Betrayed by the Beta, Loved by the Alpha

Eden's pov: I ran as fast as my legs would allow, the sting of betrayal still fresh in my mind. I could not believe what I had just seen — what I had just heard. "Eden's not worth it, Seb," Clarissa purred, as one of her fingers trailed down his bare, taut chest. "Too small, too shy, too weak to fit into your world." He never stopped her finger, never denied her statement... And I felt like puking, but had to remain as silent as possible. I didn't want them to spot me. I didn't want my humiliation to burn even more. I had always thought Clarissa was my best friend. And yet, there she was, trying to seduce Sebastian Brown, the one and only guy I had always admired, even from afar. His smiles, rare, genuine, and infectious, always made me feel like smiling as well. Always made me blush too. He was the beta's youngest son. He was also our age. I had loved him for years even though we were only 18 years old. I never thought of myself worthy of him, but hearing Clarissa say it that way hurt — it hurt in more ways than one. I kept running, away from the hill where I had found them, away from the heartache. Did our friendship mean nothing to her? Tears streamed down my cheeks as I ran. My vision blurred, my breathing became labored... and while I did try to stop upon seeing something up ahead, it just wasn't possible in time. I soon was rushing head first into a big muscled chest. The hand which reached out to me was calloused, firm, and strong... Yet, its hold on my chin was gentle as it lifted my head up. "Why're you crying, little wolf?" The voice, almost disturbingly deep, rang in my ears soft and concerned. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..." I trailed off, at a loss words, my eyes not meeting his, for fear of what I would find in their depths. I wasn't ready to talk about what had happened. And I definitely wasn't ready to see pity in anyone's eyes. I tried to sidestep the man, but he didn't allow that to happen. Before I could utter a word of protest, he handed me a tissue. "Wipe off those tears, little wolf. And then, the world's yours to take," was all he offered. I looked at the tissue like a safeline — like the first sweet gesture in a long time — and I couldn't help the awkward smile that stretched my lips, "Thank you." It seemed like that was all he had been waiting for, because he left before my vision cleared, before I could see who had helped me out. I might not have gotten a good look at the man's face, but I made sure to memorize his voice. I was going to thank this wolf one day, and tell him how much his help meant to me. ** ** ** ** By the time I reached the pack house, I found it buzzing with life. It was even livelier than usual. And while I was all for festivals, dances, and bonfires, I just wasn't down tonight. I met Mrs Brown, Sebastian's mother, just as I was entering the pack house. "Eden, be a dear and take this to the stage there," she let out softly at the sight of me. I repressed a groan. Despite my petite frame, she had spotted me... Exactly my kind of luck. I always thought that decorating the yard wasn't all that. Oh, how wrong I had been! It took just under two hours before we were finally done, and there were like 10 of us or more. "What's the big occasion?" I asked, huffing and puffing as I sat on the grass, admiring the final product. "I feel like we're going the extra mile today..." "Don't you know?" Mrs Brown asked, her eyes bulging ever so slightly, her eyebrows shooting in her hairline. "Know what?" To say I was dumbfounded would be the understatement of the year. "Hunter Black, our future Alpha, is coming home today," she smiled, her excitement shining through her pearly white teeth. I let out a stunned Oh in response. How did I even miss this? If I were to inadvertently bail on such a big pack event, I would forever be the outcast. I could not believe Clarissa didn't tell me... but then again, as it turned out, she was a real snake in friend's clothing. Hunter Black, the name was enough to bring back some bittersweet memories. One memory stuck out particularly: Those who must not be named and I were 5 years old, and Hunter was 12. He was patiently playing with us, younger pups, up till I somehow fell into the nearby lake. I struggled in vain, cried for help, but only got mild laughter instead. The one who had helped me out of the water, as I wheezed and coughed, trying to get as much oxygen to my lungs as I could, had been Hunter. "She can't swim!" He had basically growled the words out, making everyone freeze, making chuckles fade out. "I... we didn't know," Sebastian's excuse rang out, timid, meek, but not really apologetic. I had clung desperately to Hunter, and he had caressed my back soothingly, up till I stopped coughing. His eyes never once left my face, and all but encouraged me back into a better state. And yet, I had somehow found myself, years later, enamored with Sebastian — the guy who hadn't jumped in to save me, and whose excuse had been a lie. The irony wasn't lost on me. Now done with the preparation of the big evening, I rushed to my room, and looked at the only dress I owned. It belonged to my late mother. It was a turquoise blue mermaid dress which I had never worn. I stared at it, and hesitated for a brief moment. On one hand, I couldn't afford to look like a hobo. On the other hand, mom's dress felt a bit too much. The pack was going to welcome its future Alpha, but I was nowhere near important enough to wish to stand out. "A tank top and flare jeans will do," I told myself, shaking away the hesitation, my mind set on going casual. It was already good enough that I was going. If I hadn't met Mrs Brown at the entrance of the pack house, I wouldn't have even known of the welcome party. I had just finished getting ready when Clarissa all but barged into my room. "Can I help you?" I asked in a cold tone of voice, even though it hurt me more than I would ever admit. "Hey, it's me," she flashed me her usual sweet smile, and I saw right through her. Only, for a moment there, I thought to myself that I should play along, if only to see what their endgame was. Were they trying to play me for a fool? Hell, they had already played me! "Are you angry at me?" She pouted, all sulky lips and tearful eyes — a face she pulled whenever she wanted something. "How can I not be?" I scoffed. "You didn't tell me about the welcome party." Her pout transformed into a small smile as her face relaxed. "I didn't think you would want to go," she shrugged carelessly. "What's skipping one more event?" Was the betrayal not enough? She wanted me to land in trouble too? "You know the pack isn't that lenient," I retorted as calmly as I could while I applied my mascara. "Right," she nodded. "Well, you know how forgetful I can be..." She trailed off and looked at me expectantly. I realized, right then and there, that I had indulged this girl one too many times... Otherwise, how could she expect that everything would be forgiven, when she was obviously trying to cause problems? I finally looked at her. She was wearing a black dress. Not the same outfit she had been wearing earlier when she stabbed me in the back. Images flashed in front of my eyes, and sounds made their way to my ears, as I couldn't help but imagine them tearing at one another's clothes. Sure, she might have simply changed because she, contrarily to me, wanted to stand out... But the betrayal was far too fresh in my mind. "Let's go," I declared after a beat, wishing she would go find Sebastian already. If I wanted to avoid scowling at her, I was going to need to be as skilled as her when it came to being a hypocrite. Two can play this game, I mentally scoffed.