Page 73 of Alpha Theo

I just stand there, watching as he straps the helmet on the back of his bike, climbs on, and fires up the engine.

Wait a second, is he going to leave me out here?!

“Theo!” I scream, running toward him.

He hits the throttle, dirt spraying from underneath the tires as he peels out.

All I can do is stand there, still shaking with anger as I watch him drive away.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Brooke

“Are you okay?!” Fallon asks, pulling open the door of the packhouse.

I’m standing on the front stoop, looking like hell, feeling worse. After Theo stranded me on the side of the road, I had to walk all the way to Goldenleaf- several miles. I stuck to the road, half expecting him to come back for me once he calmed down. He never did.

My feet ache in my sneakers- the backs of my heels are rubbed raw from my walk of shame. My hair’s all windblown and tangled and I’m sure my mascara is running from the tears of frustration I shed after Theo drove off. Judging by the look of concern in Fallon’s eyes, I must look like a mess.

My sister steps outside, throws her arms around me, and I immediately burst into tears. Fallon rubs my back and rocks me from side to side, trying to soothe me as I sob into her hair.

“Come on,” she coos, pulling back and sliding an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go inside.”

She leads me into the packhouse, brings me over to a couch. Helps me take my shoes off as I settle down onto it. Brings me a glass of water and some tissues. Then she sinks down beside me, taking my hands in hers, her eyes clouded with worry.

“What happened, Brookie?” she asks gently.

This is strange- it’s a total role reversal. I’m usually the one calming Fallon down when she’s upset, drying her tears and brainstorming solutions to her problems. I can’t remember the last time she had to do it for me- not since we were younger and my wolf first manifested.

“I…” my voice trails off as my eyes well up with tears again. “I’ve been so stupid, Fallon. So, so stupid.”

I start sobbing again and Fallon slides an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in. “Hey…”

“I don’t even want to tell you!” I choke.

I’m so embarrassed. I knew Theo was a jerk, but I let him in anyways. Let myself think that we could be together somehow. I feel like such an idiot.

Fallon pulls back, looking me in the eye. “Come on, sis. I’ve done a million stupid things. If anyone can understand bad decisions, it’s me.”

I nod, laughing through my tears, wiping at my cheeks with the back of a hand. I take a deep breath.

“So you know how I told you how Theo and I were friends?”

Fallon’s eyes darken, the silver of her wolf flickering in her irises. “What did he do to you, Brooke? I’ll fucking kill him…”

I shake my head, sniffling. “Just listen.”

And I tell her everything. I tell her about seeing him naked in the woods, about the dinner with his dad that turned ugly, and about that night in Denver. I tell her about the ‘anti-date’ at the ski resort and our late night hike, and even about how we took a shower together afterwards. I tell her about the jacket and the ride and being abandoned on the side of the road. I tell her the whole sordid tale, not leaving anything out. At some point, I stop crying- and it feels so good to get it off my chest, to finally be honest with my sister.

Even though I can tell it’s hard for her not to interject, she doesn’t- she just listens, lets me spill my guts on the living room sofa. Once I bring her up to speed, she sighs, taking my hand and stroking a finger over the back of it.

“I’m so sorry, Brookie,” Fallon whispers, tracing a heart on the back of my hand. “I promise when I find that asshole, I’m gonna knock some sense into him.”

I swallow hard, my throat still raw from crying. “I freaked out on him, Fal,” I say hoarsely. “I’ve never laid into anyone like that. I was just so mad…”

It suddenly dawns on me that I’m not just mad at Theo, I’m also mad at myself- at the person I let myself become in that moment with him. I was so nasty, so cruel. Took it beyond what the fight was even about, said things just to hurt him. Everything I had bottled up spilled out. I don’t regret what I said- he does need to step up, do better- but my delivery was all wrong. As mad as I am at Theo, I’m also ashamed of myself for stooping so low.

Fallon shakes her head firmly. “Nuh uh, don’t you dare take any of the blame for this, Brooke. He left you in the middle of nowhere! No matter what you said, that was just fucking wrong.” Her eyes narrow. “Screw that guy. Just wait till I get my hands on him, I’m gonna punch him right in the dick for what he did.”

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