Crying Wolf

The next day Lyra was cleaning the rooms on the third floor where the alpha's family lived when Sam walked up and smiled smugly at her. He leaned against the door to the room she was cleaning and said, "You know your mate might be here after all. You're not the worst looking girl in the pack. Your eyes are actually kinda pretty." He tilted her chin up with his knuckle so he could look her in the eye.

She shuddered at the predatory look he was giving her. He probably thought he was complementing her, but she felt a wave of revulsion as he drew closer. His breath wafted over her face as he said huskily, "I wouldn't mind a tussle or two with you. No one needs to know. I know you must be so lonely, being hated by everyone. I could help you with that."

She held back a gag as she jerked back out of his reach. "No, thank you. That's what you have Amber for. I'm not lonely at all.", she said briskly as she folded the throw blanket she was holding. Her movement proved to be a mistake as he shoved her back just a little more and shut the door behind him. His slimy smile melted into a scowl. "Don't get cocky just because you're about to turn 18. You're lucky I'm even entertaining the idea of f***ing you.", he growled as he pushed closer to her and gripped her hips roughly.

She gasped in disgust and shoved him away. "I'm. Not. Interested.", she hissed back. She threw the blanket at his head and tried to force her way past him to the door, but he grabbed her from behind, lifting her into the air. She flailed and kicked her legs and screamed bloody murder as he tried to drag her to the bed. His grip became tighter around her waist with one arm and with the other he clamped down on her mouth. Just as he turned and threw her face down on the bed, the door burst open.

"What is going on in here????", Alpha Shane bellowed. Sam turned and inclined his head to the alpha respectfully as Lyra scrambled up from the bed, straightening her clothes jerkily. "Nothing of import, alpha. I was asking Lyra about her birthday tomorrow and she tripped and fell on the bed.", Sam lied smoothly. Lyra kept her eyes trained on the floor as angry tears filled her eyes. This wasn't the first time Sam had been caught bullying her and she was sure that, like every other time, it would be overlooked.

She was sure the alpha would leave her alone with him and whatever was about to happen would continue. Therefore, she was surprised when the alpha growled and then asked her, "Is this true Lyra?" She shook her head in the negative and said quietly, "no, alpha. Sam was trying to-to-" She cut off in confusion. How should she word what Sam had done?

The alpha nodded to her and turned on Sam, swiftly pinning him to the wall. "I may not care for her, but no wolf in my pack harms another in the way you were trying to. Do I make myself clear?" "Alpha, with all due respect, you're mistaken-", Sam began before a low growl from the alpha silenced him. "No, you are mistaken. Do you think your alpha is stupid Samuel? I assure you I am not." Sam panicked and answered hastily, "No sir. Of course not. I apologize, I only meant-"

This time he was cut off by a fist slamming into his jaw causing him to fall to the floor. "Lyra, you may go.", Alpha Shane said darkly. Lyra ducked her head and ran past the alpha. She heard a few thuds and Sam crying out in pain as she shut the door hastily and ran to her room on the fifth floor, completely forgetting her assigned chores.

She spent the remainder of the day holed up in her room crying. She was confused by the alpha's protection of her, but immensely grateful. She felt sick thinking about what would have happened if he'd decided not to question Sam. She'd never even kissed a boy much less anything else and she didn't want her first time to be like the act that had created her. Maybe that's why the alpha had saved her. He had loved his sister so much and she had been r***d and forced to have his baby before being killed.

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That night Lyra skipped dinner and a few hours later she heard a knock on her door. When she opened it, Sheryl gasped and asked, "What happened?" Lyra looked down and said, "I got into it with Sam, why?" "You have bruises on your cheeks that definitely look like fingers.", Sheryl replied. Lyra stepped back from the door to allow Sheryl in and nodded. "Yeah he covered my mouth when I screamed. I tried to- I didn't want to have s*x with him and-", she cut herself off and shook her head causing her hair to hide her face.

She often used her hair as a curtain when she wanted to hide from the world. They couldn't see how weak she was if they couldn't see her face. That's a thought she had often. She was shocked when Sheryl scoffed at her and said, "You must've misunderstood the situation. I'm close friends with Sam's mother and he's a good boy. He would never force someone to-"

Lyra cringed when she remembered how close Sheryl was to Sam's family. She'd made excuses for his treatment of her in the past. He had taken the blanket her mother had wrapped her in when she was born from her when she was six and p**d on it in front of all the other pack children. They had laughed at her as she scooped it up and held the urine soaked memento close to her. Sheryl had rolled her eyes at Lyra's tears, but she had washed the blanket and returned it to her before bedtime.

Lyra cut her off with a glare. "He's not a good boy. He's a bully and he tried to r*** me. Alpha Shane stopped him.", she said fiercely. Sheryl looked as if Lyra had struck her. Lyra had never spoken back to Sheryl. She couldn't afford to alienate one of the few people who weren't outright cruel to her. But she would be an adult tomorrow. She could leave this place.

Sheryl shook her head and sniffed, "Well if you're going to be like that, you can sulk alone. I'll see you tomorrow." Lyra was glad to be alone again. She decided to get her mind off of these things for the night. She was still excited about tomorrow even if she wouldn't have a grand ball like the other wolves got on their 18th birthday. Those parties were for finding mates mostly, but maybe Lyra didn't even need a mate. She was sure she could find a job and get away from here on her own steam.

Her thoughts shifted to what her wolf might look like. Oftentimes the fur would be the same color as a person's hair. She'd never seen a red wolf, but it would probably be beautiful. Maybe she'd be really large and strong and she could defend herself from now on. Wolves didn't know their position within the pack until their first shift when they're 18. Maybe she wouldn't be stuck as an omega. She drifted off to sleep with these thoughts.