Chapter 5 A Date Gone Wrong

Since losing her virginity to Tom, his behaviour changed. He'd grown distant from Alicia, mostly absent-minded and distracted by the little time they spent with each other. Alicia also noticed their encounters were always in private, away from prying eyes, somewhere they wouldn't be easily discovered. At first, Alicia thought she was being paranoid because she’d given Tom her virginity, and his behaviour suddenly changed after he got what he wanted.

Alicia hoped this wasn’t the case and she hadn’t just allowed her first time to be with someone she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life with. In the werewolf community, they had mates- soulmates- they would never separate from. At first, this kept Alicia from sleeping with Tom, but his 20th birthday was six months ago, the special birthday when werewolves discovered their mates. That eased some of Alicia’s anxiety, and she accepted Tom’s persuasive words that he would choose her as his future Luna.

Even if, at times, she doubted herself. What pack wanted a Luna who didn’t have a wolf?

After showing her concern about their relationship at lunch, Tom suggested they have a romantic date. “I’m not hiding you, Alicia! Things have just been a little tense at home at the moment. I’ll tell you over dinner. What do you say?”

And that is how she is wearing a pretty new dress. She decided to spend some of her savings on a Friday night date night. She stared at the black dress in the full-length mirror, feeling confident with little makeup on her face. Just as she picked up her phone, it vibrated to announce a message.

“Dammit,” Alicia cursed, staring at her phone. Jill from the bar couldn’t go to work because she had to take her kid to the emergency room. Alicia stared at herself in the mirror and sighed as she started to unzip the back. The label was still in it; it would be nice to actually own the dress and not return it after using it once.

The shift was for a few hours, so maybe they could have a late dinner, or she could do something nice for him? As Alicia left, she changed into her work clothes for the human bar outside the pack and sent a quick message to Tom. She knew he was probably finishing hockey practice and wouldn’t answer his phone.

Once Alicia left, Darci smirked at her sister’s retreating form, her smartphone by her ear as she looked out the window. “Thanks, Jill. I’ll transfer you the money by the end of the night. Make sure to turn up after an hour.”

Alicia sighed at her phone. Tom hadn’t read any of her messages. She hoped he hadn’t arrived at her place. He said he would pick her up and make it all romantic.

“Guy trouble?”

Alicia’s head snapped up at the sound of Jill’s voice. “Goddess! Is everything okay with Henry?” She asked immediately, finding it odd that Jill had been through the emergency room quickly and managed to get to work an hour into her shift.

Alicia wouldn’t complain though! This meant she could meet up with Tom!

“He’s fine. Doctors gave him some meds. My dad is with him,” Jill answered. She didn’t seem concerned about her son. It must not have been that bad.

“Oh, thank the Goddess. I’m going to head out! I have a date with my boyfriend!”

“Ohhh! Have fun!"

Alicia whistled in the toilets as she changed into the black dress again. It was a little creased at the bottom, but she was grateful to have brought it with her. Before sitting on her moped, she sent a voice note to Tom, “I’m sorry about being late! I will make it up to you, baby, I promise! Jill arrived, so I’m free to leave! I’m on my way back now. I can’t wait to see you!”

Returning to her house, Alicia’s chest swelled in joy as she saw Tom’s SUV parked outside. She stopped walking, noting the lights were off except for one room upstairs. Tom was probably waiting for her in the bedroom. She cringed at the idea.

Tom hadn’t been inside of her room before. They’d always made out at school, in his car, in the games room of the pack house, anywhere but at home where her nosy parents were or to be caught by the Alpha and Luna in the pack house. She was ashamed of her living circumstances, but her happiness outweighed her embarrassment. Tom was waiting for her!

Putting the keys down on the cabinet in the entryway, Alicia paused to the sound of music upstairs. She had nothing in her room that he could listen to music. It was too loud to be coming from his phone as well.

Slowly, Alicia crept up the stairs, frowning at the shirt crumpled on the ground and the skirt. Was Darci home? The music was coming from her room. Alicia gasped. Did she bring a guy home?!

Before she could turn away and meet Tom in her room, Alicia’s phone vibrated. Looking down, she frowned in confusion at the caller ID. Darci was video-calling her. They never messaged or called each other. Alicia’s curiosity made her answer the call, and she froze at the porno video on her phone.

What the?! Why did Darci call me to show me who she was sleeping with? Is this some sick game to her… Alicia’s heart stopped beating, and her hand trembled. The phone was in the perfect position in her room to show everything they were doing, and the mirror revealed who was thrusting into her so passionately.

Alicia’s body moved before her mind could catch up, and she marched towards her sister's room, the door bursting open just as Tom moaned, head tossed back as he came.

The phone dropped from Alicia’s hands, gasping, shocked at the surreal scene in front of her, trembling hand going to her mouth, tears springing to her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

At the sound of her gasp, Tom looked over his shoulder, eyes widening as he pulled out of Darci’s spread legs. Alicia looked between them, horrified at the discovery and the malicious, victorious smirk on Darci’s lips. Why? Darci always said Tom was ugly compared to his siblings. She always said that he wouldn’t accomplish anything.

Was this all a game to her sister? To make her life miserable? Strip away the only thing that was bringing her joy?

“Alicia!” Tom moved towards her, startling her out of her shock.

“Stay away from me!” Alicia snapped. She wanted to scream, to tear these two apart, but the look on her sister's face stopped her. Darci was enjoying this a lot.

If Alicia reacted even more, there was a possibility something worse could happen to her. This house wasn’t her home; their parents were only kind to Darci. She might be tossed out at any second, and she didn’t have enough saved yet for university.

“Alicia, please. Let me explain! It's not what it looks like!”

“Not what it looks like?” Alicia snorted, surprising herself at the calmness of her voice. “Your dick just magically entered my sister’s vagina? But it's not what it looks like? Why? Just why would you do this to me, Tom?”

Wolfless. The word crept up her throat, trying to force tears down her cheeks.

“You’re never here… you don’t show up when you’re meant to-.”

“So you slept with my sister?!” Alicia shouted, unable to hold back. She couldn’t even look at him! “We’re done! Over! I never want to see you again!”

Alicia ran away, her feet hitting the stairs loudly, before grabbing a pair of trainers and running outside into the rain, ignoring Tom calling her name. She drove from the house, her mind a mess as she kept replaying her boyfriend penetrating her sister.

She felt sick. It was disgusting! How could he do this to her?

It was unforgivable!

Alicia hoped the rain would hide the tears running down her cheeks as she drove the moped out of the pack territory. She didn’t know where she was going, but the noisy moped lulled her thoughts. When she finally returned to the house, Alicia’s hair was dripping wet, mascara running down her cheeks, and mud splattered on the back of her legs.

Tom’s car was gone, and her parents had returned, but all of the lights were out as she ventured up the stairs again, collecting her phone from outside of Darci’s room, where she left it and crawled into bed, wet, distraught, chilled to the bone and feeling empty inside.

Days passed, and Alicia didn’t go to school; she didn’t answer the multiple messages and missed calls from Tom, but she did go to work, looking like a corpse warmed up. Tom tried to intercept her on many occasions, but she screamed anytime he came near her, causing those nearby to pay attention to their interaction. It scared him off, but he continued to message her.

Five days after discovering Tom and Darci’s affair, Alicia was curled up in bed, declaring her vow to never love again or at least have a boyfriend until after university. She would move away from the pack and live an ordinary life among humans or somewhere she was accepted, and only then would she consider meeting someone. Someone without blonde hair and blue eyes!

Alicia tossed a teddy at the door after her phone spooked her from her reverie. She checked the message and frowned at the glare of the phone. It wasn’t Tom or work. It was her mum.

Woman who birthed me: Family meeting. Come down. NOW.

Alicia scoffed. Since when had she been a part of the family?

Woman who birthed me: It involves Tom.

Groggily, Alicia threw the covers off herself. She was still dressed in her work clothes, the short skirt and polo top that she was required to wear for Ryan’s diner. It didn’t matter what she looked like; she wanted this to be over with as soon as possible.

Upon entering one of the living rooms Emma, Fred and Darci used regularly, Alicia paused by the door frame. Tom was there sitting next to Darci, their hands intertwined. He looked down meekly as the Alpha and Luna of the Blue Crescent pack stood in their living room, turning to face Alicia.

“Alpha, Luna,” Alicia murmured through her shock, bowing her head respectfully.

Alpha Valko didn’t acknowledge Alicia’s presence as he returned his attention to the conversation.

“Sit down, Alicia,” Emma snapped in a hushed whisper.

Alicia’s legs wobbled as she almost stumbled towards the nearest armchair, furthest away from Tom and Darci. Why were they holding hands? Why couldn’t Tom look her in the eyes? What did Alpha Valko and Luna Fiona want?

“So we all agree this is best for the pack?” Luna Fiona continued.

“Of course!” Emma smiled brightly, clapping her hands together. “I’m so delighted we will be united as a family! Darci has always wanted a grand wedding, and who better than Tom, the next Alpha, to marry our precious daughter?!”

What? Alicia’s mouth dropped open. Everyone looked at her except for Tom. She didn’t realise she spoke aloud and disrespectfully in front of the Alpha and Luna of their pack. This was outrageous, though; her mind couldn’t compute what they were saying because surely it wasn’t real? “What are you talking about?”

“And what are you going to do about that thing?” Alpha Valko snarled, dismissing Alicia’s words as nothing but a bug buzzing near him, waiting to be squished.

“She will not be a problem for the ceremony to go ahead-”

“She’s been nothing but trouble since you birthed her,” Luna Fiona snapped. “She seduced my son before your wonderful daughter stepped forward, worried about what this would do to him and our family’s reputation. Darci is so sweet…” Luna Fiona praised, looking at Darci fondly before her stare grew cold, falling on Alicia.

What was she listening to right now? “Tom is going to marry… Darci,” Alicia muttered in a daze. “Darci and Tom.”

Alpha Valko smacked Alicia across the face so hard that her cheek split. She stared at him in shock, then swiftly lowered her gaze. The news had been so shocking that she didn’t hear or see the Alpha’s approach.

The Alpha then proceeded to grab her roughly by the cheeks, forcing her to look at him. Unlike Tom and his mother, Alpha Valko had black hair and deep blue eyes. “Why don’t you be useful for once and help your pack?” His gaze moved across her features. “You are quite a rare beauty… Seeing how easily you spread your legs for my son, it shouldn’t be too hard to be the Shadowmoon pack’s new breeder.”

“What?! No! No way!”

The Alpha scoffed at her. “I wasn’t asking.” He shoved her back and walked away, wiping his hand against his jeans like she was a contagious disease.

Her parents and the Alpha and Luna then continued to discuss Alicia’s departure that evening as though she wasn’t in the room. Enraged by their lack of humanity, deeply wounded once more by her parent’s actions and ignoring Tom’s guilty and saddened stare, Alicia jumped up from the armchair, feeling as though a net of chains was already falling over her, changing the course of her life.

“I refuse!” Alicia ran from the room.

“I will sort this,” Fred sighed, rising from the sofa.

The pack never saw her as a person; they never treated her well, and she planned to leave anyway. Why would she repay their kindness by becoming the neighbouring pack’s breeder? Her life had collapsed around her since Tom’s betrayal, and she was no longer going to fall into despair!

Alicia sat on her moped, key in the ignition until a hand clamped over her mouth, a cloth pressed against her nose as she tried to scream, but the drug intensified, and her vision started to blur. The last thing she saw was her dad picking her up and tossing her into the back of a car like she was trash he had to get rid of.