Chapter 8: The Alpha Command

I was a wreck in my mind and I’m sure I looked horrible as I stood, completely shocked and in a pool of my own tears. This hadn’t been the first time I ever had sex. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was Callen took what he wanted from me. Had he been more of a gentleman, and taken me out on a few more dates, he may have earned the right to have me on that level, but he took something from me that night that I would never get back and the trust I had in relationships and men, was now utterly shattered beneath my soul. 

This night had turned out to be anything but a fairy tale; in fact, it had in the blink of an eye turned into a nightmare. 

Callen had left me alone once he was through with me and was out in the woods looking at who knows what. He did say he needed to look at something out here for his business. At this point, I thought that was all a lie to get me out here alone in an isolated area of town, but maybe he really was telling the truth and had intended on looking at something while we were on that ‘walk’ he insisted on taking with me.

I had two options at this point: I could pull myself together and run my ass home as fast as I could, or pull myself together, maintaining my composure in front of him long enough for him to  drive me home. 

The walk home would be terrible without Bree coming out and shifting for me. Since I barely felt her presence at the moment, it looked like my only option really was to pull myself together and hope Callen wasn’t going to take forever and wait for him to take me home. 

As I sigh on this realization, I look around for my ripped panties that Callen discarded and find them not far from where I was standing. I pick them up and use them to wipe all the juices away and off of me that Callen left running down between my legs. Since the panties were ruined and I didn’t want any evidence that this ever happened, I quickly ran to the giant trash bin on the park trail and threw the panties away.

I wiped my face to dry my tears and fix myself to a presentable state and went to wait for Callen back at his car where my purse and phone were locked inside. If it weren’t for that, I would be calling Terry to come pick me up and get me away from this place, but it seems Callen left nothing to chance in his plans tonight.

I felt dirty, disgusted, ashamed, humiliated, embarrassed, used, torn apart, mistreated, undervalued and so many other words in the moment that I looked up and locked eyes with Callen as he began walking back towards the car.

“Ready to go I see?” He smirked getting to the car. I just nodded, wrapping my arms around myself in a protective hug.

He unlocked the car so I could get in and before he climbed in, he took one more look around the area. No one in sight, is my guess as to what he was thinking. No one could have heard my screams.

I said nothing to him the entire way home and when he pulled up to my house, I didn’t waste any time getting out of that car and away from him. When he began to unbuckle his seat belt to indicate he was going to get out of the car, I quickly spoke up, “You don’t need to get out. Bye!” I said with a slight smile, jumping out and slamming the door behind me before I could hear him say anything. 

I quickly sprinted to my door, fumbling with my key to get inside as fast as I could. I didn’t even check to see if he drove off! 

When I got inside, I noticed all the lights were off. Everyone must be in bed asleep, so I tried to be as quiet as possible and tiptoed upstairs in hopes that I didn’t wake my mom. The last thing I needed at that moment was my mom and her intrusive questioning about how my epic date with Alpha Callen went.

When I reached the safety of my bedroom, I wanted to curl up and cry into a deep dark abyss, but my skin was crawling with his touch and scent that I knew wouldn’t be coming off any time soon, even if I scrubbed my skin until it bled, but I welcomed the idea of scrubbing him off me to the point that I bled. 

I rushed into the bathroom, turned on the shower, pulled what was left of my clothing off, and jumped in the now steaming shower. As I washed my hair and began scrubbing my body, I couldn’t hold myself together any longer. I let out some of the most pitiful sobs I think I have ever heard escape my lips, continuously scrubbing between my legs and down them. After I was done scrubbing my legs until I felt my skin blister, I moved to scrubbing my arms, chest, and neck where he seemed to spend most of the night trying to mark me with his scent. 

I began to process what happened and when I started thinking about it more, I couldn’t believe an alpha would stoop to rape when they can have any she-wolf they want. But in that same sentence, I corrected myself and asked, is it really rape if he is an alpha and can take any she-wolf he wants? Whatever you want to call it, it wasn’t a mutual exchange and I definitely didn’t want his attention. Then again, not every she-wolf bred or mated to an alpha WANTED the advances of the alpha, so I still felt back at square one - conflicted. Did he really rape me? Was he in his legal right to take me if he wanted me? 

I was a ranked she-wolf! He had no right to take me without mating me and I knew from our conversations, he didn’t want me as a mate; he wanted me as his mate for tonight, which he made me.

I immediately began to feel a growing anger rise from deep inside me. I was furious - pissed - at what he did to me and took from me. I would never trust an alpha, let alone another wolf again. I would never be able to fully let myself open up to another wolf to have me completely again because he took something from deep inside me that I didn’t realize was even there until he took it and I felt the emptiness invade my core. 

As I finished my shower and readied myself for bed, my emotions continued to run away from me between the grief, anger, feeling of loss, and pure filth I felt, it was difficult to focus long enough to sleep, but eventually, my body gave way to sleep and darkness pervaded my mind.

“CELESTE! GET UP! IT’S ALREADY TWO!” I heard my mother shout from downstairs. 

I didn’t want to get up. I didn’t want to face the day, let alone face my mother or the rest of the world. It was Sunday. My day of rest day and I fully intended to NOT leave my bedroom all day. I didn’t want to see anyone and I certainly didn’t want to talk to anyone. 

I ignored her call and continued to attempt to sleep, knowing my efforts were futile with the hangover thrumming in my head.

“CELESTE! GET UP! YOUR MOTHER AND I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU!” I hear my father growl and I immediately bolt up out of bed. It’s not like my father to shout. He should be doing rounds around the pack perimeter right now, but instead, he’s home. Something's up.

When I finally pull myself together and make my way downstairs, I see that my mom has cooked a gourmet spread of foods - my favorite foods - and our alpha is seated at our kitchen table with a huge grin on his face. This can’t be anything good.

“Uh..g..good morning Alpha…good morning dad…mom,” I sheepishly squeak out as I sit in my normal spot at the dining table. 

“You mean GREAT AFTERNOON don’t you Celeste?” Alpha Xander corrects me with a huge smirk on his face.

“Yes Alpha,” I instantly agree with a small smile.

“The Alpha has come by to tell us some amazing news Celeste! We thought you would want to be present to hear it from him yourself before we begin the celebrations since you now have something to celebrate!” My mom chirps in such a chipper voice that inside me I want to rip that chipper attitude right out of her.

“Oh…well, I could sure use some good news,” I smile, playing along with their charade. Nothing going on in front of my face can be anything good. I feel it in my bones.

“Well, I suppose I will just come out with it instead of keeping you in any further suspense.” Alpha Xander smiles kindly at me before continuing, “Alpha Callen is quite taken with you Celeste. He would like to take you as his chosen mate in an effort to form a strong alliance with our pack and being that his pack would ensure the safety and security of our pack for future generations to come with this alliance, your parents and I have graciously accepted his offer on your behalf!”

My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach; along with my voice, brain and jaw I’m sure, based on the expression plastered on my face of utter disbelief.

“Y..you’re joking…right?” I look my dad dead in the eyes, pleading with him to remember and keep the promise he made to me when I was a little girl. He wouldn’t even look me in the eyes but instead, looked at my mother.

“Celeste…you are a ranked she-wolf of this pack; whether you like it or not, having rank comes with responsibility and knowing that by accepting this union, you will be securing the future safety of this pack, it is your duty to fulfill any order your Alpha deems necessary for this pack.” My father states matter-of-factly and so firmly, I feel like I don’t even recognize him anymore.

I turn to Alpha Xander and look him dead in the eyes and ask him, “And is this an order? You are ordering me to fulfill my duty to the pack and accept Alpha Callen as a chosen mate?” 

“Well…I thought you two hit it off quite well? He seems smitten with you and has already asked when he can come over to spend time with you today. He seemed a bit impatient with the fact that you were still asleep, last he called to check on you.” Alpha Xander laughed with a look of confusion on his face.

My head felt like it was going to explode. “NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT!” I shouted. I didn’t want him anywhere near me, let alone this house.

My parents both furrowed their brows in utter shock and confusion at my reaction, “Honey…we thought you liked Alpha Callen?”

“Respectfully Alpha…I refuse to accept Alpha Callen as my chosen mate.” I growl out.

He didn’t like that, “Well, respectfully Celeste, I really didn’t want you to make me do this, but if you will refuse him of your own volition, then I have no other choice. I'm sorry Celeste." He huffs and takes in a deep breath before continuing, "I, Alpha Xander of the Red River pack order you, Celeste O’Brian, daughter to the gamma of the Red River pack, to accept the alliance proposal of Alpha Callen Bain of the Silver Fang pack.”

I instantly dropped to my knees feeling the alpha command overcome my body and the tears began to well up in my eyes as I fought my own body and the words trying to come out of my mouth due to the alpha command, “Y…Y….Ye…Yes. Al…Alpha.”

“Good. It is settled then. Alpha Callen will be over later today to have dinner with you and your parents in celebration before returning to your future pack. He will return to collect you upon graduation from high school in exactly two and a half weeks. He is allowing you three days after graduation to pack, say your good byes, and be ready for his arrival. We will perform the mate bond ceremony to watch you mark each other the day he returns and you can complete the mating when you arrive in your new pack…Luna Celeste.” Alpha Xander states getting up from his chair as if this is just business as usual.

Tears were streaming down my face as he walked to the door and added, "Oh and act happy if you can't find it in yourself to be happy at the sheer fact that you will become one of the most powerful Luna's of the largest and deadliest pack ever known to exist!"