Running in Circles

When Ellie barged into the infirmary room she wasn’t expecting the sight that greeted her.

Joel was glaring at you in disdain even though his arms were snaked around your waist and it seemed to take all of the alpha’s willpower not to drag you to lie down with him – instead you were sitting awkwardly on the side of the bed enduring Joel’s glaring.

The alpha was also fucking purring of all things and appeared to be rather scandalised by the sound that he was making, which just seemed to add to the animosity of his scowl.

All in all, it was an odd and contradictory sight that welcomed the alpha girl when she slammed the door open.

Tommy was off to the side, watching the two with a mix of amusement and concern that scrunched his face up in a moronic way and Ellie had to resist rolling her eyes at the beta.

“Ellie,” Joel greeted – or it would be a greeting if it didn’t sound so much as a statement.

Ellie’s eyes flicker over to you, who just watched her and Joel apprehensively. Though Ellie wasn’t entirely sure why because it seemed that Joel remembered her and there was no reason for you to look like a bomb was about to go off.

“How’re ya feeling?” Ellie asked, taking her eyes off of you and focusing back on Joel, who had yet to stop purring and just tugged you closer, causing the alpha to whip around and glare at you like it was your fault that his arms moved.

“I—” Joel’s face scrunched up as he seemed to force out his next words, or, well, word. “Fine,”

“Uh-huh,” Ellie said, totally convinced (note the heavy sarcasm), “so what’s up with you two?”- Ellie ignored your panicked look as you silently flapped your hands around in an effort to get the other alpha to shut up – “Thought you two were starting to get all buddy-buddy.”

You slumped forward, pouting as you crossed your arms over your chest and pointedly looked away from Joel.

Joel just turned to glower at you again.

Okay… Now that was odd.

Ellie glanced over towards Tommy who looked entirely put off by the current situation (although Ellie still couldn’t figure out what exactly that situation is), and just sent Ellie a shrug.

Well, that was helpful.

Sighing, Ellie turned back to you and merely raised an eyebrow.

Unfortunately for Ellie, you were a stubborn bitch and refused to say anything and Ellie knew very well that Joel wouldn’t cave anytime soon and so, all three of you, looked towards Tommy.

“Don’t drag me into this!” The beta squawked indignantly.

No one said anything, just continued to stare at the increasingly uncomfortable beta.

Tommy shifted in his seat for a little bit before caving and throwing up his hands. “Fuck! Fine!”

The beta huffed before dramatically sagging back into his seat grumbling.

“Couldn’t hear you,” Ellie said impatiently.

“He doesn’t remember her,” Tommy said through gritted teeth.

Ellie whirled back around to you before turning back to Tommy, pointing to the pair behind her.

“Then why the fuck are they like that!?”

“Apparently it’s because his alpha recognises her but he doesn’t,” Tommy concluded.

Ellie turned back to you and Joel. Honestly, the position the two of you were in was no longer as baffling as it was when she’d first burst into here, but it did cause her heart to twitch in pain.

You looked uncomfortable and upset, obviously only just finding out about the news yourself. Yet, you couldn’t get away, not with Joel holding you tightly into place.

Joel on the other hand, looked flat out annoyed by your presence, even though he wouldn’t (or couldn’t) let go of you.

It was odd for Ellie to see.

Joel had softened since they settled down at Jackson and, honestly, the two of you hit it off immediately. Perhaps part of that was just being compatible, but Ellie didn’t think so. That Abby-girl had said that you didn’t believe in those kinds of tales and, Ellie loathed to agree, but you didn’t seem like the kind of person to rely on such myths; or, at least, to not let it get in your way of treating people differently based off of it.

So, it hurt Ellie a little when she saw the predicament the two of you were in. It also certainly didn’t help with the guilt that suddenly washed over the red-head. Ellie was avoiding you, feeling more than a little suspicious and betrayed by your relations to the group that had attacked Joel, but it suddenly came as a realisation to Ellie, that, that wasn’t your fault.

The words that alpha had said to you about Joel killing the last of your pack were also very likely to be true, and still, you risked your life for both Ellie and Joel.

An onslaught of emotions thrashed through Ellie’s being. Hurt, sadness, guilt, the bloodlust of revenge, and the painful need for some sort of violence. All these ugly emotions writhed inside of the alpha and Ellie suddenly felt like the room was very, very small.

“-llie? Ellie!?”

Ellie’s head snapped up and she came face to face with your worried eyes. A deep, dark humming registered through her ears and it took Ellie a moment to realise it came from Joel who’s eyes flicked worriedly over Ellie and venomously over you.

“I’m fine,” Ellie whispered, averting her eyes.

“Ellie…” You said gently as you softly grasped her shoulder, “You don’t have to be okay.”

Ellie just shook her head. “I think I should go,” she said, addressing the room, before turning around and fleeing.

“What did—” Joel fumbled over his words as he glowered at you. He just couldn’t fucking get out what he wanted to say and, occasionally, what was said to him or others seemed to go in one ear and out the other. “What you- Did…Fuck-! What do you!?” Joel finally managed to spit out after Ellie had fled the room.

He couldn’t understand what few words were exchanged between the omega and Ellie, but Ellie looked hurt and he wanted to fucking throttle the answers out of you.

You, on the other hand, just returned Joel’s glare head-on. “I didn’t do anything,” you snapped – voice low and far too calm for the venom in your tone.

It was hurting how Joel was suddenly treating you like a threat. Even though he didn’t remember you, he was treating you with such caution and animosity.

Tommy had pulled you aside beforehand and had said that Joel was acting more like he had before he settled in at Jackson; all sharp words and cold bitterness. It was funny in some ways. You saw much of yourself in the twisted anger on the man’s face.

“Joel…” Tommy said gently. Joel just huffed before snarling and growling at his brother.

“Calm down!” Tommy snapped at his brother, before sighing and turning towards you. “He… wants you to leave,” the beta said softly.

You tried to hide the hurt that flash through you, but from the looks of it, Tommy saw it. Sighing you bid goodbye to Joel and Tommy before striding out of the room.

The moment the door shut behind you, a high pitched keening filled the room.

“For fuck’s sake Joel!” Tommy huffed as Joel continued to call out for you.

The alpha just looked confused at the noises that came out of his throat. Joel didn’t want the omega here but his alpha was going wild to go find you, to bring you back and hold you in his arms.

“Wha-at…Sh-they, why?”

Joel just watched his brother sigh as he shook his head.

“Do you remember anything about her?” Tommy asked slowly, making sure that Joel understood what he was asking. His brother just frowned, his eyes glossing over as he filed through his memories.

The two sat in silence for a minute or two before Joel spoke up.

“We-Mess hall…Vodka?” Tommy just burst out laughing, ignoring the confused look on Joel’s face.

“Oh my- I love that, that’s what you remember!” Tommy cried, laughter still evident in his voice. The beta let out one more chuckle before facing Joel again, a tad of hope nestling in his chest.

“Yes that happened. You two stole some vodka and got insanely drunk one night,” Tommy laughed lightly, “That all?”

Joel just nodded, brows furrowed. “Don’t…Much remember ‘bout- tha-then,”.

Tommy just nodded along, “That’s not surprising, but anything else?”

Joel shook his head.

“That’s okay,” Tommy smiled, “You two can just make new memories; and I’m sure (y/n) will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about that night.”

“-ey’re holding us all back!”

You frowned as Elijah’s voice boomed through the library you all were residing in. It was rather early in the morning, judging by the small rays of light that dusted across the dark, stormy sky.

Carefully detangling your legs from the small pile you found yourself in with Riyana, Isaac and Cherry, you snuck out of the makeshift bedroom.

Following the hushed voices, you found yourself leaning up against a door that typically led into the upstairs room that Isaac usually occupied. Leaning up against the door, you pressed your ear against to wood to hear what was being said.

Although you weren’t a fan of eavesdropping, Elijah was acting more…volatile lately, and you were nervous to leave him alone with anybody.

“-‘re a pack! No one gets to decide who is and isn’t allowed to be a part of it.” That was Milo’s voice. Frowning you tried to hone your hearing to catch every whispered cursed and hushed exchange of words.

“We’re all gonna fucking die if we don’t get rid of them!”

“Those people have names!” Milo snapped.

“You just don’t want to banish them because you’re fucking one of ‘em,” Elijah snarled. “You know as well as I do that they will be our demise,” the beta hissed, “You saw Mai! She was the first to fall, what about the rest of us!? Does this pack mean so little to you, that you’re willing to risk all of our lives because of them!?”

You could hear shuffling and a growl started to thrum through the room.

“Isaac, (y/n) and Riyana are part of this pack! If you think so lowly of them, to put your survival and selfishness above everybody here then you should leave,” Milo said darkly.

Footsteps started to approach the door and you knew they were Milo’s. But it was the cock of a gun that drove you to shove the door open and push the alpha to the ground, right as a gunshot echoed off the walls.

You looked upwards to see Elijah scowling at you, training his gun to hit right between your eyes, but Milo shoved you off of him in the nick of time and then the thundering footfalls of the others who had come rushing upstairs due to the commotion registered.

Throwing yourself forward as Elijah’s eyes darted to the door where Isaac burst through, you quickly disarmed the pale man and pinned him to the ground.

“Get your hands off of him!” Robert yelled as he bodily threw you away from his friend. Vanessa running over to check that her alpha was okay and check on Elijah.

“What’s going on here!?” Cherry demanded as Isaac helped you up off the ground.

“He just tried to fucking kill Milo!” You spat, causing Isaac to whip around to check on his boyfriend. Milo just raised a hand dismissively, before turning back to Elijah.

“I don’t want to hear of this again. Are we clear?” Milo asked.

“Of course,” Elijah sneered.

Unfortunately, that was only the start of the rift.