was
a knock at the door. It was about Caleb’s lunch break, but he wouldn’t knock. I
peeked through the window but I didn’t recognize the small white BMW in the
driveway. I went to unlock the door, trying to tame my hair along the way.
Opening the door, I groaned as I saw the devil herself standing there.
Sierra.
What did she want? Her
four-inch Dior heels clicked impatiently against the wooden porch. She was
dressed head to toe in skin-tight, black clothing like the stripper version of
the Grim Reaper. Her blonde hair was curled more than Dolly Parton’s and her
face was covered with enough makeup to be considered a clown. She smirked at
the surprised look on my face, “Allie.”
“Sierra. What do I owe this
great pleasure to?”
“Oh, I just wanted to give
you a heads up,” she sneered, faking concern. “The pack meeting this Sunday is
going to be quite a blast, with the new alpha and all. I just wanted no hard
feelings when you get stripped of your rank and I’m alpha female with Caleb.”
She smiled like she had won the lottery. Caleb warned me that her and her
mother were always trying to climb the ranks, but I didn’t know she was this
desperate. She could try all she wanted to be alpha, but I was stronger than
her.
“Really Sierra, and why is
that?”
“You and your brother are an
abomination. I know it, my mom knows it, and soon the rest of the pack will,
too.”
That stung, not that I would
let her know that. It was fine that she attacked me, but attacking my brother?
Her pair? That wasn’t okay. “Is that all? Because if so, you
can leave. I have better things to do than listen to your petty
threats.” She swallowed deeply and turned on her heel to leave, trying to keep
some pride. “Oh, and Sierra?” She turned her head to look at me. “Good luck,
you’ll need it.”
“She’ll need more than luck
if she’s hoping to bring you down,” came a voice from behind her. I smiled. Brody.
Even though he was her pair, he would always protect me no matter what.
“Brody,” her voice came out
as a whisper. That was the effect of your pair, even if you didn’t want them,
they always took your breath away. Trust me, I used to feel the same thing. She
turned around and faced him. He stood closely behind her with a frown on his
face, staring her down through his Ray Bans.
“Leave. Incase you couldn’t
tell, you’re not wanted here.” Ouch. That must have hurt, but she deserved it.
She did choose Caleb over him after all. Too bad she couldn’t have him either.
She bowed her head, losing whatever pride she had left, and scampered off to
her BMW that sat by my Mustang in the driveway. She quickly backed out, her
tires screeching, and left.
Brody watched as she left
and then turned toward me, “Hey, Caleb couldn’t come back for lunch. He had to
talk to one of his teachers. He asked me to come check on you and bring you
lunch,” Brody held up a bag from the Grill. I could smell the grease from the
burgers and my mouth watered. Yum, it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve
had a greasy burger.
“Awesome!” I stepped aside
so he could come in and closed the door behind him. He walked straight to the
kitchen and grabbed the plates and napkins while I grabbed drinks. Diet Coke
for me, A&W Root Beer for him, just like always.
I sat as Brody pulled out a
couple of the burgers out and two cups of fries. Without looking up he said,
“Don’t worry about Sierra. Her mom probably sent her when she
found out you were home alone. They might send threats, but they’re
benign.”
I was confused. “Why would
Sierra’s mom send her?”
“Sierra’s mom always wanted
to be alpha. She had a thing with our dad, but he fell in love with mom. When
he stepped down from alpha, it was too late to try anything with Caleb’s dad,
so she sent Sierra after Caleb.”
“What’s so important about
being alpha?” I asked.
“Caleb can probably explain
it to you better than I can, but it’s
Maggie Brendan
Barbara O'Connor
Jan Washburn
Terri Blackstock
Norah Simone
Barry Kemp
G.P. Taylor
Alan Cumyn
Linda Barnes
Lisa Jackson