3 A stranger

Scarlett's POV

A month back,

Scarlett's head throbbed slightly against her skull as she sighed and her eyes fluttered again, reacting to the sun's ray that was now brightening up her face through the window. Though she was awake, her mind drifted off to her activities for the day, anticipating what the day had for her.

She slowly regained her senses, realizing that although her eyes had opened for a moment, the ceiling she had seen wasn't the same as the one in her bedroom—it was a tray ceiling.

She had barely finished analyzing her thoughts when she felt a strong grip on her waist.

Her eyes sprung open, and the first thing she noticed was that the ceiling was not her own. The unusual masculine perfume filled her nostrils, and even though she didn't want to believe what she felt had just transpired, her sense of smell suddenly kicked in. She looked over and saw the man in bed beside her, sound asleep. The image nearly made her heart leap into her mouth.

All of the expectations and ambitions she had been harboring for herself over the past few years about preserving herself for her one true mate crumbled at the sight of him.

For as long as she could remember, being an Omega had presented daily difficulties, from verbal harassment to bullying. She held onto the hope that she would no longer be an omega and that she would eventually find her mate, who would either be a beta or possibly an alpha. But all of it was now behind her.

How on earth did she make it here? She couldn't recall how she got here, she asked questions for which there was no satisfactory answer.

She knew she had to go, no matter how she got here. Not that it mattered.

As she prayed for a way out of this place, her eyes fluttered close, and the stranger in her bed turned to the other side, withdrawing his hand as if the moon goddess had heard her plea.

Taking the signal, she bolted off the bed, her heart thumping loudly and she felt as though it was going to explode. She grabbed all her clothing from the floor and hurriedly put them on before grabbing her shoes and bolting from the room.

The idea of what she knew had happened—waking up nude in someone else's bed—made her entire body shudder. She had been in bed with a stranger, and she knew better than that. She had disregarded her morality in favor of a stranger who wouldn't even recognize her face.

A total stranger.

He was still a total stranger even though all of his characteristics and aura pointed to him being an alpha.

She couldn't shake the question in her head: how did she get here?

She was unable to recall anything.

Knowing that she had been wronged by fate once more, tears streamed down her face. If given the option, she would have refused to spend the night with the stranger. At this point, how was she going to face anyone?

How was she going to handle everything? Proceed as if nothing has happened? or acknowledge its occurrence and deal with the fallout directly?

Since it was her first time sleeping outside, she knew her parents were concerned and that they must have called to make sure she was okay. She reached into her purse and took out her phone, revealing twenty-two missed calls from her parents.

She pondered about the stranger she had woken up in bed with the entire drive home. He had a thick eyebrow, long black hair that hung over his shoulders, and dimples that were a little visible even without a smile.

His lips were full and pink, and they looked swollen before. He had a long nose. She had turned to face him on the bed and noticed that he was tall with a build that matched his masculinity. He was an incredibly handsome man, looking like a Greek god. But she wanted to know other things.

She was curious about his identity. She was full of questions: what happened before they ended up in bed? Or would he be as confused as her when her wakes up?

While driving home, she continued to reflect and made the choice to tell her parents the truth. She knew they would be upset and hurt, but they would also need to accept the fact that she was probably drugged. They would believe her because they loved her. She exited the vehicle after paying and walked up to her, her heart thumping erratically.

When she reached the door, it took a while before she knocked on it. A little while later, the door opened, revealing Crisela standing there with her eyes full with pain. She wondered if they already knew what she had done, and her heart fell.

Had someone gotten to them before her? And if so, who did?

She started to say, "Mother," but her voice faltered and she compressed her lips together. Without saying anything, Crisela simply moved forward and gave her a firm embrace. She was sobbing uncontrollably when she received the hug since she didn't realize how much she needed it.

"It's going to be fine: it'll be fine." Crisela gave her a reassuring touch on the back. Once their emotions subsided, they withdrew, and Scarlett noticed her father, Luke, standing nearby, his face seeming less painful, watching them.

"I'm so sorry, mom and dad, for not taking your calls."

Luke took a step in her direction and shook his head. "Now that you're back, it makes no difference." His attempt to disguise his pain was evident in his smile. "There's something you need to know."

Goddess! That was it. They were going to disown her. She thought and her heart picked up it's pace again.

In the Springfield Pack, the Thorfinns had kept up a fairly respectable reputation. Even if they adore her, it would make sense for them to want nothing to do with her after what she just did.

"Tell me what it is dad." She said, ready to take her punishment.

He touched her shoulder with his hand. "The alpha has demanded your return."

She narrowed her eyes since she didn't think that was what they wanted to say. She was still taken aback by his words. "I don't understand what you mean, father. Return to where?"

He pushed his lips together, blinked back the tears, and his eyes became hazy. "To return home, my child, To your birth parents. I'm not your biological father." He made it clear.

Scarlett's eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. Growing up at the orphanage, she had always believed they were dead.

Tears streamed down her face as she exclaimed, "No!"

Wiping the tears from her face, Crisela grabbed her hand in hers. "Your father, Alpha Douglas Cynfael, has sent his guards to bring you back home. He discovered you yesterday. That indicates that you are the daughter of the Alpha, Scarlett, not an omega."

The day sure had a lot for her.