Alpha Alexander

Chapter Six

Julie was right: I had a lot of pack members in every single one of my classes. They welcomed me with open arms, sitting beside me in class and walking with me. Several offered to carry my books but I politely refused. They were . . . nice. Nothing like I had always thought they acted. They weren't vicious or rude, like my friends painted them to be. Speaking of, I didn't see my friends until lunch. I was at my locker, dumping my books inside, when the two of them cornered me.

"Hey," I smiled tentatively. "I have so much to tell you."

"Yeah, we know," McKinley snapped.

I blinked. The small blonde had been my best friend since middle school and I'd never heard her sound so cold. "Look, it's all a big mis—"

"Don't tell us it's a mistake, Phoebe. Or a misunderstanding. We heard about it from everyone else before we heard it from you." She put a hand on her hip.

"I didn't have my phone. I couldn't—"

"How long have you known?" she sneered.

"What?"

"How long have you known you're Alpha Alexander's mate?"

"Wha—I just found out yesterday! I swear, I didn't know before then."

She grabbed my chin, twisting my head sideways. "You aren't marked."

I yanked out of her hold. "No. Like I said, it's a mistake. I'm not his mate."

"Then why the hell are you hanging out with those dogs? I saw them drooling at your feet when you walked into the school, Phoebe. Don't try to play this off—once a dog sniffs out his mate, it's a done deal." Her face hardened. "How could you do this to us?"

"I—I didn't . . . I don't know what you're—"

"You're choosing those dogs over us?" she spat.

I shook my head. "No, you don't understand. They're not—"

"I thought you hated them, Phoebe."

My fists tightened in frustration. "No, I don't. They—"

"We're not friends anymore."

My eyes widened. "What? No! You guys don't understand. Alice, please!"

Alice, the petite brunette who joined our group of friends after freshman year, was silent, staring at her shoes as McKinley tore my heart apart.

"We will not affiliate with dog trash, Phoebe," McKinley spat.

I stared at my friend, who was always there with me through everything, and who was abandoning me when I needed her the most. "You can't be serious, McKinley."

"We are," she said firmly.

I turned to Alice. "Even you, Alice? Are you going to just follow McKinley and her blind hatred of something she doesn't even understand? Let her speak for herself, McKinley!" I snapped when McKinley opened her mouth to spew more hate.

My silent friend finally looked up from her shoes and locked eyes with me. "I'm sorry, Phoebe. My parents won't let me be friends with you anymore; they don't like humans who affiliate with the werewolves."

The last blow hurt the most. I held her eyes even as my own started to spill over with tears. "I never thought you were so weak, Alice, to let someone else decide who you can be friends with and who you can't. I am so disappointed." I looked at McKinley, who was giving me her best glare, but it had no affect on me. "Both of you disgust me. I don't even know them, but those dogs you keep bashing each have more kindness and loyalty than the two of you combined, times ten. I'd much rather have them as my friends than either of you any day."