The Alpha Next Door ✓

Chapter 15- "Alex, what the flying fuck are you doing?"

*Remember to vote! :) *

We came home that night, buzzing with energy from the sugary pancakes and coffee. I was about to take Alex upstairs to give him his present, but then I remembered he wasn't Dominic. And I knew that it made me an awful person to compare everyone and everything back to Dom, the inner wolf inside of me just couldn't seem to let him go. It just felt wrong to share our tradition with someone else. Aside from the fact that it would never really be the same, it would just make me feel guilty and that I was already replacing him.

Technically though, he was the one who rejected me, yet he still had this unthinkable control over me, even hundreds of miles away. I hated myself for being so weak. Hell, he had probably already replaced me with some other girl by now. He wasn't that innocent angel anymore. 

The thought sent an unwelcome pang of pain through me, and I felt stupid.

Yet instead of gathering the courage to invite Alex upstairs to share the first few minutes of Christmas with me, I thanked him for the night and then we parted ways. 

It's not too late to run back, a voice in my head whispered. It was easy actually, to run back down the stairs and find Alex. But I think he'd had enough of me for a while, was I too clingy? God, he had to babysit me all the time anyways. He could've been out celebrating with his friends, but no, he stopped a 17 year old girl from crying and bought her pancakes. I should just leave him alone.

I sighed and opened the turquoise door, allowing myself to be engulfed by his comforting scent. 

After stripping off my dress, scrubbing the makeup off my face, and undoing my hair, I was nestled in the bed. I was in a pair of horrendous pajama pants with gingerbread men all over them, paired with a gray shirt.

I was exhausted but my thoughts reached me before sleep did.

I begun to to think about Amber, celebrating Christmas with her mate, and waking him up tomorrow at 6 am instead of me. I thought about Arizona giving a thoughtful handmade gift to someone else instead of me this year. I thought of Dom, locking lips with a girl under the mistletoe. But worst of all, I thought about my parents, two people I hadn't thought about in a long time. Did my mom ever come back to the packhouse only to discover I wasn't there? I doubted it.

I somehow managed to smile though, remembering how one lucky man found his mate tonight. At least Fox would be genuinely happy. I wondered if Fox's gorgeously intimidating mate would move in with our pack, since Fox was a Gamma. 

I turned out to be right that morning, when I came downstairs trudging down in my ugly pajamas with all of my gifts in my hands. I spotted Vivian nuzzled up on the couch next to Fox, who had his arm lazily draped around her. 

Oh no. I was already an awkward third wheel between the twins, Alex and Lucy, and I didn't want to be another one this morning! I was about to inch away slowly when Chef Alice spotted me.

"Oi, Destiny! I made you some gingerbread pancakes to match your pants, love," she hollered out. I smiled sheepishly and set my presents down, taking a seat on the tall stool by the large table. Unfortunately, Fox saw me as well and sat up from his cozy position with Vivian, who glared at me with icy violet eyes. If she saw me as a threat to her man, she was wrong; I didn't think she realized the loving way he looked at her. Besides, I wasn't a tall and beautiful girl with curves in the right places-- I was just an average heighted nerd who was a little too flat. 

"Destiny!" Fox yelped, crushing me in a massive hug unexpectedly. "Merry Christmas!"

I laughed uneasily, trying to ignore Vivian, who was staring daggers at me. I sighed in relief when I saw the twins approaching.