(Don't) Take Me Over

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

“Bella, I’m so sorry.” This was the fifth time Todd had said that this hour. It was the last hour of the day and you can imagine how many times I’d heard it before now. 

“Todd, it’s fine. I’m over it. They probably won’t even make us a pack. I’m fine.” I shrugged and hugged him before heading out to the parking lot. 

“See you tomorrow night?” Todd yelled after me. 

“You never do,” I yelled back. Shit. I knew that was harsh, but.... We never switched together during the full moon. We weren’t mates and so we never found each other either. I hurried to my car to go home. I had heard that Sphinx had left early because she wasn’t feeling well. I was very anxious. Werewolves didn’t get sick often. Perhaps it had to do with the approaching full moon. I busted through the door and I didn’t see Sphinx anywhere. But I sure could smell her. And some other muskier scent. What the hell was she doing?

“Oh, Rayne! Harder!” I heard my sister scream and it was followed by a loud male moan. 

Oh...that’s just gross. We need a bigger house. I debated stopping her sexcapades but figured she’d just get pissed. I know I would. I walked to the kitchen and started making chicken alfredo with the chicken I had taken out earlier. Things were popping and boiling when my sister ran out of her room completely naked with a boy chasing after her. 

“Rayne!” Sphinx yelped as the boy tackled her to the couch and started tickling her. I smiled and walked over to the couch. 

“Should I tell him to start calling me ‘Mom’ or do you think it’s too soon?” I teased and both froze and looked up at me. I had to give it to my sister. Rayne was one hot mother-fucker. And he seemed to be good in bed too. 

“Um! Bella, I can explain.”

I giggled, “Oh, come on, Sphinx. It’s not like I don’t know what you were doing. I’m eighteen and you’re sixteen. We both have sex, no need to hide it.”

She glared at me. “I hate you.”

“I’m sure. Dinner’s almost ready. Rayne is invited as long as he decides to put on more than boxers. Oh, and for future reference, last time you’re naked on this couch.”

Sphinx blushed and Rayne grinned down at her in affection. 

Hm...that was odd. Hadn’t they just met? I walked back over to the kitchen and grabbed the plates to set the table. Rayne came out to help me and I smiled at him. “Was the sex good?” I asked. 

He sputtered and almost dropped a plate, “What?” His Australian accent enfolded his less than eloquent question.  

“Don’t answer that Rayne!” Sphinx yelled and glared at me as she sat at the table. 

“Yeah don’t answer,” I agreed and sat down across from my sister. Rayne sat next to her and took her hand in his. I raised a brow and my sister shrugged and leaned into him while he spooned each of them some alfredo.

“So, um, Bella?” Rayne said and I nodded. “Um, well, I wanted to tell you something.”

“We wanted to tell you something,” Sphinx intervened. 

“What?” I asked cautiously looking at my sisters terrified eyes. 

“Um, well, first off...Rayne and I have pretty much been together since he came here.”

I shrugged, “Okay? Is that supposed to be important? Or bad? Why did you insinuate that you just got together before?” I asked. 

“Well, see the thing is...” Rayne paused. 

“Rayne is my mate,” Sphinx blurted. 

I looked at my sister then as I processed that information. I blinked and switched my gaze to Rayne. My sister had found her mate? Before me? Well, that kind of sucks. She’ll get married before me, too. What if I’m lonely forever? Wait. Why am I thinking about myself and my mate? A sudden unbidden image of golden eyes filled my mind and I shook my head. Wait! Rayne is a wolf! Shit, I should have picked up on that earlier. Especially if I’m gonna be alpha (Ugh!). “That’s great, Sphinx. I’m happy for you. So, I suppose he should start calling me ‘Mom.’” 

“No...you’re my sister; he’ll call you Bella. But, um, I might be gaining that title,” Sphinx said slowly. 

“What?” I asked without comprehension. 

“Don’t be mad, Bella. We’ll take care of it. Rayne already has his own place-”

“Sphinx! Sphinx! Calm down! What are you talking about?” 

“Oh, Sis, don’t make me say it. You’ll hate me. Forever,” she sobbed. 

“What? Josephine Ginger Claire, what the hell is going on?” I demanded. 

Rayne spoke up. “Sphinx and I are going to have a child together. She’s four weeks pregnant and we’re keeping it. I love your sister-more than anything-and there is nothing I want more than to be with her throughout this whole pregnancy.”

“I’m sorry. I must have heard you wrong. Pregnancy?” 

“I’m so sorry, Bella. But I truly am happy. Rayne is more than I could ever want and now...he’s given me the best gift he could have given. A child. Our child,” Sphinx told me. 

I couldn’t do anything but stare. My baby sister was having a baby at sixteen with some foreign Australian dude who is her mate. She’s pregnant. Which means... “You marked her?” I asked Rayne who nodded his head. Oh shit. She really did love him. Like I said before. You can only be marked once and the only time there is an exception to that rule is when the person who marked you dies. Even then you have to wait five years before the mark completely wears off. And you can only get pregnant when you’re marked. Now that I really smelled my sister I could smell the difference in her. I could tell someone had staked their claim. I really had to be more observant. But, for now, I was just more confused and pissed. “Sphinx,” I spoke slowly, “I think it would be better if you stay with Rayne this weekend. I’ll expect you back Monday.” With that I stood and walked to my room then locked the door behind me. I started to cry because it was all just too much. 

                                                                                  ❖❖❖❖❖

I looked at the setting sun and shook my head. I had an hour to find the place I wanted to switch before the full moon. I usually switch in the exact same place but tonight I was going further out. Somewhere I wouldn’t come in contact with Todd, my sister, Rayne, or the Blacks. The only person I was okay with seeing was Mrs. Smith and I think she was going to die tonight. Sphinx had left last night and I felt awful about kicking her out for a few days, but...I just need space. I’ve been confused lately...though I’m trying not to let the alpha thing bother me...it does. Badly. I want nothing less than to become alpha. Not because it’d be a burden, but because I don’t think I can handle it. Something about it doesn’t sit right and that’s not how it’s supposed to feel. 

I pulled the car off to the side of the road just after our little town ended, but the forest never did. I breathed in the fresh air and smiled. I now had twenty minutes to find myself a place to switch. Shit, I had to hurry. I ran through the trees and up a heavily wooded small mountain. I don’t know how far I had ran, but I found a clearing and it was perfect. Well, to the start the night it was perfect. I might shift here more often. Shit, five minutes. I could see the moon and it was brightly and menacingly. I could feel my bones shaking and rattling. My wolf was ready. I stripped my clothing and neatly folded it up and set it up in a tree where it would be safe until the morning. I felt the pain shoot up my spine as the change overtook me, but it was subtly dull for some reason. However, I forgot about that small detail as my wolf overtook me and howled at the moon. Once again, different from the last time. Well, here we go. Wolf time.