THE CHRISTMAS CURSE: My Hockey Alpha

AMARA'S POV “Ugh! Why am I not surprise, the moon goddess didn't bless her with a wolf.” Lizzy snarled from behind me. My gaze was fixed on the tiles spread across the perimeter of the hall. Cloudy mist gathered around my eyes at the thought of my failure. I wasn't expecting this. I could've sworn with all my life, I would get a wolf tonight. A being that I would call my own. One who'd share the same feelings with me. I guess some of us were born unlucky. Today was the night of my eighteenth birthday. I'm standing under the open roof of the large hall, flanked by half of the pack members with a mix of curiosity and eagerness coloring their eyes. I shut my eyes tightly, and wished for the sensation to strung my veins, before my bones popped in response. Luna Marie, my mother, had told me to hold on tight. “It gets easy the first second, then your bones feel like they're breaking apart.” she'd said a night before in my room, whilst squeezing my shoulders sweetly, “Amy, you don't have to worry about the pains, I'll be there through it all.” As reassuring as her words had sounded, I could pick out the uncertainty in her tone. There were so many ‘what ifs’ sprouting at the edge of each word. Few months prior to my big eighteen, I'd practiced all day with my mates who were fortunate to get their wolf. It was a tussle keeping up with them, but I got a hang of it eventually and even engaged in sparring, at mid level of course. “We all know the only thing she's good at is making tea and baking those overly sweet cakes.” A familiar voice snarked me back to reality and I quickly turned around to face the person. My heart constricted in my chest, as tiny beads of sweat formed on the creases on my forehead, my hands trembled slightly. “Lisa—” My voice came out croaky. Lisa folded her hands over her chest, staring at me with a stoic expression on her face. “Oh please! It's obvious you are incapable of handling a wolf,” she paused, combing a hand through her sleek straight hair, “Yet, she keeps betting on you, now look you're a laughing stock to the whole pack.” Lisa was my cousin and the daughter of my uncle, Beta Damien. She thought she was the best at whatever she does and the entire pack agreed. Well, except me. And that was because I was her first target— her only target. “Amara, you're a freak. A good for nothing daughter of an Alpha who belongs to the background,” she covered the distance between us. I took one step backwards and my back hit against the wall. A few moments ago, I could've sworn there was no wall right there. Her lips tipped up, “And the kitchen, drenched in smoke from those dusty ovens and the stench of herbs for your lousy tea recipes.” Lisa was the ‘tussle’ I had to deal with during practice. She made my life a living hell and made treacherous remarks that got the other kids laughing. Lisa was about my age, but was the ideal daughter any Alpha could ask for. Her lips set into a thin line, “The only thing you're good at is making those sick teas,” she scoffed. “I wonder where you'd get at with such useless skill, if that is even a skill.” Another round of laughter filled the atmosphere, subduing my earlier anxiety. My eyes wandered past her shoulders, searching for any sign of my family, but I couldn't find them. “Ouuu. I guess our little freak is scared!” She teased, poking at my hair. I shoved her hands away. “Don't ever do that—” Anger boiled in my veins. I wasn't about to take her bullshit this time. “I've had enough of your nonsense!” I screamed in my tiny voice, whilst yearning for either of my siblings, Damira and Kyle. Heck! even Mom to come to my rescue. She shuddered in pretense. “What are you gonna do if I don't, huh?” A dark shadow crossed her face as her eyes turned green. Instead of the usual numbness that comes with being attacked by my own cousin in her wolf form, the anxiety that sang in my vein scattered in a kaleidoscope of anger, one I couldn't seem to control. Without thinking, my fist out and punched her hard against her jaw. Lisa staggered backwards, cursing under her breath. “You freak!” She bared her teeth, exposing pointy fangs, “I'll teach you a lesson you'd not forget in a hurry.” She growled and in a split second, her wolf was on all fours, saliva dripping from the side of its mouth, waiting to ‘teach me’ a not-so pleasant lesson. Lisa’s wolf was twice as ruthless as its human, and didn't show mercy to her perceived enemies. Its ruthless approach earned her a front spot with my brother as an enforcer. She took a long stride and lunged at me. I wanted to run, but my legs felt stuck to the damn ground. Gosh! It was already enough not getting my wolf, not feeling the mate bond with my boyfriend Jayden. But getting grossly bruised by my cousin? Umm, Hell no! As she inched closer to me, my legs felt like they were sinking deeper to the ground. Suddenly, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and I woke up with a start. My head felt stuffed with a headache and my clothes were soaked in sweat. It was a nightmare! “Amy, are you okay?” Damira, my sister, questioned. Her eyes narrowed with concern. I rested my back against the beige wall, trying to register the cool setting of my room. The air from the air conditioner made my clothes damp against my skin, leaving a swirl of goosebumps in its wake. “You look pale, do you need me to make some chamomile tea for you?” She raised her hands in surrender when I fired her a don't-you-dare look. “I know I suck at prepping pleasant tea recipes like you, but at least I tried.” I pressed my lips together to suppress the headache that'd tipped a bit. “I had a bad dream,” I paused, “No, a nightmare.” Silence rented the air. “Let me guess, it's about last night?” I nodded, fighting the ache that gathered in my chest. “Wasn't a dream then. Amy, I'm sorry you had to go through that.” Wasn't really a dream then. “Did Lisa try to attack me last night?” I scratched my head, as if that would reset my memory. Damira's eyes were coloured in anger, “Even in her next life she wouldn't make such a mistake, especially while I'm there.” Phew! Then the part where she attacked me was a dream. I mouthed, ‘Thank you.’ Damira swallowed, “I didn't come to your room to get mushy. Go and get dressed, we have to go to school.” She pushed herself up from the bed, already dressed for school. “One more thing, father would like to have a word with you in his study.” She reached for her thick pink coat and draped it against her shoulders. The weather was frosty with tiny droplets of snow, a reminder that Christmas was weeks away. My heart fluttered at the thought of my favorite holiday. Father's face had been a mask of disappointment. Last night, He’d stormed out of the hall and hadn't come down for my birthday dinner, family tradition. “Maybe he wants to apologize for being absent at your birthday dinner.” Damira shrugged and breezed out of the room. I sucked in a breath. “Maybe.”