He didn’t answer the question immediately and it wasn’t a surprise to me. Before now, I always had this instinct that he isn’t being genuine with me even if I don’t know what it is he might be hiding. However, I’m determined for him to tell me now, so I can know what he is up to and know how to defend him around others.
He puffed out a loud gust of air, blinking repeatedly as though contemplating if to tell me whatever it is. “Look, Danika. I don’t know why you think I’m hiding something. I went to the hospital to look for you and then someone told me you left… He said you might have gone to the library so I decided to come there.” He splayed his right hand at me in a defensive gesture.
“Someone told you that I went to the library? Who?” My gut tells me he is lying. I didn’t tell anyone that I was coming here. I needed my privacy which was the major reason I left without telling Roland. He might have brought me here the other day, yet, I didn’t tell him I will continue coming here.
“Yeah, Roland specifically.”
“That’s a lie, Alfred,” the words busted out of my mouth; hence, I couldn’t keep it in. “I didn’t tell anyone because I needed privacy,” I went on, still in a serene voice.
“You now call me a liar?” He looked to the side at me, his face furrowed in a pang. I returned his look with an equally steady one of mine, not swaying to his pretense as his eyes deem to insinuate.
“Alfred, what is going on? I’m asking again. You are my friend and whatever it is I promise I’m going to understand,” I went on to assure him in a tranquil voice, hoping he would tell me.
He didn’t speak to me even as I drilled holes into him, informing me that whatever it is he is hiding-if ever there is-then it is deep, and he isn’t willing to share. I was still in a grave thought when we reached the house and became abashed when standing in front of the house was none other than Alonso in a black suit, waiting.
Alfred went to pack his car at the garage instead of dropping me off in front of the house, and I alighted and commenced walking to the house, not waiting for him.
“Wait!” he called after me, the noise of the slamming door reaching me.
“I don’t have anything to say to you, Alfred. I have a lot going on for me right now and I wouldn’t want to add you to the platter. If you are not going to trust me with your secret, that means…” I shook my head willing the tears stalking my eyes away.
“I swear, I have nothing I’m hiding from you, Danika. It’s all in your head and with time you will see it.” He strode beside me, his gait matching mine.
Alonso met us halfway and without a preamble snatched my right hand and was about to pull me away when Alfred blocked his path. “You will let her go this minute, brother!” Alfred puffed, meeting the stern look of Alonso.
“Get out of my way, Alfred. I have something very important to discuss with her,” he said coolly yet calculatingly.
“Whatever you have to say to her, say it here and now!” Alfred spun, his hand coming on the other side of my hand and pulling hard. I gasped and with vigor yanked my hand from both of them which did nothing to allay their hold, being that they were stronger.
“Let me go!” I cried out, clearly overwhelmed by their actions. Here I am, coming back from making so many discoveries from the old lady at the library, to an oaf like Alfred, and now this?
“Danika, I have to talk to you about something important… From Lancelot,” Alonso fibbed and pulled again, this time lightly.
“I wi-”
“And you will allow me to take her inside because I brought her home, and then you can relate whatever message our dear good Lancelot must have left for her,” Alfred retorted, snatching words from me.
“Alfred don’t test me, you won’t like the outcome!” Alonso warned in a curt note.
“And you will do well not to talk to me in that tone, Alonso, you might be the King but I still remain the first born son!”
I staggered back. Alfred was the first twin? My eyes skidded from one brother to another, then steadied myself with a light hiss of air and tried my hands once more.
“You reek of stupidity, Alfred. Why don’t you try to find your mate, than stay here and drag what is not yours? When are you ever going to get anything right with your life, huh?” Alonso approached him from the front side, his hands still right on mine.
Alfred’s chest was heaving erratically, showing how enraged he was, while Alonso was calm despite the fury in him spiking through his eyes like a ball of fire.
“You think you can talk dirty at me, huh? Just because father thought you were better than me, now makes you think you are? You and I both know you are a failure! You have been failing from time immemorial and nothing would change now. You failed to protect your former mate, which got her killed!”
“Alfred-”
“Shut the hell up, Alonso! You are a failure! You couldn’t even protect your so-called best friend’s mate and just like before nearly got her killed! What makes you think you can rule this kingdom better than I can!?” He inched closer until their chest were on each other, their breath fanning each other’s faces. “If not for mother, this Kingdom would have been in ashes! All thanks to you!”
“Alfred listen-”
“No, you listen to me, I think I’m done mincing words with you or playing cat and mouse just to please mother’s zeal for peace. I’m telling you here and now, if you do not willingly hand over power to me, I will make sure that you pay, and when I mean pay, brother, blood might flow…” His words were so cold, so eerie that I couldn’t hold back anymore. I have to stop this! What is the meaning of all this?! So this quarrel has been for power?
Albeit, I wasn’t fast enough, and before I could say a word, Alonso’s right fist connected with his brother’s face so hard, I swear I caught a snapping sound. Alfred staggered backward, touched his face, and when he removed his hand, I saw blood dripping from his nose. He lifted his face gradually with his eyes already darkened, his fangs protruding, and a growl in his throat. I gasped, my hand covering my mouth.
“I will kill you, if you dare mention my dead mate ever again, Alfred. How dare you?! Do you know how many times I lay in bed thinking of how I failed her?! Do you think I don’t regret it?!” I stood there, visibly shaking, now free from their clamps but couldn’t move from my position.
“I work so hard even in my pain to make sure that nothing goes wrong with this Kingdom, you think it’s easy? Sit in my position for only a day and we will have war in our hands!” He strutted, and I lunged forward to stand between them. Not on my watch are these two going to go rogue! “You think mother has a hand in my leadership? Well, I have to bust your bubbles by telling you that she doesn’t! It’s all me. I have to maintain a diplomatic stance with other creatures and the eastern Pacific just for you to sleep with your eyes closed.”
“You are a fool, Alonso, if you think I will buy any of your bullshit!” Alfred tottered, flailing his index finger on his brother’s face and spitting out blood.
“You are just like our mother, Alfred, not that I ever for once thought you different! I have my ways of dealing with my enemies without bringing enmity between us. What do you do? You couldn’t even handle the warrior’s position effectively! Where were you the night of the attack? And then when I asked, mother, as usual, supported you instead of talking sense into you!”
“You should talk sense into yourself, Alonso! Oh, how I want your blood running down my veins! It would give me so much joy than I can ever in a million years conceive!” Alfred intoned eerily.
Alonso laughed so hard and said, “I know you are bloodthirsty, but I won’t let you wreck this Kingdom with your dark obsession. If you want my position by all means, then you have to get it from me. If not, just as usual, you might as well get lost!” Alonso sent home the point by stamping his index finger on Alfred’s chest. The latter staggered one foot back and then in a swift speed that no wolf can ever possess, he was at Alonso, his fist connecting with his face.
Alonso didn’t move. He came back at Alfred and tackled him to the ground, his emerald wolf eyes replacing his normal eyes, and his claws out. He landed the first punch at Alfred who seized his fist mid-air, half transformed into his wolf beneath Alonso, and his fangs elongated as their eyes battled and their hands combated for conquest against the others.
I couldn’t take it anymore. They would soon fully transform and I know Alonso will harm his brother, which would be very devastating. His mother would come at him combined with everything going on. I might be malicious at him, but I won’t watch him hurt his brother in his weakest moment.
“Enough!”
…