Melody.

Naturally, I was Harry.

"It's been ages," he says, his smile widening as I wrap my arms around him. "Ten years, right?"

"Something like that," I manage as we pull apart, still processing the sight of him. "What are you doing back in Silverpine?"

"Business," he says, holding up his coffee-stained sleeve with a sheepish grin. "Real estate. But I didn't expect to run into you here. I just stopped by to get a nosebleed checked out."

"It’s so nice to see you," I say, suddenly hyperaware of the scrapes on my hands and the messy braid hanging over my shoulder.

He glances at my ankle. "Need a ride home? My car's just outside."

For a moment, I hesitate. But then I nod. "That... would be great, actually."

“Where’s the old bug?” he asks.

“It broke down on the side of the road,” I reply sheepishly. Elijah smirks, and he takes my arm in his and pats my hand lightly.

“You never change, Lila Winters,” he smirks.

---

“So,” he says as we pull out of the parking lot, “how’s life been treating you?”

“Oh, you know,” I say with a shrug. “Same old Silverpine. I’ve taken over at the bakery, so there’s that. It keeps me busy.”

“I heard about Nana,” he says. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t even attend the funeral.”

“It’s alright,” I reply. “I got your flowers, so it’s fine. Besides, Melody is there to keep me company, except on the days when her inner Ron Weasley shows up and she reverts to her old self.

He laughs, a deep, rich sound that makes my stomach flip. How come I never noticed how sexy his laugh is?

“Does she still have terrible aim?” he asks.

“Worse,” I say, grinning. “Last week, she tried to hit me with a snowball and ended up nailing old Mr. Hampton’s car instead. He thought it was kids causing trouble.”

“Sounds about right,” Elijah says, shaking his head. “Remember that snowball fight back in junior year? When she tripped and took both of us down with her?”

“I’ll never forget,” I say, laughing. “You landed face-first in the snow, and she blamed you for being in the way.”

“She always did have a creative way of avoiding responsibility,” he says, his smile softening as he glances at me. “And you? Still the voice of reason?”

“Someone has to be,” I reply, though my cheeks warm under his gaze. He’s so different now, more confident, more… something. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s distracting. I notice the way his veins pop out when he grips the wheel, and the way his neck looks so much more powerful. I notice the curvature of his lips, and the fluttering of his lashes when he blinks. I notice how big he has gotten, with a light stubble which looks like he isn’t even trying.

Get a grip of yourself, I tell the part of me that’s starting to imagine what it would feel like if I kissed him right now.

“What about you?” I ask. “What’s life been like since you left Silverpine?”

His smile falters, just for a second, before he fixes his expression. “Busy,” he says simply. “Work, mostly.”

“That’s it?” I press, leaning forward slightly. “Come on, Elijah. Ten years is a long time. You must have some stories.”

He grips the steering wheel a little tighter. “Not much to tell,” he says, his tone clipped. “I’ve been keeping busy, that’s all.”

The air in the car shifts, the easy warmth replaced by something cooler. I sit back, unsure of what to say. There’s a shadow over his eyes, like someone who has seen a lot and isn’t ready to talk about it. I suppose I must have looked the same way earlier when I was sitting in the waiting room. Elijah looks like he has aged a hundred years though. I almost want to reach out and stroke his cheek, but I stop myself from doing that.

“Do you remember when we nearly blew up the chemistry lab?” he asks with a soft chuckle, and I realise that he’s trying to steer the conversation back to safer territory, which I don’t mind. We’re already on my street, so it’s not like I can probe deeper.

"I can't believe we survived some of our shenanigans," I say, laughing as he pulls up in front of my house.

"Barely," he replies, his smile softening as he turns to look at me. "It's good to see you, Lila. Really good."

"You too," I say, lingering for a moment before opening the door. "Thanks for the ride."

He leans over the steering wheel. "We should grab a drink sometime. Catch up properly. I’ll be in town for a while. Probably till after Christmas."

"I'd like that," I say, surprised by how much I mean it. “You should swing by the bakery tomorrow. I’m sure Mel will be happy to see you.”

“I can’t wait,” he says with a smile. See you tomorrow.”

As he drives away, I watch his taillights disappear into the night. It's only when I'm inside, locking the door behind me, that I realize how much has happened in a single evening. The woods. The wolf. Clarissa. And now Elijah.

I sigh, collapsing onto the floor. It’s been a very long day, but now I just want a hot bath and a chance to curl up on my bed with a nice book. My vibrator is waiting for me upstairs, and I think we’ll probably have a quick session before I go to sleep. Besides, it’s way too cold in here and I need to warm up.

That’s when I notice the back window is open. The snow blasts into the living room, and my blood freezes as I stare at it. I never leave the window open when I go out. Which means…

Someone has been in my house.

***