The Code Of The Alpha

Taking a shower when we got home was a workout in and of itself. My legs were shaking and ached every time I leaned over to grab the soap.

I almost fell when I reached out to grab the towel from it’s hook. Groaning, I dried myself off and tucked the towel under my arms as I emerged from the bathroom into the bedroom.

I was surprised to find Luca sitting on my bed, pulling the towel tighter around me as he stood up.

He stumbled over his words as he laid eyes on my towel-clad body.

“I-um..” he started, rubbing the back of his neck, “I have some stuff that I need to get done this afternoon. I just wanted to let you know I was leaving. I probably won’t be home until late.”

I nodded.

“That’s fine.”

Luca watched my reaction slowly and I realized I may have sounded too happy to hear he was leaving.

Giving me a lingering gaze, Luca backed away towards the door.

“I guess I’ll see you later, then,” he said.

I nodded again, following him.

Our eye contact didn’t break until I had closed the door. Sighing, I dropped my towel and began to change. I made my bed and cleaned up the room a bit before I went downstairs to find that Luca had already left.

Taking a seat on the couch with a book l’d been reading, I groaned internally.

This is ridiculous.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I’m sitting on my ass when I could be working,

I thought. It was this mindset that put me in a bad mood for the rest of the afternoon. Later that evening, Norah stopped by as I was making dinner.

She hugged me as I opened the front door for her.

“Teriyaki chicken?” I offered, walking back into the kitchen where the chicken was simmering in the frying pan.

She shook her head.

“Actually, I came by to see if you wanted to go to shopping with me in Missoula tomorrow?” She asked, taking a seat at the counter.

“It’s about four hours away, but I figured we could make a day of it.”

“Absolutely,” I answered, nearly cutting her off.

“I’m dying to get out of this house.”

Norah laughed.

“I figured that was the case,” she said.

“I could see it on your face yesterday.”

“I’m so bored,” I admitted, placing the lid on the steaming rice.

“I went from working two jobs to sitting around all day.”

“What did you do?”

“I was a part-time elementary school art teacher and a librarian,” I said.

“Not glamorous, but I loved it.”

Norah smiled.

“What grade?”

“First,” I answered, going back to stirring the chicken in the frying pan.

“I know of someone who could use some help with kids around that age, if you’d like me to check with her?” She offered.

“That would be perfect,” I said, cutting off the burner and turning to face her.

Norah nodded.

“I’ll give her a call,” she said.

“I’m sure she’d love an extra hand. The twins used to go over sometimes, but they’re not very consistent.”

“Anything to get me out of here for a few hours a day,” I laughed.

Norah gave me a sympathetic look.

“Do you hate it here?” She asked.

Her question took me off guard. I hesitated to answer, shaking my head after a few moments.

“No, it’s… just an adjustment, I guess.”

She looked at me like she knew I was lying. I

wondered briefly if Luca had put her up to asking.

Turning back to the stove, I scooped some chicken, rice, and broccoli over a plate.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?” I asked her.

Norah shook her head, standing from her seat.

“No, but thank you. Ben was cooking tonight, so I have dinner waiting for me at home. I’II see you tomorrow, then?”

I nodded, smiling.

“Good,” she said.

“I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“I’ll be ready.”

I followed her to the door, closing it behind her.

Letting out a long sigh, I walked back into the kitchen, Norah’s question still heavy on my mind.

I don’t think I hate it here, I thought.

It was then that I realized it didn’t matter if I hated it in Montana or not. I certainly couldn’t go home.

He’s ruined her.

I’ll kill him.

I’ll kill her.

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I closed my eyes and shook my head in an attempt to try to forget those words. But they filled the dead silence around me. Picking up Luca’s iPad from the countertop, I opened it up to play music.

I ate my dinner listening to the melody of Bon Jovi, hoping that each chord and chorus would drown out the threats of my father that resounded in my mind.

I sat at the counter for nearly an hour after I had finished eating, just staring at my empty plate and the dirty pots and pans on the stovetop.

When I finally stood up from my chair, I cleaned up and looked at the clock. It was still early in the evening, but I could feel my body begging for sleep.

Giving in, I went upstairs to change into my pajamas and go to bed I woke up at some point in the middle of the night to the moonlight streaming in through my window, shining down on the carpet.

Laying there for a few moments, I got up to go downstairs and get something to drink. As soon as I opened my bedroom door, I screamed.

My father stood outside the door, walking in slowly as I tripped backwards in fear. Landing on my butt, I crawled backward, watching him stalk into the room after me.

“You’re okay,” he told me.

“You’re going to be okay. Just stay away from him. It will all be okay.”

My back hit the side of the bed, preventing me from backing away any further.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered, staring at him in horror.

“How did you find me?”

He knelt down in front of me, taking my face in his hands.

“It will be okay, I’m on my way,” he cooed.

My eyebrows furrowed.

Why is he saying he’s on the way?

He’s standing right in front of me…

Even more confusing was what I noticed as we stared at each other: his eyes were blue, but my dad had always had brown eyes.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled.

“I’m on my way.”

My body jolted up from the bed. I looked around the dark room from where I sat on the bed and saw that my father was nowhere to be found and the door was still securely shut. The curtains were pulled tightly over the windows, preventing the pouring in of moonlight.

It was just a dream.

I stood up and pulled my soaking wet tank top over my head. Drenched in sweat from the nightmare, I grabbed a t-shirt from a top one of the boxes and threw it over my head.

I realized it was Luca’s as soon as I caught the scent that lingered on the fabric. I didn’t realize I had been crying until I went to the bathroom to rinse my face with cold water.

Ignoring my puffy eyes, I left the bathroom and went downstairs. As I grabbed my glass of water from the fridge, I heard the door open and close.

I peered around the corner cautiously to see Luca walking inside, a backpack hung over one shoulder.

He stopped as soon as he saw me. A few moments passed before he took a step forward. And then another.

Pulling the strap of his backpack from his shoulder, he set it down on one of the barstools. Luca watched me closely and I knew he could tell I had been crying.

I found myself putting down the glass of water and walking over to where he stood. Wrapping my arms around his torso, I hugged him tight.

I felt his hand press gently against my back as he pulled me into him closer and then the another hand moving to hold my head against his chest.

“Are you okay?”

I pulled back, the tears returning to my eyes.

“It was just a dream,” I whispered, sounding more like I was trying to convince myself than I was Luca.

“Do you want to sleep in my bed?” He offered.

I hesitated, but eventually nodded. Luca wiped a tear from my cheek and lifted me into his arms. I felt like a baby as he carried me out of the kitchen and into his bedroom.

But I had also never felt safer.