CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
SANDRO DAVALO
Something’s Off
I sat in the driver’s seat of our car, glancing sideways at Alex. We were on the way to college, the morning sun brightening the roads around us. But something was off about him. He had been unusually quiet this morning, and I could feel a heaviness in the air between us. Watching him stare blankly out of the windshield, I braced myself to broach a topic that had been on my mind for a while now.
So, I turned to him, trying to sound casual. “Hey, Alex. I wanted to talk to you about Nadia.”
At the mention of her name, he stiffened, his expression darkening. I was surprised at the intensity of his reaction. “I was thinking we should let Bethany and Lara know about the mate bond. Do you think it’s a good idea?” I continued, hoping to coax him out of whatever funk he was in.
But Alex remained silent, his gaze fixed on the world outside as if whatever I was saying didn’t concern him at all. His eyes had a burning quality, a mix of anger and something else I couldn’t place.
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. “Why doesn’t he want to talk about it?” I thought, shifting in my seat. Something was bothering him, and it didn’t feel right for us to ignore it. “I’ve… I’ve been thinking about confronting Nadia about the mate bond we share with her,” I said again, trying to gauge his reaction. “We can’t just leave her hanging. We owe her that much at least.”
Still, he wouldn’t say a word, his face showed indifference, though I could sense the storm brewing inside him. As bewilderment and annoyance mingled in my chest, I quickly applied the brakes and brought the car to an abrupt halt in the parking lot.
“Alex, what’s troubling you?” I asked, my voice firm, but also tinged with concern. I could see his jaw clench, and my worry deepened.
He turned to me, and the anger in his eyes was like a flash of lightning-intense and illuminating but frightening. It was usually hard to associate him with that look.
“Is it about Nadia?” I pressed, curiosity heightening as I tried to peel back the layers of his silence.
At that, he barely glanced at me. Instead, he looked away again, the distance between us growing palpable. I felt a wave of frustration bubble inside me.
“Fine,” I muttered, gritting my teeth as I restarted the car, hoping we could figure this out before it got any worse. As I drove into the school parking lot, we fell into another agonizing silence.
We parked the car, and before I could even get out, Alex was already out and headed straight towards the entrance. There was no “See you in class,” and no brotherly banter as he usually would. He left me behind in a cloud of confusion, and my heart sank even more.
“That’s not like him at all,” I said under my breath, shaking my head. As I stepped out of the car, Bethany strolled over, looking concerned and a bit frazzled.
“Hey, Sandro!” she called, her eyes darting after Alex. “What’s wrong with your brother? He walked past me without even saying a word!”
“Yeah, I noticed,” I replied, trying to read her expression. “He just seems in a mood today.”
Bethany’s brow furrowed. “He looked like a house on fire. Seriously, what’s wrong with him? Did you two have a fight or something?”
“No, not that I know of,” I said, but I felt my gut twist at the idea of her bringing problems into our brotherhood. “I was thinking of coming to talk to you to see if you had any idea about what’s bothering him.”
“It’s that girl, isn’t it?” She crossed her arms, and I could hear the tension in her voice. “Nadia is getting into his head. I swear, he’s been acting all strange because of her!”
I sighed, feeling frustration boil in my chest. “Bethany, you’re being unnecessarily worked up,” I said gently. “He’ll sort it out.”
Before she could argue further, I headed towards the entrance to class, hoping my words might ease her anxiety. Bethany chased after me, but her irritation lingered like a storm cloud overhead. “You aren’t going to let her be a problem, are you? I can’t stand that girl.”
“Let’s just focus on Alex for now, okay?” I replied, trying to shift the subject away.
After a few moments, we reached our classroom, and as I opened the door, my heart sank. There was Alex, standing at the front, talking to another girl I didn’t recognize. She was laughing at something he had said, and before my eyes could register what was happening, he kissed her palm, leaning down as if she were the center of his universe. It was a completely sharp contrast to the one who wouldn’t even say a word to me earlier. Is this what it was all about?
Surprise and anger surged within me, and I felt electric heat rise to my face. “What the hell?” I muttered under my breath, my attention darting between Bethany and Alex.
Bethany, too, had noticed their interaction, her expression transforming from confusion to fiery fury. “I can’t believe this!” she exclaimed, her voice rising. “He’s interested in another girl? After everything!”
“Just take a breath, Bethany,” I said, trying to diffuse the situation before it spiraled out of control.
“I’ll teach that girl a lesson. She can’t just seduce him and think she’s going to win him over!”
I grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. “You won’t do that,” I said firmly, gripping her wrist tightly enough to make my point clear.
“Why not?” she challenged, shock flickering across her face. “This is unacceptable, Sandro! He’s completely ignoring me while flirting with her in front of everyone! I’m not going to stand for it!”
“Because it would only make things worse,” I said, releasing my grip and stepping back, my heart racing with the pressure of arguing with her.
“Fine! If you’re not on my side, then maybe you’ve sided with that… that girl.” She huffed, glaring at me before taking a step away to storm off.
“Bethany, wait!” I called after her, but she was already pushing through the door. My heartbeat quickened as I felt the weight of her rage settle into the room around me.
With her gone, I glanced back at Alex, who was still engaged in conversation with the other girl. The anger simmered beneath my skin as I took a seat a few rows behind him, observing his behavior as he continued to ignore everything around him.
The teacher entered the room, and the chatter faded away, but I could barely focus. The thoughts of Alex’s sudden interest in someone else mixed with concern for my brother’s obvious turmoil. I had to sort this out-my brother’s hidden emotions, the girl he was now flirting with, Nadia, and Bethany’s anger.
But I must say, the girl’s hot! Fucking her won’t be a bad idea.
As class began, I felt the minutes stretch into an eternity. I kept glancing at Alex, who seemed completely unaware of the storm brewing around him. He looked detached, laughing at something the girl said, but it felt wrong as if he had walked into a different universe from the one he had always belonged to.
After what felt like an eternity, the class finally ended, and I stood up, stretching my legs. Just then, I spotted Lara walking towards me. She looked flustered, and her expression hinted that she was either about to burst with anger or was ready for a confrontation.
“There you are!” she exclaimed, her voice tinged with irritation. “Why have you been avoiding me? You haven’t been answering my calls, and you’ve barely replied to my texts!”
I felt irritation rise within me like bile. I didn’t have the patience for her relentless nagging today. “I’ve been busy, Lara. And I’m still busy,” I said, my tone flat. I didn’t need to explain everything to her, especially not when my mind was elsewhere.
“Busy with what?” she pressed, her voice rising with each syllable. “Are you avoiding me, Sandro? Because it sure feels like you are!”
Her hand reached for my arm, but I gently pushed it away, trying to keep my cool. “I’m not in the mood,” I said, frustration lacing my words. “Like I said, I’ve been busy, and I’m still busy.”
“Busy chasing that slut, right?” she spat, the word ‘slut’ hanging in the air between us like a toxic cloud. “You’re spending time with her, aren’t you?”
She did not need to say a name, but I knew she was talking about Nadia.
The anger coursing through my veins ignited at her words. “Don’t talk about her that way,” I snapped, gripping her hand tightly.
“Oh, you’ve suddenly become her guard, right? I see. I’m still Lara, and I will make sure I teach her a lesson for trying to steal my boyfriend from me!” she spat.
“If anything happens to her, I swear I will make sure you feel my wrath.”
Lara took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. “You’re threatening me because of her?” she asked, clearly trying to process what I just said.
“And I will do more!” I replied heatedly. My voice dropped a couple of octaves, making it clear that the threat wasn’t casual.
Lara stepped back again, visibly shaken, but her expression hardened. “You think you can protect her? You have no idea what I’m capable of!” She turned abruptly, storming away with her back stiff and proud.
As I watched her go, anger clawed in my chest, but I was flooded with a mixture of relief and fear. I couldn’t let Lara see how much Nadia meant to me, how everything about her was a puzzle I was desperate to piece together.
But then, how do I even accept a low-class girl as my mate!?