Alpha's Contract Marriage

Seven: Strang Places

Strang Places

Seven: Ellie

The first thing I feel is a horrible throbbing in my temple. I bring my hands up to my head and moan. I try to open my eyes, but everything is blurry, and the bright light blinds me. I close my eyes again trying to remember what the hell happened to make me feel like this. I remember the party and Thad being so upset with the way things happened. I remember Caleb staring daggers at us the whole time until Thad pulled me away to a room handing me a soft drink in a glass with ice. That is the last thing I remember. I bring my hand up to my forehead rubbing hard at the pain there.

I open my eyes slowly and stare at a ceiling that has a half-naked woman staring back down at me. I sit up quickly and look around the room. That is when I see Caleb at the foot of the bed sitting in a chair staring at me. “Where the f*ck am I?” I yell at him jumping out of the bed. Feeling cold I look down and see I’m in a t-shirt that barely covers my underwear. I jump back in the bed covering myself up. “Who the hell undressed me! You…. How could you!” I scream at him. He doesn’t even move a muscle. A knock comes from the door, and I watch as Caleb stands up and walks over to the door. I just now notice that he is still wearing the same clothes he wore to the party last night. I watch as he walks out of the room closing the door behind him.

I’m still fuming as I see my dress from last night at the foot of the bed. I crawl to it keeping the blanket wrapped around me. I grab my dress and hurry back to the head of the bed. I spread out my dress and see it is torn at the top and ripped down the side all the way to the waist of it. I gulp and try to think what the hell happened. I look over as the door opens and Lexi comes in closing the door behind her. She has a tray with her that she sits down on the nightstand. She looks at me with tears in her eyes. “You, okay?” she asks me as she notices me holding my dress. I shake my head. “What happened last night?” I say as she sits down taking my hands in hers.

“What do you remember?” Lexi asks me as I sit there and think. “The last thing I remember is Thad and I going into a room so we could talk.” I look down at my hands to my dress. “Did someone attack me? Was it Caleb?” I ask anger present in my voice as I look up at Lexi who is chewing on her bottom lip. “I don’t know what happened. All I know is that it couldn’t have been Caleb. He never left from outside until we heard your screams. I followed behind him and found you half naked on a bed clutching a blanket to yourself. Ronin had Thad pinned against the wall by his neck.” I gasp at her words. “Why would he hurt Thad. He would never hurt me. He loves me.” I say as the tears start rolling down my face.

Lexi pulls my hands to her chest shaking her head no. “Ellie Thad was the one who attacked you. He was naked as the day he was born.” I stare at her and cannot believe what I’m hearing. “No, you’re wrong he would never do something like that.” I say as I jump out of the bed and make my way to the bathroom. I shut the door. I just need a couple of minutes alone. I look myself in the mirror and see a bruise on my neck. It looks like teeth marks right where my mating mark goes. I step back in horror as I touch the bruised skin. I walk out of the bathroom my hand still on my neck as tear roll down my face. I’m so upset I want to scream to the heavens.

I pull myself together as another knock comes and I stare at the door just wanting everyone to leave me alone. The door opens and Luna Olivia comes into the room. I bow my head. “Luna.” I say as respect for her is in my voice. This woman has always been like a second mother to me. She walks over to me and lightly touches my hand that is still covering the mark on my neck. “Are you okay child?” I feel the tears start to prickle once more but I grind my teeth and hold them back. I nod my head as I watch her walk over to the bed and sit a bag down.

I watch her as she sits down next to Lexi whose eyes go wide. The Luna looks at me and smiles a small smile. “I’m sorry Ellie, I truly am. If I could change what was done in the past I would but unfortunately no one can change what was done and what hasn’t come to pass.” The tears break free as I stare at her. “I don’t want this, Luna. I want my life back to do with what I please.” I cry out as she stares at me. I see her look worriedly at me. “Come here.” She says as I throw myself in her arm. “Shhh, it’s all going to be okay.” She says running her fingers throw my hair relaxing me against her side. I listen to her heartbeats as she keeps running her hand through my hair.

As I calm down, I hear her speaking to me. “You know Ellie, I have watched you grow up. You have always been a firecracker running around always chasing after the boys.” She chuckles a little. “Always out to prove yourself that you are just as good as they are at everything.” She brushes my hair out of my face as she takes my face in her hands. “You have such a pure and loving soul. I know this is not what you want but can you try to give my son a chance. Just a small chance? Maybe just open your heart just a little bit and see where it might go?” I look at my Luna and feel my heart break. “I can’t Luna. I already have someone that I love. I’m sorry.” I say as she lets me go. I see the sadness in her eyes as she sighs standing up. Walking towards the door. “There are some of your clothes in that bag. Take a shower and dress. Get some food in your stomach. Caleb will be back at noon to escort you to lunch.”

The door closes behind her as I stare at Lexi who is stone face white. “Are you crazy. You just told the Luna that you are in love with Thad who is in the cells as we speak for brutalizing you last night.” I look at Lexi and about fall to the ground. “What do you mean Thad is in the cells? Why?” I scream at her. “Because of what he did to you. That’s why.” Lexi says her face turning bright red in anger. “That bruise on your neck you’re trying to hide. That was what Thad was trying to do to you last night. If it wasn’t for your brother, he would have marked you signing your death warrant for treason. You are promised to Alpha Caleb for Goddess’s sake. Don’t you know what that means.” She says to me so angry that she picks up the bag of clothes and throws them at me. “Go take your shower Ellie. I really don’t want to see your face right now.”

I watch numbly as she turns her back on me. I stumble back into the bathroom thinking on her words. I just cannot believe them. I don’t have any memory of last night, but Thad could never do something so wrong to me. He loves me and people who love each other wouldn’t force their mark on them. I stand there staring at myself once more and come to a conclusion. I will not believe anything that they tell me until I can talk to Thad. I have to give him the benefit of doubt. We have been together for three years and he has been nothing but loving and caring towards me.

With that thought in mind I start the shower and jump in. I frown when I see nothing but male smelling soaps and shampoo. Oh well just this once will not hurt. After this I will go home and use the rest of my two weeks to find a way to break this silly contract freeing myself and my family.

***

Lexi

I cannot believe her. I stomp over to the window. I mean I know that she thinks she is in love with that jerk Thad. She always seemed to have stars in her eyes whenever he was around. That was after Alpha Caleb and Ronin left though. I remember when we first entered middle school and our bodies where just starting to change. How she had those same stars in her eyes for Caleb. I also seen how Caleb looked at her when he though no one was watching. So why is she so angry at him now. How could she want Thad over Caleb. Caleb has always been a good guy. Yeah, he picked on us growing up but so did Ronin and I don’t see her hating her brother that way.

I sigh something is up with her. I don’t even think she will admit it to herself want she really is feeling. My cell vibrates in my pocket, and I look at the caller id. I sigh seeing Beta Lacy name lighting up. “Hi, my second momma. What’s up?” I can hear her sniffling telling me that she has been crying. “Oh Lexi, how is she?” I sigh as I look out the window. “You know how hardheaded she is. She doesn’t remember anything from last night and she refuses to believe that Thad would do something like that to her.” I hear the gasp over the line and think oh sh*t. “It was Thad that attacked my baby!” I hear her scream over the phone so loud that I had to pull it away from my ear.

“I’m going to kill him!” I hear her shout as I try to get her attention. “Lacy, they got him. Ronin saved her and Caleb put him in the cells. She is okay nothing happened to her. They got to her in time.” I hear her sobs once more. “Do you want to talk to her? She should be out of the shower any minute now.” I hear a dry chuckle. “You know she will refuse to talk to me now. Especially after last night’s stunt, she won’t even have her two weeks of freedom.” I hear her sigh out loud. “Just be there for her Lexi she is going to need some comfort from someone. This is not going to be easy for her. You know she is going to fight it kicking and screaming the whole way.”

“Well, you did raise her to be independent and think for herself.” I say in a whisper, and she chuckles once more. “That I did and I’m very proud of her. Okay I got to go my mate is home and growling like a great big grizzly.” I head the click of the phone at the same time the shower turns off. “You know if it was me in her shoes. I would have just said f*ck it and ran away.” I whisper out as I turn back to the window and watch as the newbies train in the field.