Selena Frost vs. Glory Braddock vs. Adam Allocco vs. Bree Lancaster

[SnowQueenSCW]

The Witches of Alden

”Alden”

VanHohenHeim Home
Maplewood, New Jersey
January 13th, 2023
3:42pm

Selena stood at the large window in the living room of her parents’ house, but her eyes weren’t on the small street the view overlooked. Instead, they were on her cellphone, eyeing the time at the top of the screen. It was past 3:30pm… The children would be coming out of school by now and instead of being there to pick them up, like she was supposed to, they had needed Gerda to fulfill that task. Instead, she was in her mother and father’s New Jersey home, standing near two strangers that were claiming to be her aunt and uncle.

The sound of footsteps were heard from behind her, causing the wrestler to turn in time to see a tall glass of lemonade being offered by her wife, Deanna, the redhead looking at her with an understanding expression. Gratefully, Selena took the offered drink, giving a silent and gentle kiss to the redhead's cheek before returning her attention to the interior of the room. To her right, the male stranger – Caius he had been called – sat comfortably in one of the chairs. Further right was the other stranger, the woman named Sage, who nursed her own glass of lemonade.

Casting her gaze to the other side of the room, Selena spotted her mother sitting in the chair she always used whenever Selena visited, her small stature seeming even smaller with the two extra people in the room.

“Someone better explain this.” Came the voice of Deanna, the redhead splitting the target of her statement to the three Aldens in the room, including Alejandra. For what it was worth, Selena was grateful to have her take charge, for she was at a loss for words. She had no reason to believe her mother was lying to her, which meant that Caius and Sage really were her aunt and uncle…

But why? As long as she had known her, meeting her in that New York hospital years ago, Alejandra had spoken very little about her family. It had always bothered the platinum-blonde. That there was a side to her family – a side to her -  that she did not know. She barely knew her brother, Jonathan and Alejandra’s son Peter, the boy estranged from his family and the Frost/Frostmere clan, aside from her father and late grandmother, had been nothing than a complete nightmare – a far cry to the image she had cultivated of ‘family’ thanks to her father and managed to preserve despite the efforts of the DeCarlos, Scythes, and Frostmeres.

But these people? The Aldens? They were a complete mystery that her mother had, seemingly, shut out – like Selena had to so many others in Nome in order to keep herself guarded and sane, cruel as the majority of residents in Nome had been to her and her father. There had to be a reason, she thought, breaking her run of thoughts as she heard her mother sigh.

“Mother?” Selena asked, gaining the older woman’s attention. “Did you know they were looking for me?”

She saw Alejandra open her mouth to speak before closing it. It took several moments before words were able to leave her throat. “Yes.”

The answer didn’t surprise Selena at this point, nor did it spike the expected feeling of betrayal in her, perhaps due to the shock. Whatever the reason, the Snow Queen merely nodded, feeling her wife shift a little to lean against her side, a comforting touch to keep the former world champion grounded.

“How long?” Deanna asked, taking over for her wife in this ‘interrogation’ and earning a sigh from the Alejandra.

“When Selena showed me that letter she received. The one with the crest for a stamp.”
“So since September?” Deanna asked in disbelief. “Why-“

“Because-“ Alejandra interjected, her eyes slamming shut as she tried to control the myriad of emotions racing through her. “We had just gotten past Killjoy- Celina, I mean – and things seemed to be heading toward some semblance of normal for you both. This couldn’t have come at a worse time. I just… I didn’t know what to do. If I wanted to bring that part of my past into your lives…”

“Couldn’t you have told me?” Selena tried, stepping around Deanna to sit beside her mother. “I mean, you know what family means to me.” She took her mother’s hand into her free one. “And after everything with the Frosts and Frostmeres, and then with my…” she struggled a little with the words. “My sister – I had always wondered since I met you about the Aldens. But you refused to tell me. And I never understood why.”

“Because she’s ashamed of us.” Sage replied, a hint of bitterness in her voice, her glare on Alejandra. “She chose to abandon us four decades ago – her brother and sister-“

“I didn’t mean to abandon you.” Alejandra pressed. “But I had no choice.”

“What do you mean?” Selena pressed before turning her eyes back to Caius and Sage. “And I would appreciate it if you let my mother tell her side of things before you chime in. This is still HER house and she is MY mother.”

That seemed to silence the irked woman, Sage sitting back in her chair and choosing to nurse and sip her lemonade to aid in her silence as Caius glared at her. Alejandra, meanwhile, slowly seemed to calm from her daughter’s defense, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“The Aldens – my family – were…are… at the time…” she tried, her words changing with uncertainties. “Gods, I have thought about this so many times. How I would tell you, what I would say, and now I can’t even do it right.” She laughed bitterly before feeling Selena’s hand tighten it’s affectionate hold on hers.

“Start from the beginning.” Selena tried. “Why are you three estranged?”
“Perhaps I-“ Caius started gently but a swift glare from Selena silenced him.

“Looking back at it all.” Alejandra sighed. “I think maybe I should have told you sooner. Because you would understand better than anyone else.” She explained to Selena, eyeing her daughter. “I mean…” she shrugged. “Stop me if you’ve heard this story… Girl is arranged to be married.”

Selena’s eyes widened in surprise. “No.” she whispered. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am.” Alejandra smiled sadly. “Like you, I was promised to a member of our clan.”
“Your clan?” Deanna asked without thinking.

“Aldens, some of them, often married into distant cousin families. It wasn’t law or binding or whatever but it was highly recommended. Strong blood and all that.”

“Wow…” Selena’s eyes widened, turning her head to Sage and Caius. “With my clan, it essentially equated to ‘don’t marry Nazis’.”

“Or members of the same gender…” Deanna grumbled under her breath, earning a gaze and knowing smile from Selena. “What? It’s true.” Deanna shrugged.

“Yeah…” Selena turned her attention to her the two visitors. “Fair warning about that. Married to a woman here. No homophobes allowed.”

“Perfectly fine.” Caius patiently replied with a raise of his hand. “Love is love.”

“Pfft. You say that now.” Alejandra whispered under her breath, though everyone heard it, causing her to raise her voice a little. “Where was that logic forty years ago?”

Caius gave no answer, merely sitting back in his chair as Selena placed her drink on the nearby table. “Mother, you were saying?” she tried.

“Right.” Alejandra sighed. “I was in high-school, wanting to be a doctor and all that, when I was told that I was going to be married as soon as I graduated. I don't even remember which cousin it was to anymore.”

“What is with you guys?” Deanna sighed. “The Frosts, now you guys? All these arranged marriages and whatever!”
“Deanna…” Selena tried. “I know, but let’s let my mother continue.”
“Right, right, sorry.”

“It wasn’t just that.” Alejandra replied. “But I was supposed to go into the family business and set up a family, basically what every other member of my family had done. I felt trapped, alone, and no one was willing to listen to me.”

“So, you ran away?”

“In part.” Alejandra sighed. “I quietly applied to Anchorage University, got accepted, and then told my family my plans, except for my location, of course. There was a huge fight-“ she lifted her head towards her siblings. “I’ll bet you both remember it.”

The glum looks on Sage’s and Caius’ face was all Selena needed to see for an answer.

“Even you two sided with our parents. Told me to just ‘do what they said’ and ‘they know best’. So, I left. I packed my bags and what little money I had and left. It was the last time I ever saw them.” She eyed the two Aldens. “They still alive?”

“Our mother is.” Caius answered. “Father passed about five years ago.”

“Good.” Muttered Alejandra under her breath, slightly surprising her daughter.

“So…” Selena tried to fill in the gaps. “You ran away to Nome.”
“And you know the rest.” Alejandra sighed. “What I don’t understand is how you found me.”

“It was really a matter of luck.” Shrugged Caius. “We always knew you were in Nome.” Alejandra’s eyes widened in surprise, earning a chuckle from the larger, dark man. “Blame our father. Anyway, we did lose track of you when you disappeared in 1989.”

“That’s when she was driven out of Nome by the Scythes.” Deanna chimed in, earning a nod from Alejandra.

“Well, again, father pooled his resources but the only name that came up that was of any note was Donovan Frost. Then when he disappeared as well, it seemed rather coincidental. Again, father burned through several resources to find him or you – and came up dry. Fast forward 15 or so years? And-“ his eyes flew to Selena. “This woman from Nome is talking about her father on television – a man named Donovan Frost. So, father starts looking into her – his ‘last attempt’ as he put it. And when Selena found you, Allie.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Well, we slowly learned who you she was and, by extension, that it was you that was her mother.”

“Well, that sort of fills things in for now.” Selena finally spoke, turning her attention back to her aunt and uncle. “But that doesn’t explain why you are here. Have you come to bring my mother back? Because if-“

“No.” Caius shook his head. “We merely felt that you deserved to meet the other side of your family.”

The room was silent for a moment as the words settled in.

“That’s it?!” Deanna asked in disbelief. “All of this and you just wanted to play ‘family reunion’?”

“That’s it.” Caius shrugged. “Family is beyond important to us Aldens. That’s why what Allie- Alejandra’s-“ he corrected himself. “Actions hurt so much. And why we tried so hard to find her. Now? We don’t want to forsake another descendant of the Alden family. So, we wanted to extend an invitation to you, Selena, and to you, Alejandra, to learn – or reunite – and-“

“Pass.”

The answer came flatly, not from Alejandra, but from Selena, who stared down the two people and their shocked expressions.

“Look, maybe you’re a couple of nice people with some family squabble and nothing more.” She explained. “But the last time I looked into my ‘family’? I got stalked for years by a madwoman, threatened, almost killed, and my wife was falsely imprisoned in Germany. All because of my ‘family’. I am not putting us through anything like that EVER again.”

“But we’re not-“ Sage tried, but Selena swiftly cut her off.

“I bet you’re not. But I am not interesting in ‘rocking that boat’ if you get my meaning. Whatever is between you and my mother existed for a reason and I am in no position or desire to try and mend a forty-year grudge. Simple as that.”

“I see.” Caius sighed. “That is disappointing. I honestly thought someone as caring of family would leap at the chance to learn more – perhaps find more purpose in your life.”

The words cause Selena’s spine to stiffen. Purpose… that word that she had been tossing in her head for so long now. Something she had felt lacking in herself – less as a wife, mother, and tag-wrestler and more as an independent woman. Her earlier mental tirades came back for a flash before she pushed them back down. She did not want to think about SCW or anything like that right now.

“But I won’t force you.” Caius continued, pushing himself out of his chair. “However, should you or your mother change your minds, we will be around. And you have our contact information.”

Selena said nothing as the pair excused themselves, Sage taking a moment to cast a glance, almost hurt, at Alejandra before following her brother out of the house. With them gone, Selena gazed at her mother, still in her arms.

“I could have gone my whole life without seeing them again.” Alejandra whispered with a tinge of sadness and bitterness as she excused herself to head to her room, her last words meant to be a whisper, but inadvertently landing on Selena’s ears.

“Blasted witches…”
_______________________________________________________________

”Never let a win get to your head…
Or a loss get to your heart.”

Yeah, there is a reason I’m doing a second promo here, and it centers around that. Around two people – a win and a loss.

Now, to be clear, I have lost big matches before. I have lost many big matches. Half of my ‘Match of the Year’ awards are centered around matches that I lost. Moments where I had to accept that I lost and move on. Moments where I failed, had to admit that, grieve for it, and then move on and learn from it. But like I said earlier, ever since I lost the world championship, I became somewhat listless.

I suppose, in that respect, I let that loss get to my heart. I didn’t know what to do or be without the world championship. I didn’t know where to go – I still don’t entirely know – but as I said, I also know that I can’t just ‘watch’ things anymore. I need to be back in the ring making a difference and setting a standard more so than ever before. But I admit, I let one loss get to my heart and slow me down for a short amount of time as a singles wrestler.

But I’d rather have done that than what you did, Adam Allocco. You’re the other side of this quote. You’re the guy that took one win and not only let it get to your head, but let it be your sole argument for months. Now, I’ll all for bragging about accomplishments. I mean, look at me, right? But my accomplishments are many and in every division and style. I’ll brag about knocking Xander out in minutes and winning every tournament one can win in SCW. I’ll brag about being the longest reigning world champion and beating Kelcey Wallace’s ‘Perfect Streak’. I’ll brag about being a three-time Female Wrestler of the Year and headlining Rise to Greatness twice over.

You? You beat alcoholism, Owen Cruze, and me at Rise to Greatness.

You wanna know how I know that? Cause two of those you’ve not shut up about since July. And for a while, Adam, I let it slide. I let you mock my catchphrase. I let you mock my abilities. Hell, seconds after you were named half of the “male wrestler of the year”, how did you save your ego? “I beat your Female Wrestler of the Year!” and I let that slide, utterly pathetic as you were.

Cause, really? I felt sorry for you, Adam. I felt sorry that you needed that one win so much. I mean, seriously? Your ‘big win’ how did that go? Oh, right. You don’t want to talk about it, right? The one where you were beaten and laid to waste two weeks into the SCW season and lost the title – the reign you promised to last ‘for a long time’ over and done within the blink of an eye. How you won half an award that I undisputedly won in my category. How you failed in the chamber but because you beat Owen weeks prior and me months before that, you’re the ‘only candidate for the world title shot’, right?

Yeah, Adam, I beat Owen Cruze weeks before before Rise to Greatness, remember? Know why I don’t brag about that? Because one win doesn’t define a person, no matter how hard you try.

I felt sorry for you, Adam. Sorry that half an award, a third of a Trios Tournament win, one of the shortest reigns in SCW World title history with zero successful title defenses, and second place in a chamber match and all you could do to try and cover that up is “I BEAT SELENA FROST!” over and over again. Show after show, promo after promo, pay-per-view after pay-per-view.

But now? Seeing what you do? Attacking Syren for no reason other than to ‘hedge your bet’? Mocking Kandis’ rightful claim to a world title match? I don’t like her at all but she sure as hell deserves a chance after an injury prevented her from facing me! Proclaiming no one else is more deserving for a world title rematch than you? Why? Because you beat me once, right?

Yeah, Adam, my pity for you? It’s changed. Because now I’m tired of it. I’m tired of you using me to hide the reality just like Glory has. I’m tired of you acting like you’re the megastar of SCW because of one win. I’m tired of you using my name to try and mask months of shortcomings, failings and, even, beatings where SCW management is saving your ass from Xander.

And I’m tired of you trying to tie my name to yours to keep you afloat in this federation.

So, here’s the truth, Adam. The full, honest truth. Your win? Wanna know why it’s impressive? Because of me. Because I’m the one that nobody else could beat. I’m the one that held this company up while you kept coming and going. You sauntered in and got into the RTG main-event but it was ME that was making it ‘Unbelievable’. It was my work and my reign you stood to break. And you did, but had I of been Ace Marshall or Giovanni Aries or any ‘new champion’? No one would remember what you did, no matter how many times you shouted it. But because it was me? You made history.

Your biggest selling point, Adam? Will be forgotten in a year’s time. Will be merely a footnote in the bigger picture of Selena Frost making history as the longest reigning world champion SCW has ever seen. Not even Xander could do what I did. Cause who beat Syren to end her long reign? Who beat Xander to end his? Without looking it up, I’ll wager you couldn’t tell me.

I don’t need you, Adam, and I am tired of you needing me. I am tired of you using me. Just like I’m tired of you dragging the integrity of SCW back down to your level of ‘asshole’ or whatever you want to call it just because you can’t compete on that same level as you did on Rise to Greatness continuously.

That’s why tonight is so important to me, Adam. When it’s over? Nothing will change in the grand scheme. Bree will still want to be a tag-team champion with Datura, Glory will still want the tag titles for her Supreme Championship feat and you will still be an asshole and go on to cash-in your Trios at Retribution for another shot at the world title. I’ll go on to defend the tag-titles at Body, Heart and Soul. Nothing truly changes in the SCW plan. Hell, I’ll wager in a year’s time – maybe by next week or next month – few will even remember who won this match.

But you will.

You will remember this night, Adam. You will remember it as your ears fill with the song by Ava Max, as you look up at me kneeling over your beaten form, as I smile and I stare into your eyes, you will remember that look and remember these three words.

“I beat you.”

And every time you open your mouth to brag? To use me as your ‘ego pick-me-up’? To downplay who and what I am simply because you can’t compete at the consistent level of integrity and ability I have? You’ll hear my voice in your head saying those same three words.

“I beat you.”

And, like you alluded to Kandis, when you go to Retribution and you get your shot at the world title? Let’s say you even manage to win it, Adam! As you stand there, holding it, looking down on it, remembering all the times you argued for it with “I BEAT OWEN! I BEAT SELENA FROST!”, you’ll remember tonight, me smiling at you, maybe even flipping you off like before, and those three words.

“I. Beat. You.”

You’ve taken enough from my work and my name, Adam Allocco. Tonight? I’m taking it all back from you. Whether you like it or not.

Believe it!