*Danika*
This morning, I didn’t need Alfred to call me before I woke up to go for my training. I couldn’t sleep throughout the night. All that flashed through my head was the position of Paisley on Alonso’s lap when I saw them last night.
With my heart still aching, I quickly went to brush and wash my face, then knotting my red tresses that was growing too long and might need trimming soon, at the top of my head in a smooth ponytail, supporting it with a pink ribbon for reasons beyond me-maybe for positive mindset-from everything that is going hot and cold about my life.
Reaching downstairs, Alfred as typical was up and exercising. I mumbled a greeting at him which I noticed he didn’t respond to and joined in. There was this stretched silence during our few preps which to an extent I enjoyed- I wasn’t yet in the mood to speak to anyone. Though it worried me that he seemed moody, unlike his flighty self.
Finally, we were done and were on our way to the arena when Alfred broke the silence. “Are you okay?” he requested, and I’m like ‘hmm, ironical question’.
“Yeah, why asking?” I arched my brow at him, uncorking my bottle of water to take a large gulp-my throat was dehydrated from the bodily exertions.
He shrugged, the ignition coming on. He focused ahead, giving me a clear view of his side. His often clean-shaven jaws were lined with early morning stubbles and his eyes looked tired, I could spot a large black bag under his eyelid as if like me he didn’t sleep much last night, or maybe it’s because he hasn’t prepped himself as he does often. I could smell something was off with him, but I couldn’t tell what.
“You slept early yesterday, I think. You didn’t come down for dinner,” he stated, giving me a brief glance before settling forward.
I found myself revisiting the events of last night that led to me once again having Nadia lie that I wasn’t strong enough to join for dinner. I was hoping maybe Alonso would come to my room to check on me, what a stupid person I was for thinking that. He didn’t care. What we did, didn’t mean shit to him. He doesn’t care how I feel. To him, it was one of his games which as foolish and weak as I am to his charm, had fallen. The more I think about it, the more I realize what an idiot I was.
“I came back late and tired and had to eat in,” I told him, my fingers tightening on the water bottle loop as if it was the object of my exasperation.
He humphed and nodded, not prying further. What is wrong with him? This is unlike him. “Are you okay?” I had to ask.
He was nodding vigorously. “Yea, I am. Just work… has been really tight these few days. Mother thinks our enemies are planning something against us,” I could detect the fragility of his voice.
“Why? I mean there have been no recent attacks, has there?”
“No, but this is the way things have always been around here. We prepare for the inevitable.” He turned at the intersection that leads to the arena. “My brother doesn’t joke with the security of the Kingdom, and all the packs he rules over. I will give that to him. With the full moon approaching, we are always ready for eventualities,” he concluded. This is the first time I am hearing him saying anything pleasant about Alonso-not that he says anything icky about him either, but it made me want to know more about their relationship and why they hate each other. And they were twins.
“Why are you two at loggerheads almost half of the time, what happened?”
He spared me a glance, his lips quirked to the side hinting at a smile. Then his eyes went to the road. “We are just two people with paralleled views of life. Nothing much.”
Just that? Yeah, for a fact I know Alonso is not really happy knowing his mother unabashedly supports his brother over him and there also lays the rumors that Alfred was supposed to be the Alpha King, still, does that warrant that they hate each other for it? They are supposed to work hand in hand and in love if you ask me. Then again, Alonso doesn’t look like he is willing to do that.
The rest of the conversation went North with Alfred apologizing to me for not coming to pick me up yesterday at the infirmary and other matters. To me, he is genuinely a very nice guy.
By the time we reached the arena, I could easily say part of my grief from last night was lifted, and Alfred’s tense shoulders became somewhat relaxed.
The training was mostly centered on my concentration and minor tackling methods. We trained in too deep that we missed the regular time we traditionally leave the arena every day.
“By now, I know everyone is down for breakfast so we will just make it to our rooms from the lobby and hope no one sees us,” Alfred asserted on our way home from our training. I nodded, fiddling with the cap of my water bottle, not really caring if anyone saw us. It’s not like we are doing anything wrong. I don’t even know why I had cared if they saw us in the first place. Alonso is living his best life with the woman he loves, why should I care if he sees me with another man? Not to mention we aren’t even doing anything sketchy-Alfred is a good guy and he is just my friend. Just like Lancelot.
When he stopped the car in front of the house and the doors flung open, I alighted and made my way in.
As the fancy doors slid open, and I proceeded in, Alonso was treading down the stairs in his magnificent glory, his garters of topnotch Chestnut designers, even though it’s still early. He paused when he saw me, those full lips pulsed in a straight line-his usual scowl plastered on, drilling holes at me as if he just caught me doing something forbidden. His eyes roved through my body in a disapproving way, while I stopped at the base of the stairs waiting for him, as well as drowning in those captivating sea blue eyes-as though seeing his brothers wasn’t enough for one day.
Alfred ambled in and came to a halt behind me, tension building in the air. Alfred was the first to break the silence, in obvious exasperation. “Hey, what’s your problem? We are apparently waiting for you to make it down the stairs, why keep us lingering?” That voice wasn’t the normal Alfred’s voice. This one is insensitive and the kind he only uses around his brother. And he said they’re just of parallel lines?
Alonso being the bullheaded one didn’t just move, he stood there for what seemed like ages, his accusing eyes moving from me to his brother and back until eventually, he got fed up with just gaping at us and had to amble down, his eyes never leaving mine. I was the first to run up the notches to my room and slammed the door, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Who does he think he is to feel that he can treat me just the way he wants? I am the one being hurt from every one of his cold acts and yet I am the one that gets the evil eye?
This is ridiculous!
I didn’t want Nadia meeting me in the room to give me any lectures-as she does recently whenever I miss dinner or want to miss breakfast like today, nor do I think I could bear another one of Alonso’s murderous glares or another of his show off with his chosen mate, so I quickly took my bath and left to the infirmary without breakfast. I just needed to be away from the mansion and all the negative tensions around me.
Today at the infirmary was just like the rest-boisterous with assorted activities going on-birthing of more pups, injured warriors being brought in from the border, and many others. This opened my eyes to the fact that I am actually alien to what was happening around me. Yeah, we might not have experienced any attack within the Kingdom, but from the rate of warriors, guardians, and patrollers being brought in every day for treatments, it means they were risking a lot to keep the kingdom in tranquility. It wasn’t as peaceful as I thought.
It made me think of what my mother told me in my dream that night. I just hope we ain’t meeting with any bad omen in the nearest future. I can’t bear any attack-I have never experienced anyone in my lifetime, but from what I heard at my former pack, it’s usually very bloody- especially with the Vampires or rogues.
“Ms. Danika, the last pup just left, you can leave now,” Sonia, one of the Omegas that help with taking care of the pups told me from the doorway and I smiled at her, standing up from the nursery mat I was sprawled in.
I picked up my stuff in different corners of the room they were strung at, already missing the place. This place is slowly turning into my escape, and the pups and I are becoming fast friends, particularly Theo the difficult pup that every other person avoids at all cost. They are more like my family now, their cries and other things that I used to find repulsive, becoming something I look forward to every day. At least, it keeps me so occupied I don’t have to think of anything troubling me or think of a certain someone.
As I came out of the facility, I thought of calling Alfred, but after what transpired this morning, I don’t think he would want to come pick me up, so I decided to walk all the way home. It would give me more time before I am faced with my realities.
With my hands in my coat pockets, and my bag hanging in my right arm, I started walking home, the evening fresh breeze whipping around and giving me a certain euphoric feeling. It was winter and my best season. I loved the escalation of the breeze during this period and watching the trees dance to the music of the wind. Back at home in my former pack, I often stayed in the back yard to watch the trees during this period, it helped me forget my predicaments and gave me a distinct positive vibe.
I jumped, my heart going to my mouth when a car horn blared close to me. I looked at the driver of the sleek black wagon when the car windows rolled down, the anger that I thought I still had like fifteen extra minutes to surface, starting to build up. Alonso stared at me from inside the car passively, the edges of his sumptuous lips quirked in a mischievous flirty manner.
The hell?
“Are you coming in or what?” he asked lightly, baffling me. Now he is acting really strange.
I didn’t want to. I just wanted to shake my head and keep walking, ignoring the fact that he came, despite what he did yesterday. But, when I skimmed my surroundings, some of the attendants were making their way back from the facility and could see us, which left me no choice but to hop in.
“That was really hard for you to decide,” he hinted in a sullen voice. I pushed my nose up, brought out my earpiece, and put it on, blocking my ears. I wasn’t going to do this with him. Not today.
…