*Alonso*
Leaving Lance’s quarters, I had gone to the mansion meaning to confront my brother concerning his latest fascinations with Danika. When I got to the mansion, I went straight to the poolside which I know is his favorite around the house.
I haven’t seen my mother since the dinner, and pray not to see her anytime soon. I would not want to heed another of her selfish instructions, particularly now that her favorite son was around.
“Brother?” came Alfred in that very solemn irritating voice of his that won’t stop aggravating me since we were teenagers. I had thought, simply nursed a little hope, that being away would help change him. I should have known better.
“What are you up to?” I went straight to the point.
He raised the reflector that was perched in his hand at me. “As you can see, I am just here having my respite. Care to join me?” He flipped his similar brown curls off his face, his blue eyes pinning on me.
I bunched my fist, holding myself from driving my fist into his arrogant face. “You know what I’m saying. Don’t test me, Alfred.”
“Trust me, Alonso. Just because you have an idea doesn’t mean someone else would grasp it unless you explain. What have you ruffled? Break it down.”
I exhaled and stalked closer, “What are you thinking sniffing around her?” I quizzed, carefully tilting my head down.
His eyes twitched in thought before raising it at me. “You mean Danika?”
“Of course, you know it’s her. Who else?”
He began chuckling, once more giving me reasons to exercise my patience for the sake of maturity. “Why are you so concerned with me being with her, brother? It’s not like she’s your mate.”
“She’s under my care… as my best friend’s mate.”
“You sound very ridiculous Alonso, listen to yourself. You never worry when you see me around Paisley, why her?” He cocked his brow at me, as a result making me feel uneasy. He was right. I never have to worry each time I see him in a position with Paisley because I really don’t care.
But, seeing him with Danika, twisted my heart. It irked me so much because I know him. He could easily get anyone to like him more than I can. Right from when we were pups he was easily spotted between us due to his easy smile and deceitful behaviors that made people easily fall for him. Unlike me.
My Mom would always let him off when he commits atrocities faster than she would forgive me. According to her, she would say because he was the younger of us, but I knew it was a result of her favoring him over me.
“Stop acting childish, brother. We are no longer pups. If Lance is not uncomfortable with me being around his mate, you can’t tell me to stop being around her,” he deadpanned, tipping the glass at my face before downing the content.
I nodded aggravatingly, knowing then I will have to speak to Lance to stop him from being around Danika.
For crying out loud why can’t they all act normal around her without being bloody dogs!? Here I am thinking it was Lance I had to worry about, now my brother is starting to do worse.
“Stay away from her, Alfred. I won’t say it to you, again. If you think you can come back here and cause any form of conflict between couples, then you have it all wrong,” I lent him a piece of my mind sternly, gave him one last terse scrutiny, and stormed out.
I wasn’t satisfied either after doing that. I knew Alfred. If Danika becomes his new attraction, he would stop at nothing to want to gain her attention. Not minding if she was someone’s mate.
Not to mention she was giving him the motivation. What a little deceitful piece of work. All acting like she was dying anytime soon meanwhile inside, she was a conniving bitch and easy slut. Why am I even bothered? I should be resenting her and not caring the hell who she was smiling at.
Instead of going to my room, I went straight to the study. I wasn’t in the mood to engage in any unnecessary chatter with Paisley. Ever since declaring my intention of making her my Luna, she has decided to make my life a living hell. No longer does she leave the mansion to spend time with her friends, but constantly around seeking my attention which I am most abhorrent to.
Why do everything have to be working to my disfavor recently? And it’s all because of Danika. And she thinks she would live happily smiling at any male figure that cuddles up to her? Stupid bitch!
And to add to my misery, the Vampires have started rearing their heads. They dare to attack a pack that is under my authority. I will pretend not to have heard the drastic news until they try again. No one. Absolutely no one, dares to discomfort me and goes scot-free. Not when I’m alive and breathing.
My father had entrusted this position to me because he trusted me and I will stop at nothing in making him proud of me. Even though my mother still thinks I’m not worth it because it wasn’t bestowed on her favorite son.
I unplucked a bottle of scotch from my minibar and poured a large quantity into a tumbler, downing it all. It didn’t achieve what I had in mind. I went in the second time and the third. Soon, I was reclined on the armchair by the window facing the outside, staring blankly at the fields with nothing in mind.
Suddenly Siv became restless. He started jumping around me, disturbing my thought. I was already feeling gloomy what else does he want from me?
“Relax, Siv. I’m not in the mood!” I berated him. He wasn’t getting any of it, he continued jumping around as though trying to communicate something to me that I wasn’t interested to listen to.
“Siv!” I snagged, as the turmoil grew worse.
He stopped for some time even though I still had that sensation that something was wrong somewhere. Normally I would have gone to investigate but right now the weight of anger in me combined with the alcohol was slowing my locomotion, and sense of commitment.
I don’t know how long I sat there nursing that glass of scotch and languishing in despair when there was a knock at the door which gave way to Lance strutting in.
“What do you want? Can’t y’all give me breathing space?” I grated in a voice devoid of any emotion.
“Alonso… are you seriously drowning yourself in a drunken stupor with everything that is going on?” Lance asked, having that tone that annoys me to no end.
The serious-minded voice.
“What were you expecting, huh? That should I be doing what?” I queried, eyeing him.
“I don’t know… but not drinking.” He came to sit on the next armchair beside mine. Something wasn’t good. I could smell it, especially with the way his last words sounded off.
“What’s the problem? Spill, instead of throwing some childish tantrums.”
“Nothing is wrong,” he dubbed.
I snorted, sitting up from my couch to lower the reflector on a mini table in front of me. “Don’t forget I can smell your emotions. I’m not-”
“Fine! You don’t have to shove it to my face that you can smell me blablabla…” He rolled his eyes, for once indulging the gentile side of me.
“So are you going to tell me what it is, or just sit there? If you didn’t want to share, why come here in the first place?” I asked, beginning to feel dehydrated. I stood unsteadily and went to the fridge by the corner to pick out water which I chugged down while waiting for him to say something.
“I’m kind of not supposed to tell you because I don’t know if she would want anyone to know. But I can’t hide it from you either. Curse my loyalty bond as your Beta,” he expressed matter-of-factly.
I dumped the empty bottle of water in a trash can and return to the chaise. “What are you not supposed to tell me? Speak Lancelot! I don’t have time to waste on all this.”
He eyed me for a split second that I was sure he was going to stand and leave. However, I think the urge to share what bothers him was stronger than that, at last, he gave way. “Danika shifted today.”
I huffed out, shaking my head more at myself than him, for even encouraging him to spill that garbage.
“I’m serious,” he went on, twisting in his lounge to face me. “I saw her myself.”
“I will still not believe you even though you tell me she’s standing in front of the mansion right now,” I replied in a mild-pitched voice.
He shook his head as if getting mad that I wasn’t speculating on his little telltale. What was he thinking coming here to tell such absurd falsehood? Yeah, I don’t smell it a lie, yet I will sooner agree that a chicken could fly than accept that the clumsy weakling could shift.
It’s not possible.
Still, come to think of it, it takes my reflection back to Siv when he was acting up earlier. Could it be possible? No. It couldn’t be. The Danika I have come toknow doesn’t have it in her to shift. At least not yet.
The first time I met her, I had felt the great power emitting from her even though at the same time, I felt sometime else like a barrier hovering over her, which was stopping her from exerting it. A barrier that only she must have created.
I wanted to ask her, but finding out she was clumsy and weak, coupled with the fact that the moon goddess gave me a mate, had killed every desire to want to know her.
“What if I tell you that she is a black wolf?” the voice of Lance penetrated my thought, driving me back to take a stern look at him.
A black wolf? That is even more impossible. We hardly had them still in existence.
“I saw it with my very own eyes,” he insisted.
I shook my head vigorously, still refusing to believe such absurdity. Lance must have had something strong before coming here.
Simply impossible! Black wolves are no longer in existence.
But, what if?