A Sin of Her Own

Chapter 18

Grabbing her cosmetic box, Lucy dashed upstairs knowing exactly what needed to be done. Gone was the old Taylor Swift lookalike and here to stay was the new, bitter but still breathing Lucy. She was not the same chirpy Lucy found nose deep in a romance novel. Oh no, not anymore. 

Glancing in the mirror one last time Lucy took the scissors to her hair. Watching without emotion as the long blonde strands fell in clumps in the porcelain sink. Relief, strong and clear coursed through her as she begun her transformation. Her hard eyes didn't waver as she chopped everything that represented her. No more innocence. No more laughter. No more feeling.

Let the outside match the inside, she thought, a tangled mess.

Finishing the hack job she produced a box of blue hair dye and got to work, desperately ridding herself of the reputation of being akin to the teen icon Taylor Swift. The high eyebrow of Titania as she took in her new appearance confirmed that she achieved just that with her new look. Screaming out to the world:  heartbroken and desperate.

Lucy busied herself in the kitchen, soon feeling Titania's gaze hot on her back. Minutes later and still sensing her Alpha's eyes she turned around and snapped, "What?"

"Suits you," was Titania's stoic response and expecting a retaliation of some sort, Lucy stood agape at her Alpha's acceptance of such an outrageous look. She knew her mother would possibly murder her at the loss of her golden tresses. Too bad she already felt dead inside.

"It does? But..." She murmured, confused.

Titania rolled her eyes, putting down the paperwork to focus on Lucy. "You're wanting to change yourself because you feel different inside. There's nothing wrong with that, in fact, I did that myself." She reminisced bitterly, "If looking like you melted a box of blue Crayola over your head is the look you're trying to accomplish then well done, the crown is yours. Shame I won't find a sash in the same shade."

Lucy's eyes widened at Titania's teasing.

"Was that a joke?" Lucy grinned, loving the way Titania scowled back at her. How she enjoyed pressing her superiors buttons.

"The Alpha making a joke? Am I daydreaming?" She pinched herself dramatically while Titania's scowl deepened. "What era have we entered? I'm dead, I must be."

Titania's eyes clouded over at the mention of that one word. Death. What Lucy had nearly succumbed to.

Nonchalantly she reprimanded, "I'm twenty-six, not fifty." But Lucy continued to laugh to herself. Pouring out two cups of whiskey while she did, little drops spilling on the floor from the shaking.

Sobering up, she raised her glass to Titania in a mock salute. "To rejection!" She cheered, before swigging a mouthful of the liquid in her mouth. Her Alpha sent her another eye roll at her bipolar behavior; something she had gotten used to since her arrival, before clinking glasses with the teenager. Both drinking to the bittersweet thought of rejection.

"You could've thought of something better to celebrate other than rejection." 

Lucy knocked back the rest of her drink, "Like what? My broken heart? My mate bonded to someone else? Yes, those are much better." She replied dryly like the whiskey she was drinking.

Titania sighed sipping the strong amber liquid, "Not what I was meaning. Strong packmates, family, your health, those are worth drinking to. Not to despair."

"Easy for you to say!" Lucy's wolf emerged, "You have it lucky! Your mate is only pursuing females, not fucking bonded to another! She's going to have his pups, live and grow old with him while I sit here and rot! Where's my happiness?!"