Alpha's One Night Bride
Alpha’s One Night Bride – Chapter 24

That morning, before Arina arrived to speak with Rock, Ronnie heard the yelling between Melissa and Rock. She sat on the staircase as she often does when there’s a fight going on in the house and she could hear her mother crying in the living room.

Rock was angry with her but from what Melissa was saying, it didn’t seem like he had any right to be angry.

Ronnie was now 16 years old and not as naive as she once was; she understood what most of their arguments were about.

“You brought her into our home?! You f****d her in our bed. Do you have no shame?” Melissa cried.

“The same way I f****d you in the bed I shared with Emlin,” he yelled in return.

“Do you love her?” Melissa asked, her voice quivering.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rock hissed back. “You sound stupid.”

“I’m not the one f*****g other women in our bed, Rock,” Melissa yelled.

Her words were cut off toward the end as the back of Rock’s hand went across Melissa’s face. Ronnie flinched as the sound of the impact sounded through the house.

“You won’t ever speak to your Alpha in that way,” he growled.

The sounds of her sobs broke Ronnie’s heart.

This wasn’t the first time they fought like this, and this wasn’t the first time he’s hit her. He’s been making it a habit a lot lately and it’s usually the same argument. Melissa would catch him with another woman and start an argument she knew she couldn’t win. Or Rock would drink too much and start an argument himself.

Sometimes they would fight if Melissa said the wrong thing at the wrong time or brought something up from Rock’s past that bothers him. Like when she brings up Annika.

“Get out of my face,” Rock muttered.

Melissa came through the kitchen, a new purple bruise on her upper cheekbone and her features stained with tears. She was paler than usual and to Ronnie, it seemed as though she was thinning out.

She noticed Ronnie sitting on the stairs and tried to force a smile. Ronnie didn’t return the smile, knowing it wasn’t real.

“You shouldn’t be eavesdropping,” Melissa told her softly; her voice cracking slightly as she wiped the tears from her face.

“How long are you going to let him do this to you, mom?” Ronnie asked. She tried to keep her face expressionless.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Melissa lied as she started to make herself a cup of tea.

“If it doesn’t end, you are going to end up like Emlin,” Ronnie said, trying to keep her tone down so Rock doesn’t overhear.

Ronnie wasn’t stupid; she knew exactly what happened to Emlin. She overheard her mother’s confession to Rock years ago. It wasn’t a suicide like everyone was saying. Melissa laced Emlin’s tea with wolfbane and poisoned her.

She, of course, never told Melissa she overheard that confession. She never told anybody.

“What happened to Emlin was unfortunate. But it wasn’t your father’s doing,” Melissa told her, stirring sugar into her tea.

“He pushed her to the point of not wanting to live anymore,” Ronnie said.

“Your father is a good man. He is a good wolf. He is a great Alpha,” Melissa said, shooting Ronnie a stern look.

“If he’s so good, then how did you get those bruises?” Ronnie asked, standing up.

“Ronnie, please. Can we not do this right now. I need to get cleaned up. Arina and Jonathan will be here shortly,” Melissa said as she passed Ronnie and went up the stairs.

As the evening went on, Ronnie found herself staying in the kitchen as Rock, Melissa, Arina, and Jonathan were talking in the living room. It was the first time she heard that Arina was expecting a child and she was surprised at how persistent Rock was at wanting to be a part of the child’s birthing process and life. He’s never showed interest in Arina until she married Jonathan; in fact, she remembered Rock wanting nothing to do with her after Ronnie’s birthday party.

As the evening went on, Ronnie found herself staying in the kitchen as Rock, Melissa, Arina, and Jonathan were talking in the living room. It was the first time she heard that Arina was expecting a child and she was surprised at how persistent Rock was at wanting to be a part of the child’s birthing process and life. He’s never showed interest in Arina until she married Jonathan; in fact, she remembered Rock wanting nothing to do with her after Ronnie’s birthday party.

He had told Arina that he had a box of Emlin’s things, videos, journals, letters, and Items that Emlin wanted Arina to have. Not to mention Emlin’s ashes. Ronnie grew disgusted listening to him and didn’t want to hear any more of what he had to say.

Just as Ronnie stood to leave the kitchen, Melissa walked in. She looked sicker than usual; bothered. She was ghostly pale, and it seemed as though she was fighting back tears. Ronnie couldn’t blame her; after spending time listening to Rock, Ronnie also felt sick.

Melissa’s eyes caught Ronnies.

“Honestly Ronnie. Don’t you have anything better to do other than eavesdropping?” Melissa asked as she grabbed a piece of paper and pen off the counter.

“I’m not eavesdropping,” Ronnie lied. “I was just about to go hunting. I need the practice.”

Melissa didn’t look like she bought it, but she didn’t argue.

Ronnie followed Melissa back into the living room where they all sat. Arina looked as though she wanted to pass out; her eyes remained locked on Rock’s. Jonathan looked as though he wanted to rip out Rock’s throat. Ronnie couldn’t blame him for that; part of her wanted to rip his throat out too.

Arina didn’t notice Ronnie entering. Actually, Ronnie always wished she had more of a sisterly relationship with Arina, but sadly that was something of a dream. Never to be made a reality.

“I’m going for a hunt,” she announced; she wasn’t expecting a response, and just as predicted she remained ignored.

Rolling her eyes, she walked through the living room and out the front door.

As she stepped outside and tried to take off in the direction of the woodlands, something caught her foot and she found herself falling face first in the dirt that occupied the house.

Turning around she saw a golden-brown wolf with milk chocolate eyes. He towered over her in an almost intimidating manner, though his wolfy gaze was something of compassion and worry. He bowed his head in her direction and his shape began transitioning until it formed a man.

His hair was the same golden-brown as his fur and his eyes were still the same milk chocolate. He had a strong build on his upper torso, to where Ronnie could tell he worked out a lot. There was a softness around his features that made his large build less intimidating. His sun-kissed skin brought out the golden shade of his moppy curly hair that fell around his narrow face.

“Are you okay?” He asked; his voice was deep. He reached his hand out, which looked to be bigger than Ronnie’s face.

“Uh…” she uttered, trying to come up with a full sentence. If she had to be honest, she was in awe of this wolf-man. “I think so.”

Grabbing onto the man’s hands she noticed a roughness around his fingers. He firmly gripped her hand back and pulled her to her feet. He towered over her.

Grabbing onto the man’s hands she noticed a roughness around his fingers. He firmly gripped her hand back and pulled her to her feet. He towered over her.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a breath. “I didn’t see you there.” She felt heat rising into her cheeks as she realized she probably looked ridiculous.

His smile brought a warmth to her heart and practically made that embarrassed feeling melt away immediately. His smile revealed dimples on his cheeks making her knees go weak.

“No worries,” he said to her. “I shouldn’t have been standing so close to the entrance.” After a brief pause, he asked, “Why are you in such a hurry?”

That embarrassment was returning to her.

“I was just going hunting,” she told him. She wasn’t sure how honest she could be with him.

“It’s definitely a good time to do that,” he said, looking up at the moon.

She followed his gaze up and saw the small crescent in the dark sky with stars circulating around it. Only a few hours short of the moon being at the peak in the sky.

“What’s your name?” He asked, bringing her attention back to him.

She locked her eyes on him before answering.

“Ronnie,” she told him.

It appeared to Ronnie that his face fell slightly; he seemed almost disappointed.

“Oh,” he said softly, staring amongst her face. “You’re Arina’s 16-year-old sister?” He asked.

Was it the age that disappointed him? Or the fact that she’s Arina’s sister? He must be much older.

“If you could call me her sister,” she admitted, traces of sadness in her tone. “You’re friends of hers?”

“Yeah, we’ve become friends over time. I’m Erick, a friend of Jonathan’s,” he said.

“You’re around his age then?” She heard herself asking before she could stop herself. She wanted to slap herself in the face.

He looked taken back by the question.

“18,” he answered. “I’m the Alpha of Onyxfang.”

Onyxfang.

Ronnie has heard of Onyxfang; she heard that’s where the dangerous wolves live and to steer clear of that area. But Erick didn’t seem like a dangerous wolf. Yes, he was big. But he seemed gentle and caring. He was waiting outside for Arina and Jonathan, probably on standby for protection in case Rock tried anything stupid.

Smart.

“If you’re done flirting, can you come back to your post?” Another deep voice spoke through both Ronnie and Erick’s heads.

Ronnie hadn’t realized there was another wolf nearby; this wolf’s fur was a bit darker than Erick’s, which made him blend in with the shadows on the other side of the door. Ronnie was startled at first, but looking at the grinning face of Erick, she was able to relax and give them both a nervous chuckle.

“I should probably…” she began as she pointed to the woodlands behind her in the distance.

Erick nodded, giving her another smile.

“It was nice meeting you, Ronnie,” he said to her as he transformed himself back into his wolf form.

“Yeah,” Ronnie said softly. “You too, Erick.”

Turning on her heel she began to run towards the woodlands. As she ran, she allowed her body to naturally transform into her wolf-self. Feeling the cold wintery air on her thick red fur as she ran through the streets of Ironclaw.