The Alpha and the Mistake

Chapter 7

I didn't stop running until my lungs felt like they would implode. I dropped to my knees, panting heavily

and waiting for the black spots to disappear. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. I repeated it over and over

and over in my head. Mike was just trying to scare me in his usual cruel way. I stared up into the

cloudless sky through the trees. Yet I had a nagging suspicion it wasn't.

What Mike had said was so unlike all the other horrible things he usually tells me that it had to be true.

It was so unfair, damn it. I let Mike beat on me, let him humiliate me, and for what? To see me and my

family cut down because the alpha has ego issues? Bitter rage filled me. I wanted to do something, but

what? I'm just a stupid human. Mike spent the last three years making sure I knew I never had a

chance against them.

I stood, dusting off my dirty jeans, not sure what to do or where to go. I didn't want to go home. If I went

there, it'd all become real. Call me delusional, but I wasn't ready for real yet. Of course, considering I'm

lost somewhere in the woods, getting anywhere might be a challenge. I pulled out my phone and

sighed - no signal, great. I looked at the sky, trying to judge where I was on the location of the sun.

It always rose in the west and set in the east right...or was it the other way around. Man, I couldn't

remember. I was so screwed! The moss! I thought with a flare of hope. I heard moss only grows on the

northeast side of the tree. I leaned over to examine the nearest tree -it had no moss on it, of course.

After a quick but unsuccessful search for a mossy tree, any mossy tree would do, I gave up. I spun a

slow circle, hoping for some kind of indication of where town was.

Why couldn't nature come proper signalization? How do people find their way around in here? I mean

come on would it hurt to have a sign with 'town is this way.' I don't think so. I huffed with indignation.

"Deep dark forest. Can't be that hard. Well come on feet," I said, paraphrasing a line from one of my

favorite movies and picked a direction with the hope it led anywhere but deeper into the woods. I mean

what choice did I have anyway? It wasn't like anyone would come looking for me here.

The sun had nearly set by the time I finally made it back to town. I would have jumped for joy if my legs

didn't hurt so much. My legs were doing all they could to keep me standing - jumping was completely

out of the question. Why would people walk for fun? I took out my phone again with the idea to tell

Mom and Harry I was okay. Only, my phone was dead. I sighed and wondered if this day could get any

worse. Fearing I was tempting my fate, I glanced upwards once more. "I didn't mean it. Seriously, no

need to make it worse to prove me wrong."

I shuffled to a small park, I sat on the swing set. My feet throbbing from the walking. Man, it felt so good

to sit down. My shoulders slumped as my situation became real. The alpha wanted to kill my family and

me. Would Harry believe me if I told him? Mike said he and the alpha used to be friends. What would I

do if he didn't? Would Mom come with me if I told her everything? How mad would she be when she

found out?

I pushed off and started to swing, letting the back and forth motion relax me. Someone called my

name, my real name. I glanced up and saw Dean. He jogged over to me, and I slowed. "Hey, Dean."

"Hey. What happened to your face? Are you alright?"

I couldn't help it I laughed. I was as far from alright as possible. "The same thing that always happens."

"Brook, where have you been? Your parents are going crazy. No one had any idea where you were."

My throat tightened, and the words refused to come out. "I'm not sure exactly where I've been. I have

been around, though, and technically, Harry isn't my parent."

"What's wrong ? You're acting kind of strange."

Irritation came from nowhere suddenly, and before I could stop myself, I snapped at him. "Where in our

like thirty minutes of conversation did you get the idea you know me enough to judge my actions,

Deano."

"Deano? Only Mike calls me that. Is that what this is about Did he do something to you? You've been

with him I can smell his scent all over you."

"I can smell his scent all over you," I mimicked. "That's kind of creepy. Why would I deny anything,

anyway? Yeah, Mike and I had a chat. Nothing out of the ordinary." Except, Mike told me I'm a dead

teen walking.

"Did he hurt you?" Dean's words slow and his voice dropped to a deep rumble.

"You mean more than usual?" I shrugged. "No, not really." Did it even matter? I wasn't so sure anything

mattered anymore.

"Brook, let me help you," Dean pleaded, actually giving me puppy dog eyes.

"You can't. Just leave me alone, okay." It was sweet, but there was nothing Dean could do to help me.

In fact, it was best if he stayed away from me. The more he was around me, the easier Mike's dad

could pin my murder on him. God, my murder.

"I can't do that."

"Dean, you're sweet. I'm sure you're alpha is very proud of you, but trust me. You can't help."

"You might be surprised."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. Surprises usually are bad for me. Leave okay. I'm beyond help, and no

one can save me."

"Is that what Mike told you?" Dean demanded and any reply I had died on my lips at the expression on

his face. His features twisted with rage, making him look like some wild thing. His eyes turned an icy

blue, and they seemed to be glowing. His nose flared like an animal scenting the air. I took in a sharp

breath, instinctive fear prickling the back of my neck in warning.

He suddenly jerked back, covering his face with his hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." When

his hand fell from his face, his eyes were normal. Must be a werewolf thing. Harry did the same after

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"It's cool. I'm kind of jumpy."

"No it's not cool, and you shouldn't be jumpy. Please, Brook. Let me help you."

"Dean, you can't. Really. You can't go against or stop an alpha."

"What? Why would I need to go against or stop an alpha?"

Geez, this guy was harder to get rid of than a cold. "It doesn't matter. My problems, not yours."

Pure frustration crossed his face, and he sighed. "I could possibly take on an alpha if I needed too."

I laughed a bitter, humorless laugh. I was ignorant, but not that ignorant. "Please, even I know only

another alpha can stand up to an alpha. Remember, you can't go against Mike. It would cause you too

much trouble. Imagine the trouble you'd be in going head to head with his dad."

"For the right reason, I would go against Mike or his dad."

"Will you stop. You're going to get yourself hurt."

Dean's eyes started to do that glow thing again. "There are things you don't know about me."

"Yeah, you're right, I don't. Give it up this silly idea of being a hero to the sad little human, Dean."

"I'm not Dean," he snapped.

Okay. I wasn't expecting that answer. "What?"

"I am not Dean. Dean is my brother. My name is Ryder Williams, future alpha of the Blue Crescent

pack."

My jaw dropped as I stared at him in horror. A future alpha? Oh God, this was bad. Man, I should've

never wondered if this day could get worse. I tempted Fate, and she answered. Maybe I deserved to be

called Missy Mistake after all.