Cora, A Sidelines Story from Clayton

Breaking

The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle.  The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

::special thanks  for the inspiration and use of her characters from Clayton::

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I managed to drag myself out of the Alpha's office sometime after midnight. Staggering out of the pack house, someone grabbed me, I was too weak to even scream.

"I got you, sis. Hold on, I'm taking you to Ms Gretchen," Charlie whispered.

"Father?" I asked softly. My voice a ghost of itself. My wolf whimpered.

"Don't call him that. Carl is at the Alpha's home with Becky, they are having some kind of meeting." Neither of us got along with our mother, but Charlie had never spoken ill of our father, he idolized him. I realized I took that from him.

"I'm sorry," I can barely get it out. He kisses my head.

"No, don't say that. I should have stood with you. I was afraid. I thought he would protect you, but he let Alpha Adams hurt you, then made me leave with them. I left you on the floor when you needed me. I'm sorry." He sounds so upset, like his heart is breaking. Our father betrayed both of us and the Goddess tonight.

We don't say anything else. He carries me all the way to the old midwife's house. Gretchen is a friend of our grandmother's. She had once been a traveling midwife, that was after her mate died. She had delivered my mother and both of us. She had delivered most of the wolves born in the last few generations it seemed. No one, including my grandmother, knew how old she really was. He carefully sets me on the steps and knocks, a light comes on behind me. I try to stand but dizziness overwhelms me and I almost fall off the porch. Charlie catches me and carries me inside to the soft, old sofa that I have sat on so many times. I listen as Charlie recounts everything that happened, my desire to protect and help Rya, how I argued for the mate bond and the moon's choice for Luna first with my parents, then with the Alpha. He tells her what the Alpha did to me, and how I fought against the Alpha Command until I collapsed. He makes me sound heroic. It only reminds me of how weak I am, of how I failed. Something cool gently wipes my face, and a small cup is pressed against my lips. I drink something bitter. I don't even care, I hope it is poison, I want to die. I fall asleep curled up with my wolf. I don't wake up for two days.

Charlie says my parents haven't even asked where I am. He doesn't even know if they have noticed that I haven't come home yet.

~~

She-who-can-not-be-named didn't come to school this week. I am worried. Her curtains are always closed now. Every time I try to call her, I get a horrible headache and nose bleed. I tried to write her a letter but the paper looked like it had been used to wrap raw meat by the time I was done wiping off the blood from my stupid nose. Gretchen keeps giving me medicine for the pain and medicinal broth to strengthen my blood and my wolf. My grandmama says an alpha command can be broken, but not without consequences. She asked the Elder Alpha Forrest of Noble pack if he could break it but he can't unless I leave this pack and join his. I can't leave her, the rumors and hate talk about she-who-can-not-be-named have already started. I will not leave her alone and defenseless. I actually got into two fights this week about it.

Kennedy was back on Friday, Shay made a comment that she-who-can-not-be-named deserved to be thrown in the cells and I punched her. Everyone stared at me horrified as blood gushed from my nose while I beat that she-wolf senseless. Charlie and Clayton pulled me off. I screamed at Clayton that if he won't protect what the moon gave him, I would. Then I passed out from the pain and woke up in the clinic. Dr Peters said I needed to stop fighting the Alpha's command or I could die, or worse, break my wolf. We both growled at him. He doesn't know we are already broken, Alpha Adams broke us. None know the truth, except Charlie and Gretchen and the ranked wolves. My parents won't even talk to me anymore. I hate them.