Chapter 3 Alonso

“You're not welcome here.” that's the only thing that came out of my mouth,

“I'm not welcome anywhere, so that's not a first,” she replied, leaving me a bit taken back

I'm now rolling towards her, looking over her inch by inch, messy hair, skinny, signature baggy clothes, and gray eyes.

I've never looked into her eyes before.

Normally when I see her I shift my gaze to something, anything that would distract me from the horrific sight which is her.

“Go back home and tell your father I'm not interested.” I slammed the door in her face and rolled away.

What did that stupid beta think, sending his daughter over here in the pouring rain? I don't put anything past him, not after what he did to me two years ago.

FLASHBACK BEGINS.

“The doctor said if you go to therapy you should be able to walk again.” father said,

“I'm never going to walk, so let’s just forget about what the doctor said,” I replied,

We arrive outside our house and Bryan dad’s beta opens the door for him. Then he comes around and opens the door for me, before dad could get to the trunk his phone rings off to he was gone.

“Bryan, can you please get me my wheelchair.”? I asked nicely,

He grabbed the chair from the trunk and placed it in front of me before grabbing me by the shoulder and helping me out.

I was inches away from the wheelchair when he said,

“The doctor said if you practice walking again, you'd be able to walk. So, how about we give it a try.”

Before I could speak, he placed my hands on the handle of the wheelchair and let's go of me, the wheelchair goes sliding forward, and I fall to the floor.

I turn to ask him for help, but he's already in the car, about to drive away.

“ Practice makes perfect, now take your time, hold on to those chair arms and walk yourself up those stairs.” he sped off.

I sat there for hours, trying to get in contact with dad, even Mariah, who was sitting at home doing nothing. A pack member happened to be passing by and helped me up into my wheelchair and up to my room.

Mariah sagged on the couch laughing as the last pushed me, after that day I placed my order to have a mechanical wheelchair a chair.

I could push a button, and it would move in whatever direction I wanted it to go.

Both Carly (the pack member) and I told dad what happened that day, and he didn't believe it, he never believes Bryan could be that evil.

Dad went as far as telling me I'm miserable and lost, that's why I make those kinds of stuff up.

It's sad when your parents wouldn't believe you.

I know what you're saying, why not just get a stay-at-home nurse or something to help me, I did but when my stepmother decided to take advantage of the situation they quit.

I'm distracted from my thoughts when I hear coughing coming from outside my room, I look up at the clock and notice it was already past 6 pm.

There is no way she's out there, no way.

Rolling the wheelchair towards the door, convincing myself that she isn't out there, I'm shocked and left speechless when I see her laying on the floor shivering.

“For crying out loud,” I whisper to myself,

Or not because she bolts up from the floor and stands against the wall,

“I'm… Sorry, I didn't mean to sleep that long.”

In total disbelief, I stay silent, looking at her, like really looking at her. She's not ugly, in fact, behind the messy hair and sleep-deprived eyes is a beautiful Individual.

I roll back a little,

“Come on in.” she didn't move, not one bit.

“Come in.” still nothing,

“Anabella, I said, come in.” she jumped, blocking her head with her hands.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell, you were just standing there.” I rolled away,

“Thank you… You,” she said,

Slowly she walked, dragging her bag behind her, walking in those soaking wet clothes that were dripping on my expensive animal skin rug.

“ Why didn't you go back home as I told you to?” I asked,

“I can't, they…” she paused,

My eyes ran over her hands that were filled with bruises, black and blue marks and the question that I didn't want to ask myself came to mine,

‘Did they beat her?’

‘Did they force her into doing this?’

“I just mopped the floor, why is it soaking wet?” Mariah screams, catching my attention.

“Close the door quickly,” I tell Anabella,

She didn't hesitate, she ran over and…

“Who gave you the right to close the door in my house?” Mariah’s foot is placed in the little space between the door and its frame,

“Ummm…” Mariah is now inside my room, standing inches away from

Anabella,

“Answer me,” Mariah shouts, her hands gripping Anabella's t-shirt,

“I got permission to do whatever it is I want with you. So if I were you, I'd watch myself.” Mariah whispered to Anabella.

Even though I can't change into my wolf I still have extreme hearing and taste, so even if she whispers low enough for me not to hear, I would.

She steps back and walks over to me, taking her time and looking over my face and hands.

“Are you ok son, this orphan didn't hurt you, did she ?”

“Anabella, her name is Anabella. Not, orphan. And no, she didn't stop acting like you care.”

I pressed the knob on my wheelchair and drove it over her right foot.

Mariah is hopping in one spot, holding her foot and swearing at the top of her lungs.

Stopping next to Anabella and turning my chair around to look at Mariah in pain, feeling a sense of satisfaction making her hurt the way she makes me hurt.

“Mariah.” her eyes flicker up the mine

“ Don't forget rule number one, Don't touch what's mine, or we’d have a problem.” I smiled!

*******

What the hell just happened, did I roll

Over Mariah's foot, did I just give her a warning, and why the hell did I just stand up for a woman I just met?

“ What did you just say to me?” she's standing tall and proud,

“I said, please note rule number one.” she raised her hand

SMACK!

It echoed, I opened my eyes and saw Anabella standing in front of me holding her cheek, she took a hit for me, someone she owes nothing to, someone she'd just met.

“Move,” Mariah told Anabella,

But Anabella didn't move, and that seemed to only make Mariah more mad.

“I said move…” Mariah screamed once more, her hands on Anabella’s shirt, and I'm honestly horrified at what would happen next, so much as I find myself fighting to stand on my two feet.

Something I haven't done in a long time

The door downstairs slammed shut, and I heard my father's voice calling for his wife.

Mariah lets go of Anabella, takes a step back, and plasters on a fake smile as we heard father's footsteps coming up the stairs towards my room.

“You just messed with the wrong person.” Mariah whispered,

My father knocked, then entered before smiling.

Once he noticed Annabella is here, he stretched his hand towards her to shake, which she does, and then looks at Mariah.

“Is dinner ready ?” Mariah’s face dropped!

She doesn't like it when father asked her to do the housework, she believes because we have money that we should have maids at her service twenty-four seven.

“Almost.” She replied with that fake smile,

“Annabella, get changed and come on down with Alonso, let's have dinner together.” My facial expression also changed.

Is he being nice, or is he just trying to put on a show for the guest?

Father isn't mean, he's just a man with countless emotions, and ever since mother died he seemed to only show two towards me.

Love and little to no anger, maybe it's because I look like my mother, or perhaps it's because he keeps Mariah happy that way.

He calls Mariah along and they both leave and head down to the kitchen.

I turn my attention to Anabella.

“The bathroom is on the right, there are clean towels in the cabinet above the mirror, once you're finished get dress and put on something that's not. Wet.”

I roll my chair over to the gigantic mirror hung on the wall as I to change my red to shirt into a blue one.

My hands work pretty well, but not perfectly.

Normally father would help me change and bath and also get into bed, but seeing that he just got home and looks tired, it makes no sense to call him back up here when I can give it a try.

I'm struggling to get the Jersey over my right arm when I felt a cold hand take hold and slid it through my arm and over my neck.

I raise my head and look through the mirror and look at her, she turns and crouches down to her suitcase grabbing a pants and a plan colored t-shirt.

“Thanks…,” the bathroom door closed

She came out five minutes later in an oversized shirt oversized pants that I'm sure are being held up by a string,

“I'm ready,” she said,

Slowly we make our way out of the room down the hallway and down to the kitchen, I have a ramp if you wondered how I get from point a to point b.

We sat at the dinner table with dad and Mariah, it started silent, the only thing making noise was the spoons and forks knocking against the glass plates.

“So Anabella, have you had your first shift yet?” Mariah asked,

Anabella froze and almost choked,

“Y….yes,” she replied,

“How was it, it was painful, wasn't it.”

“Y…..BS.”

Hurt, pain, discomfort not wanting to elaborate on the topic, that's what I gathered from her answer.

“ Alonso, have you shifted recently, you know went for a run?” now she's just being smart-mouthed,

“Mariah” father called,

“No Mariah I haven't, have you?” I fill my mouth with a spoonful of rice and beans,

“ Anabella, your mother said you don't use your wolf, why is that?”

“Am mm…”

“Don't you like her, what's her name?” Mariah went on.

‘Change the subject, Alonso. This subject is touchy for her.’ I said to myself.

“ So, father, how's everything with the pack?”

“Everything is going fine and thanks to you financing us, we are not behind on anything.”

“I'd also like to take the orphanage kids to the mall this coming weekend. To get them some clothes and shoes, maybe some toys for the younger ones.”

“You can take the orphan that's sitting next to you with you.” Mariah blurted,

The table went silent.

“Anabella dear, you aren't eating your food.” dad said,

“What… Ohh sorry.”

I looked up at her and noticed a disturbance in her Ora. It's like Mariah hit a cold sore, her first shift seemed like a touchy subject.

After dinner, Anabella did the dishes and we both returned to my room.

She stood by the doorway and looked on as if she were awaiting instructions.

“ You can sit if you like.” no movement

“My goddess, don't just stand there,” I shout!

She scrambled to the chair, almost falling flat on her face, I sat in my chair racking my brain to find a question or to just say something that would break the awkward silence.

And then,

“Was your first shift hard?”