Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella
Chapter 9

Today's dinner was even richer than yesterday's. The pasta alone was enough to have me rolling out the door, but the clams, oysters, deveined shrimp, and unidentifiable but luxurious garnishing made it all the more unbearable. After years of subsisting on little better than plain sandwiches, my stomach couldn't handle things like this. Not that I would ever admit it. The last thing I wanted to do was sound ungrateful. Evan had mistaken my innocent question for being bratty earlier, and if it happened again, I didn't know if I could bear it.

Besides, being pampered and fed to death was a lot better than being slapped, insulted and threatened day after day.

But Evan's appetite wasn't that good either. The only thing he was partaking in was the wine, and he'd already had four glasses.

I recalled seeing him that first night. He'd smelled of alcohol then, too. Was he an alcoholic?

And the deep pressure in his mind - so much sadness.

I had to pull him out. He was sinking deeper and deeper into that miasma, and leaving him to his thoughts would be like watching a man drown and doing nothing about it. Maybe no one else could read minds like I could, but that didn't change a thing. "The pasta is really good," I said in a rush, unable to think of anything else. "I don't even know what kind it is."

Thankfully, that was enough to bring him back to his senses. He took an abrupt bite, his first one, as if remembering what he was sitting at the table for. "If you like it, I'll have the kitchen make more later," he said. "If there's anything you dislike, tell them, too." I shook my head. "Every single thing I've eaten since I came here, I liked. Too much."

"You've barely eaten."

That wasn't true. I'd eaten plenty. Or maybe it just felt like that because I'd been given so little to eat when I was still with Dark Moon.

"It's a lot to me," I said honestly. "It's more than I've ever eaten at once."

I didn't like him. He was arrogant and he was violent, and he took over packs by force like a brute instead of leaving them in peace. Just because he had happened to save me didn't forgive him for everything he had done until now. After all, hadn't everybody else said it? I was the only one he had brought back, in all this time. Everyone else...

But even so, the torment in his mind pulled at my sympathy. I couldn't help but want peace for him, and seeing him smile now with a lighter heart put me at peace, too.

***

My enrollment would be official soon enough, so putting off my reading and assignments would only make it harder to catch up. I stayed up as late as I could before taking a bath, then prepared to go to sleep in my own bed. Despite his order from the first night to always sleep by him in his bed, he had not yet summoned me, so maybe I was free tonight.

But not long after I fell asleep, I woke up to the sound of screaming - agonized screaming, fearful and horrifying. It didn't take long to understand it wasn't physical sounds, though. I was hearing Evan's nightmare from the other room. How he could be in range, I didn't know, but he wasn't shouting aloud.

I scrambled out of bed, head ringing with the child's screams emanating from his dream, getting louder and louder. Calling for his parents, he was lost, and the forest was so dark- Blood! the child in his dream screamed. So much blood!

The last of my sleep fled from me, and I hurried into the hallway to rush to his bedroom. The door was unlocked, and I was at his side in the next instant. I had to wake him up. No sane person with even a speck of a conscience could let someone suffer like that. "Evan. Evan, are you okay?" I touched his shoulder. When that failed to wake him, I shook it a little.

"Evan!"

His eyes shot open. "Evan?"

His eyes remained haunted by the nightmare still fleeing from him. But his strength of mind was so firm he managed to hide all other signs of his distress, and his gaze moved to me. "Did I wake you?"

"I was only dozing a little. You yelled in your sleep. I was worried."

"I yelled?"

In your thoughts, I admitted privately, but of course I had no choice but to nod. Thankfully, he didn't pry any further.

"Thank you," he murmured, and nestled into the crook of my elbow. Somehow my arm had gotten under his head... When had I done that? But it put him at ease and soothed his fear, so I gave him a small embrace.

"Banshee weed could help," I said after a moment to assuage the awkwardness I felt. "We used to grind it up for anyone who had nightmares and night terrors. It tastes bad, but it does work."

He raised an eyebrow though he kept his eyes closed. "Does it smell as bad as it tastes?"

I smiled. The last traces of his nightmare were disappearing from his mind as he came to. Good. "No. Just has a bitter taste, like coffee."

Somehow, we ended up chatting about coffee and tea. He was surprisingly knowledgeable about the varieties and we distracted each other for a few more minutes. But it couldn't last. When he didn't order me to get into bed with him, I figured it was safe to dismiss myself.

"Go back to sleep, Alpha," I said. "I'll be right next door."

"Thank you."

"It's nothing. The maid's duty." I smiled and left his room.

***

No wonder Evan hadn't asked me to sleep beside him. He had had to get up in the middle of the night soon after to go away for pack business. I only learned of it because the head maid informed me Evan had left with orders to take care of me. Well, that wasn't surprising. Alpha duties could take a man out of bed at any time of night.

As for me, I had to worry about my classes. At least I didn't make a wrong turn this morning, but the parking lot was more backed up than usual. By the time I pulled into my usual spot, I only had fifteen minutes to get to class.

Still, I was in high spirits when I got in. That changed soon enough.

"Oh. The little 'it girl' wannabe is back again."

There she was again, Flicka. Of course she still hadn't changed her seat. She sat with a frigid smile on her face as she glared at me, prettier than ever with that angry glint in her eyes and all of her vibrant supermodel charm on display for everyone to see. It wasn't just me she was talking to after all; she wanted everyone in on this.

"I see you still haven't given up," she said. And now I know you're not Evan's mate for sure, she added privately with a rush of smug satisfaction. How she had stumbled upon proof, I didn't know, but if she had asked me straight up, I would have told her the truth. There had been no need to go hunting for it. A waste of time.

"Would you like to tell me what your issue with me really is?" I asked levelly, making sure my voice betrayed none of my anger. Showing her that she was getting to me would only make her even more smug.

"Because you're obviously after Alpha Evan and you aren't even trying to hide it. Do you have any idea what you're going after? Who you're going after?"

(She's a f*****g half-breed piece of s**t. Does she really think she deserves everything she's got? Maybe she thinks she's special because of it, and that's why she's going after Evan. What a stupid b***h. Like smearing herself with dog s**t and thinking it makes her look unique and interesting.)

Great. There it was, more snarling thoughts. Elly-esque, indeed. Too bad for her, because:

"I'm not interested in Alpha Evan," I said flatly.

"Oh, so you're just a gold-digging slut who's happily taking all his money? You even got yourself a Benz, you greedy b***h. And you're trying to keep him distracted with all of this gift-grabbing so he can't find his real mate and get rid of you. How f*****g selfish. Don't you know how important it is for an Alpha to find his mate? But of course you don't know. You're a half-breed. That's why you're such a shameless f*****g whore."

She laughed, and her fangs glinted in the light. Was she about to shift? Was that why her teeth had changed?

In my head, Cassiel stirred awake and growled. Her rage poured through me, and my skin burned and prickled.

Kill her! Cassiel commanded, and I lunged forward without thinking.

But no! I was going too far. If I let myself hurt Flicka just for saying words that shouldn't even bother me, then I really might...

The last conscious thought I had was that I had to push her out of the way. The door. I had to get to the door past her desk. I couldn't let myself lose control, or else-

I didn't know how I made it out of the classroom or out of the school, or past all recognizable landmarks. But the building melted into streets, and the streets melted into grass. My senses were all so sensitive, and yet I had no idea what was happening to me. Oh... I had shifted. I was a wolf. I was sprinting on four feet, not two, and... I had fur. Silvery-white fur gleamed as I ran and ran until the world melted away, and I found myself in a forest.

When at last I could run no more, I collapsed on the grass, surrounded by a labyrinth of plants I forgot how to name. And then I slept and slept, dazed and exhausted.

I didn't wake until footsteps moved over the grass, approaching me.

Someone was coming.