Chapter 11

(Don't own anything but Marcy *sigh*) R&R plz

"Fine then I'm coming in Alcide!"

Janice pushes the door open and sees the mess.

"Dear Lord."

She thinks the worst at first until she sees her brother lying on the couch with a bottle of whiskey in hand and beer bottles everywhere. He looks as if he's not shaved or brushed his hair in forever. Janice wrinkles her nose at the mess and smell coming off her brother.

"Jesus Alcide what the fuck is going on here? Where is Bella?"

Alcide chugs the whiskey straight from the bottle before answering.

"Go home Janice."

"Um hells no now are you going to explain to me what happened here?"

She starts picking up chairs and the coffee table. Janice sees his big screen TV is smashed into pieces and his lamp is no more.

"Alcide bubba come on." She grabs his wrist.

"Go get showered I'll see what I can do about this mess."

"I don't want to fucking shower I want to be left the hell alone now please LEAVE!"
"Bella's gone isn't she? This is why you're acting like this and the house looks like shit! You and your temperament, you heinous ass!"

Alcide rises with half a drunken laugh.

"Yep that's me, just an ass."

"You know what I meant bubba now come on." She grabs his arm and wraps it around her shoulder leading him to the bathroom.

"Try not to drown dumbass."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." She says starting him a warm bath.

"I'm going to clean up your shit. Then we're going to talk."

"I told you."
"Ya, ya wash you smell something awful it's like a mixture of wet dog, sweat, taco meat and shame."

"You'd be correct on that last part."

Janice sighs and shuts the bathroom door as she looks upon where to even begin on this house.

First things first she starts some coffee knowing she was going to have to sober him up. She then grabbed a large lawn bag and started throwing away anything she knew couldn't be savaged. He'd realized Bella hadn't been to school in the past couple of days but figured she'd gotten sick since she'd left work so suddenly. Boy was Sam pissed. She laughs on this. He should be used to it by now with Sookie she's always got some excuse and sadly they are valid excuses.

Janice is just about finished as she hears her brother stumbling around in the bedroom to get dressed. She rolls her eyes. She's going to hate Bella being gone not just because of her helping her with her schoolwork but also because she thought the world of Bella and knew her brother needed someone like her. "Such a shame." She mutters feeling rather pissed about this. She liked having a sister and liked seeing a happy Alcide for once.

"You don't have to do that." Alcide says coming out of the bedroom wearing flannel pants and a crappy holey gray shirt.

"Ugh Alcide you look like shit you could have at least shaved or tried to fix your hair."

He shrugs and yanks the bag from her hand.

"I'll take this out."

"Then we're going to talk."

He mutters something under his breath and slams the door. Once he comes back in he grabs another beer from the fridge. Janice knocks him upside the head and pours what he has left down the sink. "Couch now!" She demands.

Alcide shakes his head and sits.

"Now tell me everything. Where is Bella?"

"I sent her home."
"You what?! Are you mad? That was the best thing you've ever had going for you!"

"Save it you think I don't know all this shit already?"

Janice gets up and tosses him his keys.
"Then what are you waiting for go get her back!"

"I can't!" He tosses them back.

"WHY NOT? WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I almost let her get fucking raped is what I fucking did! She was beat damn near to death!"

Janice gasps and puts her hand to her mouth.

"OMG! Alcide!" She gets teary eyed and starts freaking.

"Who?"

"That son of a bitch Marcus but he's fucking dead I ended his ass and I don't feel an ounce of guilt! That fucker needed to fucking die! Anyone that hurts her deserves to die. I deserve to die!"

"No you don't bubba quit talking like that."

"No I do I hurt her just as much."

"I seriously doubt that so you two fought from time to time. You'd never do something so cruel. Bella knew you loved her."

Alcide buries his face within his hands and Janice knows he's losing it.

"You should have seen her Janice. I can't get the image out of my head. Walking up on her like that and knowing it was someone I should have taken care of a long time ago. FUCK! I saw how he looked upon her I knew he fucking wanted her I DID NOTHING. Instead I let the asshole go so he can put his hands on Bella. All of this worrying about her going to work at Merlotte's but all I kept thinking about was vampires or some drunken idiot something else along those lines. Marcus never even crossed my god damn mind."

Janice wraps her arms around her brother's neck and lets him cry it out.

"I didn't even get there in time Janice. Her father did. Only further proving I don't deserve her. Her clothes were ripped to shreds exposing damn near everything she had. The motherfucker had come so close I saw she'd used the knife I gave her but with us I imagine all that did was egg him on hell possibly turned him on more. Jesus. Her face… Her face Janice."

"Shh.. easy now." She wraps her arms around his neck.

"I failed her I was to protect her make her feel safe. I failed miserably."

"I'm sure you did make her feel safe and I know you protected her but Alcide you can no more control what happened than I can control the weather. Just as what happened to me you couldn't control that either. You can't beat yourself up over these things. They happen. I seriously doubt for one second Bella blames you or feels any animosity towards you on this."
"Well she should, so should you... What good am I if I'm a good damn wolf and can't even protect the ones I love?"
"That right there that attitude is why you make a good wolf and would make a great pack leader. Hell you killed Marcus. Who's running them now? You and dad always talked about someone better to lead the pack someone more like you perhaps?"

"You honestly think I can focus on that right now after all that's happened?"

"I think it's what you need. I think you need to let them know you took Marcus down and that they are all your bitches now bubba. Things would be so much better if you led them if you don't it'll be just some other asshole like Marcus causing mayhem and shaming your kind."

Alcide shakes his head and runs his hands through his hair.

"Besides think of what this will look like to Bella when she returns. Alcide the pack master…"

"She's not coming back."

"She will. I know she will." Janice smiles.

"After what happened to her she'll never return and I can't blame her."

Once Janice leaves Alcide thinks long and hard about what she said. What sickens him and he knows this. If he had become pack master instead of Marcus like he should have Bella probably never would have been hurt. Marcus let this all go to his head thinking he could have whatever he wanted and when he wanted, things only got worse the longer he stood in the position. Much as Alcide hated it he knew what he had to do. Alcide was the only one besides his father that truly qualified and that would actually redeem the pack. Anyone else would only further run it in and make things much worse. Alcide knew he had a long night ahead of him. He took a glance at the phone as the urge to call Bella or Charlie and see how she was doing came about but he knew he couldn't do that. Alcide sighs and leaves psyching himself up for what he must do.

The crowd is quiet once Alcide stands before them.

"I stand before you today as your new Alpha if anyone wishes to challenge me. Do so now and get it over with."
"What happened to Marcus?" Cooter asks.

"I killed the motherfucker. He committed a serious crime and had to pay."

Cooter transforms growling upon Alcide. Alcide sighed rolling his eyes.

"You killed Marcus?!" He turns to the other voice and see's Debbie fighting her way through the crowd.

"You can't even stand up to that bitch of a woman and now you have killed our pack master? How can you stand before us as our Alpha if you are against us?"

"You know how this works if you have a problem then challenge me." He threatens.

Cooter continues to grow and step up towards Alcide and Debbie shifts by Cooter's side. Both stand before Alcide challenging.

"Very well." Alcide says and leaps out becoming the wolf.

He first thrashes out at Cooter and uses his hind legs to kick Debbie off him as he bites down upon Cooter's neck. Alcide shakes even as Debbie keeps coming back to help Cooter. Once Cooter is down Alcide turns baring his teeth to Debbie. Another wolf comes and stands behind her growling. But Alcide's had enough of her games and attacks her instead. This time he doesn't hold back he goes directly for her jugular surprising her and catching her off guard. Alcide doesn't back off he gives it everything he's got even as he feels the other wolf biting at his hide. He knows this is something he must do he can't take the chance like he did with Marcus. If he's to be Alpha everyone must know that there is no exception if you stand against Alcide you will die. What he says goes now and he's not fucking around. Alcide takes her throat and spits it out at the others feet. He growls and his fur stands on end. His eyes glowing the other wolf defending Debbie backs off and tucks his tail in whimpering. Alcide looks to each individual seeing who else is willing to challenge him. Every single wolf steps back and eventually bow down in respect accepting Alcide as their new Alpha.

Alcide shifts back.

"There will be new rules to break ANY of them is to disobey me and you're to be shamed if you do just so. I will not hold back on any punishments and I've no problem ending any of your lives! There will be no mating of underage girls, no raping, no forced mating, any abuse of innocent humans will not be tolerated, using your wolf form in any way that is degrading to us could very well end your life! We will thrive, we will honor or ancestors and no longer shame them, we will prosper I am your master now you will obey my every order do we all have an understanding? Alcide growls towards the end his eyes glowing as he stands before them all. They all morph and howl in respect to their new leader. A sense of pride and accomplishment overcomes Alcide one he never knew rested in his veins. He knew now without the shadow of a doubt that this was what he was meant for. To Lead…

Meanwhile…

Bella hadn't left the house since her return. She hadn't really wanted to nor was she ready to face the Forks life. Alcide was constantly on her mind. She felt naked without him. Charlie had enrolled her back into Forks. Her face was finally healing and she'd be going back to school tomorrow. Bella found herself missing him the most at night. Often she'd find herself snuggling against her pillow pretending it was his warm chest. She tossed and turned all night.

She wasn't thinking about her old Forks friends though instead she was thinking of Jessica Hamby, Marcy, Janice and Sookie. She missed them all greatly. To be honest she'd felt closer to them then her friends such as Jessica Stanley and Angela Weber. Something about Louisiana felt more home to her. The alarm sounds and Bella slips out of bed feeling as though bricks are beneath her feet with each step. Once she's done getting ready she meets her father in the kitchen. He's got her a plate of breakfast set out.

"Um thanks dad." She says not feeling hungry at all but doesn't want to hurt his feelings so she eats half of the pancakes and bacon to appease him.

Charlie hands her the keys to her old truck.

"I jumped it last night checked everything it's good to go."

"Thanks dad."

"No problem."

Bella grabs the keys and starts out the door.

"Bella…"

She turns towards him.

"I'm glad you're back kiddo."

Bella nods swallowing that knot back down in her throat.

"Missed you too dad."

Bella doesn't even pay much attention as her mind is scattered about when she enters the parking lot. She parks and heads directly in the building. She dreads the looks, the questions and the gossip, but she knows there is no way to avoid it. What she didn't expect though is what stood before her as she cuts the corner to her first class. Bella's heart skips, her jaw drops, and she's in total disbelief.

He smiles upon her making his way towards her with his books in hand. She freezes and balances herself against the wall.

"Bella?"

"Edward…"