Lost Alpha

NuNew POV July 5, 2026

Between the three of us, we had an unspoken code that we referred to as, The Jelly Code. Jellies will never betray a Jelly. Jellies will always answer texts. Jellies will never compete for the same partners. Jellies will always help each other. So, when James called a Jelly S.O.S., we immediately made arrangements to meet. Because I had Star, everyone came to my house.

This is how I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with my three besties in the middle of a Friday, of what should have been a regular day.

Taking our cues from James we sat in an awkward silence while we waited for him to tell us what was wrong. He looked pale, and his eyes were red and swollen. It was obvious he had been crying and I wanted to shake the story out of him, but I knew it took James a while to get to the point. So, after a period of sitting like this, we naturally focused our attention on Star.

She was in the family room playing when suddenly July batted a ball of yarn into the center of the room. He had taken it from a little basket I kept in an out-of-the-way corner, where the remnants of a failed attempt to make Star a strawberry beanie had been hidden away along with the forgotten promises to finish it.

Capturing Star's attention, she immediately took the yarn from July thinking they were playing a game of roll the ball. July pounced on the yarn, knocked it out of Star's hands, and in a frenzy of claws and teeth subdued his fuzzy prey. This must have been the funniest thing Star had ever seen because she shrieked with laughter and took the ball again, letting July steal the ball and kill, kill, kill, the blue ball of yarn. It was not long before July became entangled.

"Film and I broke up.", James said.

Poor James must have felt like air because Nat and I were not paying attention, instead, we were watching Star and July's antics. July realizing he was trapped struggled to free himself while Star "helped."

"I am never going to be able to get July out of that.", I said, laughing.

Nat had his phone out and was taking a video.

"OMG I can't wait to send this to Max.", Nat said.

"Send it to me too so I can send it to Hia and my parents. This is going to be played at her wedding."

"OH, that's low.", Nat said, and we both laughed.

Suddenly James smacked the kitchen table, making the salt and pepper shakers bounce. Nat and I nearly jumped out of our skins. Even Star and July paused to see what was going on.

"What the heck?", I said.

"You're not listening to me. I broke up with my alpha. My heart is...", James said.

He pounded his fist into his chest unable to say the words.

Broke up? But I thought they had a solid relationship. What could have made them split like this?

"I need a distraction. I am tired of crying. One minute I love him, the next minute I hate him. I am going crazy.", James said.

"What happened?", Nat asked.

James ran his hand over his red-rimmed eyes. Truthfully, he did not look good.

"I need a drink first.", James said.

He looked around my home as if he expected I would have a liquor display ready for his use. All I had to offer him were children's beverages and of course, coffee, the hot drink all parents of small children lived on.

"Sorry Jelly, we are boring now.", I said.

Nat perked up and looked around the table. I knew that look. He had an idea, and I was fairly certain I knew what it was.

"Do you know what we need?", Nat asked.

He wiggled his eyebrows at us and did a little dance move in his seat.

All three of us looked at each other.

"Jelly Dance Night.", we all said together.

"Shit yeah.", said James.

"James, not in front of the baby.", I said.

"She didn't hear me.", James said.

The three of us looked at Star and July and it did not seem that she had heard.

"OMG, look at July. I can't even tell he is a cat anymore.", Nat said.

"Star honey? I think we are "all done" July.", I said as I walked over to my child and my cat.

July looked like the victim of a kidnapping. His hind legs were pinned to his body and one side of his head had been clumsily wrapped in blue yarn. I picked up July who began growling at me. You would think I was tearing him away from a can of tuna. He couldn't even move his hind legs he was so tangled. Star, proud of her work followed me babbling wanting to be praised. Jelly dance night was beginning to sound good. I needed a break.

How the heck was I going to free July without getting clawed up?