Bully Alpha Firefighter Novel – At the funeral, I met my mate who rejected me years ago again. I swallowed, feeling like I was going to. I should have known he was never going to be with me. He was destined to be something great, considering his father was alpha, and there was no way he was going to be seen with the girl who couldn’t shift. I suddenly felt tears and closed my eyes, telling myself to suppress them. I was not going to cry about something that I had lived through. I was not some weak girl anymore. I had built my life up. I had made a wonderful life myself, and I was not going to have Ayden Jackson ruin it again.
I looked across my bed towards Ayden, who was sitting in a chair, looking all too comfortable, like he’d done this a million times. He had his phone pulled out, flipping through something on it. He’d at least stopped talking, which was nice. We’d argued the entire way here, but I wasn’t stupid enough to know this was the end of us speaking. Now that he was quiet, I could see he’d changed a lot since high school. He was taller, and he had a bulkier build. Even with his uniform, I could see that he had everything to please a woman underneath. His brown hair was cut shorter but long enough that I could see it curled when it was wet. His front was curled from the sweat, and when he wiped at his hair, it bounced. His eyes blinked, and I remembered how much I had loved them. They were brown, but they turned gold when the sun hit them just right.
His eyes snapped up at me, and I quickly looked away, feeling a blush roll over my face. Clearly, I wasn’t entirely over my crush on him, which made this entire situation even worse. “All right, can I have your arm?” the nurse asked, holding a blood pressure cuff. I nodded, pulling the sleeve of my gown up. I was pissed that they made me change. My clothes were folded next to Ayden like it was going to make this situation any less embarrassing. I didn’t know which was worse, that I started the fire in the house or that Ayden, the guy that used to torment me, was the one that had to save me. The nurse checked my blood pressure and nodded. “It looks a little high, but I think you’re fine, given everything. I’ll go grab the doctor to come in and check a few other things before we let you go.” I gave her a smile, or what I could muster as a smile.
Ayden smiled at her. “Thanks, Lilla.” I rolled my eyes. Of course, he’d know the nurse’s name. I bet he knows all the nurse’s names. He’s probably still a player like he was in high school, sleeping around. The door shut, and it was just us once more. The clock ticked, and I didn’t know what to do, but I refused to look at him. I looked at the pictures that were hung up and glanced at the TV. I had no idea where the remote was, but then I spotted it next to Ayden. Jesus, was I going to catch a break? I softly sighed and rubbed my hands together. Ayden cleared his throat, adjusting in his chair. “Sorry about your mom,” he said, his voice gentle. I looked up, and I could see he meant it. My mother had been a big part of the community, so I’m sure everyone felt like a piece was missing. The pack had always been closed-knit, and at one point, my mother’s dragon had been strong and helpful. “Thank you,” I said, looking away. I looked outside the window, wondering what time it was.
It had to be late now. The moon was out. “So, when is the funeral?” “Next Sunday,” I said, looking at the door, begging the doctor to walk through it. The quicker he came, the quicker I was released, and I could put all of this behind me. “How long are you in town?” I chewed on my cheek before looking back at him . I couldn’t help but internally smile at his face. He had a busted lip from when I punched him. It gave me pride. Maybe he would think twice about touching me in the future. “Just until the funeral. Then I’m heading back.” He nodded and once more adjusted himself in the chair. I raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was nervous. He cleared his throat again. “It’s been a while since you’ve been here. You don’t want to stay longer?” I narrowed my eyes. “No, I don’t.” He fell silent momentarily before moving a little further off his chair.
“Work? Is that why you need to get back so quickly?” “It’s none of your business,” I finally said, wanting to end the conversation. I’d opened my heart up to him once before, and I wasn’t doing it again. His lips curled down slightly, and he looked like I’d wounded him. “Wendy, I’m just trying to be nice.” “It doesn’t suit you,” I said, looking away. I looked at the door and spotted a couple of nurses standing just outside it. The door wasn’t completely shut, so I could hear everything that was being said. “I know, he’s in there with this girl. She’s rather bland.” I felt my stomach twist up. “Poor thing. You know she might fall for him, and it won’t turn out well. Ayden doesn’t date. Well, at least he doesn’t date long. As alpha now, he has to focus on finding his mate.” I almost laughed. If only they knew I’d confessed my feelings to Ayden years ago and had it thrown back in my face. I wasn’t stupid enough to do it again. Ayden got up and pulled his hand out, slamming the door.
The nurses on the other side jumped, and he scowled at them, looking almost angry. I raised an eyebrow as he looked back at me. “Don’t listen to them.” “I wasn’t,” I said, simply giving him a shrug. His lips pulled together, and suddenly, I remembered the day I’d admitted everything. I was leaving school and had spotted him. Ayden had always been the hot and cold type of person. He was a jerk to some people and nice to others. I’d had a crush on him since he helped me pick up my homework, and yes, I was aware of the irony. I was young and dumb and imagined myself in a movie where he would suddenly realize we were meant to be together. We had a mutual friend, Owen. Or, at least, I considered Owen to be my friend, but he was friends with everyone. Owen had invited me to his birthday party, and I was so excited because, for once, I was invited. I’d dolled myself up and went. Owen had been so nice and told me to just enjoy myself. I swear our entire grade was at his folk’s house. There was alcohol and music. However, I just wanted to talk with Ayden.
I’d spotted him on the back porch. He was by himself, and I figured it was now or never. Sometimes, I wish I’d just left it alone. I walked onto the porch, and Ayden looked at me with his yellow eyes, a small smile tugging on his face. “Where are you doing here?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, looking as hot as always. “Owen invited me,” I said, rubbing my hands into the dress I had bought specifically for that occasion. “I didn’t think this was your kind of thing,” he said, leaning back against the railing. “It’s not, but I wanted to talk with you, actually.” “Oh, about?” I remembered how I’d swallowed and felt like time had stopped. I just had to get the words out, and my life would flip around. I could finally be someone else besides the girl everyone mocked. “I like you,” I said, giving him a shy smile. Ayden smirked, his lips curling up slightly as he pushed off the railing. He took a couple steps towards me. “Do you?” he asked, reaching out a hand and moving a strand of free hair.
“Just how much?” I swallowed, staring at him as he grew closer, his fingers grazing my cheek. “A lot,” I whispered, feeling my heart skip a beat. Ayden leaned closer, his face just an inch from mine. “And do you think I feel the same?” I stammered for words, my eyes way too focused on his face and how close he was to me. But then I saw the flash and my entire body went rigid. Ayden smirked as he leaned back, and it was like someone dumped a bucket of ice on me. I looked over my shoulder, and behind us, I could see a group of girls with their phones out, snapping photos. I knew instantly I was part of a joke. I moved to break away, but Ayden grabbed a hold of me, refusing to let me. “Wendy, it’s a joke. You need to learn to take one every once in a while.” “Let go,” I said, trying once more to move. “We were talking,” he said, and I could smell the booze on his breath.
I shook my head, trying once more to move, and his hands let go. But I fumbled backward and ran into the railing. I heard the snap, and I was falling as I went over the edge of the porch. I screamed as I fell, slamming hard into the ground below. My dress had torn, and I smacked my head, seeing double vision for a second. And when I brought my gaze back up, it seemed the entire party was looking over the railing at me, laughing, including Ayden. When I finally managed to pull myself together, he caught m e on the stairs. I could still remember his words: “Come on, Wendy. Did you really think we could date? We aren’t in the same league. Look at you, and then look at me.” I quickly shook my head, hating how quickly the memory came back. I hated myself for even thinking about that day. I’d pushed it so far deep that I didn’t think it was ever going to resurface, yet here it was, bleeding all over my mind. “Wendy.” My eyes snapped at him as he said my name.
He had reseated himself in the chair now. “You okay? You look like you are about to throw up.” I swallowed, feeling like I was going to. I should have known he was never going to be with me. He was destined to be something great, considering his father was alpha, and there was no way he was going to be seen with the girl who couldn’t shift. “I’m fine,” I said, suddenly wondering where my phone was, but I remembered it was at the house. The only thing I had was my book, which was right next to Ayden. “How have you been?” he asked, once more trying to start a conversation that I didn’t want to have in the first place. “Why do you care?” I asked, “Or have you forgotten about how you treated me in school?” He blinked, confused. “Treat you? I treated you like everyone else.” I could almost laugh at that because he had in the end.
He treated me like trash, just like everyone else. I didn’t go to school for three days after that, and when I did go back, I became even less of a person. I hardly chatted with Owen anymore because I was scared Ayden would appear. Almost everyone in our grade had bullied me for my weight and for being unable to shift but after that everyone knew about my crush on Ayden and it was just more fuel for the fire. It seemed every chance he got, Ayden made me the butt of every joke. School went from where I just had to survive to where I didn’t know if I could breathe through. I went through four years of constant bullying.
And when I wasn’t dealing with school, my mother wanted perfection from me – the perfect grades and the perfect picture of health. I began counting down the days to graduation and planned my escape, never wanting to look back again. I suddenly felt tears and closed my eyes, telling myself to suppress them. I was not going to cry about something that I had lived through. I was not some weak girl anymore. I had built my life up. I had made a wonderful life myself, and I was not going to have Ayden Jackson ruin it again.