A True Alpha Chapter 46

Chapter 46

“Get up!” A firm kick jostled the bed.

“Huh?” Clarke stirred. 

“Get up!” Octavia quickly gave up on being any semblance of being nice and simply kicked Clarke herself this time. 

“What?” Clarke snapped back still half asleep, her cuffed arm and kicked leg throbbing dually with pain. 

“Get the fuck up!” 

“Let me sleep!” Clarke tried to turn over, her arm yanking her back. She cried out in pain, feeling in her hungover stupor like her arm we're about to be ripped from its socket. 

“Fucking deserve it, you dumbass.” Octavia kicked again, but slightly lighter. 

“Stop it!” Clarke snapped, her head pointing from the strain of yelling. 

“You get your ass up on I'mma stop giving you love taps!” 

“Uugh! What do you want Octavia!” Clarke barked, sitting up, her cuffed hand fighting the metal gripping at her flesh. 

“Better now get the rest of the way up.” 

“I can't, I… something is… I'm cuffed here?” Clarke grumbled confused

“Yes you are and for good reason.” Octavia paused just long enough for Clarke to attempt talking, but Octavia simply talked over her. “Now if I uncuff you are you gonna keep your damn hands to yourself?”

“Good reason!? What the hell happened last night! God, I need a fucking drink!” A firm hand struck Clarke's already sore face. 

“You are fucking done drinking!” Octavia simmered, ready to take off Clarke's head. 

“Fucking Christ! What the hell is wrong with you!” 

“Do you even know what you did!?”

“I… no, but that happens when you blackout drinking.” Clarke rolled her eyes, not realizing the weight of the situation until it dawned on her who was missing. “Wait? Where's Lexa?”

“That ring any bells?” Octavia pointed fury filled towards the wrecked drywall. 

“Oof! Fuck, is that why my head hurts? I must have hit that wall hard.” Clarke laughed off, incapable of recalling what she had done. 

“Try again.” Octavia growled through gritted teeth. 

“Octavia, I don't know, my head hurts, I'm hungover, and I'm starving. Please just uncuff me?” 

“You!” Octavia restrained herself from striking Clarke again. “You!” 

“I what O?” Clarke pushed.

“You hurt Lexa! That is your fault! When I walked in last night Lexa was on the ground! Bleeding! Because of you!” 

“No! No. No…” Clarke's yell quickly petered out into a hollow whisper. 

“You! Her alpha! You are supposed to protect her! Not hurt her!” 

“Is she ok! Where is Lexa! I need to see her!” 

“No you fucking don't! And you sure as hell won't! Not till you are sober!” 

“Where is she!” 

“I sent her and Raven out! I don't feel comfortable having them in the same building as you!” O snarled. 

“What! Octavia! That is ridiculous! I would never hurt them!” 

“Really? Because Raven was giving Lexa stitches last night with wrists still bruised from your drunken bullshit!” 

“No!” 

“Yes Clarke!” 

“No! That can't be-” 

“Clarke you are spectacularly lucky that you aren't waking up in a fucking jail cell!” 

“No.” Clarke whimpered, suddenly having to face the grimmest of realities.

“Lexa swore up and down that you just needed some time, that you would realize what was wrong and fix it yourself! But I'm done fucking waiting, especially when every day your idiotic drunk ass is threatening my family!” 

“Octavia… w… what do I do?” 

“First?” Octavia softened, undoing the cuffs. 

Clarke nodded, rubbing her chafed and bruised wrist. 

“First you are helping me fix the damn hole you made. Cause apparently I didn't teach you enough about being a GOOD alpha.” 

“I… m n… a… alpha.” Clarke mumbled. 

“Just because you are an alpha doesn't mean that you are a good one.” Octavia huffed.

“I… I'm not an alpha” Clarke's shattered spirit seeped out of her slowly.

“What the hell are you talking about Clarke?” Octavia rolled her eyes. 

“I'm not an alpha.” 

“Yes you are Clarke, and you've been a right stick in the mud about drilling it into my head, now get your shit together and help me fix the wall you broke.” Octavia plopped bags filled with drywall fixing supplies on the bed next to Clarke. 

“I… hurt Lexa… my mate… I… how can I truly be an alpha? I should have protected her.“

“Then pick your damn self up and be the alpha my best friend deserves, before I have to slap some damn sense into you again!” 

Clarke flinched. 

“I… sorry.” Octavia deflated. 

“I… hurt her.” 

“Yeah, you did. Now you can either wallow or fix it.” 

Clarke sniffled. 

“What's it gonna be?”

“I… I…” Clarke stuttered, her pounding head fighting her as she wrestled with her guilt. 

“Clarke.” Octavia sighed, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. “Please. Lexa needs her alpha. And I need you to be the alpha she deserves.” 

“How can I?” 

“By being better. First, you get your ass sober.”

“Then what?” 

“Then? Then you beg her for her forgiveness, plead with her to give you another chance. She loves you, so she will give you as many chances as you need.” 

“I… thank you.”

“That said if you hurt her again? No one will find your body.”

Clarke giggled softly. 

“Yeah. No. You are lucky you are alive after what you did to her. I will enjoy ending you if you hurt my best friend again.”

“Thank you O.” Clarke hugged the alpha. 

“Now, here's a glass of water, and aspirin. It will help you get yourself together enough to start stepping forward.” 

Clarke looked up hopeful before throwing back the aspirin and guzzling down the water far too fast only to end up puking once more. Octavia was uncharacteristically empathetic and patient with Clarke, helping her out, and assuring she stay hydrated. 

It was another hour before Clarke got stable enough to stand. Not that Octavia didn't off and on consider forcing the alpha to begin fixing the wall while sitting on a bucket, but in the end, she decided to give Clarke the time she needed to sober up and rehydrate. When the alpha finally got herself together, Octavia moved to her next step and urged her to assist in the fixing of the wall. 

“Why do we have to do this right now? My head is still pounding.” Clarke complained. 

“Because, it's cathartic to fix something, especially with your hands.” Octavia plopped two buckets upside-down, kicking one to Clarke before sitting on her own. 

“Yeah, but catharsis can wait, can't it?” 

“You ever want Alexa to come home?” 

“Of course I do!” Clarke snapped. 

“Good. Because I'd like something positive to tell her when I go see her later.” 

“You are going to see her?” 

“Yes, mix.” Octavia ordered, thrusting a small tub into Clarke.

“Ok.” Clarke huffed, following instructions as Octavia started sanding along the edges of the hole. 

“Where is she?” 

“I'm not giving you an address Clarke.” 

“I'm asking to know she is safe and comfortable.” Clarke growled softly. 

“She wanted to go see her aunt and uncle, and when she said she would go, I asked her to take Raven with her.” Octavia paused, catching the glare Clarke cast her way. “I didn't want her here while you were getting your act together. I needed her to be safe.” Octavia straddled the border, but she refrained from saying 'safe from you Clarke’. But she didn't have to say it. Clarke understood, she knew what she had done, even if she didn't remember it well or at all. The worst part? She knew Octavia was right, that keeping those Clarke loved most away from her was for the best. 

“Ok.” Clarke nodded attempting to hide how much it hurt.

“I will bring them home when you are ready.” 

“I understand.” 

“I… I… well good.” Octavia expected much more of a fight. 

“Is she ok?”

“Raven's wrist is still a little purple.” 

“I…”

“Yes. Lexa is fine. She hit the wall hard, but she doesn't have a concussion or whiplash.” 

“Ok.” Clarke kept her rage and self-doubt, her swirling sandstorm striking at her bare flesh, uncovered and no longer numbed by the alcohol her mind and body craved so terribly all trapped inside her mind. She refused to allow it to slip out, to strike out at Octavia like she had been striking at Lexa for days. 

“Uugh. Good.” Octavia hesitated, unable to tell exactly what was storming behind those bloodshot eyes, but still relieved and surprised that she didn't have to fight any more than she already had. 

“You are doing it differently this time?” Clarke noted, still stirring.

“Well, this hole is a lot bigger than the last one. I can't just throw some gunk in it and leave it to dry. This one will take more work, and a little more care to patch up.” Octavia's eyes met Clarke's, pleading with her to listen. 

Clarke nodded back listening. “What about the sandpaper? Why are you standing at the wall?” 

“I need to strip down what is there before we move on to the next step and fix it. I have a patch I'm gonna put on here. But if I don't put in the work and sand this coat of paint off first? It will just slip off later, revealing the hole behind it.” 

“Thank you.”

“You needed someone to slap the shit outta you. Not gonna lie, it was even kinda fun. So, your welcome?” 

Clarke nodded back begrudgingly.

“She loves you so much.” Octavia offered to the hurting alpha. “Just stay tough. Make it through and she will be back home before you know it.”

“I will.” 

“Good. Now give me that epoxy.” 

End of Chapter 46