Page 24 of Alpha Theo

Brooke drops her voice lower. “He shouldn’t have said that, about your mom.”

The lump in my throat feels like it’s growing. Anytime someone brings up my mom, I can’t fucking deal. She’s been gone for so long now, but in so many ways it feels like it was yesterday.

I stare at Brooke. Her big blue eyes are piercing, and I fucking hate the look I see in them.

“Don’t you dare pity me,” I growl, shaking my head.

“Theo…” she whispers, reaching out to touch my arm. Her fingertips deliver a zing of static electricity and I shrug my arm away, recoiling from her touch.

“Don’t!” I snarl. “I don’t want your fucking pity.”

“I’m not…” she starts, her voice gentle, but I just shake my head, pushing past her.

“Find your own ride home,” I snap, stomping down the hall, down the stairs.

I don’t even look back as I make my way out of the packhouse, nearly taking the door of the Jeep off of its hinges when I throw it open.

Fuck, I wish I had my bike right now. I shouldn’t have let Brooke talk me into borrowing this stupid ass Jeep.

I heave myself inside, close the door, and crank the key in the ignition, slamming the Jeep in reverse and peeling out of the driveway and down the street.

Away from the packhouse.

Away from my dad.

Away from this godforsaken town and everyone in it.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Brooke

I’m still reeling from Monday night. Dinner at the Jacobsen’s was such an ugly scene, one that keeps resurfacing and replaying in my mind. I knew Theo had it rough at home, that he left for a reason, but what I witnessed at dinner far surpassed what I’d imagined. I’ve never seen family members yell at each other like that, throw plates, cut each other down with their words. It was scary. It was like a movie; one I wish I’d never watched.

That look in his eyes when I ran into him in the hallway is still haunting me. Theo, always so cocky, arrogant, confident, looked…broken.

His freakout at the dinner table definitely wasn’t okay, but his dad shouldn’t have said what he did about Theo’s mom, either. It was so heartbreakinglycruel. He said it just to hurt him, and from the look in his eyes, it worked.

I still remember when his mom died. I was seven or eight, so he must’ve been about twelve at the time. My own mother sobbed as she told Fallon and me what happened- that our luna was out for a run in wolf form and was gunned down by a pair of hunters. Shifters can heal from most injuries, but a bullet to the brain is something we can’t come back from.

It was such a freak accident, such an unexpected tragedy that rocked our little town. Now that I think about it, that’s about when Theo started acting out- shortly after his mom died. In hindsight it all makes sense. He was a grieving little boy, and his hard-as-nails father didn’t give him any grace to deal with his trauma.

Don’t get me wrong, I still think Theo’s a jerk. He left me stranded in Summervale after that awful dinner, forced me to ask Quinn for a ride back. Yelled at me when I was just trying to help. But now that I’ve had a few days to comb over everything in my mind, I guess I’m beginning to see him in a different light. Maybe there’s more to Theo than his crass remarks and promiscuity. Maybe he liked thatGreen Daysong so much because he reallyislonely, deep down.

What’s the saying- sympathy for the devil? Guess that’s me right now. I see broken things and I have this innate desire to fix them.

Three days have passed since that night, and I haven’t seen Theo. He hasn’t shown up at the IT unit, hasn’t posted up at my desk in the afternoons. I’d love to say that means I’ve been getting a lot done, but instead I’ve been distracted, worried about him. I even tried texting him. He didn’t respond.

I hope he’s okay.

Gray invited me over for dinner at the Goldenleaf packhouse and I arrive a little early hoping to talk to Fallon, but she’s in the shower. I chat a little bit with Gray’s beta Deke and his mate Holly instead and greet Brock when he arrives. Brock brought Vienna along with him at Gray’s request as a surprise for Fallon. It’s great to catch up with her- Fallon and I became friends with Vienna while she was at training camp earlier this summer. She wound up getting cut from camp a few weeks in and went back home to Riverton; she’s part of the pack that Brock’s dad leads, the pack that Brock is poised to take over at the end of the summer. Vienna’s so much fun to be around- she’s a little Latina spitfire with a big laugh and a sunny disposition.

Fallon and Gray come down after a while and everyone settles into their seats while Deke finishes bringing out the food. It all smells amazing- Holly’s an excellent cook, and she’s whipped up a fancy chicken dish for this little dinner party they’re throwing.

There’s food, wine, laughter- everything needed for a nice evening- but I’m unprepared when the front door of the packhouse swings open and Theo steps inside.

I freeze, forgetting to breathe as I watch him shrug off his leather jacket, slinging it over the couch as he makes excuses for his tardiness.

It would’ve been nice if Gray had mentioned that he’d be here. Then again, why would he? He has no idea what’s been going on between Theo and I, our fragile… friendship?

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