The Wrong Alpha - A Twist of Fate?

Chapter 10 - LILAH

I walked through the door of our house to have my Mum throw herself at me in tears "Lilah!! You're ok!!" she wailed.

I looked across to my Dad who, to be fair, looked like he had tears in his eyes, so I wondered if he, too, had been crying.

"Logan had linked his Dad worried about you. He let us know. We were so worried, darling" Dad explained.

Oh marvelous, so everyone knew about my moment of weakness, they'd all be ready to have me locked up for monitoring now! I thought to myself.

"I'm fine." I tried my best to play it down "was just upset and a moment of weakness. I walked it off now. You got to realize it was a lot to take in for me?" I question.

"Oh I know sweetheart" my mum squeezes me even harder as she speaks.

If she carries on I'd not have to think about killing myself. My mum would do it for me as I'd not be able to breathe and my cause of death would be suffocation!!

"This is difficult for me. I thought he was my mate" I started to explain, "but he isn't. I need time to get used to that, and want to be on my own, so can I just stay in my room please?"

"Erm, for now yes Lilah, and the answer would usually be yes, but I'm sorry, later you're going to be expected to be at the party..." my Dad spoke up, albeit a little hesitantly.

"Party?" I asked, my brain not really registering what was happening,

"Logan's birthday?"my mum said gently. Oh of course, with everything going on, I'd completely forgotten about that...

His birthday. Aunty Talia would have set up a massive pack birthday celebration for him, no doubt even bigger than usual with it being the day he shifts... Surely they'd understand if I didn't go?

"Surely they'd understand if I didn't go?" I looked at my Dad, hoping he would hear the pain in my voice and be at least sympathetic to me.

He walked across the room to me, and held my hand. Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this?!

“We did put all that across to Uncle Grayson, sweetheart, explaining you'd be struggling, that you'd be hurt and upset, and it may be kinder on you to stay home, so you don't have to see their new bond flaunted in front of you..."

My Dad grimaced as if he were in pain, though I had a feeling the pain was more likely for me... "But he said that you must come, you were expected there as my daughter anyway, but also that, considering the circumstances of what happened, people may be reluctant to accept Anya as future Luna when so many had thought that would be you. When in truth none of us should have made assumptions, so he believes that if you are there, showing you are accepting of their mate bond, then the pack will do the same and celebrate the fact Logan found his mate and will welcome her as the future Luna of our pack."

What?!! I could feel the tears in my eyes, but did my best to hold them back, not wanting my parents to see me cry. Was my uncle for real? He actually thought I would be ok with all of this? Does he even have a heart? I always thought he loved and cared for me, yet this was a side of him I hadn't seen, and I didn't particularly like it....

Tonight was going to be torture for me. He must know that, yet he was happy for that to happen so long as the pack was good. Love was f****d up...

"That seems unfair" I simply state.

"Lilah" my dad warns, his voice tone changing to warn me there is no debate on the matter.

I simply walk from the room, knowing I have a few hours to prepare myself for seeing everyone, having them either avoiding me or being all sympathetic and me having to act all brave and say I'm happy for Logan and Anya; not to mention what would be the most heartbreaking, seeing Logan and Anya together, no doubt unable to avoid the draw to one another as they explore this new mate bond between them.

I was beginning to wish I had thrown myself from that waterfall after all...

The hours in my room passed with me sleeping, crying and trying not to think of Logan and how much I loved him, how much pain I was in.

Indie, my best friend, had messaged me to see if I wanted her to come over.

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Hey baby doll

I heard what happened. I don't know what to say really. Though Logan could defo have dealt better with it. You need me to come over?

Indie

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I really didn't feel like talking, so I quickly dismissed her.

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Hey hun

No, I'm ok.

Just want to be alone, though I may need your support at party later.

Del

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Hoping that would be enough to deter her, I went for a shower knowing I would have no choice but to start getting ready for the party soon enough.

I hate the fact my Uncle, one who apparently loves and cares for me, would force me to go just to ease his own mind to ensure the pack would accept the mate his son had been fated. And neither of my parents had the guts to stand up for me and say it wasn't fair or wouldn't be happening... so much for doing all they could to protect me!

As I rinsed my hair and reached for the towel hooked on the shower screen, I heard a knock at the bathroom door.

"Lilah!" I pulled the towel around me, stepping out of the bath and heading the door. "LILAH!!" the voice was now louder and I could instantly recognize it as Indie. Clearly she chose to ignore my message when I said I wanted to be alone...

I opened the door and said nothing, simply raising my eyebrows at her. I was greeted with a grin as we headed to my bedroom.

My friend was as tall as I was, about 5ft 11, slim but curvy hips, and her hair was way down past her butt. When I met her in school when we were about 4, her hair had been a deep chocolatey brown color, but as we got older she began to experiment with hair dyes, and it had been pretty much every color under the rainbow ever since.

It was currently a bright, fire engine red, and it really suited her, but knowing her, it wouldn't stay that color for long before she fancied a change.

I loved that about her, she was quirky and had her own style and didn't care, she loved to be different, but she pulled it off easily and no matter what color her hair was she seemed to suit it.

She'd tried on many occasions to try to convince me to dye mine, but I had never been brave enough, always sticking to my natural honey blonde, the most daring thing I'd done was let her give me highlights, but she was such a good friend and accepted that and never pressured me to be like her, not like some of the girls in high school would do.

She was an amazing friend in so many ways...

"I came to make sure you were ok, baby doll, and to help you get sorted for tonight" she simply stated. I couldn't help but smile.

I know I had said I hadn't wanted her here, but I could see she had seen past that and thought I would need help in getting ready and to be fair a hug from her was always a good thing. Though I didn't think she'd appreciate that right now when I was still wet from the shower...

"Thank you hun" I said as she just looked up at me as she plopped herself on my bed and smiled softly.

I don't think I had to say a word for my best friend to know the pain I was in. She would already know without me telling her.

"So, what are you wearing?" she asked. To be honest, I had no idea. I didn't want to make a big effort now, knowing the focus of the party wouldn't be on me alongside him as his new future Luna as we had initially expected.

I simply shrugged. She was at my wardrobe in an instant, rummaging through. Clothes and fashion were something Indie liked, alongside art, so I was happy to let her take over, another reason she probably was right to come over after all....

She came out with a pair of sapphire blue wide leg trousers, with a high waist, that had button details on them "These are cute? Maybe with a white bodysuit? Or tank top tucked in? And chunky platform heels?" she suggested, "Basic but beautiful no? Or we could look at a dress?" she began to move toward the wardrobe again...

"No, that's good hun, I like it. I think I have a white tank top in there actually that would work. And I have those chunky platform shoes I wore for your birthday, remember?" I suggested.

She nods "Perfect, and I will do make-up and hair " she adds with a wink.

I wasn't going to argue with that, I likely needed help covering up the mess that my face was from all the crying from today.

I slipped into the clothes as Indie went through my make-up, she got me to sit at the chair at my dressing table, slowly brushing out my long blond hair. "Will soon be as long as mine, Del" she teased.

We’d always had competitions growing up for whose hair was longest, hers certainly was at the moment, being past her butt, mine hanging around somewhere between waist and butt. I knew she was trying to make me smile. "You got grips?" she asked.

"Hmm yeah think so in the drawer there" I signal towards the drawer at the top of my dressing table. She grabs them and places them on the side and I watch her in the mirror as she brushes sections of my hair, twisting them up into little knots and gripping them into place until most of my hair is twisted up on top of my head, and it looks beautiful.

I knew she was trying to make more effort to make me feel good considering what had happened today, and I appreciated it.

"Now for make up. I'll keep it simple, hun, in case you cry ok?" she said gently. She wrapped her arms round my neck to give me a hug and I knew what she was saying made sense, though I hope I would be able to hold back any tears until I was on my own tonight, I nodded.

She kisses my cheek as she stands. I sit while she puts a light cover of make-up on my face, doing as she said, keeping it basic, a light gray eye shadow, smoky eyeliner and plenty of waterproof mascara just in case.

I looked in the mirror when she'd done, and I was amazed at how I looked. Nobody would be able to tell by looking that inside I was crumbling to pieces and my heart was breaking.

I stood and gave my best friend a big hug. "Thank you Indie". I feel her grip on me tighten as she hugs me back. " No worries baby doll, and I will be right there tonight. I know you don't want to talk about it right now, but when you do, I'm here. I also know tonight is going to be so hard... I personally think Alpha is a jackass making you go" I can't help but grin at her description of him. She isn't wrong to be fair right now. "But you have done nothing wrong, just be yourself, and I'll be with you as much as I can, though I have been asked to help serve food too, so I may not be there the entire time," she smiled apologetically.

Oh no, I didn't know she had to do that, I thought I'd have her there the entire time... I'd just say close by or near my Mum and Dad. I can do this... I have to...