THE DECEITFUL ALPHA

I had spent over eleven months of boredom, anticipating that Caleb would once again return back to our pack while tending to my human affairs of attending classes in High school here in Jacksonville.

The last we had heard of him was his last battle with a group of savages known for their witchery that were trying to expand territorial influences around the border side of the next town. Thanks to him, the pack were able to pull through the last war where the revolts were trying to usurp his rights Alpha which I didn’t partook even after I had my first transformation but the consequences of the last war was the reduction of our numbers as well as our strength and we couldn’t afford to engage in another uprising. But he had to go quell the situation before it got difficult to handle.

Our time together as lovers after I was initiated into the pack had been brief but romantically memorable. He had promised me a lot of things before he left and it was indeed clear to everyone of his intentions about me even though I hadn’t spend much years in the pack like the older ones in our group.

We had all thought they would deal with the premature crisis without delay and return in a couple days after they left but days became weeks, and weeks became months yet he did not show nor did he even make a single phone call to tell me how I was coping being cooped up in my room all day in his absence. My forthcoming birthday was around the corner and I still haven’t heard of him for several months now. I had given up the thought that he would still remember and on that day, Mom had invited the few of the neighbors to the house for the occasion. At six in the evening, those invited were already gathered in the house. Dad wasn’t around as usual and I wasn’t bothered about it though I could tell that she wasn’t please that he had to forfeit to be in attendance to make sure he was on night duty at the office for he was a cop. As for the preparations, my close high school friend, Amanda, had been of great help in getting the cake and other things ready in their places before the guests arrived. I had kept myself glued to my bedroom since morning and all afternoon before nightfall, I was busy tidying up the drawers that were muddled from last night when I heard a knock on the door. I left what I was doing and flung the door open to see Amy standing outside the door. She wore a cheerful smile which matched the colour of her pink outfit as though she was the celebrant of the occasion. I kept the door ajar as soon as I saw that she was standing there since I wasn’t dressed up.

“What do you want?”

“Claire, some friends of yours are requesting to see you”

“Friends of mine?”

“You invited them to the party, right?”

She said wistfully.

“No, I didn’t invite anyone”

“Really? They said you did and Strangely, they are all adults wearing the same jacket”

She answered and I suddenly recalled that it must be members of the pack. I was perplexed how they were able to find out when I never mentioned it anybody even in those in school.

“Is that so? I think I know them. Please tell them I’ll be downstairs shortly”

I said and closed the door. I got dressed and left the room as soon as I could. I haven’t heard from the pack since Caleb left and their unexpected presence in my house could only mean one thing. I hurriedly climbed down the stairs into the living room where some teens Amanda invited from high school were already dancing to the music beats. One of the pack members suddenly appeared at the porch since the door was open and beckoned on me to come over to meet them outside.

It was Agatha, and I followed her to the front porch where the others were chattering amongst themselves. There were about four of them and they all seem too busy with their conversation and less interested in joining the party inside.

“What’s up?”

I asked after shaking hands with them.

“It’s been a while since we last saw you and you’re having one hell of a party”

It was Clyde who spoke first.

“It is my mom, she’s stubborn on having party for me”

“Aww. She really does care for you”

“Why didn’t you pick up any of our calls?”

“I’ve been….trying to cope with a lot of things since Caleb’s not around”

Matt cut in.

“Lucky you, he’s back alright”

“What? When?”,

“He came back two days ago and actually, he was the one who called us here”

“Actually, he wants to have a chat with us and it looks like he going to be late”

Gwen added.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to react about hearing the news but for the fact that he had promised to show up anytime soon after a long absence from town, meant something special for me as his lover. And a feeling of excitement got me reeling with happiness and desire to set my eyes on him. Agatha noticed that my face had gotten brighter than it was earlier at the mention that Caleb would be appearing anytime soon and nudged me without prior warning. Then she smiled childishly at me and I too smiled shyly.

“Guys, why don’t we go inside and have some drinks before Caleb comes?”

Matt suggested.

“That’ll be great but it’s too late for that. Caleb is already here”

“And here he comes with someone else”

Agatha said as we all looked at the direction of the road. He was already walking towards us from a distance with his hands tucked inside his leather jacket while his companion clung on him by the shoulder and we could tell that he was accompanied by a lady.

“Who’s that with him?”

“Be patient. We’re about to find out who she is”

As Caleb was approaching, I felt even more nervous to see him coming towards us though I as glad to see that he was already here in person. Before he got to where we stood, the lady stopped abruptly and whispered something in his ear when she saw us and didn’t accompany him further. Then she went towards the house where the neighbors. I suspected something wasn’t right at that moment as I watched her walked away into the house though it looked like she was going to going but I was preoccupied with the thought of Caleb’s remarkable return on my birthday. She had already gone into the house by the time Caleb came into our midst and I didn’t notice that he was standing close to me after she had left us. Then he hugged me tightly and I felt cozy in his arms but he released himself so soon enough for his long awaited smell to leave me.

“What took you so long?”

I asked after he had freed himself from the warm embrace. Then he beamed a charming smile and gave me the package he had been holding. Then he fondled my fawn hair with his rough palm but I was too busy checking the package for what he had bought for me that I didn’t bother too much of him rumpling my hair.

“Happy birthday, Claire”

He said with an even more enchanting smile.

“Thanks but that doesn’t answer the question”

“The situation turned out differently than I had expected”

“Well, that explains it then”

“Who was that lady you were walking with?”,

Agatha asked out the blue. I was curious to know as well and didn’t rebuke her for interrupting our reunion.

“Martha…? She’s my future mate”

“Wait a minute, What?!”

I screamed in utter surprise. The others suddenly got interested in the topic and Clyde whistled a sound of disbelief with his lips at his unexpected response.

“You mean she’s a werewolf like the rest of us?”

“Yep”

He replied noticing the despondency on my face. I stood there awestruck and dumbfounded. I felt a deep shadow of disappointment overshadowing me completely and felt a deeper flush of agonizing pain as his words stab my heart. Agatha knew this and took him aside but he clearly wasn't interested in talking with her and he refused to comply.

“Caleb, let’s talk about this”

I grasped his hand but he easily wriggled himself free.

“I’m not interested in talking about this. This is all you should know for now”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“A change of heart, maybe. You didn’t have a wolf like I had wanted and our relationship is off. Consider this as our last time together”

His words of betrayal came as a shock to me and I stared blankly at him but he rudely ignored me. I left at once in tears because I didn’t want him to see me crying. I was already shedding tears and I didn’t want him to see me crying so I left, heading to door. The others knew I was hurt but neither of them came to my rescue since he was the Alpha.

“Claire, please don’t…”

Agatha said as I walked away from him. She wanted to follow me but Caleb held her back. They watched me as I left in pain. I met mom at the door but I ignored her and went straight to my bedroom upstairs. I didn’t even realize that I had taken along the gift he had given me since all I could think of was to cry my eyes out inside the comfort of my room but on getting there, I found someone else inside the room after I had lifelessly flung the door open.

I was surprised to see that it was the lady Caleb had come back with, judging by the clothes she wore when she entered into the house. I hadn’t taken notice that she wasn’t with the guest in the living room downstairs and she must have somehow snuck inside when the other neighbors wasn’t watching. She came close to me before I could say a word and confronted me with a gusto show of triumph. Her dark hair seem to fit her outfit and I could clearly see that she was irritated at the sight of me.

“Why the tears, sweetheart?”

She said sarcastically. I ignored her question and walked over to the drawers where I kept the gift beside the lamp near the pillow on the bed.

“Oh right, Caleb must have told you already judging by your demeanor and I guess you must have found out about the other part then”

She said to no one in particular. I was less interested in what she had to say so, I didn’t make any response to her taunting comments. As I turned around, she blocked