Falling back in line

Book:A Weekend With The Alpha Published:2024-11-22

The month that followed flew by. I divided my time between work, Zion, and Lionel.
Four weeks ago, I reported to the university because, though it was the exam period when I disappeared, they still needed my presence there. Mr Tobi, the vice chancellor, however, told me Aaron had stepped in and informed him why I wasn’t present. I didn’t know what Aaron told him, but it sounded genuine enough because Mr Tobi believed it and granted me pardon for the days I missed. I didn’t know what exactly he told them, and I didn’t ask.
Daniel also came back two weeks ago and apologised, claiming he had overreacted. When I asked him what changed his mind, he admitted Aaron had come to his house to speak to him. In his words, Aaron had admitted to kissing me and that I only kissed back because he made me. He also told him that in the week I spent with him, I had welcomed no form of entanglement because I had him in mind. Somehow, Daniel believed him and returned.
I was happy about his return. I was also grateful that Aaron had gone out of his way to help put things right, even when he could have chosen not to.
When Daniel asked if I was willing to try again, I said I wasn’t. I told him the break helped me realise my priorities and that I’d only drag him along if I let him back in. Besides, my life was more complicated than it was months ago when we started dating. There were things I’d never tell him, and that would leave a hedge in the relationship. He felt sad about it, but it was for the best. I wouldn’t feel happy with myself knowing I didn’t give my all to the one I was with. To give my all to Daniel would reveal too much, which would only put him in harm’s way.
I received a call from the hospital where Lionel had been admitted for the last month, informing me of his discharge today. The nurse asked if I could come and pick him up, and I said yes.
His release would have happened sooner, but two weeks ago he experienced a sudden concussion, which made the doctor readmit him to run a few more tests on him. There was a slight change in his brain tissue, and they had to treat it before discharging him.
I drove over as fast as I could. The doctor gave me a few papers to sign, and after signing them, I handed them over, and we were free to leave.
“I hope I’m not being such a bother,” Lionel said as I helped him into the wheelchair and pushed him towards the door.
“Nonsense,” I answered, pushing him into the hallway. “You’re my brother. I would do this in a heartbeat.”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I’m dragging everyone back. First, I lost my money on drugs and had to live with my mom. Then I tried to find my feet again, only to overdose. Now I’m in the hospital and once again single,” he said, his voice wounded and pained.
Ouch, Shamsi left.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know your girlfriend broke up with you.” They looked so good together this past month, and I wouldn’t have guessed it. My heart went out to him.
He shrugged and said, “It’s fine. She needs a man who can take care of her, and for the past month, it has been the opposite. I don’t blame her. My life is crap. Good thing she ran.”
“Your life isn’t crap, Lionel Jay Adams! These are called the trials of life. Sadly, your girlfriend left you, but you will find someone else. I will never abandon you. The good part of your story is that you’re still here, fighting.”
He glanced up at me with a bright smile on his face. “You’re an amazing soul, Zera. I’m lucky to have you as my sister.”
“And I, you,” I answered.
I pushed him down the wheelchair slide that led to the parking lot of the hospital, and we approached my car.
“Who’s that?” he asked, and my head lifted to look towards my car, which he was pointing to, and I saw Sesi standing there and leaning against my car. I wondered why she was here.
“She is Zion’s aunt,” I answered.
“That isn’t Tatiana, Zera. But she looks familiar.”
“I mean from his father’s side.”
“Oh, now I understand why she looks familiar!”
“Sesi? What are you doing here?” I wasn’t surprised she knew about the hospital. She had followed us over the last month and probably raced here.
“Hey, I’m sorry to barge into your activities like this. I needed to get away. Everyone’s face seems to annoy me today.”
“Do our faces annoy you?” Lionel asked in an already intimidating voice.
“Hers doesn’t,” she replied, turning her attention to Lionel and staring at him hard.
He swallowed and said, “Oh.”
The awkwardness lingered in the air as the two, who had never met before, stared at each other in silence. “I’m sorry I didn’t introduce you two. Lionel, this is Sesi Hart, Aaron’s sister. Sesi, this is Lionel Adams, my brother.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sesi.” Lionel stretched his hand out, and when she took it, he shook her hand firmly.
Sesi turned to me and said, “So can I?”
“Can you what?”
“Stay with you.”
“Yes, if that would help you feel better, then sure, by all means, stay. I have no other thing to do today.” Aside from moving this grown man, whom I call a brother, from place to place.
“Can I say what a beautiful lady you are?” Lionel blurted out, bringing our attention to him.
“Please don’t.”
“I already did,” he grinned mischievously.
Sesi stared at me, and I knew she was asking if he would be around me for the rest of the day. I pressed my lips together and nodded.
“We are a sealed package, Ms Hart,” Lionel said.
Sesi groaned and ran her palm over her face. “I guess I have no choice. I don’t think he can be more annoying than Ivan.”
….
“I take it back. Your brother is much more annoying than mine. He’s even worse. I’m leaving.” Sesi sprung to her feet.
I was barely listening to their conversation because I was on the phone with Diya, who had just wrapped up her honeymoon with Greg. The two have been on a one-month honeymoon so far and plan to return to family, friends, and work in a few days. I missed her, and I wanted to hear from her.
She asked after Lionel and Zion, and I told her they were doing great and looked forward to her return. There was so much she would get to learn when she returned. I didn’t want to tell her on the phone.
I found Lionel’s eyes widening as I set the phone down and turned to the two. “I made you laugh a few times. I can’t be that bad,” he argued, as if that were a reasonable point.
“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re a douchebag in human form.” Sesi snarled at him.
Yes, Daniel knew Sesi was a werewolf, and it was still shocking how he knew and how he was so cool about it all.
When we came in, he asked if she was an alpha or a beta, and somehow he found out she was a beta, but the deadliest in the pack.
I asked him how he knew about werewolves, and he said he had always known. He had seen a girl transform from a werewolf into a human when he was much younger. He didn’t tell anyone for fear of being told he was crazy, and after a few years, he told himself he had imagined what he saw that night. But when he was sixteen, he witnessed an attack. He saw the attack on his way from class, and it was over five werewolves teaming up against one.
He didn’t know if the other had survived because he had run away from the horrific attack. I believe that was what got him onto drugs, but he denied it and said it wasn’t.
He was much more advanced in the study of werewolves’ lore than I was and knew more than I did. He admitted that finding out about Sesi gave him a new perspective because he believed they were all angry, bloodthirsty creatures.
With Sesi, he concluded they were just angry.
With Lionel’s knowledge, I didn’t have to start from the beginning or give so much explanation. He knew that if Sesi was a werewolf, then Aaron was too, and if he was, Zion would grow up to become one. That kept him silent, and I knew he contemplated that reality, though he had no control over it.
He was, however, curious with questions that needed answers, and when I left to go call Diya, they were on question and answer.
“Agreed. Will you stay now?”
“No!”
“Are werewolves this stubborn and hard to convince, or is it just you?”
“Fuck you.”
He raised a brow. “Would you like to? I mean, I can’t do much, so you’ll one hundred percent be in charge.”
Sesi’s cheeks were hot, and the anger she had seemed subdued a little. “How did you ever survive with him?” She turned to look at me.
I raised my hands in surrender, not wanting to get in the middle of their quarrel. “I don’t know; I just did.”
“Just answer the questions, and we will move on to a better question,” Lionel whined, and from the angry look on Sesi’s face, I knew she wanted to strangle him.
“If werewolves are cold-blooded killers? Well, it depends. We seem to snap the necks of those that get on our nerves.”
He swallowed and blinked a few times before turning to me. “She’s joking, right?”
I shrugged. “She’s standing before you. I’d rather you ask her.” I answer, “But I doubt they are cold-blooded killers. They are being just like us. They live together in understanding and unity. Just like humans, there are bad ones among them. I don’t think that makes them all bad.”
“Your sister has more brain cells than you do,” Sesi said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Agreed. Does that mean you will stay now?” His brow rose.
She rolled her eyes. “For her sake,” she uttered.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she had a soft spot for Lionel, despite her rage and anger. She just doesn’t know how to deal with it.